Bomb Defusal Manual

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Version 1
Verification Code: 241

Welcome to the dangerous and challenging world of bomb defusing.

Study this manual carefully; you are the expert. In these pages you will find everything you need to know to defuse even the most insidious of bombs.
And remember — One small oversight and it could all be over!

Defusing Bombs

A bomb will explode when its countdown timer reaches 0:00 or when too many strikes have been recorded. The only way to defuse a bomb is to disarm all of its modules before its countdown timer expires.

Example Bomb

Front

Side

Modules

Each bomb will include up to 11 modules that must be disarmed. Each module is discrete and can be disarmed in any order.

Instructions for disarming modules can be found in Section 1. "Needy" modules present a special case and are described in Section 2.

Strikes

Strike Indicator

When the Defuser makes a mistake, the bomb will record a strike which will be displayed on the indicator above the countdown timer. Bombs with a strike indicator will explode upon the third strike. The timer will begin to count down faster after a strike has been recorded.

If no strike indicator is present above the countdown timer, the bomb will explode upon the first strike, leaving no room for error.

Gathering Information

Some disarming instructions will require specific information about the bomb, such as the serial number. This type of information can typically be found on the top, bottom, or sides of the bomb casing. See Appendix A, B, and C for identification instructions that will be useful in disarming certain modules.

Section 1: Modules

Modules can be identified by an LED in the top right corner. When this LED is lit green, the module has been disarmed.

All modules must be disarmed to defuse the bomb.

On the Subject of Wires

Wires are the lifeblood of electronics! Wait, no, electricity is the lifeblood. Wires are more like the arteries. The veins? No matter…

  • A wire module can have 3-6 wires on it.
  • Only the one correct wire needs to be cut to disarm the module.
  • Wire ordering begins with the first on the top.
3 wires:
If there are no red wires, cut the second wire.
Otherwise, if the last wire is white, cut the last wire.
Otherwise, if there is more than one blue wire, cut the last blue wire.
Otherwise, cut the last wire.
4 wires:
If there is more than one red wire and the last digit of the serial number is odd, cut the last red wire.
Otherwise, if the last wire is yellow and there are no red wires, cut the first wire.
Otherwise, if there is exactly one blue wire, cut the first wire.
Otherwise, if there is more than one yellow wire, cut the last wire.
Otherwise, cut the second wire.
5 wires:
If the last wire is black and the last digit of the serial number is odd, cut the fourth wire.
Otherwise, if there is exactly one red wire and there is more than one yellow wire, cut the first wire.
Otherwise, if there are no black wires, cut the second wire.
Otherwise, cut the first wire.
6 wires:
If there are no yellow wires and the last digit of the serial number is odd, cut the third wire.
Otherwise, if there is exactly one yellow wire and there is more than one white wire, cut the fourth wire.
Otherwise, if there are no red wires, cut the last wire.
Otherwise, cut the fourth wire.

On the Subject of The Button

You might think that a button telling you to press it is pretty straightforward. That’s the kind of thinking that gets people exploded.

See Appendix A for indicator identification reference.
See Appendix B for battery identification reference.

Follow these rules in the order they are listed. Perform the first action that applies:

  1. If the button is blue and the button says "Abort", hold the button and refer to "Releasing a Held Button".
  2. If there is more than 1 battery on the bomb and the button says "Detonate", press and immediately release the button.
  3. If the button is white and there is a lit indicator with label CAR, hold the button and refer to "Releasing a Held Button".
  4. If there are more than 2 batteries on the bomb and there is a lit indicator with label FRK, press and immediately release the button.
  5. If the button is yellow, hold the button and refer to "Releasing a Held Button".
  6. If the button is red and the button says "Hold", press and immediately release the button.
  7. If none of the above apply, hold the button and refer to "Releasing a Held Button".

Releasing a Held Button

If you start holding the button down, a colored strip will light up on the right side of the module. Based on its color, you must release the button at a specific point in time:

  • Blue strip: release when the countdown timer has a 4 in any position.
  • White strip: release when the countdown timer has a 1 in any position.
  • Yellow strip: release when the countdown timer has a 5 in any position.
  • Any other color strip: release when the countdown timer has a 1 in any position.

On the Subject of Keypads

I'm not sure what these symbols are, but I suspect they have something to do with occult.

  • Only one column below has all four of the symbols from the keypad.
  • Press the four buttons in the order their symbols appear from top to bottom within that column.


On the Subject of Simon Says

This is like one of those toys you played with as a kid where you have to match the pattern that appears, except this one is a knockoff that was probably purchased at a dollar store.

  1. One of the four colored buttons will flash.
  2. Using the correct table below, press the button with the corresponding color.
  3. The original button will flash, followed by another. Repeat this sequence in order using the color mapping.
  4. The sequence will lengthen by one each time you correctly enter a sequence until the module is disarmed.
BlueYellowRedGreen

If the serial number contains a vowel:

Red Flash Blue Flash Green Flash Yellow Flash
Button to press:No StrikesBlueRedYellowGreen
1 StrikeYellowGreenBlueRed
2 StrikesGreenRedYellowBlue

If the serial number does not contain a vowel:

Red Flash Blue Flash Green Flash Yellow Flash
Button to press:No StrikesBlueYellowGreenRed
1 StrikeRedBlueYellowGreen
2 StrikesYellowGreenBlueRed

On the Subject of Who’s on First

This contraption is like something out of a sketch comedy routine, which might be funny if it wasn't connected to a bomb. I’ll keep this brief, as words only complicate matters.

  1. Read the display and use step 1 to determine which button label to read.
  2. Using this button label, use step 2 determine which button to push.
  3. Repeat until the module has been disarmed.

Step 1:

Based on the display, read the label of a particular button and proceed to step 2:

YES


Look At


FIRST

Look At




DISPLAY





Look At
OKAY

Look At




SAYS





Look At
NOTHING


Look At






Look At
BLANK



Look At


NO





Look At
LED


Look At


LEAD





Look At
READ



Look At


RED



Look At


REED




Look At
LEED




Look At
HOLD ON





Look At
YOU



Look At


YOU ARE





Look At
YOUR



Look At


YOU'RE



Look At


UR
Look At




THERE





Look At
THEY'RE




Look At
THEIR



Look At


THEY ARE


Look At


SEE





Look At
C

Look At




CEE





Look At

Step 2:

Using the label from step 1, push the first button that appears in its corresponding list:

READY: YES, OKAY, WHAT, MIDDLE, LEFT, PRESS, RIGHT, BLANK, READY, NO, FIRST, UHHH, NOTHING, WAIT
FIRST: LEFT, OKAY, YES, MIDDLE, NO, RIGHT, NOTHING, UHHH, WAIT, READY, BLANK, WHAT, PRESS, FIRST
NO: BLANK, UHHH, WAIT, FIRST, WHAT, READY, RIGHT, YES, NOTHING, LEFT, PRESS, OKAY, NO, MIDDLE
BLANK: WAIT, RIGHT, OKAY, MIDDLE, BLANK, PRESS, READY, NOTHING, NO, WHAT, LEFT, UHHH, YES, FIRST
NOTHING: UHHH, RIGHT, OKAY, MIDDLE, YES, BLANK, NO, PRESS, LEFT, WHAT, WAIT, FIRST, NOTHING, READY
YES: OKAY, RIGHT, UHHH, MIDDLE, FIRST, WHAT, PRESS, READY, NOTHING, YES, LEFT, BLANK, NO, WAIT
WHAT: UHHH, WHAT, LEFT, NOTHING, READY, BLANK, MIDDLE, NO, OKAY, FIRST, WAIT, YES, PRESS, RIGHT
UHHH: READY, NOTHING, LEFT, WHAT, OKAY, YES, RIGHT, NO, PRESS, BLANK, UHHH, MIDDLE, WAIT, FIRST
LEFT: RIGHT, LEFT, FIRST, NO, MIDDLE, YES, BLANK, WHAT, UHHH, WAIT, PRESS, READY, OKAY, NOTHING
RIGHT: YES, NOTHING, READY, PRESS, NO, WAIT, WHAT, RIGHT, MIDDLE, LEFT, UHHH, BLANK, OKAY, FIRST
MIDDLE: BLANK, READY, OKAY, WHAT, NOTHING, PRESS, NO, WAIT, LEFT, MIDDLE, RIGHT, FIRST, UHHH, YES
OKAY: MIDDLE, NO, FIRST, YES, UHHH, NOTHING, WAIT, OKAY, LEFT, READY, BLANK, PRESS, WHAT, RIGHT
WAIT: UHHH, NO, BLANK, OKAY, YES, LEFT, FIRST, PRESS, WHAT, WAIT, NOTHING, READY, RIGHT, MIDDLE
PRESS: RIGHT, MIDDLE, YES, READY, PRESS, OKAY, NOTHING, UHHH, BLANK, LEFT, FIRST, WHAT, NO, WAIT
YOU: SURE, YOU ARE, YOUR, YOU'RE, NEXT, UH HUH, UR, HOLD, WHAT?, YOU, UH UH, LIKE, DONE, U
YOU ARE: YOUR, NEXT, LIKE, UH HUH, WHAT?, DONE, UH UH, HOLD, YOU, U, YOU'RE, SURE, UR, YOU ARE
YOUR: UH UH, YOU ARE, UH HUH, YOUR, NEXT, UR, SURE, U, YOU'RE, YOU, WHAT?, HOLD, LIKE, DONE
YOU'RE: YOU, YOU'RE, UR, NEXT, UH UH, YOU ARE, U, YOUR, WHAT?, UH HUH, SURE, DONE, LIKE, HOLD
UR: DONE, U, UR, UH HUH, WHAT?, SURE, YOUR, HOLD, YOU'RE, LIKE, NEXT, UH UH, YOU ARE, YOU
U: UH HUH, SURE, NEXT, WHAT?, YOU'RE, UR, UH UH, DONE, U, YOU, LIKE, HOLD, YOU ARE, YOUR
UH HUH: UH HUH, YOUR, YOU ARE, YOU, DONE, HOLD, UH UH, NEXT, SURE, LIKE, YOU'RE, UR, U, WHAT?
UH UH: UR, U, YOU ARE, YOU'RE, NEXT, UH UH, DONE, YOU, UH HUH, LIKE, YOUR, SURE, HOLD, WHAT?
WHAT?: YOU, HOLD, YOU'RE, YOUR, U, DONE, UH UH, LIKE, YOU ARE, UH HUH, UR, NEXT, WHAT?, SURE
DONE: SURE, UH HUH, NEXT, WHAT?, YOUR, UR, YOU'RE, HOLD, LIKE, YOU, U, YOU ARE, UH UH, DONE
NEXT: WHAT?, UH HUH, UH UH, YOUR, HOLD, SURE, NEXT, LIKE, DONE, YOU ARE, UR, YOU'RE, U, YOU
HOLD: YOU ARE, U, DONE, UH UH, YOU, UR, SURE, WHAT?, YOU'RE, NEXT, HOLD, UH HUH, YOUR, LIKE
SURE: YOU ARE, DONE, LIKE, YOU'RE, YOU, HOLD, UH HUH, UR, SURE, U, WHAT?, NEXT, YOUR, UH UH
LIKE: YOU'RE, NEXT, U, UR, HOLD, DONE, UH UH, WHAT?, UH HUH, YOU, LIKE, SURE, YOU ARE, YOUR

On the Subject of Memory

Memory is a fragile thing but so is everything else when a bomb goes off, so pay attention!

  • Press the correct button to progress the module to the next stage. Complete all stages to disarm the module.
  • Pressing an incorrect button will reset the module back to stage 1.
  • Button positions are ordered from left to right.

Stage 1:

If the display is 1, press the button in the second position.
If the display is 2, press the button in the second position.
If the display is 3, press the button in the third position.
If the display is 4, press the button in the fourth position.

Stage 2:

If the display is 1, press the button labeled "4".
If the display is 2, press the button in the same position as you pressed in stage 1.
If the display is 3, press the button in the first position.
If the display is 4, press the button in the same position as you pressed in stage 1.

Stage 3:

If the display is 1, press the button with the same label you pressed in stage 2.
If the display is 2, press the button with the same label you pressed in stage 1.
If the display is 3, press the button in the third position.
If the display is 4, press the button labeled "4".

Stage 4:

If the display is 1, press the button in the same position as you pressed in stage 1.
If the display is 2, press the button in the first position.
If the display is 3, press the button in the same position as you pressed in stage 2.
If the display is 4, press the button in the same position as you pressed in stage 2.

Stage 5:

If the display is 1, press the button with the same label you pressed in stage 1.
If the display is 2, press the button with the same label you pressed in stage 2.
If the display is 3, press the button with the same label you pressed in stage 4.
If the display is 4, press the button with the same label you pressed in stage 3.

On the Subject of Morse Code

An antiquated form of naval communication? What next? At least it's genuine Morse Code, so pay attention and you might just learn something.

  • Interpret the signal from the flashing light using the Morse Code chart to spell one of the words in the table.
  • The signal will loop, with a long gap between repetitions.
  • Once the word is identified, set the corresponding frequency and press the transmit (TX) button.
How to Interpret

1. A short flash represents a dot.

2. A long flash represents a dash.

3. There is a long gap between letters.

4. There is a very long gap before the word repeats.

If the word is: Respond at frequency:
shell3.505 MHz
halls3.515 MHz
slick3.522 MHz
trick3.532 MHz
boxes3.535 MHz
leaks3.542 MHz
strobe3.545 MHz
bistro3.552 MHz
flick3.555 MHz
bombs3.565 MHz
break3.572 MHz
brick3.575 MHz
steak3.582 MHz
sting3.592 MHz
vector3.595 MHz
beats3.600 MHz

On the Subject of Complicated Wires

These wires aren't like the others. Some have stripes! That makes them completely different. The good news is that we've found a concise set of instructions on what to do about it! Maybe too concise...

  • Look at each wire: there is an LED above the wire and a space for a "★" symbol below the wire.
  • For each wire/LED/symbol combination, use the Venn diagram below to decide whether or not to cut the wire.
  • Each wire may be striped with multiple colors.
SSCDCSPBDBPSPBDC
Wire has red coloring
Wire has blue coloring
Has ★ symbol
LED is on
Letter Instruction
CCut the wire
DDo not cut the wire
SCut the wire if the last digit of the serial number is even
PCut the wire if the bomb has a parallel port
BCut the wire if the bomb has two or more batteries

See Appendix B for battery identification reference.
See Appendix C for port identification reference.

On the Subject of Wire Sequences

It's hard to say how this mechanism works. The engineering is pretty impressive, but there must have been an easier way to manage nine wires.

  • Within this module there are several panels with wires on them, but only one panel is visible at a time. Switch to the next panel by using the down button and the previous panel by using the up button.
  • Do not switch to the next panel until you are sure that you have cut all necessary wires on the current panel.
  • Cut the wires as directed by the following table. Wire occurrences are cumulative over all panels within the module.
Red Wire Occurrences
Wire OccurrenceCut if connected to:
First red occurrenceC
Second red occurrenceB
Third red occurrenceA
Fourth red occurrenceA or C
Fifth red occurrenceB
Sixth red occurrenceA or C
Seventh red occurrenceA, B or C
Eighth red occurrenceA or B
Ninth red occurrenceB
Blue Wire Occurrences
Wire OccurrenceCut if connected to:
First blue occurrenceB
Second blue occurrenceA or C
Third blue occurrenceB
Fourth blue occurrenceA
Fifth blue occurrenceB
Sixth blue occurrenceB or C
Seventh blue occurrenceC
Eighth blue occurrenceA or C
Ninth blue occurrenceA
Black Wire Occurrences
Wire OccurrenceCut if connected to:
First black occurrenceA, B or C
Second black occurrenceA or C
Third black occurrenceB
Fourth black occurrenceA or C
Fifth black occurrenceB
Sixth black occurrenceB or C
Seventh black occurrenceA or B
Eighth black occurrenceC
Ninth black occurrenceC

On the Subject of Mazes

This seems to be some kind of maze, probably stolen off of a restaurant placemat.

  • Find the maze with matching circular markings.
  • The defuser must navigate the white light to the red triangle using the arrow buttons.
  • Warning: Do not cross the lines shown in the maze. These lines are invisible on the bomb.

On the Subject of Passwords

Fortunately this password doesn't seem to meet standard government security requirements: 22 characters, mixed case, numbers in random order without any palindromes above length 3.

  • The buttons above and below each letter will cycle through the possibilities for that position.
  • Only one combination of the available letters will match a password below.
  • Press the submit button once the correct word has been set.
aboutafteragainbelowcould
everyfirstfoundgreathouse
largelearnneverotherplace
plantpointrightsmallsound
spellstillstudytheirthere
thesethingthinkthreewater
wherewhichworldwouldwrite

Section 2: Needy Modules

Needy modules cannot be disarmed, but pose a recurrent hazard.

Needy modules can be identified as a module with a small 2‑digit timer in the top center. Interacting with the bomb may cause them to become activated. Once activated, these needy modules must be tended to regularly before their timer expires in order to prevent a strike.

Stay observant: needy modules may reactivate at any time.

On the Subject of Venting Gas

Computer hacking is hard work! Well, it usually is. This job could probably be performed by a simple drinking bird pressing the same key over and over again.

  • Respond to the computer prompts by pressing "Y" for "Yes" or "N" for "No".

On the Subject of Capacitor Discharge

I'm going to guess that this is just meant to occupy your attention, because otherwise this is some shoddy electronics work.

  • Discharge the capacitor before it overloads by holding down the lever.

On the Subject of Knobs

Needlessly complicated and endlessly needy. Imagine if such expertise were used to make something other than diabolical puzzles.

  • The knob can be turned to one of four different positions.
  • The knob must be in the correct position when this module's timer hits zero.
  • The correct position can be determined by the on/off configuration of the twelve LEDs.
  • Knob positions are relative to the "UP" label, which may have rotated.

LED Configurations

Up Position:

X XX
XXXX X
X X X
XX XX

Down Position:

XX X
XXXX X
X X X
X X

Left Position:

X
X XXX
X
XX

Right Position:

X XXXX
XXX X
X XX
XXX X


X = Lit LED

Appendix A: Indicator Identification Reference

Labelled indicator lights can be found on the sides of the bomb casing.

Common Indicators

  • SND
  • CLR
  • CAR
  • IND
  • FRQ
  • SIG
  • NSA
  • MSA
  • TRN
  • BOB
  • FRK

Appendix B: Battery Identification Reference

Common battery types can be found within enclosures on the sides of the bomb casing.

Battery Type
AA
D

Appendix C: Port Identification Reference

Digital and analog ports can be found on sides of the bomb casing.

Port Name
DVI-D
Parallel
PS/2
RJ-45
Serial
Stereo RCA