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Nineteen Eighty-Five A Solution

Author: Chris King

The solutions in this round were

MUSIC
RICOTTA
OOHLALA
SQUID
LARAMIE
FACER

Each correct solution gave you a hand of cards, either 5 cards or 7 cards, with the number of cards matching the number of letters in that solution.

After getting all 6 hands, it should be noted that you have 36 cards, 18 red and 18 black. Along with "spin" in the opening text, this invokes a roulette table. Ignoring the suits and the values, and just looking at the card colors ("visual illusions"), the roulette table grid can be made by using the poker hands in one unique pattern:

At this point, each of the numbers can be assigned to a letter, pairing all numbers 1 through 36:

Now that the grid is complete, applying these letters and values to the wheel would be a great next step. While not explicitly stated, the American roulette wheel should be used and not the European wheel:

Looking at the wheel, the letters from 0 to 00 clockwise spell out MULTICOLOURED SCARF, which is the trademark of the Fourth Doctor from Doctor Who, which matches up well with the multicolored wheel, as well as the extra U since he's British (or more technically favors Britain). The other letters along the wheel are gibberish happy accidents and can be ignored.

Note: the numbers 2-5 were not used as playing cards, as to avoid any wrong indexing. The poker hands were also designed to try and avoid any real poker hands, as a received full house or flush would look like another incorrect path.