Wire Stories

Josh Randall, Erin Rhode

HINTS:

The hint policy for this puzzle is as follows:

Hints shall be approved based on the amount of time the team has been working on the puzzle.

After being approved for a hint, the following verbal interaction shall occur between the operator and the requestor:

Operator
"What transmission did you receive?"
Requestor
"Some news quotes or somesuch thing"
Operator
"Could you read me what you have (most recently received)?"
Requestor
"Clondyke News, City of Dawson, Alaska..."
Operator
"Okay, that's enough. The transmission doesn't seem to have gone through correctly. We will retransmit it now. Please stand by for your copy."
Reqeustor
"Thanks"
Operator
"Goodbye" [HANGUP]

At this point, the hint shall be transmitted electronically to the team.

Available Hints

Hint #1

Available after 1 hour

CICELY.NEWS.AND.WORLD.TELEGRAM..CICELY..ALASKA..SEPTEMBER.22..1897....MODIFICATIONS.TO.WIRE.STORIES.STOP
SOME.STORIES.TRANSMITTED.VIA.WIRE.EARLIER.TODAY.HAD.SYSTEMATIC.ERRORS.STOP
PROPRIETOR.MAURICE.MINNIFIELD.SEEMS.TO.EXPERIENCE.PROBLEMS.WITH.RECOLLECTION.OF.EPISODES.STOP
NAMES.HAVE.BEEN.CHANGED.FULLSTOP

Hint #2

Available after 2 hours

CSC..NEW.YORK..NEW.YORK..JANUARY.22..1897....NEWS.WIRE.REVISIONS.STOP
TRANSMITTED.EARLIER.TODAY.WERE.WIRE.STORIES.CONTAINING.MANY.SUBSTANTIVE.ERRORS.STOP
PRODUCER.DANA.WHITAKER.IS.CONFUSED.ABOUT.WHICH.EPISODE.IS.WHICH.STOP
ALL.DIGITS.REMAIN.INTACT.FULLSTOP

Hint #3

Available after 6 hours

WASHINGTON..DC..SEPTEMBER.22..1999....TRANSMISSION.PROBLEM.FIXED.STOP
EPISODE.QUOTES.TRANSMITTED.EARLIER.WERE.SYSTEMATICALLY.ALTERED.DURING.TRANSMISSION.STOP
WRITER.SEEMS.TO.HAVE.TROUBLE.WITH.REMEMBERING.EPISODES.STOP
REGARD.ONLY.BASIC.STRUCTURE.FULLSTOP" 

SOLUTION:

The solver is directed to disregard the details. Doing so allows one to recognize the structure of quotes as being press briefings from West Wing episodes.

The title of the episodes spell out WASHSENATORHALE.

A quick search on google will tell you that the Washington State Senator Hale is Patricia Hale, thus leading you to the answer, PATRICIA.

"wire" quoteEpisode"real" quote
J.C. -- "...and we hold an alternate conviction than the Democrats do of the performance up to now of the territorial US Marshall: we think that he is conducting a thorough and impartial investigation and should be allowed to complete his work." Ways and Means 3x03 C.J. -- "...and we take a different view than Congressional Republicans do of this Special Prosecutor's performance thus far: we believe he's running a thorough and impartial investigation and he should be allowed to finish his work."
Taylor -- "Residents of the Klondike, a short time ago a vigilante committee attacked and killed four members of the Soapy Smith gang. This in response to the con men, thieves, and opportunists robbing three days ago of 58 miners..." A Proportional Response 1x09 Bartlet -- "My fellow Americans, good evening. A short while ago I ordered our Armed Forces to attack and destroy four military targets in Northern Syria, this in response to the unwarranted, unprovoked and cold-blooded downing three days ago of an unarmed Air Force jet carrying 58 passengers..."
J.C. -- "Thursday morning, the governor will make his Thanksgiving proclamation in the Pear Orchard. Among the guests will be students from the Circle City School and students from the Nome School." Shibboleth 2x08 C.J. -- "Thursday morning, the president will make his Thanksgiving proclamation in the Rose Garden. Among the guests will be members of the Boys and Girls Clubs of America and members of the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of America."
J.C. -- "Scott's Mills is a town in Oregon, population 63. While most of Oregon begins voting at 8 AM tomorrow, all 42 enrolled voters of Scott go to the polls at 12:01AM..." Hartsfield's Landing 3x14 C.J. -- "Hartsfield's Landing is a town in New Hampshire, population 63. While the rest of New Hampshire goes to the polls at 8 AM tomorrow, all of the 42 registered voters of Hartsfield vote at one minute past midnight..."
J.C. -- "Before I forget, Suzanne, Cameron, and Buffy are the first three for brunch with the governor at 3 pm in the drawing room. Suzanne, Cameron, and Buffy. Next week it's Mike, Lisa, and Aaron." Swiss Diplomacy 4x09 C.J. -- "Before I forget, Susan, Carnow, and Duffy are the first three for tea with the president at 3 pm in the map room. Susan, Carnow, and Duffy. Next week it's Mark, Leslie, and Eric."
J.C. -- "Appalled? I am hardly surprised. This is a territory where women aren't permitted to ride a horse. They're not permitted to be around any man other than close kin, they are compelled to adhere to a dress code which would make the Pink Nuns look like Pansy Blossom. They decapitated 121 people in the past year for swindling, robbery, and smuggling..." Enemies Foreign and Domestic 3x1 C.J. -- "Outraged? I'm barely surprised. This is a country where women aren't allowed to drive a car. They're not allowed to be in the company of any man other than a close relative, they're required to adhere to a dress code that would make the Maryknoll Nun look like Malibu Barbie. They beheaded 121 people last year for robbery, rape, and drug trafficking..."
J.C. -- "I don't know, Mike. There is a painting of Chief Seattle in the Great Hall. Spy it from the wrong angle and it can scare the hell..." Noel 2x10 C.J. -- "I don't know, Mark. There's a painting of Dolly Madison in the Grand Foyer. You catch it in the wrong light it can scare the living..."
J.C. -- "A pressure valve caused a steam boiler explosion at the docks a few minutes ago and they are clearing it up." Angel Maintenence 4x1 C.J. -- "A maintenence truck caused a fuel spill on a runway a few minutes ago and they are cleaning it up."
J.C. -- "Just a few more brief things: Thad Magrootean has given his resignation to the Lieutenent Governor's office, bringing an end, I hope, to that business. We expect the Governor's nominees to the Literary Society of Nome to be installed early next week." Take Out the Trash Day 1x13 C.J. -- "Just a few more quick things, Chad Margrudien has submitted his resignation to the Vice President's office putting an end, I hope, to that affair. We expect the President's appointees to the Board of the Corporation of Public Broadcasting to be confirmed early next week."
J.C. -- "Well, I am not going to get into any details as to the diplomatic exchange. There will be more on that later. I am told at this time the State Legislature is almost ready to vote on the override of the Governor's veto, and I know you will all want to cover it." On the Day Before 3x04 C.J. -- "Well, I'm not gonna get into the details of the diplomatic exchange. There'll be more on that tomorrow. I'm told at this moment the House is getting ready to vote on the override of the President's veto, and I know you'll all want to cover that."
Norman -- "Well, the Golden Sands of Nome are a national treasure so, Susannah, that's why I support creating the Nome beach project." Red Haven's On Fire 4x17 Sam -- "Well, Orange County's beachfronts are a national treasure so, Samantha, that's why I support creating the federal beach project."
J.C. -- The Governor and First Lady will board the Steamer S.S. Portland this evening at 7:30 for their voyage to Seattle and go to midnight mass tomorrow at the Sacred Heart Parish. Matt? What are you doing? Holy Night 4x1 C.J. -- "The President and First Lady will board Air Force One this evening at 7:30 for their flight to Manchester and attend midnight mass tomorrow at the Church of the Sacred Heart. Mark? What are you doing?"
Governor Taylor's radio address -- "...Ellen Swallow Richards, the first female professional chemist. Maria Mitchell, who found a comet in 1847, was the first woman inducted into the Academy of Arts and Sciences." And It's Surely To Their Credit 2x05 President Bartlet's Radio Address -- "... Ellen Swallow Richards, the first woman to be a professional chemist. Maria Mitchell, who discovered a comet in 1847, and was the first woman admitted to the Academy of Arts and Sciences."
J.C. -- "The theme of this year's event is 'Discovery is tasty and terrific,' which also, by the way, describes me." Let Bartlet Be Bartlet 1x1 C.J. -- "The theme of this year's event is 'Learning is delightful and delicious,' as, by the way, am I."
J.C. -- "In reality, what she said was, and I quote, there has not been 'any compelling study yet to demonstrate that cannabis causes consumption...'" Ellie 2x15 C.J. -- "Actually, what she did say, and I quote, is that there has been 'no conclusive study to date to show that marijuana causes cancer...'"

Answer: PATRICIA