FAIR WARNING: If you expect this to be a run-of-the-mill hunt – you will be in for a real shocker! This was designed to be a challenge that takes some time, patience, creative thinking & problem-solving skills to complete!
Recommended Ages 12+
NOTE: There is the OPTION for the participant to use clues all along the way of the hunt (they are built into the website posts for the hunt}. After all – it is supposed to be FUN!
Requirements:
- Smartphone / Tablet / Computer. The participants will need a computer of some sorts to engage & complete this hunt. A cell phone (smartphone) might be the easiest – since the hunt begins with a QR code to get to the first puzzle / page of the hunt.
- If availability of a smartphone with a QR code reader is really a problem – you can begin the hunt by going to the following web address: https://www.epictreasurehunts.com/th1-initial-briefing/ The QR code reader is really only necessary to get to the launching point of the hunt.
- Internet access. This hunt requires participants to be able to access various websites to obtain clues & directions. So Internet access is needed!
Suggested:
- Printer – to print off all the clues (and the additional hints – in case they need them).
- Treasure! Pick something that will excite the participants to find!!
- Treasure chest – to hold the final treasure!
Types of Puzzles Used:
- Morse Code
- GPS (Global Positioning System) Location
- Word Scramble
- Letter (from number) Substitution
- Letter (from Roman Numeral) Substitution
- Letter (from word) Substitution
- Decode Puzzle with Fibonacci Sequence
- Decode Puzzle with pi ( π ) to multiple digits
- Decode from Binary to Text/Digits
Comments:
This hunt is computer based – with most of the interaction being on the EpicTreasureHunts website. It is the first time I really did something like this – and my family really seemed to enjoy it!
This originally started as an Easter Egg hunt for the kids in 2021. I was very ambitious with this hunt – and only got about half of it completed for Easter 2021. The kids started the hunt in 2021 – but I didn’t complete it until Easter of 2022. So it took about 14 months to finish this hunt, and there really isn’t a hunt for 2021. Although we did this as an Easter hunt – there is no Easter component to it – and it is really a stand-alone hunt that has nothing to do with Easter.
You can integrate this into a Easter egg hunt – but you don’t have too. If you want to – I would suggest hiding the QR code for the initial briefing into a special egg (maybe a golden one) and they can jump off from the Easter Egg hunt into the treasure hunt from there.
This hunt is the first one that I did that really has a story line. It is much more than just a bunch of puzzles that have been strung together. It uses a historical figure’s life as a base and then intertwines a fictional story, of my own creation, into the timeline of their life. Many parts are historically accurate, and so is the timeline. But the story line is my own and has no known ties to reality.
I would strongly recommend printing out the Initial Briefing QR code, the puzzles, my guide sheet & the answer key. None are absolutely required – but I think you will find it really helps. I find that I prefer not to be staring at a computer screen to solve a puzzle – and you will probably agree – that it is easier to have a printed-out puzzle that you can markup, work on and make notes. I make it easy to print everything out right after you check out.
Outline of the Hunt:
This hunt begins with a QR code to get to the Initial Briefing – where the participants will meet their secret governmental agency handler, be given a little background on the situation and learn how they were selected for this case. They are then required to solve their first puzzle – and must respond to a question with the correct answer to progress to the next stage.
As I indicated above – if the puzzle is too difficult – the participant may select an on-screen pop-up hint to help them & provide some guidance. If they answer the puzzle / question incorrectly – they will be told the answer is incorrect – and they will need to reload the page (link provided) to try again. If they answer the question correctly – they will be presented with an encouraging message and a link to continue on in the hunt.
Ultimately – the final clue/puzzle will lead then to a location in the house to find their compensation (treasure) for helping to solve this case – which is a matter of national security. I put a little twist at the very end – and got all 4 of my children with it. They thought it was a fun twist – which they didn’t see coming!
Happy hunting!
Sincerely,
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