[WiZ] But whose clothes is the younger man wearing?

[WiZ]

A man is out with friends when he comes across a public piano. He immediately sits down and plays a lively tune. Then he gets a massive surprise. What happened next?

ROIMBT. Caveat earlispoilor.

[AlbatrossLover]

Was the surprise something positive? Negative? Neutral? Did the surprise come from one of his friends? Did it happen as a direct result of him playing the piano?

Was the surprise something physical? Information? Something that he heard? Saw? Felt?

[WiZ]

Was the surprise something positive? yes Negative? Neutral? Did the surprise come from one of his friends? no Did it happen as a direct result of him playing the piano? yes

Was the surprise something physical? yes, in large part Information? yesish Something that he heard? Saw? this Felt?

[AlbatrossLover]

Was the surprise something to do with the piano itself? Something inside the piano? Was another person involved? Would this surprise show up for anyone playing that piano? Anyone playing it the way the man did?

[WiZ]

Was the surprise something to do with the piano itself? yesish Something inside the piano? I will say no Was another person involved? yes Would this surprise show up for anyone playing that piano? no Anyone playing it the way the man did? yesish

[AlbatrossLover]

Does him getting the surprise have something to do with the specific song he played? With the fact that it was a lively song? Did he relevantly play well? Badly?

Is there just one other person involved? Are they someone the man knows? A stranger? The piano's owner? Was the person themself the surprise?

[Doriana]

Relevant where the piano was? If so, in a pub/bar? In a train station? On the street/sidewalk? In a park?

[WiZ]

AlbatrossLover

Does him getting the surprise have something to do with the specific song he played? yes With the fact that it was a lively song? not per se Did he relevantly play well? yesish Badly? no

Is there just one other person involved? no Are they someone the man knows? no A stranger? yes The piano's owner? yes Was the person themself the surprise? no

Doriana

Relevant where the piano was? yes If so, in a pub/bar? In a train station? On the street/sidewalk? In a park? no to all

[AlbatrossLover]

Did he relevantly play a song not a lot of people know about? Not a lot of people can play well? Was the man in a music-related place? A store? Club?

[WiZ]

Did he relevantly play a song not a lot of people know about? A surprisingly pertinent question that is difficult to answer. I will say yes. Not a lot of people can play well? no Was the man in a music-related place? no A store? Club? no to both

[Balin]

PMing a guess.

[WiZ]

PMing a guess. You are correct!

Forking out the solicitor's fees to lodge the caveat is paying off.

[AlbatrossLover]

Did the song make the owner realize something about the man? Did the owner figure out something about the man's identity? His background? His family? His culture?

Did he play a specific variation of a more famous song? A song that wasn't released to the general public?

[WiZ]

Did the song make the owner realize something about the man? no Did the owner figure out something about the man's identity? His background? His family? His culture? no to these

Did he play a specific variation of a more famous song? yes (or at least a piano rendition thereof)A song that wasn't released to the general public? no

[Hobbsicle]

Is it a song with lyrics? Is the original artist/singer present? Does he/she sing/accompany the man somehow?

[WiZ]

Is it a song with lyrics? no Is the original artist/singer present? no Does he/she sing/accompany the man somehow? no

[Hobbsicle]

Does someone relevantly appear? Does the piano open? Transform in some way? Is the surprise specifically prepared for the person who is playing? For the song being played? Would you say the surprise is sentimental? Of tangible value? Is someone famous involved?

[WiZ]

Does someone relevantly appear? no Does the piano open? no Transform in some way? no Is the surprise specifically prepared for the person who is playing? no For the song being played? yes Would you say the surprise is sentimental? no Of tangible value? debatable Is someone famous involved? no

[Hobbsicle]

So if this guy comes along in the middle of a cold dark night by himself and plays the song on the piano, would he still receive the surprise? If the man had not been "with friends", would he still receive the surprise? If the man had played only the melody with a single finger, would he still receive the surprise? If he had pulled out his own keyboard, placed it on top of the piano, and played the same piece, would he still receive the surprise? If this puzzle were about something different entirely, would he still receive the surprise?

[WiZ]

So if this guy comes along in the middle of a cold dark night by himself and plays the song on the piano, would he still receive the surprise? Yes If the man had not been "with friends", would he still receive the surprise? yes If the man had played only the melody with a single finger, would he still receive the surprise? yes If he had pulled out his own keyboard, placed it on top of the piano, and played the same piece, would he still receive the surprise? no If this puzzle were about something different entirely, would he still receive the surprise? no - the solution hinges on something a little more situation-specific than an unusual propensity towards being surprised.

[hominid]

Is the piano in a building? in someone's home? a place of business? a theater? a place of worship?

Does the piano owner also own the establishment where the piano is being played?

[WiZ]

Is the piano in a building? yes in someone's home? no a place of business? yes a theater? a place of worship? no to both

Does the piano owner also own the establishment where the piano is being played? yes

[Doriana]

Has the owner (H/A/M? H/A/F?) been waiting for someone to play this song? Does the song have a special significance for the owner?

Relevant what kind of piano it is? If so, digital piano? upright piano? grand piano? Is the piano part of some kind of video game or arcade game?

[WiZ]

Has the owner (H/A/M? H/A/F?) H/A/Irrel been waiting for someone to play this song? yes Does the song have a special significance for the owner? yesish, FAs lurking

Relevant what kind of piano it is? no If so, digital piano? upright piano? grand piano? Is the piano part of some kind of video game no or arcade game? yope - big DoyD of 'arcade game' at play

[Doriana]

Does this happen in an escape room?

[WiZ]

Does this happen in an escape room? Yes! So...

[Doriana]

Either: The group of friends finds clues to the notes that need to be played in order to get out of the room, one of them plays the tune on the piano, and they get out?
Or: The guy plays a random song which just happens to be the song they need to get out, making them the fastest-ever group to complete the escape room?

[WiZ]

Either: The group of friends finds clues to the notes that need to be played in order to get out of the room, one of them plays the tune on the piano, and they get out?
Or: The guy plays a random song which just happens to be the song they need to get out, making them the fastest-ever group to complete the escape room? this!

***** SPOILER *****

The door to the escape room opened.

The friends were doing an escape room together. The room is themed around Pirates of the Caribbean. Less than half a minute after entering the room, one of them spots the piano. On impulse, he plays a few bars of the opening theme.

To escape from the room, escapees would have to find and assemble various pieces of the musical score, and then play this on the piano. Purely by chance, he managed to 'solve' the room in under thirty seconds.

Congratulations, Doriana, on the solution, and thank you everyone for playing!