Mystery Culture Crew - Lab Week 2025 Contest
Welcome to Lab Week 2025 at Hardy Diagnostics!
This year, we're inviting you to join the Mystery Culture Crew in a thrilling microbiological investigation.
Unmask the Microbe Menace 
Each day, you'll be presented with a clue-filled scene and a suspect microbe. Can you help Velmavirus, Daphnidium, Shaggymyces, and the rest of the gang solve the case?
Correct guesses will enter you into our daily raffle, with Hardy swag up for grabs. And if you can successfully identify the culprits hiding in plain sight, you’ll earn entries toward our grand prize: a sub lunch party for your entire lab! 
How to Play
- Complete the daily quiz—new cases will be posted for 24 hours each morning beginning at 9:00am Pacific till the following day.
- Everyone who plays will be entered into that day's raffle drawing.
- Correct answers earn entries for the grand prize raffle at the end of the week.
- You may only submit one guess per quiz.
- Each correct answer = one raffle ticket for the grand prize.
Raffle Prizes
Daily prize:
Hardy Swag Bag
One winner per day, April 21 - 25th
Each swag bag includes*:
- 1 Hardy drawstring backpack
- 10 Hardy logo pens
- 5 Hardy logo notepads
- 5 Petri plate lanyards
- 5 Microbuddyz microfiber cloths
- 12 Microbuddyz Stickers
- 1 Hardy logo white board
- 1 "Streak on" mouse pad
- 5 Hardy logo cups
- 5 Hardy logo blue markers
- 5 Hardy logo black markers
- 10 Petri plate pins
- 8 HardyCHROM™ dividers
*Swag item colors and quantity are subject to change based on availability
Grand prize:
Laboratory Sub Sandwich Party
One winner at the end of the week, April 25th
Sub sandwich party details*:
For your entire laboratory!
*Winner must be located in the continental United States
Let's play!
Daily Results
Check back each following day for the suspect to be revealed.
Yesterday's Story:
The Reveal: Cathy Campy – The "Poultry Enthusiast" (Campylobacter jejuni)
Velmavirus pointed at Cathy Campy. “It’s you! Campylobacter jejuni thrives in undercooked poultry, and with those raw chicken leftovers in the kitchen, it’s no surprise people got sick.”
Ranger Jane sighed in relief. “So that’s the culprit! We’ll have to overhaul our food handling practices immediately.”
Scoobacillus grinned widely. “Rhehehehe! Next time we can have a germ-free barbecue!”
Correct Answer: 2. Cathy Campy – The "Poultry Enthusiast" (Campylobacter jejuni)
- Key Clue #1: Illness tied to food from the mess hall—classic sign of foodborne contamination.
- Key Clue #2: Curved, Gram-negative rod—Campylobacter jejuni fits the profile.
- Key Clue #3: Raw chicken leftovers in the kitchen—Campy’s favorite hideout.
Like, we couldn’t have solved these mysteries without your totally awesome skills and determination, gang! You make all the difference, and we’re so lucky to have you on the team!
We’ll see you next time, gang!
"Unmask the Microbe Menace" Winners
Daily Hardy Swag Bag Winners:
- Day 1: L.N. from Kansas City Water
- Day 2: J.D.. from Medical University of South Carolina
- Day 3: M.L. from University of Washington Medical Center
- Day 4: J.D. from Long Beach Memorial Medical Center
- Day 5: D.L. from Saint Luke's Health System
Grand Prize Sub Sandwich Party Winner:
We want to send a huge thank you to all of you—our incredible lab personnel—for playing "Unmask the Microbe Menace" game for lab week! Your dedication to uncovering the hidden dangers in the microscopic world is absolutely priceless. You’re the true heroes, working tirelessly to keep us all safe, and we couldn’t be more grateful for everything you do.
- C.R. from Cosmetic Enterprises Ltd
Until next time, thank you for your hard work, your passion, and your unwavering commitment. Keep fighting the good fight, and we’ll be right here, ready for our next adventure!
We’ll see you soon, gang!