The clues were misleading, which was actually a good thing in many ways. They did trick us into falling into the "it can't be at Como" trap which was also good cluewriting. But I still say there's no excuse for clues 4, 5, and 7. Like I said, out of the three of those, I've only heard of one person who even started to hit on one of them. By contrast, the Hedda Gabler clue and the "here's a who done it" clue were great clues because you look back on them and you know you could have figured them out, even if you didn't. And then you know you have only yourself to blame. But I seriously tried to figure out clue 7. I researched everything I could think of to research in that clue and didn't even come close. And even if I had come up with the woman, I still may not have been able to tie her to anything since the whole clue rested on the fact that she hid near Como Lake for a while. Why would I pick the hiding place as being primarily significant over say where she was executed? The clue didn't say anything about hiding being important. That was a bad bad clue.
I hope they realize that "Mock Hunt" is my term. I came up with it because it was between the Medallion hunt and the bOCK hunt, thus the Mock Hunt. That, and it was meant to be a sort of mocking of the actual hunt.
No more Mr. Nice Guys. I think they were trying to weight the clues toward better noodlers and overshot. Your dummy hunts should include lots of discussion of the "local knowledge" of the parks. Be prepared for them next year.
I hope they realize that "Mock Hunt" is my term. I came up with it because it was between the Medallion hunt and the bOCK hunt, thus the Mock Hunt. That, and it was meant to be a sort of mocking of the actual hunt.
Like you said, they're reinventing the wheel.
Glad to know that I am still a 'good boy'. That makes me feel warm and fuzzy on the inside. Thanks Uncle THX!
I just hope they don't show up with their own wise cracking 17 year old kid who thinks he knows everything about everything and doesn't know when to shut his mouth, and puts a picture of himself as his avatar.
Thanks for selecting me to be on the GPS committee. It's very important to upgrade our technology in preparation for next year, and I hope to assist the Crueler Crew so we can stay a couple steps ahead of everyone else.
Here are the clues from my mock last mock hunt for anyone who didn't get to see them. Maybe you'd want to comment on the comparative complexity?
1. The hunt has begun and the shining of the Sun Hath turned the snows of winter into a big muddy bath In the parks of St. Paul you’d best be careful as you run Seeking the treasure that lies off of the beaten path.
The coin was hidden just off of a running path as well as the area of the park not being a part of Phalen’s main thoroughfare. Also refers to the weather conditions at the start of the hunt when melting snows were making large puddles and muddy messes. The coin was near one such depressed area where large puddles had gathered from the runoff of the adjacent hills. It also hints at the coin being disguised with mud. And of course it tells you it was in a St. Paul park.
2. If your thoughts are strewn and you’re in a swoon And you worry, “I still haven’t found what I’m looking for.” Remember the disc but try changing your tune And you too may find the stash you’ve been yearning for.
The disc in question is U2’s (you too) “The Joshua Tree” from which the song “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” originated. Keeping that disc in mind, but looking for another song (changing your tune), one of the songs on the CD is “One Tree Hill”. Near the treasure’s hiding location is a small hill with a single tree on it.
3. It was not the fate of Pharaohs to lie in barrows As such a burial was not appropriate to their worth But if by comparison one is as poor as the sparrows. Then try looking for something covered with earth.
The coin, like someone lying in a barrow, was in a box and covered in dirt, yet was above ground level. So essentially this clue is telling you that if you’re poor and want to find the treasure, to look for something disguised with dirt (or mud, depending on the weather that day). Also, picture 152 on the Treasure Hunter’s Guide website pictures the hiding spot and has some birds (though admittedly not sparrows) in the frame.
4. At the treasure’s site you’ll find traffic is light So you needn’t worry much about carbon monoxide. But whether searching by day or hunting by night It’s best to stay near plenty of hydrogen hydroxide.
This clue is primarily telling you that water (Lake Phalen) is visible from the hiding spot. It also tells you that the hiding spot of the coin is in a place where there isn’t a lot of nearby traffic (Wheelock doesn’t have that much and Ivy and Earl have almost none)
5. Could you be grumpy because your dinner was lumpy? Maybe this clue is one way to put your mind at ease. Hidden amongst terrain that might be called bumpy Consider taking as your guide a group of fir trees.
Can you believe it, there’s actually 5 hints in this one. The use of the phrase “one way” is a reference to Ivy turning into a one way street near the treasure’s hiding spot. The terrain near the hiding spot (as well as Phalen in general) has a lot of rolling hills and is kind of “bumpy”. Near the hiding spot there is a group of fir trees. But also, a group of trees might be a forest and Forest St is the first street one encounters to the west of the hiding spot. And finally, a “stealth” clue in that it was there but there was nothing to call your attention to it other than perhaps the stilted language of the clue, the first letters of each line spell out CMHC (See MHC, the Minnesota Humanities Commission which is visible from the hiding spot).
6. The rule of Boreas the King is yielding to spring And so we’ve reached the end of his reign. To avoid falling into a useless sort of fling It’s best to stay within another noble’s domain.
This clue is basically just saying to stay in the vicinity, or rather “domain” of Earl St. as an earl is another type of noble.
7. Now “Old Hickory”, if you studied history, Was General Andrew Jackson’s informal title. Another Jackson may help solve this mystery But keeping sight of the General’s moniker is vital.
General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson was the Jackson who would help you solve this mystery as well as being the general whose moniker you needed to keep in sight. Which is to say that a stone wall was visible from the treasure’s hiding spot.
8. Though St. Patrick’s Day is only a ways away, Even the luck of the Irish is no guarantee. The leprechauns have hidden their gold in a secret cache, But in their tiny deadbolt you may find a key.
The tiny deadbolt was the “key” to this clue. Another way of saying tiny deadbolt is “wee lock” which of course refers to Wheelock Parkway, the street to the north of the hiding spot. All the Irish references in the clue were meant to hint at the use of the word “wee”.
9. Seems ya’ll are lost, scouring the land of frost And maybe another clue is what you’ll be needin’. But you may be fixin’ to give up in utter exhaust Cause your plan to get the right park, it’s not succeedin’.
“Not succeedin’” is the same as “failin’”. Use a homophone and the last line then reads, “Cause your plan to get to the right park, it’s Phalen.” The southern sort of accent also hints at it being in the southern part of the park as well as hinting that to scour the land up north by Frost Ave. would leave you lost.
10. If the botanical arts was your area of smarts Virtually any plant could come in handy. If you can spot the one that has clinging parts, Victory is close, and that would be dandy
The plant with clinging parts is ivy, as suggested by the first letters of each line. Ivy is the street that borders the part of the park where the coin is on the south.
11. Brush away that tear, for the treasure is near Your quest for the coin you need not abate. The way to the loot is almost perfectly clear And you won’t be getting stopped by that gate.
The treasure was basically right across from Wheelock from the main gate (so you didn’t have to worry about it being closed at night) and was located almost on a perfect line extended from Clear Ave. Lining those two up as your axes, you should have been able to find the brush and weeds it was hidden in.
12. If you don’t want to we wailin’ you’d best go to Phalen And cross over Wheelock from where you’d find the main gate Look in some tall grass and you’ll be doing some smooth sailin’ With any luck you’ll dig up the coin and that would be great.
Basically just telling you where the treasure was, across Wheelock from the main gate in some tall grass and weeds there. “Digging it up” again refers to the box it was in being covered in dirt.
That was also a hunt I had kind of designed to go as long as possible. My next one will probably have more of an emphasis on giving an advantage to those who can accurately figure out the clues and then line them up.
OK, you guys- Last noodle, Dan My Man says this: Clues #3,4,5,&6 =the same info that is in clue #12.In these clues, the writer walks you right to the medallion. EEE= Fred McMurray.(my 3 sons)=Mcmurray Field. #4- coldest star+head north #3- stay warm- walk towards the firepit. #4- "your legions should hold 'deer'"=The woods. #5- head north into the woods, over bike jumps- the last jump is the biggst jump of all. #4- red,white&blue= rocket in tree. #6 look in the sticks. In retrospect, that's pretty close. No matter what the writer's explanations. The rest of the clues seem to go backwards, bringing us away from the medallion. waddya think?
Now this is interesting. Doing a little research here I read a bit about the execution of Ann Bilansky. It happened on the corner of 4th and Cedar. Yes, that's right. Right where the PP building is now.
On the other hand, even having her name, I can't find anything that talks about the guy she ran away with being named Walker, being a carpenter, or that she ever hid in Como. If anything, finding her name probably would have led me back to the PP building and maybe Kellogg.
I wonder if the puck posse would be really mad if a cooler crew person found their mock hunt treasure?
The disappearing medallion?
I love it!
Was that you Timmers, who thought of that?
And I thought you were such a good boy?
:-)
<edit>Sorry, it was TMK. I take it back, you're still a good boy, Timmers.
</edit>
Kids. It's not just a name.
It's a lifestyle.
And we would have had a mock hunt, if it weren't for ThoseMedallingKids!
The clues were misleading, which was actually a good thing in many ways. They did trick us into falling into the "it can't be at Como" trap which was also good cluewriting. But I still say there's no excuse for clues 4, 5, and 7. Like I said, out of the three of those, I've only heard of one person who even started to hit on one of them. By contrast, the Hedda Gabler clue and the "here's a who done it" clue were great clues because you look back on them and you know you could have figured them out, even if you didn't. And then you know you have only yourself to blame. But I seriously tried to figure out clue 7. I researched everything I could think of to research in that clue and didn't even come close. And even if I had come up with the woman, I still may not have been able to tie her to anything since the whole clue rested on the fact that she hid near Como Lake for a while. Why would I pick the hiding place as being primarily significant over say where she was executed? The clue didn't say anything about hiding being important. That was a bad bad clue.
Glad to know that I am still a 'good boy'. That makes me feel warm and fuzzy on the inside. Thanks Uncle THX!
I hope they realize that "Mock Hunt" is my term. I came up with it because it was between the Medallion hunt and the bOCK hunt, thus the Mock Hunt. That, and it was meant to be a sort of mocking of the actual hunt.
That was a bad bad clue.
No more Mr. Nice Guys. I think they were trying to weight the clues toward better noodlers and overshot. Your dummy hunts should include lots of discussion of the "local knowledge" of the parks. Be prepared for them next year.
Ah, my first Joe.
I hope they realize that "Mock Hunt" is my term.
I don't think they realize much over there...
They're have a voting thing for President, Vice Pres., Secretary, and a buncha other stuff too...
So when are we gonna elect a president?
You guys are too funny! The disappearing medallion....makes me laugh.
Well, if I'm going to get anything productive done tomorrow morning without the kids, I'd best get under the blankets now.
Goodnight and SCD's!
I hope they realize that "Mock Hunt" is my term. I came up with it because it was between the Medallion hunt and the bOCK hunt, thus the Mock Hunt. That, and it was meant to be a sort of mocking of the actual hunt.
Like you said, they're reinventing the wheel.
Glad to know that I am still a 'good boy'. That makes me feel warm and fuzzy on the inside. Thanks Uncle THX!
Don't ya love that feeling?
I elect myself Senior Vice President of Operations. I get a corner office!!!
They're have a voting thing for President, Vice Pres., Secretary, and a buncha other stuff too... So when are we gonna elect a president?
President Faygo
Vice President Juggalo
Secretary Ninjette
Treasurer Ian
I just hope they don't show up at the Re-Hash with their own clowns...
Me2 for President, with Ares her intern.
I have a feeling Scribe and I are gonna make a ton of loot selling our books to the Puck Posse.
I elect myself Senior Vice President of Operations. I get a corner office!!!
It's official, Timmers is our newly elected Purchasing Manager.
I just hope they don't show up at the Re-Hash with their own clowns...
That's where I draw the line!
Oh, if they show up with their own clowns, we can't be held responsible for Scribe's actions....
So he's the one that has to go get the Faygo now?
J T
How about a thread where everybody who wants a title is listed. We'll have a 100+ officers
I just hope they don't show up with their own wise cracking 17 year old kid who thinks he knows everything about everything and doesn't know when to shut his mouth, and puts a picture of himself as his avatar.
They'll have their own "Jim the hunter"
How about a thread where everybody who wants a title is listed. We'll have a 100+ officers
LOL!
You crack me up.
No need for a new thread, just put some made up title in your tagline.
They'll have their own "Jim the hunter"
Bwwaaaaa!
OK, I'm all set for business.
They'll also have Violent Ed and Totally 2 Hip
Reminds me of the Simpsons where the kids go to Shelbyville and everyone has a counterpart. Hehehe.
Reminds me of the Simpsons where the kids go to Shelbyville and everyone has a counterpart. Hehehe.
That's exactly what I thought of.
btw: Love your title.
And dont forget MeToo, Scribble, and Pisces
btw: Love your title
Thanks, its just a conglomeration of all my childhood hopes and dreams.
And dont forget MeToo, Scribble, and Pisces
Ok, I gotta go before my laughter wakes up Scribe.
Nite ya'll, SCD's & MCL
Thanks for selecting me to be on the GPS committee. It's very important to upgrade our technology in preparation for next year, and I hope to assist the Crueler Crew so we can stay a couple steps ahead of everyone else.
We WILL be prepared.
nite THX
They'll have Blue and Booze Baby. *DAD* and Jerry Easter. Leeladingdong and Reggirl. Little G and Medallionator 1908.
Bizarro World
What about Those Bumbling Babies, Harley Queen, ScrewMaster? Jake can stay the same, since he'll probably show up with those guys anyways.
Here are the clues from my mock last mock hunt for anyone who didn't get to see them. Maybe you'd want to comment on the comparative complexity?
1. The hunt has begun and the shining of the Sun
Hath turned the snows of winter into a big muddy bath
In the parks of St. Paul you’d best be careful as you run
Seeking the treasure that lies off of the beaten path.
The coin was hidden just off of a
running path as well as the area of the park not being a
part of Phalen’s main thoroughfare. Also refers to the
weather conditions at the start of the hunt when melting
snows were making large puddles and muddy messes. The
coin was near one such depressed area where large
puddles had gathered from the runoff of the adjacent
hills. It also hints at the coin being disguised with
mud. And of course it tells you it was in a St. Paul
park.
2. If your thoughts are strewn and you’re in a swoon
And you worry, “I still haven’t found what I’m looking for.”
Remember the disc but try changing your tune
And you too may find the stash you’ve been yearning for.
The disc in question is
U2’s (you too) “The Joshua Tree” from which the song
“I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For”
originated. Keeping that disc in mind, but looking for
another song (changing your tune), one of the songs on
the CD is “One Tree Hill”. Near the treasure’s hiding
location is a small hill with a single tree on it.
3. It was not the fate of Pharaohs to lie in barrows
As such a burial was not appropriate to their worth
But if by comparison one is as poor as the sparrows.
Then try looking for something covered with earth.
The coin, like someone lying in a barrow, was in a
box and covered in dirt, yet was above ground level.
So essentially this clue is telling you that if
you’re poor and want to find the treasure, to look for
something disguised with dirt (or mud, depending on the
weather that day). Also, picture 152 on the Treasure
Hunter’s Guide website pictures the hiding spot and has
some birds (though admittedly not sparrows) in the
frame.
4. At the treasure’s site you’ll find traffic is light
So you needn’t worry much about carbon monoxide.
But whether searching by day or hunting by night
It’s best to stay near plenty of hydrogen hydroxide.
This clue is primarily telling you that water (Lake
Phalen) is visible from the hiding spot. It also tells
you that the hiding spot of the coin is in a place
where there isn’t a lot of nearby traffic (Wheelock
doesn’t have that much and Ivy and Earl have almost none)
5. Could you be grumpy because your dinner was lumpy?
Maybe this clue is one way to put your mind at ease.
Hidden amongst terrain that might be called bumpy
Consider taking as your guide a group of fir trees.
Can you believe it, there’s actually 5 hints in this
one. The use of the phrase “one way” is a reference to
Ivy turning into a one way street near the treasure’s
hiding spot. The terrain near the hiding spot (as well
as Phalen in general) has a lot of rolling hills and
is kind of “bumpy”. Near the hiding spot there is a
group of fir trees. But also, a group of trees might be
a forest and Forest St is the first street one
encounters to the west of the hiding spot. And finally, a
“stealth” clue in that it was there but there was nothing
to call your attention to it other than perhaps the
stilted language of the clue, the first letters of each
line spell out CMHC (See MHC, the Minnesota Humanities
Commission which is visible from the hiding spot).
6. The rule of Boreas the King is yielding to spring
And so we’ve reached the end of his reign.
To avoid falling into a useless sort of fling
It’s best to stay within another noble’s domain.
This clue is
basically just saying to stay in the vicinity, or rather
“domain” of Earl St. as an earl is another type of noble.
7. Now “Old Hickory”, if you studied history,
Was General Andrew Jackson’s informal title.
Another Jackson may help solve this mystery
But keeping sight of the General’s moniker is vital.
General Thomas
“Stonewall” Jackson was the Jackson who would help you solve
this mystery as well as being the general whose
moniker you needed to keep in sight. Which is to say that
a stone wall was visible from the treasure’s hiding
spot.
8. Though St. Patrick’s Day is only a ways away,
Even the luck of the Irish is no guarantee.
The leprechauns have hidden their gold in a secret cache,
But in their tiny deadbolt you may find a key.
The tiny deadbolt was the “key” to this clue. Another
way of saying tiny deadbolt is “wee lock” which of
course refers to Wheelock Parkway, the street to the
north of the hiding spot. All the Irish references in
the clue were meant to hint at the use of the word
“wee”.
9. Seems ya’ll are lost, scouring the land of frost
And maybe another clue is what you’ll be needin’.
But you may be fixin’ to give up in utter exhaust
Cause your plan to get the right park, it’s not succeedin’.
“Not succeedin’” is the same as
“failin’”. Use a homophone and the last line then reads,
“Cause your plan to get to the right park, it’s Phalen.”
The southern sort of accent also hints at it being in
the southern part of the park as well as hinting that
to scour the land up north by Frost Ave. would leave
you lost.
10. If the botanical arts was your area of smarts
Virtually any plant could come in handy.
If you can spot the one that has clinging parts,
Victory is close, and that would be dandy
The
plant with clinging parts is ivy, as suggested by the
first letters of each line. Ivy is the street that
borders the part of the park where the coin is on the
south.
11. Brush away that tear, for the treasure is near
Your quest for the coin you need not abate.
The way to the loot is almost perfectly clear
And you won’t be getting stopped by that gate.
The treasure was basically right across from Wheelock
from the main gate (so you didn’t have to worry about
it being closed at night) and was located almost on
a perfect line extended from Clear Ave. Lining
those two up as your axes, you should have been able to
find the brush and weeds it was hidden in.
12. If you don’t want to we wailin’ you’d best go to Phalen
And cross over Wheelock from where you’d find the main gate
Look in some tall grass and you’ll be doing some smooth sailin’
With any luck you’ll dig up the coin and that would be great.
Basically just
telling you where the treasure was, across Wheelock from
the main gate in some tall grass and weeds there.
“Digging it up” again refers to the box it was in being
covered in dirt.
Maybe they have someone posting on there "WHERE'S JANE?"
That was also a hunt I had kind of designed to go as long as possible. My next one will probably have more of an emphasis on giving an advantage to those who can accurately figure out the clues and then line them up.
Thanks for reminding me to burn that patch of grass Allison. I need to exorcize some demons ;)
Well, finally finished slogging the last 2000 + posts, and I need to give my straining eyes a rest!
Nite all, SCD's and MCL!
OK, you guys- Last noodle, Dan My Man says this:
Clues #3,4,5,&6 =the same info that is in clue #12.In these clues, the writer walks you right to the medallion.
EEE= Fred McMurray.(my 3 sons)=Mcmurray Field.
#4- coldest star+head north
#3- stay warm- walk towards the firepit.
#4- "your legions should hold 'deer'"=The woods.
#5- head north into the woods, over bike jumps- the last jump is the biggst jump of all.
#4- red,white&blue= rocket in tree.
#6 look in the sticks.
In retrospect, that's pretty close.
No matter what the writer's explanations.
The rest of the clues seem to go backwards, bringing us away from the medallion.
waddya think?
Damn you guys crack me up. Way too funny!!
Now this is interesting. Doing a little research here I read a bit about the execution of Ann Bilansky. It happened on the corner of 4th and Cedar. Yes, that's right. Right where the PP building is now.
On the other hand, even having her name, I can't find anything that talks about the guy she ran away with being named Walker, being a carpenter, or that she ever hid in Como. If anything, finding her name probably would have led me back to the PP building and maybe Kellogg.
AW- The Ann B. ref was that she hid out by the lake. What did that have to do with the med. location? That was just another general "park" clue-
http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?ID=52469
Check out this one, Clue Master
Frustrated as we are- allison?