The Allison Wonderland

Video of the puck being hidden

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTtxYniiVuQ

 

 

Not sure why he did not empty the coke can before cutting the bottom off?

 

Sincerely,
Jon
Homerhankie

 

The medallion may have been found and the shovels put away, but the fun isn't quite over. We have one last thing to do, the 29th annual Rehash Bash. Join us at the Frogtown Community Center at 12:30 this Sunday. The food is a potluck, and it's always fun to try to match the food to this year's hunt/clues somehow (but you don't have to). We also have a drawing for door prizes, one prize package per clue. If you have something you'd like to contribute, that's always appreciated as we have no budget for this. We also have presentations for other awards, so if you're not big on small talk, you won't need to do much of that. But of course with the hunt just completed there will be plenty of stories to share.   The address is 623 Marion St, St Paul, MN 55103-1775. There is a limited parking lot there. Otherwise parking is available on the street. (This is the same location as last year if you were there).

Approximately here: 
https://maps.app.goo.gl/rAGkypK7CPmhqZmc7

The nails were originally in a yellow bucket along with many more. Someone took the bucket. I saw the remainders on the ground and set them on a log. I think someone hung it in the tree. 

Can anyone drop a pin on it?

 

I never actually saw it in person

 

Sincerely,
Jon
Homerhankie

 

It would be a good idea to report this with the DNR. It looks like there may have been incidents where people have tried to harm hikers and animals in wooded areas in past years. 
Sincerely,
Aaron SmithPhone: (651) 338-8232Email: arsmith2002@... 

Here are the clue explanations. You may think I'm doing you a favor by posting them here, but this is really an act of sadism. There's no way that these are the real explanations. I mean the clue 2 explanation doesn't even mention a writer!   Clue 1
Welcome King Boreas, your swag so notorious
It’s part of the mythic lore
No need for sulkin we’re back with Vulcan
In time for seven score   Explanation: After a brief split between the Winter Carnival and the Treasure Hunt, we’re back together this year with an even bigger total prize to celebrate the carnival’s 140th birthday (seven score). “Seven” also refers to Seventh Street, which is clearly visible from the bluff edge of Linwood Park, and “score” refers to the athletic events at the park.   Clue 2
For this hunt sublime a commemorative rhyme
Cheers the coming anniversary
For a third its history a writer of mystery
Has spun clues using sorcery   Explanation: The treasure hunt is celebrating its 75th year so it’s diamond jubilee is coming up. “Diamond” invokes both baseball and softball fields at Linwood Park. “Diamond Jubilee” invokes historic celebrations of long-serving royalty in England – such as the diamond jubilee of Queen Victoria. Victoria Street, which runs into the north end of Linwood Park, was named for her.   Clue 3
Sitting with pen musing all in ken
Twigs and dolls filled the pages
A flashing demonic offered tonic,
The rhythm of the sages   Explanation: Patricia Hampl, a St. Paul writer, grew up near Linwood Park, where she would often go to write poetry. She sat on a bench near the bluff overlooking the “miniature twig trees and tiny doll people” of the West Seventh Street neighborhood. She was mesmerized by the red neon sign of the old Schmidt Brewery, which she described in her memoir “A Romantic Education” as having a warm yet “satanic quality.” The sign rhythmically spelled out “S-C-H-M-I-D-T,” which for her embodied the rhythm of poetry.   Clue 4
Pack your bag for riches to shag
The game demands your best
No need to be vandal to get a good handle
On how to fulfill your quest   Explanation: “No need to be vandal” reminds hunters again to respect property and nature. The brown paper grocery bag with handles was invented in 1917 by St. Paul grocer Walter Duebner and his wife, Lydia. Duebner Place, which borders the west end of Linwood Park, was named after them.   Clue 5
The prize is massive so don’t be passive
Or let your tracks spin and spin
If you earn your due be it not lost on you
That someday you’ll land the win.   Explanation: All the clues refer to “LP,” the initials of Linwood Park. First, a “limited partnership” or LP is for passive investors. Second, a long play (LP) record is a vinyl disc that spins on the turntable while a needle picks up the vibration of its tracks. Third, LP is the stage name of Laura Pergolizzi, a Brooklyn-born singer, songwriter and musician who wrote the songs “Lost on You” and “Someday.”   Clue 6
This is the year we hid it here
Where it was once said to have lain
In the woods by the lake you may catch a break
That may end in a toast of champagne   Explanation: The only time the medallion was hidden in Linwood Park was in “Treasure Hunt,” a 1992 novel about our treasure hunt by St. Paul writer Roger Barr. “Linwood” derives from Old English meaning “woods by the lake.”   Clue 7
Without much contortion find outrageous fortune
Near this bunkerish getaway
Look for a bird known for the word
Who hailed from this waterway   Explanation: Bunkerish getaway refers to the Linwood Recreation Center, which is built into the side of the bluff at Linwood Park. Shakespeare references in “outrageous fortune” (from “Hamlet”), “bird known for the word” and “waterway” lead to his nickname, “the Swan of Avon” (he grew up on the River Avon in Stratford, England). Avon Street ends at Linwood Park, an intersection close to where the medallion is hiding in snow.   Clue 8
The hunter appeared, properly geared.
Knowing their dink would be praised.
But not quite yet for saying “nice get!”
They must wait until the kitchen is raised.   Explanation: The “Reimagine Linwood Park” project is changing how Linwood looks by providing the park’s first field improvements in 30 years. That includes new pickleball courts, where “dinks” are short shots, and the “kitchen” is the non-volley zone in the ever-popular paddle game. The park is under construction, so hunters looking to hit some shots will have to wait until summer 2026, according to St. Paul.   Clue 9
For its one hundred forty years, St. Paul’s Carnival deserves cheers.
(The ones that had these make up roughly one quarter.)
With an entrance fit for a queen, we look forward to one day seeing
A park from which we can take in royal boarder.   Explanation: The Pioneer Press again cheers the Winter Carnival’s anniversary and throws out a stat about ice palaces – 36 have been built in the Carnival’s 140-year history. The “queen” reference is about Victoria Street, named after England’s Queen Victoria and which runs right into the front door of the Linwood Recreation Center. Like most revelers, we’d one day like to see another ice palace (the last was in 2018) – but we’ll have to settle this year on the Palace Community Center (our home for a “royal boarder”), which is visible south of Linwood.   Clue 10
A local stone borders the home;
Hunters should eye a visual center.
Stay off the street and kick your feet
It’s in the snow that we did set her.   Explanation: Across “a visual center” (anagram for “St. Clair Avenue”) from the park, a large wall of limestone is an easy-to-see landmark for hunters. In the park, folks should search the low-lying areas, as we tucked the puck into the back of a snow berm near the St. Clair-adjacent sidewalk.   Clue 11
Like Kaohly Her, St. Paul mayor,
This park breaks new ground.
So be a dear, search turf here
For garbage and trash abound.   Explanation: A nod to the fact that Linwood has never been a hiding location before – a first, like Her, St. Paul’s first mayor of Hmong descent. Again, we advise hunters to search where there’s turf – not in the construction zone, which is excavated dirt – and look for the “discarded” soda can that contains the medallion.   Clue 12
Those in Linwood should shout this motto: The treasure is hidden east of Grotto!
Our puck is tucked in a Coke, buried in a long pile of snow.
Start between a power pole and tree. Walk three paces toward “Schmidt” and see
That those south of the sidewalk are closest to the winner’s glow.   Explanation: On a clear winter night, the Clue Writer ventured out to Linwood Recreation Center to hide the medallion. With the western portion of the park under construction, the CW ventured east, past the community garden, past the tennis courts, past where Grotto has a small staircase that ends across St. Clair from the park. Hunters that head to the small portion of the park east of Grotto and line up a power pole and tree, then take three paces toward the red, glowing “Schmidt” Brewery sign, will be rewarded if they’re near the sidewalk and unearth the puck, covered in the crusty remnants of several holiday snowfalls.

Thank you David for all you do in this group.  I work on Sundays so I can't ever make it to the rehash bash. Some day I'll be able to put faces to names.  I think this was the year I was able to search the correct park for the longest.  Very fun! If you saw someone hunting alone in a flashy pink/purple snow suit it was me 😁 I was excited when I left at 1pm that no one had found it and hopeful that I could get there with my kids after picking them up from elementary. Hoping we could be there when it was found.  Even more hopeful that we could find it together. I love doing this hunt and glad to be part of this group since my friends don't seem to share my obsession. One year I'll get it. I have got to get better at anagrams!!
Best to All,Jane

I saw it, and the nails did not look brand new so I thought it may have been some animal trap thing. It sure was strange and made me take a step or two back. 
JT
On Thu, Jan 29, 2026 at 9:19 AM Allison Wonderland via groups.io <AllisonWondrland=yahoo.com@groups.io> wrote:

Thanks for all your work, David. I hope your girlfriend is doing better. 
JT

Nicely done David, and great call yesterday before it was found on where you would look! 

Thanks again for putting this together and giving us the clues. I really appreciate the time and effort you put into it.

I saw that yesterday but I honestly have no idea what to make of that.
David B. Allison

On Thursday, January 29, 2026 at 09:11:56 AM CST, Jon - ImprintItems <jon@...> wrote:

Did anyone get a good look at this “nail trap”

 

Was it something that would literally cause injury to man or beast?

Or was it just some weird sculpture

 

Frightening if so,

 

Sincerely,
Jon
Homerhankie 

 

I really thought it would have been yesterday. I assume it will be sometime today.
David

On Thursday, January 29, 2026 at 09:07:11 AM CST, spamchristi2@... via groups.io <spamchristi2@...> wrote:

When will they publish the clue writers explanations?

Did anyone get a good look at this “nail trap”

 

Was it something that would literally cause injury to man or beast?

Or was it just some weird sculpture

 

Frightening if so,

 

Sincerely,
Jon
Homerhankie 

 

When will they publish the clue writers explanations?

Yahoo Mail: Search, Organize, Conquer

Ha ha. That was fun David. Inquiring minds want to know if you’ll actually take money out of your wallet, have a little ceremony, then put it back in. Lol. 

The Medallion was found on Clue 11 in Linwood Park. Consequently only guesses for Linwood count towards victory. Each guess on Clue 1 was worth 11 points, and then decreased by a point each day until a guess made today was worth 1 point. If a new guess wasn't made, the guesses from the previous day carried over.   In 3rd place with 60 points was JT who went all in on Linwood on Clue 9.   In 2nd place with 109 points was Joan who put one guess towards Linwood on Clue 2 and then went all in on Clue 9.   And the winner with 208 points was me! I gave Linwood 1 point on Clue 1, then bumped it up to 5 points on Clue 5 (I was sure of it, but didn't want to tip my hand too much) and then also went all in on Clue 9.   So I will pay myself $100.   Thanks for playing. Until next year...

Thanks for all of the clues and explanations, David! This was great  fun (and borders on obsession:). It was fun to get back in it after years of traveling for work. Even though it was cold and super icy, it was great to be out searching with so many other people!  Until next year! 
Jone (JT) 

On Tue, Jan 27, 2026 at 11:26 PM Allison Wonderland via groups.io <AllisonWondrland=yahoo.com@groups.io> wrote:

Great hunt! I appreciate the camaraderie of this group every year. Ron Young, I’m a few years behind you and so glad there are still some of us Boomers out there. I’m not in MN this year so couldn’t hunt in person, but I spent hours eyeballing the clues with my hunting buddy. I also think I made a little money as Linwood was one of my park picks in the pool. 
Joan D

Thanks everyone! It was a good hunt!