One way to make sure you keep your treasure hunt FUN for your participants is to put THEM in charge of when they take a hint!
One of the changes we have implemented in our treasure hunts over the last couple of years is making the participants in charge of when they receive hints. We like to keep the hunts challenging – but don’t want them to become overwhelming. If someone is starting to get frustrated – they probably aren’t having fun anymore!
For our online based hunts – there are hint buttons available on the puzzle pages. These are pop-up boxes that the participant can click on to get a little boost in the right direction. Usually there are 2 or 3. The first hint (level 1) is usually a little vague – but still pointing them in the right direction. The second and third (level 2 or level 3) are usually much more specific in nature.
- Level 1 hints sometimes draw the participants attention to certain aspect of the puzzle that they might have over-looked. Or, it might give them more of an idea of the type of puzzle they are facing.
- Level 2 hints usually give some direction in how to solve the puzzle. It may even suggest a plan of attack.
- Level 3 hints (if there is one) usually pretty much guides the participant right to the solution.
We feel the key is to make sure the participant is in control of when they receive a hint. Taking all others out of the equation can help ensure that all participants are able to proceed according to their own ability level or just their current level of patience. It also helps remove some of the stigma of needing or asking someone else for a clue.
Sincerely,
