Armchair treasure hunt

An armchair treasure hunt is any activity that requires solving puzzles or riddles in some easily portable and widely reproduced format (often an illustrated children's book), and then using clues hidden either in the story or the graphics of the book to find a real treasure somewhere in the physical world.

The entire idea behind this genre of treasure hunting is that you can do it without leaving the comfort of your armchair (except when you need to go and dig the treasure up). Some newer Armchair Treasure Hunts do not require you anymore to physically find the treasure but only to solve the problem of its location. By sending your answer to the organizers, the treasure are handed over to the winner(s) at a prize giving ceremony. Purists view this as not consistent with the essence of armchair treasure hunting, while advocates places emphasis on the fact that anyone in the world can now compete in these newer treasure hunts (no more traveling needed).

History

The first widely popular armchair treasure hunt was "Masquerade" (1979) by Kit Williams, an illustrated children's book which had an elaborate border filled with letters. By deciphering a code hinted at through the story, a reader could find clues within the borders' text that described the location of a bejeweled golden hare. Williams had buried it a few months before the publication of the book. Readers were told only that the prize was somewhere in the United Kingdom.

Readers became obsessed with the hunt, and even began digging up private property in their search for the hare. The prize was eventually found, albeit by a man who used information obtained from Williams' ex-girlfriend rather than by legitimately solving the puzzle.

The influence of the internet

Certain discussion sites, such as Tweleve and Quest4treasure, concentrate all information regarding current hunts and also provide opportunities for treasure hunters to communicate with each other about their progress. Effectively, Armchair Treasure hunts are currently not being solved by individuals but by groups of highly motivated individuals with much more information and ideas at their disposal than normally anticipated by the creators of such armchair treasure hunts.

Examples

Other examples include:
* "A Treasure's Trove" (2004) by Michael Stadther, an illustrated children's book which gives clues on the whereabouts of 12 bejeweled insect brooches.
* "Mysterious Stranger" by David Blaine and Cliff Johnson
* The Publius Enigma based on the Pink Floyd album "The Division Bell" (unsolved as of January 2008)
* Perplex City - a Card Based Puzzle game with a $200,000 reward for whoever finds "The Receda Cube"
*The Alex Treasure Hunt, an illustrated fantasy novel in which the mystery of the greatest dream needs to be solved - solving the mystery unveils the treasure.
* [http://www.alextreasure.com The Great Alexandra Treasure Hunt] an online quest for the solid joys and lasting treasures of the Christian faith, by Madeleine Kelly for St John's Anglican Church, Alexandra, Victoria Australia.
*Scroll Quest by Jason King, illustrated scrolls that lead to the location of coins which win one of many valuable treasures.
* " Secrets of the Alchemist Dar" (2006) by Michael Stadther, an illustrated children's book which gives clues on how to claim 100 bejeweled Fairy Rings of Eternal Life.
*"The Merlin Mystery" (1998) By Jonathan Gunson and Martin Coombe promised a £75,000/$125,000 reward, as well as several prizes such as a brass, gold, and crystal-laced Wand of Merlin, a bracelet made of gold Alchemy symbols, A vial of gold and a variety of other charms. The mystery went unsolved, however, before the December, 2001 deadline and the money was donated to the World Wildlife Fund.