Stock Riddles: Three Companies Solved, Two Unsolved

Stock Riddles: Three Companies Solved, Two Unsolved

An investment forum has spent 211 days trying to decipher five puzzles hiding names of listed companies. Three are solved: Hims&Hers, PayPal, and Lenovo. The other two—the "landing" and "The Godfather Part II"—remain open. The author, known as FeministoDeIzquierdas, insists this is not a game but a lesson in fundamental analysis disguised as a hobby.

The mechanics are simple to explain but devilishly hard to execute. A text with cryptic clues is published—references to The A-Team, the Catholic Monarchs, Michael Corleone—and whoever identifies the company must justify why each paragraph fits. Random guessing does not count. The author made it clear: «@yomismo73 didn't solve the riddle by firing off company names indiscriminately, but by doing thorough mental groundwork».

The prize isn't a tip; it's the method. According to calculations circulating in the thread, anyone who bought PayPal on the day the riddle was published (April 27, 2026) and sold when it was revealed pocketed a 50% gain in weeks. Those who did the same with Lenovo, published July 29 and solved August 13, gained between 50% and 52% in fifteen days. The temptation to ask for the direct answer is high. The author's response is always the same: look at free cash flow, look at debt, look at what the company does.

The "Landing" Riddle: The Ship That Doesn't Arrive

This is the oldest unsolved puzzle. It launched on March 6, 2026, with a playful clue: "des"..."em"..."barco" (ship). The text suggests the company is "making a landing since last year" and the strong takeoff will come "at least after summer." The author warns that buying now and not getting at least a 30% profit would be "terrible bad luck."

Candidates have flooded in: Airbus, Walt Disney, DuPont, Alibaba, Coupang, Kimberly-Clark, RTX, JD.com, BYD, TKMS. None have convinced. The most elaborate theory so far points to DuPont de Nemours: the two "D"s in the ticker, the Electronic Materials division spun off as Qnity, and the wordplay "des-em-barco." It fits phonetically but fails on fundamentals, which is what the author demands.

Another current points to JD.com. The Chinese giant is finalizing its entry into Spain, hired an Amazon executive, and promises ultra-fast deliveries. On November 4, we'll see if Brussels approves its acquisition of Ceconomy. The coincidence is too pretty. The author, with a hint of sarcasm, suggested: "Maybe there's a trick? Is it really JD.COM?" He added that a 9% profit wouldn't have been worth it.

The Godfather Part II: The Dinner Hiding a Waste Company

The second unsolved puzzle was published on September 18, 2026. The author confesses "The Godfather" is his favorite book and movie. The linked scene—the Corleone dinner—contains, according to him, "everything you need to know." There are five clues, ranging from literal to metaphorical: the future moment the company will be revealed, what happens when the party ends, what Michael wants to do in Cuba, and the quintessential mafia euphemism: waste disposal.

Here lies the trap. "Eliminate waste" points directly to Waste Management (WM), the US garbage management giant. But also to Clorox, which makes cleaning products. And Meliá Hotels, because the party ends and cleanup is needed. All three were proposed. None confirmed.

The author insists the company "should jump over at least a one-year horizon" and that when it does, "it should make at least a 30% entry, and very likely 60-100% in the next 2-3 years." It's a bold prediction. It's also the same one he made about Intel, which went from €38 to over €100.

The Three Solved: Hims&Hers, PayPal, and Lenovo

The first to fall was Hims&Hers, on April 27, 2026. The clue spoke of an "interracial elderly couple" who were sick but would recover. The stock surged 40% shortly after.

The second was PayPal. The riddle mixed "the black guy from The A-Team" (Mr. T), a "big-nosed" man with money, and a "Roman soldier who made movies" (Russell Crowe in Gladiator). They adopted a child who lost weight and sought girlfriends worldwide. Translation: PayPal expanded internationally, lost market value, and is now seeking corporate partners. The stock has suffered a "catastrophic crash," and the author doubled his position at €35.03 on June 11.

The third was Lenovo. Published July 29, solved August 13. The text mentioned "Fernandito," the Catholic Monarchs, and Saint Francis Xavier. The key: the 2005 merger between Lenovo and IBM's PC division, a power-sharing deal where "it doesn't matter which way you look at it." The stock rose 50% in two weeks.

The Method the Author Wants to Teach

Behind the game is explicit pedagogy. "The riddles are designed so anyone opening a position around the day I launch them can close it the day I publish the jump," he explained. But the real goal is different: teaching people to read a balance sheet, calculate free cash flow, and distinguish between a recovering company and a dying one.

The warning is constant. "I don't play at investing, so I apply strict discipline to my investments: I need high returns, and in exchange, I'm willing to deliver long timeframes." The final reminder: "I run everything through AI. This is about learning, not finding signals."

How much is game and how much is lesson? The author knows. The rest, not yet.