Nine-Pipe Problem

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That was doctor-assisted homicide!
The Medic solving a murder

The Nine-Pipe Problem is a community-created cosmetic item for the Medic. It is a gourd calabash pipe, complete with a "Genteel Smoke" particle effect and dark glasses that replace the Medic's usual clear pair. The pipe sways in motion.

This item has two styles, named "Afternoon" and "Evening". The "Evening" style maintains the Medic's usual glasses.

The Nine-Pipe Problem was contributed to the Steam Workshop.

Painted variants

Main article: Paint Can
Mouseover cells to preview the images on a dark background. Click on the images to enlarge them.
[hide]Painted variants
  • Afternoon
  • Evening
Afternoon
Single colors
Painted Nine-Pipe Problem E6E6E6.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem D8BED8.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem C5AF91.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem 7E7E7E.png
An Extraordinary Abundance of Tinge Color No. 216-190-216 Peculiarly Drab Tincture Aged Moustache Grey
Painted Nine-Pipe Problem 141414.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem 2D2D24.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem 694D3A.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem 7C6C57.png
A Distinctive Lack of Hue After Eight Radigan Conagher Brown Ye Olde Rustic Colour
Painted Nine-Pipe Problem A57545.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem CF7336.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem E7B53B.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem F0E68C.png
Muskelmannbraun Mann Co. Orange Australium Gold The Color of a Gentlemann's Business Pants
Painted Nine-Pipe Problem E9967A.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem FF69B4.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem 7D4071.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem 51384A.png
Dark Salmon Injustice Pink as Hell A Deep Commitment to Purple Noble Hatter's Violet
Painted Nine-Pipe Problem 2F4F4F.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem 424F3B.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem 808000.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem 729E42.png
A Color Similar to Slate Zepheniah's Greed Drably Olive Indubitably Green
Painted Nine-Pipe Problem 32CD32.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem BCDDB3.png
The Bitter Taste of Defeat and Lime A Mann's Mint
Team colors
Painted Nine-Pipe Problem A89A8C.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem 839FA3.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem 3B1F23.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem 18233D.png
Waterlogged Lab Coat (RED) Waterlogged Lab Coat (BLU) Balaclavas Are Forever (RED) Balaclavas Are Forever (BLU)
Painted Nine-Pipe Problem B8383B.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem 5885A2.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem 483838.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem 384248.png
Team Spirit (RED) Team Spirit (BLU) Operator's Overalls (RED) Operator's Overalls (BLU)
Painted Nine-Pipe Problem 803020.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem 256D8D.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem 654740.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem 28394D.png
The Value of Teamwork (RED) The Value of Teamwork (BLU) An Air of Debonair (RED) An Air of Debonair (BLU)
Painted Nine-Pipe Problem C36C2D.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem B88035.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem UNPAINTED.png
Cream Spirit (RED) Cream Spirit (BLU) Unpainted
Evening
Single colors
Painted Nine-Pipe Problem E6E6E6 Evening.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem D8BED8 Evening.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem C5AF91 Evening.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem 7E7E7E Evening.png
An Extraordinary Abundance of Tinge Color No. 216-190-216 Peculiarly Drab Tincture Aged Moustache Grey
Painted Nine-Pipe Problem 141414 Evening.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem 2D2D24 Evening.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem 694D3A Evening.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem 7C6C57 Evening.png
A Distinctive Lack of Hue After Eight Radigan Conagher Brown Ye Olde Rustic Colour
Painted Nine-Pipe Problem A57545 Evening.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem CF7336 Evening.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem E7B53B Evening.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem F0E68C Evening.png
Muskelmannbraun Mann Co. Orange Australium Gold The Color of a Gentlemann's Business Pants
Painted Nine-Pipe Problem E9967A Evening.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem FF69B4 Evening.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem 7D4071 Evening.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem 51384A Evening.png
Dark Salmon Injustice Pink as Hell A Deep Commitment to Purple Noble Hatter's Violet
Painted Nine-Pipe Problem 2F4F4F Evening.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem 424F3B Evening.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem 808000 Evening.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem 729E42 Evening.png
A Color Similar to Slate Zepheniah's Greed Drably Olive Indubitably Green
Painted Nine-Pipe Problem 32CD32 Evening.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem BCDDB3 Evening.png
The Bitter Taste of Defeat and Lime A Mann's Mint
Team colors
Painted Nine-Pipe Problem A89A8C Evening.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem 839FA3 Evening.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem 3B1F23 Evening.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem 18233D Evening.png
Waterlogged Lab Coat (RED) Waterlogged Lab Coat (BLU) Balaclavas Are Forever (RED) Balaclavas Are Forever (BLU)
Painted Nine-Pipe Problem B8383B Evening.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem 5885A2 Evening.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem 483838 Evening.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem 384248 Evening.png
Team Spirit (RED) Team Spirit (BLU) Operator's Overalls (RED) Operator's Overalls (BLU)
Painted Nine-Pipe Problem 803020 Evening.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem 256D8D Evening.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem 654740 Evening.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem 28394D Evening.png
The Value of Teamwork (RED) The Value of Teamwork (BLU) An Air of Debonair (RED) An Air of Debonair (BLU)
Painted Nine-Pipe Problem C36C2D Evening.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem B88035 Evening.png Painted Nine-Pipe Problem UNPAINTED Evening.png
Cream Spirit (RED) Cream Spirit (BLU) Unpainted
show;hide

Styles

Main article: Styles
Styles
Painted Nine-Pipe Problem UNPAINTED.png
Painted Nine-Pipe Problem UNPAINTED Evening.png
Afternoon Evening

Item set

Main article: Item sets
Eliminating The Impossible
Item icon Nine-Pipe Problem.png
Effect

Reduces mystery solving time by up to 88%.

Note: the attributes are hidden until both items are equipped.
This set does not affect gameplay, as its description is meant to be a joke. However, it does change a handful of item descriptions, as of June 20, 2012 Patch.

Update history

March 8, 2012 Patch
  • The Nine-Pipe Problem was added to the game.

March 26, 2012 [Item schema update]

July 23, 2012 Patch

  • [Undocumented] Lowered the price of the Nine-Pipe Problem in the Mann Co. Store.

September 4, 2012 Patch

  • Loosened equip region restrictions for the Nine-Pipe Problem.

July 8, 2015 Patch #1

July 7, 2016 Patch #1 (Meet Your Match Update)

  • [Undocumented] Added Strange quality.

Trivia

  • This item is a reference to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. Specifically, it alludes to the phrase "three pipe problem" introduced in the short story The Red-Headed League, and refers to the amount of tobacco needed to ponder over and deduce the solution to a particular puzzle. Additionally, Holmes is sometimes depicted as smoking a calabash pipe, usually when outdoors.

Gallery

See also