When you tell the Griot you want to learn about June 19, 1718, he closes his eyes for a moment and considers. Then he speaks slowly: Ah, yes. The man you speak of must be the one we call The Digging Man. He did arrive here on the day you name with eight other men….
View What the Griot Said »Treasure Hunts
About The Legend
Once a small crowd of tourists has gathered, the guide begins the talk: We’re very proud to have the Legend here. It was discovered off the coast of North Carolina three years ago, dismantled underwater, and rebuilt in dry-dock. The North Carolina Nautical Museum has graciously lent the ship to us for this exhibit. As…
View About The Legend »Little Falls Playground
A Department of Parks official stands amid the wreckage of the ancient tree. This last storm was just too much for it. It’s a shame. Everyone will miss this tree. I’m trying to save the carvings at least—the rest will be hauled off as waste. The official has sorted many of the carvings by date….
View Little Falls Playground »Wandering the Legend
Someone’s obviously put a great deal of time and money into restoring the ship. But all that renovation clearly leaves little chance of your finding anything hidden. Just to be safe, you poke, prod, and pry every drawer, bookshelf, and widget onboard—to no avail. You decide to quit wasting time before they ask you to…
View Wandering the Legend »Chevy Chase Library
The staff at the library is in a tizzy, and yellow tape is strung across the door. A plainclothes police officer approaches you. I’m afraid the library was burglarized last night—several books, furniture, and works of art were stolen. We’ll have the case wrapped up soon, but until then the library is closed to the…
View Chevy Chase Library »Treasure Hunts
Over the years, I've created or competed in a number of puzzling treasure hunts. Learn about the history behind these events, and test your wits in online versions!
View Treasure Hunts »Hunt 1989: Scavenger Hunt
After serving behind the scenes for two Hunts, I was eager to compete for a change. Steve Williams took up the challenge of organizing the 1989 event, which was a scavenger hunt instead of the puzzle-centric events of previous years. Seekers were tasked to find the following items: Any Cleveland Indians or Tampa Bay Buccaneers…
View Hunt 1989: Scavenger Hunt »Hunt 1988: Spy Game
The second time around, we wanted to up the stakes a bit. Having teams compete was fun—but what if solvers could strike off on their own at any time? What if you couldn't trust your teammates? For this kind of backstabbing scenario, a secret agent theme felt natural. Participants could work together temporarily to solve…
View Hunt 1988: Spy Game »Hunt 1987: It All Starts Here
Unindicted co-conspirator Amber Blaha and I put together the first Hunt during the summer of 1987. It was a straightforward series of puzzles, with the answer to each being the location of the next clue. The prize—a basket of goodies, I think?—was hidden at the final location, a secret glen in Rock Creek Park that…
View Hunt 1987: It All Starts Here »Hunt 2017: Capture the Firebird
Move over, Beatles—Sgt. Pepper isn’t alone in celebrating an anniversary this year. It was 30 years ago today We made a Treasure Hunt so folks could play It’s been going in and out of style But I hope that you’ll still flash a smile When we send this invite to you To the Hunt you’ve known…
View Hunt 2017: Capture the Firebird »