Solution-less Puzzle

August 03, 2010

I have been spending a lot of time lately developing my relationship with Southwest Airlines.  Aside from all the fun and games that comes along with frequent flyer-ship, I've spent enough time reading Spirit magazine to realize that the July issue of the crossword puzzle was missing half of the clues for the "down" column.  This made me reminisce on another solution-less puzzle that I came across during my college days.

I have always been a big fan of Dots candy.  You know, the gumdrops that come in the yellow box.  I don't know if they still do, but they used to come with little mazes and puzzles on the back side of the box.  Well, one day back in 2001, I met a maze that had no solution.

I tried to solve this maze.  I tried.  And tried.  And tried.

Finally, I gave up.  There absolutely was no solution to this maze.  In my despair, I sent a copy of the un-solvable maze along with a letter to the Dots corporation.  (And the address wasn't on the box, either... I went to quite a bit of trouble over the whole thing).

I didn't really expect a response.

Turns out, I got one:


Tootsie Roll Industries

Some poor consumer relations lady actually had to write a letter that said, "we apologize for any undue concern the solution-less puzzle may have called."   Okay, thanks, but I wasn't that concerned!

4 comments:

Izzy said...

Too funny! Too bad they didn't send you coupons for free Dots :)

Allison M. said...

I can not believe you got a response!

Krista said...

@ Izzy & Allison - Yeah, I would have loved free dots though it was pretty unbelievable I got a response at all!

christa said...

Oh my God. This is fabulous. I'm in awe that you wrote and they wrote back. I would have just let loose a string of curse words. I'm learning so much from you!