Running City London 2018

Stage 1

909 Riddle

51.516701, -0.16531 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

Collective noun for computer programs, collective noun for plastic containers, collective noun for potential presents. One of the London’s neighbourhoods seems to fit into this list. We don’t ask you to find the neighbourhood, go to the road named after it. No. 142

Brand of the piano in the storefront left of the entrance

Detailed answer

Software, Tupperware, giftware. Edgware seems to fit. Edgware Road.

Answer: KAWAI

KAWAI

913 Riddle

51.521882, -0.128102 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

That person was English; no wonder he chose a tea related metaphor to describe a theory that is impossible to disprove. Find his square.
Entrance to an art gallery on the street touching the western corner of the square. White plate right of the entrance

First word of the last line.

Detailed answer

Bertrand Russell proposed a concept of a teapot orbiting the Sun. It is left to contenders to disprove its existence!

Answer: APPROVAL

APPROVAL

916 Riddle

51.527216, -0.109992 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

In the books about his young confrere who lived much later, his beard or his name are mentioned more often than him personally. Find his street.
Street sign at the southwest end of the street.

Top right word

Detailed answer

The riddle is about the “Merlin’s Beard!” exclamation from the Harry Potter series. Merlin Street.

Answer: Finsbury

Finsbury

918 Riddle

51.519692, -0.165294 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

See the image. Maggie is lost! Marge is so nervous she forgot about her French origin. Go to the family member who is the closest to the little one. A door left of the door 42. Find a sign with a phone icon near the door

Phone number

Detailed answer

We depicted Homer Street, Margery Street (similar to French-style Marjorie), Bartholomew Street, Elizabeth Street. The closest to Margaret Street is Homer Street.

Answer: 020 7225 3512

020 7225 3512

919 Riddle

51.524966, -0.113597 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

You can’t find this underground line on the official map. Until 2017, you were not even able to ride it. Now you can enter it from only one station. Gate across the road from the station entrance.

Last line of the Security Warning placard

www.nsl247.com

923 Riddle

51.522817, -0.112975 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

What you want is not the one before Christmas but the one on a certain street. A soon-to-be captain also started his career there. Mosaic 50 metres southeast from the eastern end of the street.

Quantity of birds

Detailed answer

It is about the films The Nightmare before Christmas and A Nightmare on Elm Street, the latter features the first appearance of Johnny Depp. Elm Street.

Answer: 3

3

940 Riddle

51.518971, -0.139491 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

See image.

Signature of an official

Detailed answer

The Green Man pub at Riding House Street

Answer: Signature

Signature

Bonus checkpoints

901 Riddle

51.532011, -0.177273 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

See image. Memorial at the road junction near the place on the image. Portrait on the memorial

Year in arabic numerals

Bonus time 60 minutes

Detailed answer

The Beetles’ Abbey Road album cover from a different perspective. Zebra crossing near Abbey Road Studios.

Answer: 1903

1903

915 Riddle

51.513363, -0.124111 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

462 m × 8.76 m.
In case of doubts, choose the one that better matches the dimensions! Oval-shaped plaque on the building across the road from no. 48.

Difference between years on the plaque

Bonus time 30 minutes

Detailed answer

The product is approximately equal to 4047 m², which is 1 acre. The rectangle is elongated, so you need Long Acre. The length of the road is about 462 metres.

Answer: 11

11

921 Riddle

51.516234, -0.137538 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

“Oi mate! You are elephant’s trunk as ding dong bell. You barely stand on ya plates of meat, innit? Dial a sherbet.”
“Nah mate, I’m sorted. I ain’t no elephant’s, I _______ I can still bee hive.”

If you manage to understand those fellas, you can fill the blank with a London court. Audio cassette pictures in the north part of the court.

Title on the top cassette.

Bonus time 30 minutes

Detailed answer

The gentlemen make use of Cockney rhyming slang:
* elephant’s (trunk) ← drunk;
* ding dong (bell) ← hell;
* plates (of meat) ← feet;
* sherbet (dab) ← cab;
* bee hive ← drive.

What we omitted is ‘Adam and Eve’ for believe. Adam and Eve Court.

Answer: ONE STEP BEYOND

ONE STEP BEYOND

Stage 2

911 Riddle

51.506158, -0.145998 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

You may find the entire biography of this person on the map of London. His last name matches a street in the City. The road of his birth place is in Peckham. He went to the school named as a street in Clerkenwell. To get the place where he lives now, take a street in Mayfair and replace r with u. No. 4 by that street.

Post code in the exterior of the shop

Detailed answer

The participants of the «Lion-Pro» track of our 2017 game might remember a riddle about the connection between Trump Street and Russia Row: www.runcity.org/en/events/london2017/routes/cp917/ . Indeed, Donald Trump was born in Queens, NY, attended Wharton School, and lives in the White House. White Horse Street.

Answer: SW1X 8EA

SW1X 8EA

920 Riddle

51.513857, -0.140231 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

Its history starts in the second half of the XIX century. During the first decade, it had been rapidly expanding, and received its current distinguishing look about 50 years later.
The initial parts of its American namesake (more famous by far) were put together the same year but the whole structure was completed and opened to the public only 11 years later. It took several more decades for it to receive its current distinguishing look due to oxidation.

Quantity of stone lions in front of the entrance

Detailed answer

As can be easily guessed, the American namesake is Liberty Statue. One of the most famous London’s shops is Liberty Department Store, which was rebuilt in the early XX century with the wood recycled from two decommissioned ships.

Answer: 3

3

924 Riddle

51.512388, -0.191274 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

It took 8 years and massive effort to build this 400-something mile road, which made the journey more than 4 times faster. If, however, this happened on the map of London, the effort would be infinitesimal: the destinations are already connected! Find the intersection with a bicycle hire station. Street finder on the station post

Toponym starting with D

Detailed answer

It is about Nikolayevskaya rail road that connected Moscow with St Petersburg. Junction of Moscow Road and St Petersburgh Place.

Answer: Dawson Place

Dawson Place

929 Riddle

51.507327, -0.204127 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

See image. These people likely met on multiple occasions since they were the leaders of their countries in about the same time. They also meet on London map, just one letter is missing from the first’s surname, which is silent anyway. Find a statue to another country leader near no. 79.

Sum of digits on the statue

Detailed answer

These are François Hollande and Park Geun-hye. The address is 79 Holland Park.

Answer: 90

90

930 Riddle

51.514762, -0.199363 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

See image. If you don’t know the road is named after a town, you can think about a lamp cemetery. On the road find a church and a door 178B opposite to the church. Graffiti above the door

Quantity of golden teeth

Detailed answer

In the image, LEDs are buried. Westbourne Grove Church is located on Ledbury Road.

Answer: 5

5

931 Riddle

51.496274, -0.198784 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

See image. Before mid-April 2018, for 75 years and 15 generations, these buildings had been also being inhabited by them, which makes the buildings fit to the description given by this London toponym. TODAY'S WEATHER display board near the garden fence 15 metres north of their north end (no need to enter the garden)

4-letter words occurring more than once

Detailed answer

Pembroke Welsh Corgis were the dogs of Elizabeth II. The last one died in April. Since they were living in the royal residences, one can describe the image as Pembroke Villas.

Answer: bulb temp

bulb temp

939 Riddle

51.510485, -0.209754 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

See image. In this case, manner is no less important than matter.
Post box in the marked place. Information about letter collection

Seventh line

Detailed answer

The text on this blind map is typeset with Clarendon typeface, a famous font invented in London in 1845. Junction of Clarendon Road and Clarendon Cross.

Answer: 229 Bollo Lane W3

229 Bollo Lane W3

960 Riddle

51.516865, -0.119653 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

Its usage started with water in the 1970s. Later on, there have been a bunch of things including Monica, Panama, and an envelope. Find a street with a short name. Pub in a building fringed by the street

Signature of an official

Detailed answer

It is the -gate postfix used to compose titles for various scandals. It started with Watergate, and then there was Monicagate, Panamagate, Envelopegate, and many others. Gate Street.

Answer: Signature

Signature

Stage 3

904 Riddle

51.503096, -0.109933 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

It won’t be wrong to say that this road transported convicts to Australia in the XIX century, and won Eurovision song contest in the XX century. Shop entrance 50 metres east of no. 109.

Countries mentioned in the shop exterior decor

Detailed answer

HMS Waterloo made 4 journeys to Australia before sinking. ABBA won the 1974 Eurovision contest with the song Waterloo.

Answer: Ukraine, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland

Ukraine, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland

908 Riddle

51.513336, -0.129293 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

This picture shows the relationship between these two places that are just 900 metres apart. The eastern of the two. Bus stop D

Time for the last N29 bus

Detailed answer

This is about the famous annual rowing competition between Oxford and Cambridge universities. However, since those are clowns who are rowing, the riddle hints to Oxford Circus and Cambridge Circus that are about 900 metres apart. Cambridge Circus.

Answer: 0605

0605

914 Riddle

51.514966, -0.121365 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

See image. If these people decided to meet, they would likely do it in this building. Plates at the ground floor level

Quantity of lions

Detailed answer

Franklin, Churchill, Wilde, Bezukhov: each of them was a free mason. Freemason’s Hall.

Answer: 18

18

917 Riddle

51.526775, -0.098877 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

There are streets named after him in Nizhny Novgorod and Amsterdam. There is no such street in London but there is a street of a mechanism he suggested to use to accomplish a task impossible for the human strength. Garden in the beginning of the street. Pavilion near the entrance from that street.

Text on the metal flag

Detailed answer

He is Archimedes. He claimed he could move the Earth with an appropriate lever. Lever Street.

Answer: King Square

King Square

926 Riddle

51.536079, -0.101538 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

See image. The first building from the northwest end on the odd side of the street. Graffiti on the door adjacent to that street.

Animal in the author’s signature

Detailed answer

To get Peter and Paul’s Cathedral (which is in St Petersburg), one has to add St Peter to St Paul. You need St Peter’s Street (Peter Street does not have a northwest ending).

Answer: Pegasus

Pegasus

927 Riddle

51.512288, -0.115721 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

These places starting with M are not 16 700 km apart but merely 150 metres. Entrance to the underground station across the road south of the eastern of the two. Padlock locking the grid

The number above the keyhole

Detailed answer

These are Montreal Place and Melbourne Place. Across the road there is a closed Strand station entrance.

Answer: 440

440

928 Riddle  

51.507374, -0.127587 (OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Yandex Maps)

China – Tiananmen Square, Beijing
France – Notre Dame cathedral, Paris
Hungary – Széchenyi Chain Bridge, Budapest
Indonesia – Weh Island
Italy – Capitoline Hill, Rome
Malaysia – General Post Office, Johor Bahru
Russia – Iberian Gate, Moscow
Sweden – Gustav Adolfs torg, Stockholm
United Kingdom – ?

Plate on the ground north of the equestrian statue

First word of the second last line

Detailed answer

Those places are used as the origins of the road distances in their respective countries. In the UK, it is the location of the original Charing Cross, which is right behind King Charles’ equestrian statue.

Answer: MILEAGE

MILEAGE

Historical background

London Noses
// In 1997, the unknown placed on London attractions' walls 35 alabaster noses.They appeared on the walls of such crowded places as the Tate gallery, St Pancras and others. Most of the noses were seen and shot down in the first months, but almost a dozen of them survived and became part of the urban environment. Gradually they began to acquire legends. One of them promised a fortune to anyone who will find the seven noses in Soho. As another legend goes, there is a spare nose for Admiral Nelson's statue on Trafalgar Square. The third legend has it that there is an impression from the nose of Napoleon, glued on the wall so passing cavalrymen could pinch Napoleon's nose. The secret was revealed only fourteen years after. The noses' author revealed himself, it was Rick Buckley, the artist. He said he protested against the increasing proliferation of CCTV monitoring, that poked its' nose into people's privacy. The form of protest was partly inspired by Gogol's story about the escaped nose of major Kovalev. Subsequently, the British edition of Gogol's Nose illustrated with photos of Buckley's noses was published. Of course, Buckley had followers. Designer Tim Fishlock placed a few ears on the walls of London, not in protest, but just like that. And now everyone has a chance to talk to the wall, it's the perfect listener.

// //Sherlock Holmes
// Sherlock Holmes got into the Guinness book of records as the most filmed character in the world. There are more than two hundred films about the famous detective, and much more theatrical productions, radio plays and other signs of worldwide fame! The very first film adaptation was the American silent film of 1900 ‘Sherlock Holmes Baffled’. It lasted only forty-five seconds. Who played the burglar and the detective, and where had the stolen stuff been gone, the history doesn't record. The first series of the first British film Holmes adaptation came in 1931, it was 'The Sleeping Cardinal'. Only five series were filmed. One of them did not not survive, the rest can be viewed on YouTube. Sherlock Holmes was played by Arthur Wontner and Dr. Watson was played by Ian Fleming. Unfortunately, we will not see the old England the films, all filming took place in the pavilion. The action of the most postmodern film adaptation, ‘Sherlock’ TV series, is happening nowadays.
The most recent film adaptation, the English-American animated film ‘Sherlock Gnomes’, shows us the secret life of the stone inhabitants of London.
The authors of the movies saw their characters in different ways, but one thing remains constant — the address is 221B Baker Street. And now the question is this! From what kind of a phone booth model the garden gnomes company, led by Sherlock Gnomes, called? It's elementary, isn't it? ;)