The Allison Wonderland

The bodies of water weren’t the water towers?

And, clue 4 can suck it.

I would have at least guessed the explanation this clue was the golf courses, the only reason Highland hit my radar (once). One patterned neat and trim (the nicely manicured golf course) and one salvaged life and limb (kind of haphazard layout through trees and ungroomed disc golf) the two cutters (bad throw/swing) who lived down the way (also was found by a set of neighbors last time at Highland), you decide which will play (the fact that it was on the disc golf course makes it seem more like this should be the explanation). Herringbone and Sawbone... to try to get you to think of people not "things"?

It is definitely worse. They should never ever write clues that involve us knowing where private citizens live. Though it's not like those were the two guys that come to mind for this clue anyway. In fact, if you had somehow figured that out I would have laughed it off rather than saying "Oh yea, that sounds right!". Absolutely terrible clue. The correct answer to this clue was President Johnson and Dr. Gillette.
David B. Allison

The Clue 4 explanation is almost as bad as the Snap Crackle and Pop cutouts from last year. 

And they're about as bad as we thought they would be.

https://www.twincities.com/2020/01/28/2020-love-your-melon-pioneer-press-treasure-hunt-clues-explained/

Also there were a lot of cherry looking trees planted and cherry and plums are in the peach familybut l thought that would be plum and cherry street in IM,

I totally agree with Rebecca! I also enjoy taking photos besides talking to people l meet. I was more confused this hunt than ever. The clues fit so many parks. I was going to post some photos of Highland, but for some reason they come out blown up so l gave up. I am happy it was found before the midnight clue!

The beauty of this hunt is reconnecting with people I see only once a year. We are always happy to see each other again and if we run into each other at a park, we reassure each other that our noodles are on par.  I was convinced it was at IMP and all the clues except for the last 2 were "fitting" for me. I learned a lot about trees doing the tree trek and was convinced at one point that the medallion was near the Ginkgo tree (noodlers treasure noggins) and tennis court (nyet = sounds like someone yelling "net")! I'm glad PP makes it hard to find, it is after all worth $10,000! I'm also happy that the hunt didn't go to the 12th clue because I really dislike the mosh pit and being told precisely where it is. David, thank you for continuing this wonderful forum. I think the io site is fantastic and I doff my warm cap to you!

Although in defense of clue writers, sometimes there are things out there that you don't know about that will fit the clue better than what you intended. You can't do much about that, but it certainly shouldn't be a regular occurrence in your clues.

I knew there was a good chance it would be at Highland, but I excluded it after the noodle about the streetcar line to Phalen. I was all in on Phalen or Trout Brook after that. I even figured that the bodies of water was water towers, but I didn’t remember there were three at Highland (I haven’t lived there for 10+ years). I just assumed there might be some that you could see from other parts of the Phalen or I was wrong completely and you had to be in lower town (I mentioned that the other day). 

Regarding clues: The thing about clues for me is that if the solution to a clue is worse than the best possible solution it is a bad clue. In other words, the best possible solution to the clue that I assumed was the streetcar line is the streetcar line. Not the plane (Mounds). So, when we see the answers, if there is a half-assed solution to that clue, it was a bad clue. (IMO). Maybe there is a better Highland solution, but we will see. You can half-ass any answer (snow, ice, water, etc.) but you can’t always write good ones.

The memorial in hindsight works on a couple levels. 

You doff your warm hat at the memorial but also - A warm winter hat is also called a cap - Clarence "Cap" Wigington designed the historic water tower. 

Thanks David I think the new site worked seamlessly. I enjoy this site and find it’s the only real reliable one for the hunt .I appreciate how everyone shared insight and is supportive of everyone’s ideas.Thanks again Juliann 

Oh and thank you David, l will not see you Sunday,, but enjoyed this sight!

There was also the memorial with flag, sledding hill,  summit, Schultz ice hockey, church and medical nearby that could fit. But many of the parks had the same though also. Weird, bizarre hunt. It took me for a twirl!

You're the best, David! I love that it was hard, I love that we all struggled, I love the fun that I always have with this group!  Thank you for all you do - it would not be as fun without you - you are every bit the legend as the medallion!! 

Arrrgh! Putts that are pitches! Highland is the only park in St Paul proper that has a disc golf course. Dan was right and I discounted what he said because I had spent so much time in Phalen! Good learning experience and change of strategy for next year: Dig in many parks early so as not to get my mind set on any one park.
-Christi

Yep, l was on Highland  for years because it was so overdue and the first place it was hidden. I however switched on clue 9. The clue writer was so vague this year and it fit so many parks. I was feeling the BV, SH until it was found this morning. Clue 9 threw me. I don't golf so l wouldn't know about a sand trap. I am surprised it was found this morning. I am happy because l couldn't hunt anymore due to my mother's health going down.

David, I agree.  This clue writer had people all over the place.  It made it interesting yet some frustrating too.

 

I like this new group you went with and I wanted to be sure to thank you for finding it and setting it up.  It worked out great.

 

 

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

 

--
inkswife Terry

I feel similarly, perhaps worse even, I live in the area and have played that disc golf course and walked that part of the park many times. 

One clue I feel I have deciphered: "line three bodies water" --> The Water towers

From overhead the three water towers are not in a line, but if you stand from the lower part of the park - down hill from the golf course all three appear to be standing in line on top of the hill. 

Worth noting too here that the lack of the word "of" denotes that you should not look for lakes, rivers and streams but rather something out of the ordinary.

I feel as if "perspective" types of clues like this are going to be important going forward. You can't google them, and the aerial maps like google maps don't help much.  

Who knows maybe the explanations will be good for once.  

Thank you David. I enjoyed the struggle!!