We have access to the entire 6th floor. Meals will be served in the Bohea room. There is public space (including a bar during certain hours) behind the front desk. There is also a public bar on the PL floor (the same floor the picnic is on).

The 6th floor is also the location to find and share puzzles, handouts, shared physical puzzles, portable escape rooms, etc. You can also leave any games or other materials for use by others during con.

The Wednesday evening con picnic is on the hotel roof (level PL on the elevator panel).

Snacks may be found in the hospitality suite in Room 901. DO NOT take any hospitality suite food out of the hospitality suite! We get fined if there is any food brought into the event space. Please don't do it!

Friday Dinner: 6-7:30pm
Saturday Breakfast: 8-9:45am
Saturday Lunch: 12-1:45pm
Saturday Dinner: 6-7:30pm
Sunday Breakfast: 8-10am

5:00PM

Pre-Con Picnic [on the Rooftop]

8:00PM

Welcome! An evening of puzzles and games: Shifting Gears by Shrdlu You’ll have a new partner in every round of this rapid-fire categories game. inCLUEded by Murdoch A general-knowledge quiz in which the answers are included in the clues! Cryptictionary by 530nm330Hz and Tortoise A creative team challenge in which you’ll learn that a great cryptic clue can be a work of art. Boston Garden by Q*Bert Make Way for Ducklings by Trazom Outside the Box by Mr E Over-the-weekend cryptics for pairs solving. Solutions are due by 8:00PM Saturday.

8:00PM

Another evening of puzzles and games: Entry Points by T McAy and Trick Identify words from clues in their dictionary entries. Use fewer clues to score more points. Consonant Conundrum by Bluff A trivia game in which you need to avoid popular consonants in your answers. On the Rack by Hot In which seven players become living letter tiles and rearrange themselves to form words suggested by their teammates.

10:00AM		Business Meeting
2:15PM		An afternoon of pencil-and-paper competitions: Time Test by Willz Seven wordplay challenges. 30 minutes. Go! Cartoon Rebuses by Toonhead! In the style of the old Four-Star Puzzler. Out of This World [flat-solving competition] compiled by Saxifrage Thirty-four new flats by Krewe members, each having a theme of science fiction or fantasy.
5:30PM		Convention photo (dressing up is welcome)
6:45PM		The Golden Sphinx Awards presented by Teki [during dessert] Recognizing outstanding achievement in contributions to The Enigma in 2016.
8:00PM		Bar Exam [extravaganza] by Navin, Shaggy, Spelvin, and Zebraboy Apply good judgment and the right defenses, and you just might make partner.

10:30AM

Awards for all the weekend contests

This is the hotel where the con is. Go through the main entrance on Stuart Street to the left of the parking entrance - the check-in desk should be straight ahead through the doors.

If you’re flying, you’ll probably end up here.

Rail - If you come by train from the south or west - whether intercity on Amtrak or regionally on the Commuter Rail - you’ll probably end up here. Also Intercity Buses End up here.

If you come by rail from the north, you’ll probably end up here.

Some Trains from the South stop here

See Arrival: Logan Airport above. This bus takes you to South Station, from which you can catch the Red Line.

Shuttle around the Airport. This takes you to the terminals, the Blue Line Station, and rental cars.

Shuttle to downtown. They don't officially go the Revere, but you can take it to the Park Plaza just down the block.
These arrive at the airport every 15-20 minutes or so.

Limousine. use LIMO25 to get $25 off

Available at the Taxi stand at the Airport and at a stand directly across Stuart Street from the hotel.

App-driven car service. Their company practices aren't the best, so we'd prefer you use Lyft if you don't want to cab it.

App-driven car service -- shared ride. Again, we'd prefer you Lyft Line.

Somewhat less creepy app-driven car service.
Note: at Logan Airport, you have to go to a specific location at each terminal to be picked up via rideshare app (applies to Uber too). The Lyft app tells you where to go.

Somewhat less creepy app-driven car service -- shared ride

Boston’s subway and bus transit system -- lines are commonly referred to by their color (Green/Red/Orange/Blue/Silver), and they typically close down by 1:00 am.

Riding the T costs $2.25 with a reusable Charlie Card and $2.75 with a Charlie Ticket. You can buy Charlie Tickets at any station; the closest place to get a Charlie Ticket (which doesn't cost anything beyond the usable amount you put on it) is Patriot News, at 31 St. James Place, about a 5 minute walk from the Hotel (Show on Map).

The Hotel is in the center of about half a dozen T stops:

Green Line
→ Boylston (best if going to North End, North Station, or TD Garden); 6 min walk
→ Arlington (best if going into Boston); 5 min walk

Orange Line
→ Chinatown (best if going to the North End, North Station, or TD Garden); 8 min walk
→ Tufts Med Center (best if going to Roxbury or Jamaica Plain); 6 min walk

Red Line
→ Park Street (best if going to Cambridge or Davis Square); 10 min walk
→ Downtown Crossing (best if going to South Station or almost anywhere else in Boston, Allston, or Brookline); 12 min walk

Allows you to borrow a bike from any of the many Hubway stations all over town. If you return it to any station (not necessarily the originating station) within 30 minutes, there’s no charge.
If there's no available dock at a station, get a time extension via the station's kiosk, buying you time until a dock frees up, or to relocate to a nearby station.

Officially Hubway requires a helmet for everyone.
Officially Massachusetts requires a helmet if you're 17 or under.
The Hubway website lists a large number of bike shops in the area if you want to buy one.

If you have a membership at home, you can use it here

Driving in Boston is generally not fun, and if you can use any of the plethora of other transportation options, we highly recommend it.
There’s lots of traffic, a non-orthogonal tangle of streets, impatient drivers, limited and/or expensive parking in many locations, and famously poor signage.
[But hey, maybe you can pretend it's a PUZZLE to stay on Somerville Avenue as you drive through Union Square; yeah, that's it, a puzzle!]

If you can avoid bringing a car or can let it rest in a parking location for the duration of your stay, we recommend you do so.

There are tolls along the MassPike (I90), the Sumner Tunnel, the Ted Williams Tunnel, and the Tobin Bridge.

The tolling uses the same “EZPass” transponder system which is used in other cities in the northeast, including NYC.
This past January all of the tolls in Boston were converted to All Electronic Tolling, which means that there are no tollbooths --
overhead gantries on the highway or tunnels simply read the transponder.

For cars without transponders, a picture of your license plate is taken, and a bill is mailed to you, using a higher rate than for cars with transponders.
If you don’t have an EZPass transponder, you could get one online before arriving in Boston, but there’s a $20.00 initial fee, so it’s probably not worth it just for this visit.

If you opt to rent a car (don't rent a car, see "Driving in Boston") make sure you understand how the rental company will bill those tolls to you.

Spothero.com has parking maps for pretty much any place you'd want to go

Wellington parking is in a open lot (not covered).

Alewife parking is in a covered garage.

Buffet breakfast at the hotel; nicely done, but $22, so …

Situated by the pool of the Revere, trendy appetizers and cocktails, open till midnight every night

Open till 12:30 Monday & Tuesday, 2 am all other days; food served till 10 pm; themed on the Wizard of Oz; come for the flying monkeys, stay for the tasty drinks

Chinese

Mexican

Go to Dunkies instead; you're in Boston, dammit! (or Thinking Cup or Boston Common coffee if you want less chain-y nearby. You'll need coffee every day, right?)

Subs, sandwiches

Convenience Store

Boston has one donut shop for every 2,480 people, the most donut shops per capita than anywhere else in the world.
This is largely Dunkin' Donuts' fault. Come see why!

Pizza

Sandwiches and salad

Japanese

Fire grilled pizza

Chinese

Sandwiches

Mexican food: burritos, tacos, quesadillas

Seafood

Greek food, Raw Bar

Pricey, well reviewed seafood (you'll want a reservation)

This ex-New Yorker didn't think it was NY pizza the last time he went, but it was certainly closer than a lot of other pizza around here.
Its biggest attraction is late hours: open until 1am Sun-Wed and until 3am Thu-Sat.
Clientele gets a little sketchy at those later hours, especially after the bars close.

Mexican

Takes its proximity to many Boston theaters very seriously indeed; trés dramatique!

It's a Subway sandwich shop. You know what they have.

Sushi, decent veggie options

Thai, good veggie options

Tasty, fattening German food & good lager, also a piano and periodically the entire restaurant starts singing - for some this will be a draw, for others a reason to stay away

Chain steakhouse

Sushi place without a website; how quaint

Sandwiches; cheap breakfast option

Italian chain restaurant

Hot new "innovative" Italian place; you'll need a reservation

Nouveau American & fusion cuisine, craft beers, craft cocktails, rotating art shows

Venerable steakhouse in an old castle in Back Bay; retro feel and great if you have a desire to pretend you’re Don Draper or Joan Holloway

Pricey but very tasty steakhouse attached to the Park Plaza Hotel

Lots of great restaurants; address is for the gate

Tinned fish from around the world, charcuterie, ceviche, and an awesome wine list

Really astounding seafood towers and charcuterie plates; also what I’m told is a super bloody Mary bar if you’re into that type of thing

Sushi, Japanese finger food, interesting cocktails - and they have really cool glasses, and an original Chihuly on display

Newish place in the South End (which is where most of the gay bars are) that has good wood fired pizzas and trendy cocktails, also a decent wine list.
Some of you may have visited Area Four near MIT; this is its sister location

Sushi and other Japanese stuff, but what really makes it is the omakase, which is a dinner with cocktail pairings.

Asian Fusion with a hipster-y twist. They have a really good dim sum brunch on the weekend. One of B-Side’s favorites.

Awesome steak house, one of Ucaoimhu's & Hathor's favorites;
they mix marrow and butter together and put it in a bone that they serve along side your steak, which all non-vegetarian restaurants should do!

Great pizza (burnt/thin crust). Fantastic beers. Terrific atmosphere. One of D. Ness' favorite restaurants in Boston.
It's small and doesn't take reservations, so there's often a wait.

Fantastic food, and they do a great tasting menu.
They just started doing price fixe lunches, which while expensive ($34 for two courses, or $45 for three, additional $10 per course for wine pairings) are cheaper than dinner

This is a relatively small space, which seats no more than 20 people around an open area where you can see the food being finished.
There are two seating each night for a many course tasting menu with your choice of wine, beer, or sake pairings; you need to buy tickets in advance.
It’s $180, including tax, tip, and booze.

Hathor says “this place is well worth the price! Oh, and if you’re going let me know, I may want to join you….”

Best lobster roll in the city, fantastic seafood all around, and they make their own oyster crackers. They don’t take reservations, and it’s small, so expect to wait. It’s worth it.

International tapas in a space that looks like someone with a 20s fixation and an inability to stop buying things spent three weeks flea marketing around America.

Australian meat pies & beer (also vegetarian pies). Plus the opportunity to hear honest-to-god Southie accents. Joey can tell us if it's authentic.

Boston's first Senegalese restaurant, corner of Mass. Ave. The chef-owner, Marie-Claude Mendy, was born in Senegal and raised in Paris.
She has appeared on TV cooking shows and has been featured in the Globe and the NY Times.

Historic oyster bar that's been open since 1826. yodaughter said we'd be remiss to not include this on a list of Boston eateries

Your local hipster donut emporium.
A second location recently opened in Brookline, giving you two places to try their Brown Butter Hazelnut Crunch, Sea Salt Bourbon Caramel, and (sigh) Maple Bacon donuts.

Situated by the pool of the Revere, trendy appetizers and cocktails, open till midnight every night

Open till 12:30 Monday & Tuesday, 2 am all other days; food served till 10 pm; themed on the Wizard of Oz; come for the flying monkeys, stay for the tasty drinks

Sleazy hole-in-the-wall bar with tons o’ atmosphere; no food, cash only; cheap, and you get what you pay for

Acceptable beer and food

Nouveau American & fusion cuisine, craft beers, craft cocktails, rotating art shows

Tinned fish from around the world, charcuterie, ceviche, and an awesome wine list

You can get Bantam products around town, but there will be options here that are not available elsewhere; no food, but the cider is spectacular

Slumbrew's flagship shop. Hathor highly recommends this beer - and the food's tasty too (though a limited menu)

Slumbrew's satellite beer garden. Hathor highly recommends this beer - and the food's tasty too (though a limited menu)

Very nice, HUGE space, often with performances or art installations; irregularly has food vendors; Tasting Counter (a FANTASTIC albeit expensive) restaurant is in the back of the space

Good pub food & great beer; awesome atmosphere

Pretty extensive beer selection and decidedly mediocre food; it’s near Fenway; the Sox are traveling during Con week, so it shouldn't be too crowded

Old standby for after Mystery Hunt; one of our oldest brew pubs, with decent food, good beer, and an ever-updating mural of Boston’s best citizens

Dive bar with an astounding number of beers available; white trash comfort food

Good food, and tons of beers, with an especially large number of Belgians

Pizza, gastropub favorites, very impressive beer, wine, and cocktail list; they are very good at recommending the right beer for whatever you’re eating

Come for the 40 well-curated taps; stay for the lobster mac & cheese

There’s no drink menu here; you just tell the bartender what type of thing you like to drink and he’ll whip you up something appropriate

Probably the best place to watch the bartenders work & pretend you’re in the movie Cocktail; also usually have good charcuterie & cheese plates

Old-fashioned drinks with a focus on cordials

You know how when you go to dim sum they wheel the carts around & bring the food to you? Oak + Rowan does that with cocktails.

Brasserie done up with red leather and dark woods, if that's your thing. Very near Fenway Park, where some team plays baseball, I think.
Fortunately, they're traveling the week of con, so it shouldn't be too crowded.
Very good food, yummy cocktail list, and the bartenders are more than capable of going off-menu if desired.
(Drink, BackBar & Eastern Standard seem to regularly swap bartenders.)

Two rooms, both excellent

Three rooms (The Office, The Dig, The Apartment). This writer has only done two of them but enjoyed them both!

Just what you would imagine; the Zombie’s on a chain that gets longer the more time you spend in the room & if they touch you, you’re out

Sequel to the popular Pirate's Booty

Boda Borg is the Swedish Invasion of puzzling, and Boston is the beachhead. Boda Borg offers a variety of themed challenges both mental and physical.
You’ll probably come back feeling more tired and sore than you thought possible, but having enjoyed every bit of it.

$20 per person for 2 hours or $30 for a whole day.

These 2 escape rooms just opened up literally around the corner from Boda Borg. Check these out while you're in the area for some questing!

Five Wits has two themed “adventures,” which take you through several rooms solving puzzles and unlocking a narrative as you go.
The puzzles are fairly basic, but the production values are incredible! Several of the people involved have worked in film special effects, and that shows.

The adventures available at Foxboro are 20000 Leagues and Espionage.
$20 per person for a single adventure, $25 for both in one day.

Commercial scavenger hunt around downtown Boston and get clues via smartphone; $49 per team

The hotel is not a copy shop, but if you need to print a page or two, there is a Surface laptop next to the Concierge and an HP laser printer in a cabinet on the wall. If you need a paper boarding pass, this is also a good spot.

Note: the laptop is set up so that sessions last only 10 minutes and it supposedly wipes out everything from the session at the end of that time. However, it does not. If you sign into your email or any other site, make sure you sign out. If you use gmail, you will want to explicitly remove your name from the list of known users.

Cheapest copy shop near hotel; also a shipping center

Very close to hotel but twice as expensive as FedEx Office that is farther away; limited hours Saturday, closed Sunday

Copy shop between two FedEx Office locations in distance and between them in price; closed Saturday and Sunday

Drug store

Drug and convenience store

Shipping and copying

Office Supplies

Cleaners/Laundry

Department Store

Bank

ATM

Surcharge-free ATM for Credit Union members on the Co-Op Network

Surcharge-free ATM for Credit Union members on the Allpoint Network

Wine & Cheese, surprisingly enough

Groceries

On Tuesday night, after dark, there will be some serious fireworks on the Charles River, and the Pops will be playing at the DCR Hatch Shell, about a mile from the hotel,
on the Boston Side of the river. As you might imagine, security has gotten tighter recently, so if you’re planning to hit the river, you may want to check the link to see
what you are allowed to bring with you.

Bandshell with occasional music, people watching, street vendors, buskers, the Park Street T station

Swan boats, Ducklings statues; should be lovely in July

A 2.5 mile path visiting 16 different sites; you can walk it yourself (follow the red path) or pay for a tour hosted by one of Boston’s many underemployed actors;
the trail starts at the Boston Common and ends in Charlestown, passing through the North End, where there is all kinds of tasty Italian food

Great old architecture and even older money

If you love that dirty water, you can rent a kayak or paddleboard; closed July 3 and 4

The Rose Kennedy Greenway is a series of linear parks, each with its own character, stretching over 2-3 miles downtown.
On the web site you can find the locations of the art installation, fountains, and other highlights. Now featuring an open-air Biergarten and a zip line!

There are several Hubway stands along the way, so you can bike it if you like.

The Arboretum has many plant species on display.

13-mile bike path from Cambridge through Arlington, Bedford, and Lexington

There are walking tours around both the University and the general vicinity, and a number of really cool museums at Harvard, which are listed below in the museum section

In addition to many lovely headstones and famous people, the cemetery is home to a vast array of flora, and is a favorite of birdwatchers.

Take a ferry out to tour the Harbor Islands. There's an old fort on Georges Island, the oldest light station in America, and great walking paths and beaches.

A large area with good trails for hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking

Free outdoor performances by Berklee students, probably near other listed attractions. Often around lunchtime.

Complete with IMAX theater that doesn't show Jaws but does have an awesome shark movie

Current exhibits include "Popnology" about the intersection of sci-fi & real science.
Also has a giant Van de Graaf generator, lots of other cool exhibits, a planetarium, and the Omni theater, which is IMAX but more so.

Great interactive museum for kids (Aquarium & MoS are also good for little ones). A giant Hood milk bottle is out front - this often sells ice cream in the summer.

A diverse collection of taxidermied critters, a kick ass bee colony, and some truly astounding glass flowers.

World class art museum; currently showing a wonderful Matisse exhibit, major Botticelli exhibit; also photos from Lodz taken during the Nazi Occupation which are tough to see but really amazing

Small but tasty collection of modern art

Gardner amassed a great collection during her life, and in her will made her home into a museum with the stipulation that none of her collection would ever be moved or sold.
The result is a very quirky museum, with oddities like a Rembrandt shoved in a corner. A gorgeous collection.

Modern art museum with a fantastic outdoor sculpture display

Actually four museums in connected buildings, ranging from ancient artifacts to modern works

A remarkable collection of records from all over New England, housed in a gorgeous old building.
"Visitors have access to millions of documents, manuscripts, records, books, microfilms, photographs, artifacts, electronic resources, and other items that preserve and reveal our nation’s history."

World-famous three-story stained-glass globe, complete with fascinating out-of-date geography.

Costumed performers tell the story of Boston during the Revolutionary War. Throw "tea" into the harbor yourself! Also has a tea room with food and drink.

Highly recommended for the ongoing exhibition of Arthur Ganson's kinetic sculptures, which can be mind-blowing, delightful, or profound, or all at once.

Takes you to several breweries for a behind-the-scenes look, tasting, and if you like, lunch

Visit cemeteries, Jack the Ripper’s favorite spots, etc., hosted by some of Boston's finest unemployed actors

Amphibious vehicles take you around Boston, down the Charles, and into Cambridge, while locals quack at you (or vice versa)

Downtown Crossing is the home to stores that specialize in jewelry, drugs, health and beauty products, accessories, books, music, videos, cell phone services, banking services, and several pushcart vendors. If you enjoy crowds, this can be considered one of the most bustling intersections in Boston during weekdays, and is a popular shopping area.

Newbury Street is an upscale shopping area in Boston's historic Back Bay District. The cluster of stores on Newbury Street begin at the Public Garden and end at Massachusetts Avenue to the west.

Upscale indoor mall near Newbury street. Unique attractions include Eataly, Tesla, and a mesmerizing security robot.

Located near the waterfront and today's Government Center, in Boston, Massachusetts, Faneuil Hall has been a marketplace and a meeting hall since 1743. Quincy Market (just behind it) is a century newer.

A 45 acres (180,000 m2) mixed-use, smart growth development that broke ground in April 2012. It includes premium retail outlets, restaurants, residential space, state-of-the-art office and research and development space, a 12-screen cinema and a Lego store. If you visited Assembly Square before redevelopment, you'll be shocked at what it looks like now

Waterfront shopping center with over 120 stores & restaurants, and really nice open space overlooking the Lechmere Canal

Year-round source of a variety of delicious foodstuffs, in a nice indoor space near the greenway. It's like the most hipster of food courts.

Regular RPG gaming

Board game café, offering coffee, snacks, and massive board game libraries.

Books, toys, games, and a café. Official owner/distributor of Sterling Publishing, publisher of all your favorite puzzle books.

Antiquarian book shop, established in the early 19th century

Comics, classics, underground, and indie titles

Used books and old prints, including a lot of funky maps; keeps winning "Best Used Book Store" awards

Check the calendar to see if any of your faves are giving readings; regular children's story time hours

Tons of toys, comics, and graphic novels

Books, readings, Harvard Gear; worth visiting if you're in the Square

Comics and lots of cool toys!

Music, comix, books, hipster watching

Music, comix, books, hipster watching

Music, comix, books, hipster watching

Comics and indies

A fine stop for brunch or a beverage near the eastern end of Newbury Street.
They have historically carried a solid collection of less mainstream and foreign magazines, though admittedly it's been a while since this reviewer has been in to check.

The Sox are traveling through all of con, but that means that you can take tours of Fenway Park any time you want.
Purchase tickets ahead of time online, or try to get them at the gate. Tours are hourly 9am - 5 pm

The minor league team will be around, and will be playing evening games July 7, 8, and 9, which interferes with con activities, but may be of interest to non-puzzlers traveling with you

Our local soccer (or football, for Joey) team will be playing the New York Red Bulls on Wednesday evening

Home of the Boston Celtics and Boston Bruins, neither of which will be playing there, but maybe you want to see Tim McGraw and Faith Hill for some reason.

Nice web site with recommendations and searches (by age, area, etc.) for kids' activities and special events. Make sure to select the Boston location!

Museums that appeal to kids include the New England Aquarium (and IMAX theater), the Boston Children's Museum, and the Museum of Science (and IMAX theater). See the MUSEUMS section.

The excellent Puppet Showplace Theatre is running "The Pirate, the Princess, and the Pea" from July 5-8. If you're interested, check out the link
The theater is small, and one of the shows is already sold out.

Summer spray pool and children's carousel in the Boston Common.

For a few bucks you can take a 12-15 minute ride on the famous boats in the Public Gardens.

Iconic Boston statue based on the children's book, located in the Public Gardens

The Rings Fountain and other water features, the many art installations, and the carousel featuring Boston-native species are nice kid-friendly sites.

One of 9 locations in the U.S., and just a short T ride away from the hotel.