2022 Great Twin Cities Treasure Hunt

Submitted by Johannes on Wed, 03/23/2022 - 8:59 PM

INTRODUCTION
With hot weather brewin’ and summer a-stewin’, it’s time to fire the pistol
For a treasure hunt mystery steeped in history: The Case of the Curious Crystal!
To pierce the mystique of our doublespeak, search comprehensively;
Obey the rules—without garden tools—and scour intensively!

Assemble your team to foil the scheme and sort out where it’s at—
The jewel endorses joining forces; just ask MED and STAT:
By moving a plank to reveal a crank and giving the reel a ratch,
The four wise guys collected the prize, landing a crystal catch!

This year we frolic through fields bucolic—cease not from exploration;
Home in on the gem—search ibidem: choose a convenient location.
Seek and deploy, but don’t destroy—the hunter’s golden rule—
To make the best of a quizzical quest for the Twin Cities’ hidden jewel!

Explanation:

The Intro includes the song "Summertime Blues" by Eddie Cochran, and contains the words "stewin'," "steeped," "doublespeak," "Assemble," "team," "foil," "fields," and "bucolic," and the phrases "fire the pistol," "a treasure hunt mystery steeped in history," "where it's at," "cease not from exploration," "Home in on the gem—search ibidem," "choose a convenient location," and "a… quest for the Twin Cities' hidden jewel."

BONUS CLUE (at Kickoff Party)
Search through the park for a high water mark—a great way to get some air;
If you’re standing with boots on the landing, you’re already halfway there!
Come to a stop when you’ve reached the top, then move from there to hear,
With pun intended—antenna extended—we’re coming in loud and clear!

The Kick-off Party Bonus Clue includes the song "About Damn Time" by Lizzo, and contains the phrases "Search through the park for a high water mark," "a great way to get some air," "If you're standing with boots on the landing, you're already halfway there," "Come to a stop when you've reached the top," "move from there to hear," "pun intended," "antenna extended," and "coming in loud and clear."

BONUS CLUE (at Hillcrest Knoll Park)
You’ve got the idea, but—mamma mia!—you didn’t quite kick the ball;
The hill you seek is another peak—on the other side of Saint Paul—
Where a greedy gold digger had a nasty hair-trigger, but lacked the resolve to pull it,
So the treacherous twit put out a hit—and went number two with a bullet!

The Hillcrest Knoll Bonus Clue contains the phrases "You've got the idea, but—mamma mia!—you didn't quite kick the ball," and "The hill you seek is another peak, on the other side of Saint Paul— / Where a greedy gold-digger had a nasty hair-trigger, but lacked the resolve to pull it, / So the treacherous twit put out a hit—and went number two with a bullet."

Hunt Information

Dates

Scheduled Dates

Wednesday, July 27, 2022

Find Date

Sunday, August 7, 2022

Finders

Name

Matt Smith

Name

Mike Nowak

Name

Todd Knuth

Name

Ken Ng

Name

Jesse Barton

Prize

Maximum Prize

$500

Awarded Prize

$250

Location

General Location

Hillcrest Park (St. Paul)

Pinpointed Location

In a small nook behind a guard rail at the end of Hillcrest Avenue

Concealer

A round, screw-top container marked with a "GEM 88" sticker

44.91705, -93.182423

Clues

Clue 1

Published Date

Tuesday, July 26, 2022, 7:00 PM

We’re back again with hunt number ten—thanks for tuning in;
The time has come to strive for the sum, so let the chase begin!
With fuel so expensive it takes an extensive toll on the local commuter,
To reach nirvana, you just might wanna hop on a bike or a scooter!

Our golden goose is on the loose: just queue along the quay,
Then locate the blaze and ride the waves—easy as one, two, three!
So grin as you go, traipsing to and fro—puzzlingly perplexed—
To search and explore as never before, from one neighborhood to the next.

The official meaning of the clue.

Clue #1 includes the song "Let's Go" by Zayde Wølf, and contains the words "fuel," "nirvana," and "grin," and the phrases "tuning in," "let the chase begin," "Our golden goose is on the loose," "queue along the quay," "locate the blaze," "ride the waves," "easy as one, two, three" and "search and explore as never before, from one neighborhood to the next."

Clue Rating

Clue 2

Published Date

Wednesday, July 27, 2022, 7:00 PM

From greenhorn gamer to hall of famer and seasoned vet to rookie—
Listen up to hoist the cup in the quest for the crystalline cookie!
As you pursue an eagle’s-eye view to trace a transparent torus,
Keep in mind how one might find another word for thesaurus.

The official meaning of the clue.

Clue #2 includes the song "Say So" by Doja Cat, and contains the phrases "From greenhorn gamer to hall of famer and seasoned vet to rookie," "Listen up," "hoist the cup," "eagle's-eye view," "trace a transparent torus," and "Keep in mind how one might find another word for thesaurus."

Clue Rating

Clue 3

Published Date

Thursday, July 28, 2022, 7:00 PM

To rise with the rooster, the civic booster is up at the dawn’s first crack—
So on your toes, as the old chestnut goes, and you’ll be on the right track!
With seeds germinal at towering terminal, winnow the wheat from the chaff;
A house in the city with views so pretty—stop in for a drink and a laugh!

The official meaning of the clue.

Clue #3 includes the song "Take On Me" by A-ha, and contains the the words "rise" and "up," and the phrases "civic booster," "on your toes," "as the old chestnut goes," "you'll be on the right track," "seeds germinal at towering terminal," "winnow the wheat from the chaff," "A house in the city," "views so pretty," and "stop in for a drink and a laugh."

Clue Rating

Clue 4

Published Date

Friday, July 29, 2022, 7:00 PM

Ringed in a cloak of billowing smoke, an area institution
Anagogic with backward logic and non-stop noise pollution;
Fifty years later, the abominator—blowhard beyond compare—
Spews a barrage of fumes from the garage; it’s all just a lot of hot air.

The official meaning of the clue.

Clue #4 includes the song "Shake It Out" by Florence & The Machine, and contains the words "abominator" and "Anagogic," and the phrases "Ringed in a cloak of billowing smoke," "area institution," "backward logic," "non-stop noise pollution," "Fifty years later," "blowhard beyond compare," "a barrage of fumes from the garage," and "it's all just a lot of hot air."

Clue Rating

Clue 5

Published Date

Saturday, July 30, 2022, 7:00 PM

From public housing to rabble rousing, and into the wild blue yonder—
With vim and vigor, the daring digger seeks space to play and ponder.
So scope out a spot—with views of a lot—for a place to fly in formation,
Scanning the dial with a wink and a smile in a city-wide search for the station.

The official meaning of the clue.

Clue #5 includes the song ""Levitating" by Dua Lipa, and contains the words "space," "scope," "smile," "city-wide," and "station," and the phrases "From public housing to rabble rousing, and into the wild blue yonder," "vim and vigor," "the daring digger," "play and ponder," "scope out a spot," "views of a lot," "a place to fly in formation," "Scanning the dial," and "search for the station."

Clue Rating

Clue 6

Published Date

Sunday, July 31, 2022, 7:00 PM

The clearest clues occur in twos—X marks a local draftsman;
The spot’s got a lotta terra cotta—a tip of the hat to the craftsman!
Since twenty-eight, we celebrate the designer and pioneer—
By lifting the lintels to check out the dentils a cupola times each year.

The official meaning of the clue.

Clue #6 includes the song "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor, and contains the phrases "The clearest clues occur in twos," "X marks a local draftsman," "The spot's got a lotta terra cotta," "a tip of the hat to the craftsman," "Since twenty-eight, we celebrate the designer and pioneer / By lifting the lintels to check out the dentils a cupola times each year."

Clue Rating

Clue 7

Published Date

Monday, August 1, 2022, 7:00 PM

Riding the zenith of a beachside behemoth—sink or swim, flounder or float—
To surf a fresh batch of waves to catch; the people cast their vote
For a sweeping vision, in a landslide decision—a signal of change in the air;
Overall, you can’t fight city hall—unless you make friends with the mayor.

The official meaning of the clue.

Clue #7 includes the song "Misirlou" by Dick Dale, and contains the phrases "Riding the zenith of a beachside behemoth," "sink or swim, flounder or float," "To surf a fresh batch of waves to catch," "the people cast their vote / For a sweeping vision, in a landslide decision," "a signal of change in the air," and "Overall, you can't fight city hall—unless you make friends with the mayor."

Clue Rating

Clue 8

Published Date

Tuesday, August 2, 2022, 7:00 PM

Noodles sloggin’ around in the noggin, sparking good grief and dismay?
Just do as the doc said, but don’t be a blockhead; we won’t pull the ball away!
So snoop the small sister with trusty transistor, high above the new bridge;
Maintaining course to find the source—at the top of the hill, on a ridge.

The official meaning of the clue.

Clue #8 includes the song "Till The World Ends" by Britney Spears, and contains the words "sparking" and "snoop," and the phrases "Noodles sloggin' around in the noggin, sparking good grief," "do as the doc said," "don't be a blockhead," "we won't pull the ball away," "snoop the small sister with trusty transistor," "high above the new bridge," "Maintaining course," "find the source—at the top of a hill, on a ridge."

Clue Rating

Clue 9

Published Date

Wednesday, August 3, 2022, 7:00 PM

A heist with a Hearst where worst came to worst; hunted by the police—
From radical terror to sentencing error, granted an early release;
Twenty-five years deceiving peers and doggedly dodging detection—
Where, shrouded in secrecy, a furtive frequency awaits your interception.

The official meaning of the clue.

Clue #9 includes the song "Take The Money And Run" by Steve Miller Band, and contains the phrases "A heist with a Hearst where worst came to worst," "hunted by the police," "From radical terror to sentencing error, granted an early release," "Twenty-five years deceiving peers and doggedly dodging detection— / Where, shrouded in secrecy, a furtive frequency awaits your interception."

Clue Rating

Clue 10

Published Date

Thursday, August 4, 2022, 7:00 PM

With a funky groove about making a move… away, but nevertheless,
The synth riff wizard gave rise to a blizzard—a flurry of great success:
The one-hit wonder (with an echo down under) set disco clubs a-wiggle—
So dance on a line from the hurst of pine and zero in on the signal!

The official meaning of the clue.

Clue #10 includes the song "Funkytown" by Lipps Inc., and contains the phrases "a funky groove about making a move… away but nevertheless," "The synth riff wizard gave rise to a blizzard—a flurry of great success," "The one-hit wonder (with an echo down under) set disco clubs a-wiggle," "dance on a line," "hurst of pine," and "zero in on the signal."

Clue Rating

Clue 11

Published Date

Friday, August 5, 2022, 7:00 PM

The first born son was a lyrical one with determination and drive;
A dozen years on, the man may be gone—but the idea is alive:
Take a hilltop stroll on an evergreen knoll and scrutinize ceaselessly—
To locate the station through the modulation of our very high frequency.

Sinusoid waves broadcast our blaze at eighty-eight megahertz—
With relay strength on the same wavelength as a park on the outskirts!
So fix your divot and make the pivot, but don’t get swept up by the weather;
Skate to the puck like a Mighty Duck—Seekers fly together!

The official meaning of the clue.

Clue #11 includes the song "Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)" by Kate Bush, and contains the phrases "The first born son was a lyrical one with determination and drive; / A dozen years on, the man may be gone—but the idea is alive," "a hilltop stroll on an evergreen knoll," "scrutinize ceaselessly," "locate the station through the modulation of our very high frequency," "Sinusoid waves broadcast our blaze at eight-eight megahertz— / With relay strength on the same wavelength as a park on the outskirts," "fix your divot and make the pivot," "don't get swept up by the weather," and "Skate to the puck like a Mighty Duck—Seekers fly together."

Clue Rating

Clue 12

Published Date

Saturday, August 6, 2022, 7:00 PM

In a thundering crash, it was gone in a flash—of falling water needs,
So the town did yield an open field with space for treasure hunt deeds;
It might be entrancing, but keep on dancing—away from the rinkside hillock;
Measure crest to crest to find the chest—and views no less idyllic!

On hills a-rollin’, the brothers Bohland tilled the township’s terrain;
A street with their name marks off the claim—at the edge of our domain.
Finding an eyeline with a downtown skyline, paddle away from the beach
To spot our blaze with the phrase that pays—once more into the breach!

Pinning your hopes on the slippery slopes, the heights are beckoning
So rest and chill by the sledding hill for a final reckoning—
At the end of the road, dial in the code to surf our little wavelet;
Look for a nook to check out a book and curl up with an old favorite!

The official meaning of the clue.

Clue #12 includes the song "Treasure" by Bruno Mars, and contains the phrases "In a thundering crash, it was gone in a flash—of falling water needs, / So the town did yield an open field with space for treasure hunt deeds," "It might be entrancing, but keep on dancing—away from the ringside hillock," "Measure crest to crest to find the chest—and views no less idyllic," "On hills a-rollin', the brothers Bohland tilled the township's terrain; / A street with their name marks off the claim—at the edge of our domain," "Finding an eyeline with a downtown skyline," "paddle away from the beach / To spot our blaze with the phrase that pays—once more into the breach," "Pinning your hopes on the slippery slopes, the heights are beckoning," "rest and chill by the sledding hill," "At the end of the road," "dial in the code," "surf our little wavelet," "Look for a nook," "check out a book," and "curl up with an old favorite."

Clue Rating