A puzzle must have a submittable answer on the site and usually is, or provides information directly helpful for, a metapuzzle.

• No RP task in the 2026 Mystery Hunt would be counted as a "puzzle", not even the puzzly ones

• It's unlikely, but if relevant, obviously only one puzzle will be counted per "equivalence class", as in Infinite Corridor (2021)

• Puzzles not helpful for finishing the Hunt will still be counted

I won't bet. Feel free to ask for clarifications.

• Update 2026-01-27 (PST) (AI summary of creator comment): Empty puzzles from metas that are structured to allow backsolving (like in The Wyrmhole in 2023 or Hyperbolic Space in 2026) will not be counted.