2021 Allison Wonderland Mock Hunt - The Real Hunt

Submitted by Administrator on Fri, 02/26/2021 - 10:37 AM

So four years ago Jake and I made a bet. I said that Trump ran for office just for the publicity and didn't really want to do the job. Consequently we bet that Trump would not finish his term. While we can debate the reasons why I was wrong, the fact is in the end I was and Jake won the bet. That bet was that he would get to write the clues for this year's AW hunt, but that we wouldn't tell anyone. And so that was the case.

But having done that, I still want to do the real Allison Wonderland Mock Hunt. Which means all of you get a bonus hunt! That means if you registered for the first hunt, you are automatically registered for the second hunt at no additional cost. This hunt will also have a $250 prize which a registered hunter will win. If you didn't register the first time, you can still register for this one. Or if you're not a joiner, but you still happen to find it, you'll still get $100.

We'll start the next one on March 17th with all of the same rules applying as before (just substitute March for any mention of February).

I'm a little disappointed that no one seemed to notice the difference in writing style, but hopefully you all had fun. The feedback I got (prior to the explanations anyway) was that you guys seemed to enjoy Jake's hunt. But I really am writing the clues for this next one and no, there is no secret message in this announcement.

Hunt Information

Dates

Scheduled Dates

Wednesday, March 17, 2021

Find Date

Monday, March 22, 2021

Finders

Name

Coldest Hunter

Hometown

Falcon Heights

Name

Ed Brodie

Hometown

West St. Paul

Name

Matt Littlefield

Hometown

Apple Valley

Prize

Maximum Prize

$250

Awarded Prize

$250

Location

General Location

College Park

Pinpointed Location

The fence around the basketball court

Concealer

On a fence post

44.982372, -93.188865

Clues

Clue 1

Published Date

Tuesday, March 16, 2021, 7:00 PM

Having kept our pact, it’s my turn to act.
Following a hunt unprecedented.
Since I sat idly, while Jake grinned snidely
Maybe now you are disoriented?

So my hunt begins just as the snow thins.
Thus other hiding methods I’ve employed.
Go study the lawn, watch your step thereon.
As some grass is a thing best to avoid.

The official meaning of the clue.

Since it was at College Park there were some collegiate references here such as “ACT”, “SAT”, and “study”. “Unprecedented referred to the fact this park has not been used before in either the Allison Wonderland Mock Hunt or the Pioneer Press Medallion Hunt. To “orient” something literally means to face it to the east. So being disoriented would suggest looking in a western park. “The lawn” in question is an area on the St. Paul U of M campus called “The Lawn”. If you study an arial map you will see it has two sidewalks that come together to form an arrow that points right at nearby College Park. But The Lawn is not where the treasure is. Nor is it in the grass at College Park.

Clue Rating

Clue 2

Published Date

Wednesday, March 17, 2021, 7:00 PM

If you go wander both to and yonder
You might find a bench good for relaxing.
Or if you’re brain-fried, let faith be a guide,
As analyzing these clues is taxing.

The official meaning of the clue.

This is letting you know that the park has benches, which are a fairly prominent feature at College Park. It is also next to a church named St. Matthew’s. Matthew had been a tax collector prior to becoming an apostle.

Clue Rating

Clue 3

Published Date

Thursday, March 18, 2021, 7:00 PM

When the ground is slick the trip will be quick
To the icy bottom from up on top.
Or in a warmer time the kids can still climb
And use a slide to make a lesser drop.

The official meaning of the clue.

This is referring to the topology of the park where kids can slide down into the park in the winter. It also alludes to the playground which has a slide.

Clue Rating

Clue 4

Published Date

Friday, March 19, 2021, 7:00 PM

A neighborly park with plenty of bark
Is a scenic spot for hunters to meet.
When looking map-wise, questioning the size,
You won’t see it on both sides of a street.

The official meaning of the clue.

This park is not only a neighborhood park, it literally has next door neighbors that share the block with it. The bark refers to the many trees in the park. The last part of the clue just tells you the park is confined to one block.

Clue Rating

Clue 5

Published Date

Saturday, March 20, 2021, 7:00 PM

An old bearded man came here with a plan
To beautify every city shoreline.
He did some streets too, land around the zoo,
Now my coin’s in a park of his design.

The official meaning of the clue.

Horace Cleveland and his beard moved to MN when he was 72 to work for the city of Minneapolis designing parks and parkways. The city of St. Paul got him to work for them too where he designed four of our major parks including Como. But he also designed the neighborhood of St. Anthony Park where College Park is located. Cleveland is also a street very nearby.

Clue Rating

Clue 6

Published Date

Sunday, March 21, 2021, 7:00 PM

Maybe bring a treat, there’s nowhere to eat,
And not a single restaurant in sight.
Better come for sports where scouting reports
Say only balls that bounce will be alright.

The official meaning of the clue.

This clue alludes to the fact that there are no picnic tables in the park, nor can you see any restaurants from the park. There are tennis courts and basketball courts which both involve bouncing a ball. But there are no baseball or football fields, where you typically don’t bounce the ball. It also hints that the area with the courts will be better than the rest of the park in your search.

Clue Rating

Clue 7

The street corner’s light, sufficiently bright,
Is about the only thing with power.
Hunting in the day seems a better way,
But you might find you have only an hour.

The official meaning of the clue.

This is telling you that it’s a largely rustic park with the street lights being the only electric thing in the park. It also subtly hints at the fact that the park has only one true street corner (another corner is private homes and the other two corners have a trail on one side, not a street). Also, one of the street lights is very near the treasure and has a 1 hour parking sign on it.

Clue Rating

Clue 8

You think you’ve done well, but how can you tell?
Is it possible that you’ve all been pwned?
You should find a park that’s within a park,
And has three guys who are forever stoned.

The official meaning of the clue.

“Done well” is an allusion to “Doswell”, a street that borders the park. College Park is within St. Anthony Park. The park also has three large boulders each dedicated to a different man, thus leaving them forever “stoned”.

Clue Rating

Clue 9

Two streets adjacent, but not subjacent,
Lead all the way to the city’s border.
The third you can’t see. Can I afford three?
Yet it’s the fourth that’s highest in order.

The official meaning of the clue.

Doswell and Carter both border the park, but are above most of the park and thus not subjacent (implying the park is something of a valley). If you follow those streets west, they basically touch the border of St. Paul. The third street, Chelmsford (“a ford”), shows on Google maps but isn’t really there. The fourth street, Raymond, is the one closest to the treasure. Also a hint to look “high” as the treasure is both off the ground and on the highest land in the park.

Clue Rating

Clue 10

Searching high and low, but which way to go?
The answer will be to keep your head up.
You ought to refrain going down the drain
And this might be easy as a lay-up.

The official meaning of the clue.

Another reference to the terrain of the park. Keeping your head up suggests to look off the ground and to look on the high ground of the park. Stay away from the area with the big drainage structure. Instead the treasure is found very near one of the basketball nets.

Clue Rating

Clue 11

If feeling foiled and a bit roiled,
Then maybe seek the treasure by degrees.
Be ever on guard for this test is hard,
But a well-done lunge can make it a breeze.

The official meaning of the clue.

“Foil”, “On guard”, and “lunge” are all fencing terms, indicating that the treasure is hidden on a fence. “Degrees” and “test” should clear up the park for any remaining doubters.

Clue Rating

Clue 12

Time to graduate and go seize your fate.
Raymond will prove a great mentor to you.
Things are looking up, take hold of the cup,
Tearing down fences is the thing to do.

The official meaning of the clue.

“Graduate” again implies College Park. Raymond is the street along which the treasure lies. One should look up and take ahold of the cup-like cap sitting on the fence that holds the medallion.

Clue Rating