The Nameless Novel

The cover of The Penultimate Peril.

The Nameless Novel was a website operated by HarperCollins, North American publishers of the books of A Series of Unfortunate Events, in which knowledge of The Penultimate Peril by Lemony Snicket is available after completing tasks in a day-by-day, calendar format.

The Penultimate Peril has been revealed to be the name of the twelfth book.

The website has now been taken down, but the URL was 'thenamelessnovel.com'.

Mystery the First

Mystery the First began on July 27 2005. For each task completed, a segment of page 130 from The Penultimate Peril is revealed. There are nine pieces of the page, corresponding to the nine tasks of Mystery the First.

• 3 - an elaborately dressed European monster
• 4 - used by so, so many Lemony Snickets that by the time a writer uses it, it is a tiresome cliché
• 5 - Ricket
• 6 - a fish commonly found in the Pacific Ocean
• 7 - a condition of the liver
• 8 - made into a crow-shaped hat by three skittish women
• 9 - a page that appears at the beginning of every book by Lemony Snicket
• 10 - removed all fects

You will be rewarded with the first piece of the page.

August 1 - Quotes or multimedia related to the books.

August 2 - Mystery the First, Part Four - Provide the names for the three descriptions. The answers are:

• 1 - DOWN THE RABBIT-HOLE
• 2 - LEAGUE OF NATIONS
• 3 - THEORY OF RELATIVITY

You will be rewarded with the fourth piece of the page.

August 3 to August 4 - Quotes or multimedia related to the books.

August 5 - Mystery the First, Part Five - You must answer five questions based on previous calendar dates. The answers are:

• 1 - OLIVES
• 2 - O'LEARY
• 3 - DEVIL'S TONGUE
• 4 - 201
• 5 - ANNA KARENINA

You will be rewarded with the ninth piece of the page.

August 6 - Quotes or multimedia related to the books.

August 7 - Mystery the First, Task Six - You must name the described character. The answer is "Mr. Remora". You will be rewarded with the fifth piece of the page.

August 8 to August 9 - Quotes or multimedia related to the books.

August 10 - Mystery the First, Task Seven - You must decipher a coded script from the film Ants in the Fruit Salad, by Gustav Sebald. Considering every eleventh spoken word, starting with the first one, reveals the message "THE SISTER TOOK THEM". You will be rewarded with the second piece of the page.

August 11 to August 12 - Quotes or multimedia related to the books.

August 13 - Mystery the First, Task Eight - Provide the names for the three descriptions. The answers are:

• 1 - METRIC SYSTEM
• 2 - EMPEROR NERO
• 3 - FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS

You will be rewarded with the eighth piece of the page.

August 14 - Mystery One, Task Nine - You must choose the incorrect answer. The answers are as follows:

• 1 - ut
• 2 - a sliver or splinter on one’s foot
• 3 - vulsion, again
• 4 - the location of someone browsing neither small, medium, nor extra large clothing in a store
• 5 - one who smells perfumes and colognes as a job
• 6 - a top diplomat’s orange juice
• 7 - made entirely of tin foil
• 8 - a love of spicy Indian food, usually the product of a culinary mind
• 9 - relating to the operatic composer Giuseppe Verdi
• 10 - salmon cut into pleasing shapes and simply served in puttanesca sauce

You will be awarded the ninth and final piece of the page. If all of the other tasks are also completed, then the page is now complete. Seven of the words on the page are blacked out. No clue to the title of Book the Twelfth is given. The 'V' part of the paperweight on the main desk will turn gold.

Note: There may be other answers that may fit for certain questions.

Mystery the Second

Mystery the Second began on August 18th. For each task completed, a segment of a triptych from Book the Twelfth is revealed. There are nine segments of the triptych, corresponding to the nine parts of Mystery the Second.

August 15 to August 17 - Quotes or multimedia related to the books. August 18 - Mystery the Second, Task One - You must answer questions based on previous calendar entries. The answers are:

• 1 MEMENTO MORI
• 2 GRAVLAX
• 3 HOW WATER IS MADE
• 4 IT
• 5 SEBALD

You will be rewarded with the sixth piece of the triptych. August 19 - Mystery the Second, Task Two - You must identify the volunteer/villain described. The answer is "Carmelita Spats". You will be rewarded with the second piece of the triptych. August 20 to August 21 - Quotes or multimedia related to the books. August 22 - Mystery the Second, Task Three - Provide the correct name for the three descriptions. The answers are:

• 1 GRIMM BROTHERS
• 2 SORROWFUL SONGS
• 3 GREAT FIRE OF LONDON

You will be rewarded with the ninth piece of the triptych. August 23 to August 25 - Quotes or multimedia related to the books. August 26 - Mystery the Second, Task Four - You must decipher the coded communication by considering the letters in red, in order. The answer is "THREE SPIES, BUT NONE SAW THE WHOLE TRUTH!" (including the exclamation point). You will be rewarded with the first piece of the triptych. August 27 to August 28 - Quotes or multimedia related to the books. August 29 - Mystery the Second, Part Five - You must answer questions based on previous calendar entries. The answers are:

• 1 POISONOUS PLANT
• 2 OXYGEN
• 3 ACTING IN THE ROLE OF PARENT
• 4 BANANA
• 5 ELISHA GRAVES OTIS

You will be rewarded with the eighth piece of the triptych. August 30 to September 1 - Quotes or multimedia related to the books. September 2 - Mystery the Second, Part Six - You must choose the incorrect answer. The answers are:

• 1 a bicycle for one spy, instead of two
• 2 strawberry flavored
• 3 a misplaced apostrophe
• 4 covered in tiny insects
• 5 an electric xylophone
• 6 a drinking establishment frequented by large, black birds
• 7 having the characteristics of an angry orangutan
• 8 the text of a very quiet opera
• 9 the name of a famous Italian sculptor
• 10 a relatively small case of arson

You will be rewarded with the fourth piece of the triptych. September 3 to September 5 - Quotes or multimedia related to the books. September 6 - Mystery the Second, Part Seven - Provide the correct name for the three descriptions. The answers are:

• 1 GRAND HOTEL
• 2 DEWEY DECIMAL SYSTEM
• 3 LES FLEURS DU MAL

You will be rewarded with the fifth part of the triptych. September 7 - Quotes or multimedia related to the books. September 8 - Mystery the Second, Part Eight - You must identify the volunteer/villain described. The answer is 'ISADORA QUAGMIRE'. You will be rewarded with the seventh part of the triptych. September 9 to September 13 - Quotes or multimedia related to the books. September 14 - Mystery the Second, Part Nine - You must answer questions based on previous calendar entries. The answers are:

• 1 HARPOON GUN
• 2 IN MYSTERY
• 3 RUN FOR YOUR LIFE
• 4 MUSTACHE
• 5 RENTED CASTLE

You will be rewarded with the ninth and final piece of the triptych. If all of the other tasks are also completed, then the triptych is now complete. No clue to the title of Book the Twelfth is given. The 'F' part of the paperweight on the main desk will turn gold. Note: There may be other answers that may fit for certain questions.

Mystery the Third

Mystery the Third began on September 16. For each task completed, a segment of the cover of Book the Twelfth is revealed. There are sixteen pieces of the cover, corresponding to the sixteen tasks of Mystery the Third.

September 15 - Quotes or multimedia related to the books.

September 16 - Mystery the Third, Part One - You must find the hidden message by typing all the underlined letters from the given passage. The answer is "THE WORST CAME AFTER THEIR COVER WAS REVEALED". You will be rewarded with a part of Book the Twelfth's cover. It should be placed in row 2, column 2.

September 17 to September 18 - Quotes or multimedia related to the books.

September 19 - Mystery the Third, Part Two - You must choose the incorrect meaning for each word. The answers are:

• SO HAIRY IT MUST BE SHAVED
• MIRACULOUSLY TRANSFORMED INTO A WEALTHY ELDERLY WOMAN
• AS WHITE AS A WHITE FACED WOMAN
• ENLARGED SPLEEN
• TASTING OF TURNIPS
• A BRAND OF FINE TOILET PAPER
• A MANEUVER USED IN THE CARD GAME "OLD MAID"
• IN THE MANNER OF AN ARCHEOLOGIST
• A SPELL FREQUENTLY USED BY WIZARD VOLUNTEERS
• SMALL WOODLAND CRITTER

You will be rewarded with a part of Book the Twelfth's cover. It should be placed in row 2, column 4.

September 20 - Quotes or multimedia related to the books.

September 21 - Mystery the Third, Part Three - Provide the names for the three descriptions. The answers are:

• MARIE CURIE
• ENOUGH ROPE
• JACK AND THE BEANSTALK

You will be rewarded with a part of Book the Twelfth's cover. It should be placed in row 1, column 1.

September 22 - Mystery the Third, Part Four - You must identify the volunteer/villain described. The answer is "JACQUES SNICKET". You will be rewarded with a part of Book the Twelfth's cover. It should be placed in row 2, column 1.

September 23 - Quotes or multimedia related to the books.

September 24 - Mystery the Third, Part Five - To answer these questions, you must consult your Commonplace Book and the daily clues you have recorded within it. The answers are:

• SAMUEL PEPYS
• INDOSTAN
• CAKESNIFFER
• LARBOARD
• DOROTHY PARKER

You will be rewarded with a part of Book the Twelfth's cover. It should be placed in row 4, column 2.

September 25 to September 26 - Quotes or multimedia related to the books.

September 27 - Mystery the Third, Part 6 - You must choose the incorrect meaning for each word. The answers are:

• 1. no tickling
• 2. a very small South American mule
• 3. the tenth planet in our solar system
• 4. the most incredible person who ever lived thinking she’s Count Olaf
• 5. a clergyperson’s residence
• 6. minced with spices and put in an edible casing to make sausage
• 7. endeavoring to scrutinize, in quasi-inclusive breadth, the epistemology of ophthamlmologically contrived appraisals
• 8. a huge person that is picking his toenails
• 9. a Japanese delicacy featuring rotten fish and seaweed
• 10. impossible to write on with a ballpoint pen

You will be rewarded with a part of Book the Twelfth's cover. It should be placed in row 3, column 1.

September 28 - Quotes or multimedia related to the books.

September 29 - Mystery the Third, Part 7 - Vernacularly Fastened Door; you must provide the names for the three descriptions. The answers are:

• BIBLIOTHECA ALEXANDRINA
• AL DENTE
• VIRGINIA CLEMM

You will be rewarded with a part of Book the Twelfth's cover. It should be placed in row 3, column 4.

September 30 to October 2 - Quotes or multimedia related to the books.

October 3 - Mystery the Third, Part 8 - Volunteer/Villain Formally Described. You must describe the vounteer/villain based on the clues given. The answer is "ESME SQUALOR". You will be rewarded with a part of Book the Twelfth's cover. It should be placed in row 1, column 3.

October 4 to October 5 - Quotes or multimedia related to the books.

October 6 - Mystery the Third, Part 9 - You must choose the incorrect meaning for each word. The answers are:

• the Eskimo word for sea lion
• rubbery
• actors who only play dogs or, in rare cases, cats
• smelling of elves
• pierced with a fork
• things that numerous foolish people manage to do at the same time
• utterly disgusting
• leapt from one rooftop to another
• very, very good at spelling
• the sound made when an easy chair is dropped on someone from a great height

You will be rewarded with a part of Book the Twelfth's cover. It should be placed in row 3, column 3.

October 7 - Mystery the Third, Part 10 - You must answer the questions by consulting your commonplace book. The answers are:

• BEN
• SEVEN PRECEPTS OF MERLIN
• HEARTS OF PALM
• CLASS C
• PINK

You will be rewarded with a part of Book the Twelfth's cover. It should be placed in row 4, column 4.

October 8 to October 9 - Quotes or multimedia related to the books.

The coded letter.

October 10 - Mystery the Third, Part 11 - Clicking on the link leads to Nick.com's Buzz website. There, click on the advertisement for The Littlest Elf, where you must decipher a code by considering the bolded, underlined letters. The answer is "THE COUNTERFEIT CONCIERGE IS IN." You will be rewarded with a part of Book the Twelfth's cover. It should be placed in row 4, column 1.

October 11 - Quotes or multimedia related to the books.

October 12 - Mystery the Third, Part 12 - Vernacularly Fastened Door. You must provide the names for 3 descriptions. The answers are:

• SHERLOCK HOLMES
• MURPHY'S LAW
• WAR OF THE ROSES

You will be rewarded with a part of Book the Twelfth's cover. It should be placed in row 1, column 2.

October 13 - Mystery the Third, Part 13-Volunteer or Villain Formally Described.

The answer is "DUNCAN QUAGMIRE". You will be rewarded with a part of Book the Twelfth's cover. It should be placed in row 2, column 3.

October 14 - Quotes or multimedia related to the books.

October 15 - Mystery the Third, Part 14- You must answer the questions by consulting your commonplace book. The answers are:

• VALUABLE POSTAGE STAMP
• FRANZ KAFKA
• VIRTUE
• THE BEARS' FAMOUS INVASION OF SICILY
• NOW COMES THE MYSTERY

You will be rewarded with a part of Book the Twelfth's cover. It should be placed in row 1, column 4.

October 16 - Quotes or multimedia related to the books: The Nameless Novel site gave out a list of phrases that had the initials V.F.D., but had 'The Dastardly Denouement' as an odd one out on the third column. This could be a red herring sent out by HarperCollins.

October 17 - Mystery the Third, Part 15. Crack the code by looking for letters missing from words. The answer is THIS IS THE SECOND TO LAST ORDEAL. The cover piece should be placed in Row 3, Column 2

October 18 - Mystery the Third, Part 16 and the release of Book The Twelfth. Click the given link in the message from the author to recieve the last piece of the cover. It sould be placed in Row 4 Column 3. Following, you will receive the Title of the book as being "THE PENULTIMATE PERIL". You will also be given the option of reading the first chapter of the book the twelfth. [first chapter].