Wonderful to see y'all again, MJM friends! Hope the break went well and that whatever holiday you celebrate was fantastic! I look forward to another year of puzzles with y'all

Those last 2 clips can suck it.

Well too bad for me the 400th wasn’t the easy one for the month! The only time I really ever think I have a chance. As always, I enjoy listening to the clips.

That's fine. I didn't need to sleep this week anyway.

but but but I LIKE the hints in the comments. I can never figure these out at all

Me: gets one clip in five minutes.
Also me: spends five hours looking in all the wrong places for the other three.

I believe I am at the 5th stage of MJM hunting; the one where you start to plead with a very similar jam to change its notes ever so slightly to match the actual jam.

This is great - 400th MJM the same week as the 40th anniversary of the MIT Mystery Hunt. Both are VERY hard.
https://www.mit.edu/~puzzle/nexthunt.html

So, I think I know a year of one of the clips! That should count for something, right? I like the format, though!

I am kind of sort of sure I know the last two clips!

definitely know the 1st & 4th clips... struggling with the middle two though! nice job on this one, pete!

@ghostboogie said:

definitely know the 1st & 4th clips... struggling with the middle two though! nice job on this one, pete!

I believe you’re the first to hit the halfway mark

I love that so many emeriti are competing on this one, it’s like the Jeopardy GOAT tournament up in here!

@UCPete We are really ready for your cleaver-but-not-really-helpful-hints-that-only-make-sense-after-you-have-given-the-answers-and-explained-the-hints hint!!

@A_Buddhist_Prodigy said:

@UCPete We are really ready for your cleaver-but-not-really-helpful-hints-that-only-make-sense-after-you-have-given-the-answers-and-explained-the-hints hint!!

Multiple the number of goo balls consumed at the Clifford Ball by the sum of beers consumed and porta potties at IT. Take the square root of that to get the attendance number of the show from Jam 3.

@mcgrupp81 said:

@A_Buddhist_Prodigy said:

@UCPete We are really ready for your cleaver-but-not-really-helpful-hints-that-only-make-sense-after-you-have-given-the-answers-and-explained-the-hints hint!!

Multiple the number of goo balls consumed at the Clifford Ball by the sum of beers consumed and porta potties at IT. Take the square root of that to get the attendance number of the show from Jam 3.

Um, no one told me math would be involved!

First hint coming tomorrow!

24 hours till @ghostboogie takes his pick of the prize litter?

@A_Buddhist_Prodigy said:

@UCPete We are really ready for your cleaver-but-not-really-helpful-hints-that-only-make-sense-after-you-have-given-the-answers-and-explained-the-hints hint!!

only makes sense after you have given the answers AND explained the hint....NAILED IT

A little clarification on the note above, as it's causing some problems for folks - for one of these clips, there's a discrepancy in how LivePhish, Phish.in, and Phish.net denote the section of interest.

LivePhish.com presents the setlist as Song A -> Song C, and if you're searching for the section there, you'll find it near the end of Song A.
Phish.in presents the setlist as Song A -> Song C also, and if you're searching for the section there, you'll find it near the beginning of Song C.
Phish.net presents the setlist as Song A -> Song B -> Song C, and the setlist implies that the relevant section falls at the end of Song B.

Songs A, B, and C are regular song titles - we aren't dealing with a "Fukuoka Jam," or a "Plasma Reprise," or a "Jam", etc. It's just a somewhat subjective call as to which song is being played in the middle of an improvisational segment. Think 12/29/18's "Wolfman's Brother" (-> "Party Time" -> "Wolfman's Brother") – depending on where you look, you may get a different setlist.

In terms of the answer, Song A, Song B, or Song C (or some combination of them) will all be accepted as correct, but in terms of the theme that connects it with the previous track, only Song C makes sense. (I would have just skipped this section altogether but I didn't notice the setlist discrepancies until after I had constructed and uploaded the puzzle - my bad!)

@uctweezer said:

A little clarification on the note above, as it's causing some problems for folks - for one of these clips, there's a discrepancy in how LivePhish, Phish.in, and Phish.net denote the section of interest.

LivePhish.com presents the setlist as Song A -> Song C, and if you're searching for the section there, you'll find it near the end of Song A.
Phish.in presents the setlist as Song A -> Song C also, and if you're searching for the section there, you'll find it near the beginning of Song C.
Phish.net presents the setlist as Song A -> Song B -> Song C, and the setlist implies that the relevant section falls at the end of Song B.

Songs A, B, and C are regular song titles - we aren't dealing with a "Fukuoka Jam," or a "Plasma Reprise," or a "Jam", etc. It's just a somewhat subjective call as to which song is being played in the middle of an improvisational segment. Think 12/29/18's "Wolfman's Brother" (-> "Party Time" -> "Wolfman's Brother") – depending on where you look, you may get a different setlist.

In terms of the answer, Song A, Song B, or Song C (or some combination of them) will all be accepted as correct, but in terms of the theme that connects it with the previous track, only Song C makes sense. (I would have just skipped this section altogether but I didn't notice the setlist discrepancies until after I had constructed and uploaded the puzzle! - my bad!)

Where was this post late last night! I figured what you stated here was what you were trying to communicate originally, but I figured it was worth it to attempt to connect a few dots. Is this a hint that one of the jams is Ha Ha Ha?

@uctweezer said:

A little clarification on the note above, as it's causing some problems for folks - for one of these clips, there's a discrepancy in how LivePhish, Phish.in, and Phish.net denote the section of interest.

LivePhish.com presents the setlist as Song A -> Song C, and if you're searching for the section there, you'll find it near the end of Song A.
Phish.in presents the setlist as Song A -> Song C also, and if you're searching for the section there, you'll find it near the beginning of Song C.
Phish.net presents the setlist as Song A -> Song B -> Song C, and the setlist implies that the relevant section falls at the end of Song B.

Songs A, B, and C are regular song titles - we aren't dealing with a "Fukuoka Jam," or a "Plasma Reprise," or a "Jam", etc. It's just a somewhat subjective call as to which song is being played in the middle of an improvisational segment. Think 12/29/18's "Wolfman's Brother" (-> "Party Time" -> "Wolfman's Brother") – depending on where you look, you may get a different setlist.

In terms of the answer, Song A, Song B, or Song C (or some combination of them) will all be accepted as correct, but in terms of the theme that connects it with the previous track, only Song C makes sense. (I would have just skipped this section altogether but I didn't notice the setlist discrepancies until after I had constructed and uploaded the puzzle! - my bad!)

I'm just happy that I found a show the meets these criteria. I mean, it's the wrong one, but I found something!

@justino said:

@uctweezer said:

A little clarification on the note above, as it's causing some problems for folks - for one of these clips, there's a discrepancy in how LivePhish, Phish.in, and Phish.net denote the section of interest.

LivePhish.com presents the setlist as Song A -> Song C, and if you're searching for the section there, you'll find it near the end of Song A.
Phish.in presents the setlist as Song A -> Song C also, and if you're searching for the section there, you'll find it near the beginning of Song C.
Phish.net presents the setlist as Song A -> Song B -> Song C, and the setlist implies that the relevant section falls at the end of Song B.

Songs A, B, and C are regular song titles - we aren't dealing with a "Fukuoka Jam," or a "Plasma Reprise," or a "Jam", etc. It's just a somewhat subjective call as to which song is being played in the middle of an improvisational segment. Think 12/29/18's "Wolfman's Brother" (-> "Party Time" -> "Wolfman's Brother") – depending on where you look, you may get a different setlist.

In terms of the answer, Song A, Song B, or Song C (or some combination of them) will all be accepted as correct, but in terms of the theme that connects it with the previous track, only Song C makes sense. (I would have just skipped this section altogether but I didn't notice the setlist discrepancies until after I had constructed and uploaded the puzzle - my bad!)

I'm just happy that I found a show the meets these criteria. I mean, it's the wrong one, but I found something!

Classic MJMer behavior:
"Pete's laughing at us right now and he's making all this shit up, it's got to be Ha Ha Ha > Fuck Your Face"
"I know, I'll use Pete's overkill clarifications as search criteria!"
"Is the theme 'Jams from shows where the LivePhish and phish.net setlists have discrepancies'??"
"I should remove the letters A, B, and C from Pete's comment and read it again, backwards"

@uctweezer said:

@justino said:

@uctweezer said:

A little clarification on the note above, as it's causing some problems for folks - for one of these clips, there's a discrepancy in how LivePhish, Phish.in, and Phish.net denote the section of interest.

LivePhish.com presents the setlist as Song A -> Song C, and if you're searching for the section there, you'll find it near the end of Song A.
Phish.in presents the setlist as Song A -> Song C also, and if you're searching for the section there, you'll find it near the beginning of Song C.
Phish.net presents the setlist as Song A -> Song B -> Song C, and the setlist implies that the relevant section falls at the end of Song B.

Songs A, B, and C are regular song titles - we aren't dealing with a "Fukuoka Jam," or a "Plasma Reprise," or a "Jam", etc. It's just a somewhat subjective call as to which song is being played in the middle of an improvisational segment. Think 12/29/18's "Wolfman's Brother" (-> "Party Time" -> "Wolfman's Brother") – depending on where you look, you may get a different setlist.

In terms of the answer, Song A, Song B, or Song C (or some combination of them) will all be accepted as correct, but in terms of the theme that connects it with the previous track, only Song C makes sense. (I would have just skipped this section altogether but I didn't notice the setlist discrepancies until after I had constructed and uploaded the puzzle - my bad!)

I'm just happy that I found a show the meets these criteria. I mean, it's the wrong one, but I found something!

Classic MJMer behavior:
"Pete's laughing at us right now and he's making all this shit up, it's got to be Ha Ha Ha > Fuck Your Face"
"I know, I'll use Pete's overkill clarifications as search criteria!"
"Is the theme 'Jams from shows where the LivePhish and phish.net setlists have discrepancies'??"
"I should remove the letters A, B, and C from Pete's comment and read it again, backwards"

Sounds like the type of logic implemented by that short, bald guy from The Princess Bride when trying to decide which cup held the poison. The fact that I am still trying to figure out these jams is INCONCEIVABLE!

"Classic MJMer behavior:
"Pete's laughing at us right now and he's making all this shit up, it's got to be Ha Ha Ha > Fuck Your Face"
"I know, I'll use Pete's overkill clarifications as search criteria!"
"Is the theme 'Jams from shows where the LivePhish and phish.net setlists have discrepancies'??"
"I should remove the letters A, B, and C from Pete's comment and read it again, backwards"

Sounds about right @uctweezer. Get out of my head, man!

This is actually a pretty good extra hint. Gave me the relevant clip, and a little theme-related info too! Still the only clip I've found, though.

Great fun to be playing again. Thanks as always, guys.

@uctweezer said:

A little clarification on the note above, as it's causing some problems for folks - for one of these clips, there's a discrepancy in how LivePhish, Phish.in, and Phish.net denote the section of interest.

LivePhish.com presents the setlist as Song A -> Song C, and if you're searching for the section there, you'll find it near the end of Song A.
Phish.in presents the setlist as Song A -> Song C also, and if you're searching for the section there, you'll find it near the beginning of Song C.
Phish.net presents the setlist as Song A -> Song B -> Song C, and the setlist implies that the relevant section falls at the end of Song B.

Songs A, B, and C are regular song titles - we aren't dealing with a "Fukuoka Jam," or a "Plasma Reprise," or a "Jam", etc. It's just a somewhat subjective call as to which song is being played in the middle of an improvisational segment. Think 12/29/18's "Wolfman's Brother" (-> "Party Time" -> "Wolfman's Brother") – depending on where you look, you may get a different setlist.

In terms of the answer, Song A, Song B, or Song C (or some combination of them) will all be accepted as correct, but in terms of the theme that connects it with the previous track, only Song C makes sense. (I would have just skipped this section altogether but I didn't notice the setlist discrepancies until after I had constructed and uploaded the puzzle - my bad!)

Taking the temperature here to see if I need to drop another hint sooner (tomorrow? Saturday?) rather than later - sounds like multiple folks have ID’d the first clip, at least one has ID’d the second clip, at least one has ID’d the last clip, but no one has ID’d the third clip?

Can’t be too far off from our first winner...

@uctweezer said:

Taking the temperature here to see if I need to drop another hint sooner (tomorrow? Saturday?) rather than later - sounds like multiple folks have ID’d the first clip, at least one has ID’d the second clip, at least one has ID’d the last clip, but no one has ID’d the third clip?

Can’t be too far off from our first winner...

I (still) only have the first clip, but I think I know the years for each of the other three. Even if I am way off, I am still rediscovering some gems. It would be cool, AFTER the contest, to see what jams other people came across. I know I have a list.

I've got the first and third clips and I'll be damned if I don't know what year the second is from, but I also said that two days ago, and here I am, still at it...

I'm now 3 for 4 but for the life of me I can't figure out what connects each jam to one another, making it no easier to find the final jam.

@12_29_97_4eva said:

I'm now 3 for 4 but for the life of me I can't figure out what connects each jam to one another, making it no easier to find the final jam.

Dude, I am 2 of 4 and Hint 1 has led to some interesting interpretations and fruitless rabbit holes! If I ever find Jam 4, I'm going to stomp on its face.

God Phish is so sick. MJM reminds me of that. I have clip no.1 right off the bat. Not sure if this Hall of Famer is going to spend the time trying to figure out the rest though. I do want to know what no.2 is real bad.

i'm currently in the same spot as @12_29_97_4eva

i have #1, #2, & #4, but can't figure out the theme, and #3 is still driving me crazy

can't wait to be done with this lol...

@GhostBoogie - I'll trade you #3 for #4 and we can cut the signed Tom Marshall record in half. Deal?

@Ucpete - I kid, I kid.

@12_29_97_4eva said:

@GhostBoogie - I'll trade you #3 for #4 and we can cut the signed Tom Marshall record in half. Deal?

@Ucpete - I kid, I kid.

Ucpete does Cosplay as King Solomon, so he might be jazzed about resolving this hypothetical scenario.

Quite the stumper going here. Congrats to whoever nails it.

It has come to my attention that some folks are looking for a theme that connects all four jams - there isn’t one

Per the OP:
“each jam is connected to the next by a theme; you don't need to identify the themes to win, and the themes only connect consecutive jams (not all four)”

In other words: there is a theme that connects the first jam to the second, the second jam to the third, and the third jam to the fourth; but those are different themes!

By way of example:
1) 12/30/19 Tweezer
2) 12/30/99 Mike’s Song
3) 11/14/95 Stash
4) 8/28/93 Stash

1-2: 12/30 jams
2-3: Florida jams
3-4: Stash jams

P.S. we have our first correct answer!

P.P.S. and then there were two!

@uctweezer said:

P.P.S. and then there were two!

Well, shit -- guess you can call me Trey, then!

Pencils down - we've got our three!

Will update blog shortly. Thanks for playing!!

(Answers + winners on results spreadsheet)

@mcgrupp81 said:

I believe I am at the 5th stage of MJM hunting; the one where you start to plead with a very similar jam to change its notes ever so slightly to match the actual jam.

LMFAO

Which clip was this for you? I kept wanting clip 4 to be the 10/31/98 Lonesome Cowboy Bill. So similar.

@uctweezer said:

Pencils down - we've got our three!

Will update blog shortly. Thanks for playing!!

(Answers + winners on results spreadsheet)

Well done boys. I only got the Axilla and DWD. When I saw the 11-19-92 debut on the Axilla song history, I didn't think to investigate it. That show is actually one of my favorites and I've listened to the Foam and Divided Sky from there over a 100 times easy. Not to go on a tangent, but I had an AUD copy of that show, and you can hear a guy go "This is cool" in a way that expresses that this was his first Phish show and likely his first intro to the full Phish arsenal. He got IT right away!

Getting back on track, in the hunt for Jam 2, instead of going the debut route, I was thinking in terms of Axilla = Armpit = Armpit of America = NJ = check out NJ jams. And then thinking too literally about it, Axilla is "connected" to your Limb so check out some Limb by Limb jams. That jam 4 was a killer too. Y'all going to have me twitch out any time I hear Trey use the reverse delay effect going forward! I went through Fall 98 and even checked out that show so I don't know how I missed it. When I got to that show, I remember joking to myself that they could do a cigarette themed MJM (i.e. Winston-Salem, Newport.. Music Hall, etc.). When I couldn't find the jam in '99 or '00, I thought I was in going to be in search hell given the reverse delay effect has been used sporadically outside of 1.0. C'est la vie. If we make it to MJM500, I'll make sure to take a few days off work in advance. If anything, I had a chance to listen to a TON of stuff I hadn't heard in a while and had one or two flashes like I had been there before, been there before. Truly awesome job by those who thoughtfully put this together. Peace.

@bl002e said:

@mcgrupp81 said:

I believe I am at the 5th stage of MJM hunting; the one where you start to plead with a very similar jam to change its notes ever so slightly to match the actual jam.

LMFAO

Which clip was this for you? I kept wanting clip 4 to be the 10/31/98 Lonesome Cowboy Bill. So similar.

Spot on. That was one of the first jams I checked out. I also figured I check out the 7/31/99 Caspian and the other songs from that show, and found a really nice Simple that was close as well.

@bl002e said:

@mcgrupp81 said:

I believe I am at the 5th stage of MJM hunting; the one where you start to plead with a very similar jam to change its notes ever so slightly to match the actual jam.

LMFAO

Which clip was this for you? I kept wanting clip 4 to be the 10/31/98 Lonesome Cowboy Bill. So similar.

@12_29_97_4eva said the *exact* same thing!

Super impressive showing by the Hall of Famers this week.

I love the weekly pursuit and the influx of new blood - they’re the reason I keep churning out puzzles (and because, as @TwiceBitten mentioned, it’s always great to be reminded how freakin awesome Phish is, playing or hosting or just following along) - but holy shit is it awesome to see our winningest competitors bring their A games back to the blahg.

Maybe we should do a GOAT tournament, a la Jeopardy. Just need to figure out the format that makes it fairest and funnest...

"Getting back on track, in the hunt for Jam 2, instead of going the debut route, I was thinking in terms of Axilla = Armpit = Armpit of America = NJ = check out NJ jams"

@Mcgrupp81, this is some of the best logic I have ever seen! Fuckin' love it.

Here's me when I think I have deciphered @ucpete's hints:

Here's a short list of some of the places I looked:

10/27/95 Simple -- Might be my new favorite under ten minute Simple
11/22/95 Free -- last fifteen minutes of this gem are so patient
9/9/99 Stash

Not even close, but damn did I have fun going back to shows I haven't listened to in years.

Damn, I remember winning this thing when there was no prize at all! How far we've come.

best MJM ever