Hunts

These two puzzle extravaganzas were originally held as live-action events, with puzzlers interacting with real people (sometimes all over the Washington, D.C., area) to progress from answer to answer. I didn't create any of the puzzles in these Hunts, though they've often been rewritten to fit the storyline.

Hunt '98: The Search for Blackbeard's Treasure

This one was held in August 1998 and was (I believe) a success. The puzzles are challenging without being impossible (or overly tedious), and the whole event wrapped up in six hours or so. For this online version, I've included two opportunities for enterprising solvers to try a harder version of the original puzzle.

Hunt '94: The Search for the Moonstone

This Hunt actually formed the entertainment part of our wedding. Unfortunately, in attempting to outdo all previous Hunts, I came up with something a little too big—nobody came close to finishing that day. Now that it's online, though, you're welcome to take as long as you like. One other caveat: Unlike the 1998 Hunt, this one does not require that every puzzle be solved. You'll get a better score for figuring out everything, but you can finish even if you solve only the eight or ten crucial puzzles. (You'll know which are crucial because you won't be allowed to progress without solving them.)

For either Hunt, you send your answers to me via e-mail, and, if you're right, I'll e-mail back to you the next step.

Good luck!