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Extra! Extra!

Reality Called In Sick

Find the 5 things that don’t belong in 1969.

TipOpen one step at a time. The answer always asks twice, so nothing gets spoiled by accident.

1NudgeOpen

Cross off the decoys first. These look modern but were fine in 1969: the cash machine (1967), the music festival in New York State (1969) and the Moon landing itself (1969).

2CloserOpen

One intruder is the VCR: first home videocassette recorder (Philips N1500), 1972.

Still to find: a disk, a game, a checkout and a message.

3AnswerAsks twice

This shows the full answer. Sure?

Yes, show me
  • The VCR · 1972
  • Floppy disks · 1971
  • Pong · 1972
  • Barcode scanning · 1974
  • Email · 1971
★Solved it? The story behind the datesContains the answers

This shows the full answer. Sure?

Yes, show me

Everything in the document on one timeline. Yellow dots arrived too late.

  1. 1967The cash machineFine
    Barclays, Enfield, 27 Jun 1967.Source: Barclays
  2. 1969The music festival in New York StateFine
    Woodstock, planned for 15–17 Aug 1969.Source: Wikipedia; TIME
  3. 1969The Moon landing itselfFine
    20 Jul 1969.Source: NASA
  4. 1969 · the document is dated here
  5. 1971Floppy disksNot yet
    IBM began selling them in 1971.Source: IBM
  6. 1971EmailNot yet
    First network email, 1971.Source: Internet Hall of Fame
  7. 1972The VCRNot yet
    First home videocassette recorder (Philips N1500), 1972.Source: Science Museum Group
  8. 1972PongNot yet
    Arcade game released 1972.Source: Computer History Museum
  9. 1974Barcode scanningNot yet
    First checkout scan 26 Jun 1974.Source: History.com

Every answer is also printed at the back of the book, with its page number.

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