Interesting - well, until the rather silly last act. I guess it sort of fits in with the mystical feel, though it seems more at home in a Futurama setting (consider "The Why of Fry"). I mention this below, but I can't help but be amused at the similarity to the end of "Missionary: Impossible" (BABF11). Nice use of 3D though (the eclipse stuff, the mechanical devices).
I did enjoy the gimmick of the puzzles, though really only one could reasonably be expected to be solved by us. (I saw the first one coming and even wondered if we'd be asked to do it in some way. Not hard - the boat problem with 3 items has one basic solution. Biggest ring was tougher, and I was a little annoyed at the bell answer, but at least the giant Springfield sign has been established. Anagram... well, I figured out "gem" at least, and beat Lisa to mentioning that the answer only makes sense if she got the wrong one first.) I haven't seen (or read, where applicable) The Da Vinci Code, the National Treasure movies, etc., so I can't judge based on them; I have seen several Indiana Jones movies, though, and the really long sequence after Lisa works out the first clue could be a reference to them (e.g. the pyramid thing in Crystal Skull).
Intro notes First short intro for the new format (clouds to driveway) - still timed at 22 seconds. -Crow right to left -TV didn't fall off wall. I also note that the episode is finally up to full-length for these days again (21:02, 21:50 with credits).
DYN: ...another "good but not great" (see, for example, 3F03)? ...Mother Superior refers to Jesus as "the man with the yellow hat" (halo)? ...in the general Rube Goldberg setup, one piece seems like a specific reference to Mouse Trap (the flipping man)? ...Ben Franklin accidentally stumbles upon (inspiration for) his "Join or Die" cartoon? ...both Homer and Lisa work on the puzzles in the sand/dirt? ...a commercial for the Nicholas Cage movie "Knowing" right after act 3? ...Charles Napier doesn't return to voice the warden character?
Previous episode references AABF09: Ed Begley Jr returns with his solar car (though presumably it would be designed to allow operating in the dark) 3F01: Shades of this episode when Homer first tries to get Maggie back 3F31: Quizzes for the viewers during commercial breaks 2F16, among others: asking the viewers (not really) about solving the puzzle 7F07: Bart's trip across the roof fairly similar in feeling to this 2F15: [kissing] Milhouse doesn't count BABF14: Lisa (et al) dangling from helicopter KABF15: Maggie practically praised GABF10, KABF01, more?: Lisa solves marginally useful anagrams BABF11: Crappy ending and floor opening up with rivers of lava
Goofs Lisa's room is not opposite the house from Bart's.
Other In anticipation of the Irish episode (LABF11) next week, apparently there's a themed 6-episode collection available on iTunes? I haven't had luck browsing their store without actually having iTunes, and I have no desire to do the latter. What episodes are they including? DABF19 and GABF09 come to mind.