In 2010, an armchair treasure hunt called Treasure: Twenty One Paintings and a Key was released. The hunt consisted of clues within a book, both visual and literal. It required the submission of a correct word and code. The first person to discover that code and word would receive the treasure. The prize was an original piece of artwork by Maggie Hasbrouck, who was the creator of the hunt. The value of the painting was $14,000 dollars.
Beth Hovanec was the searcher who solved the puzzle! And won that beautiful Treasure! This is only one of many treasures she has won over the years. Her experiences in armchair treasure hunting, not only have her claiming numerous treasures of all kinds, but has provided her with the skill to create exceptional hunts for others. She releases these hunts through The Art of Hidden Messages.
Let’s learn how she solved the clues and discovered the code in Twenty One Paintings and a Key! Might it help us on our own adventures of treasure hunting? Enjoy!
Six Questions with Beth:
- 1Q) I think many new to treasure hunting are surprised to learn how many various hunts are available to work on, and how long the hobby has been around. What was the first treasure hunt you ever worked on, and what inspired you to begin your puzzling adventures?
Back in 2004, I was sick with the flu and stuck in bed recuperating. I was reading People Magazine, and there was an article about Michael Stadther and his new fairy tale treasure hunting book, “A Treasure’s Trove”. I asked my husband if he would go to the local book store to purchase this book for me. I immediately started to try to solve it. I was intrigued by the idea of someone hiding clues in the art that would lead to finding a treasure. I had never heard of armchair treasure hunting before that. This led me to find an entire community of like-minded individuals on tweleve.org. I am still friends with many of those people I met online. Since then, I have participated in many other armchair treasure hunts.
- 2Q) I remember looking briefly at Treasure: Twenty One Paintings and a Key, but did not work on the hunt at the time; although I did get the book, and it is charming. What captured your attention for this particular hunt? Why did you choose to dedicate time to solving that book’s puzzles?
When I saw that the prize for winning this armchair hunt was an actual painting, I decided that I just had to win this one. I am an artist myself, and I really liked the art in Maggie Hasbrouck’s book. I thought that as a fellow artist, I could really appreciate her art. The painting is titled, “Joy Spills Over” and is a photo encaustic painting. That means that she used a photographic print with wax. The painting also had a secret compartment, and I thought that was cool.
- 3Q) Congrats, of course, on winning the hunt! Can you share some of the process you had to go through to solve the puzzles? How long did the hunt last? Was there one final ‘aha moment’ or lots of little ones along the way?
Thank you!
It actually took over two years to figure out this treasure hunt! I had put the book down at some point, but then later, I learned that the author was posting clues. I decided to pick up the book again. There were quite a few small discoveries along the way that eventually led to a bigger “aha moment”. The book consisted of illustrations and poems, and words. For one puzzle, you had to line up the butterflies that were furthest to the left in the paintings with a letter in the title below. I remember I was on vacation with my family in Mexico. I had taken the book with me to study on the plane. But while we were in Mexico, I stumbled on something. I was going crazy wanting to use the internet! The place where we were staying had a tiny office where guests could log on to a computer, but the hours were limited and there was always a line of people wanting to use the computer. I had to wait until we got back home to test my theories. It took some tweaking, but I figured out the final code and final word. It had to do with numerology. This was the only hunt that I know of that incorporated numerology.
Upon turning in the correct word and the correct nine-digit code, the author/artist, Maggie, invited me to come to Nashville, Tennessee, to pick up the painting at a new gallery opening. (I could have had the painting mailed to me instead.) I decided to go, because I wanted to look for the “Cowboy” treasure at the same time. (Although “Cowboy” has been solved, I don’t think the location has been revealed yet. But it is not too far from Nashville.) The gallery had a huge crowd there, and the press was there. The painting, “Joy Spills Over” was hanging front and center…it was all very surreal.
As I mentioned, to win, I had to give one word, and a nine-digit code. That nine-digit code opened a secret compartment on the painting. I was led up to the painting to enter the code. It was dead silent in the gallery, as I knelt down to enter the code. It didn’t work! I tried again. It still didn’t work! Maggie said that it hadn’t been opened since the secret compartment was made. I had the correct code, but the little door was stuck shut! They had to get some maintenance guy to run off and get a screw driver to open the compartment! Now that was the final “aha moment”.
Maggie was so nice. And we went on a gallery walk with some of her friends. We were really happy that we went to the gallery. And the painting, well, after all of that, it wouldn’t fit in the trunk of our car. So we had to have it mailed to us any way. The next day, we looked for the “Cowboy” treasure, and we were very close, but didn’t find it.
There is still a website for the treasure hunt: http://mhasbroucktreasurebook.blogspot.com/
- 4Q) What did you appreciate most about working on Twenty One Paintings? Do you personally take up a hunt for the challenge, or to win the prize? It’s interesting you are offering hunts now, via The Art of Hidden Messages, that also offer original pieces of artwork as prizes. I think anyone who solves a hunt, so dearly appreciates that type of treasure. Such a memento. Had the hunt inspired you to do something similar?
Personally, I just enjoy the challenge and competition of doing treasure hunts. Of course, it doesn’t hurt if there is a reward at the end. But having a memento from a hunt is really icing on the cake. The painting from Twenty-One Paintings and a Key is hanging over my fireplace. It gets noticed every time someone comes into our house. It is a conversation piece. People ask questions about it, and I get to relive the whole treasure hunting experience over again. (Plus, I get to talk about one of my favorite hobbies. Who doesn’t want to talk about treasure hunting, right?)
My watercolors are not worth $14,000, but I hope that they can give people the same feelings I get from Maggie Hasbrouck’s painting, or any memento from a treasure hunt, even if it is just a proxy rock. I feel proud to have won any hunt, and having a memento brings back memories.
Steve Wise just recently had the art from my “Copy Cat” hunt professionally matted and framed. It makes me happy to see someone appreciate not only my art, but the hunt that I created.
- 5Q) What advice do you have for those just coming into the hobby of armchair treasure hunting? I know some feel overwhelmed with not knowing where to start on a hunt. They feel lost right from the beginning. As someone who has solved quite a few hunts, are there things you always do or look out for? How do you delve into a hunt? Do you ever feel lost?
Some hunts “speak to me” and some don’t. I think most people are like that. Treasure hunts come in many shapes and forms. They can be stories in a book, ciphers, art, puzzles, music, a combination of these, or something we never expect. Someone just entering into this hobby has to find what they like and what they are comfortable with. It’s okay if you can’t figure something out. Maybe that hunt just wasn’t for you. Don’t give up. Instead, just try something different. Not all hunts are alike.
I would recommend that anyone new to treasure hunting, join a forum and ask questions and get involved. Join a team. Not everyone has the same knowledge base or background. Your strength might be someone else’s weakness. You can learn a lot from working with others.
I often feel lost when trying to solve a treasure hunt! Sometimes you have to step away from a hunt. Take a break from it. Other times, think of it in terms of ciphers. With certain ciphers in mind, look through the puzzles. Could any of the puzzles be a certain cipher? Look for things that appear to be out of place. If you are stuck, ask someone else’s opinion.
- 6Q) Many are enjoying The Art of Hidden Messages treasure hunts. They must take a lot of time and careful thought. What inspires you to continuously offer the challenges for others to have fun and find treasures?
I am not just offering these just for others to have fun, I am having fun too! I look at creating these treasure hunts as a hobby. Some people spend money on sports or travel. I spend money on making art and giving away the art and other prizes. I love doing art. I love participating in treasure hunts. This is just taking it one step further. I can merge the two together and see where it takes me…
The Art of Hidden Messages October Hunt 2020 is being released on the 1st! This is a free hunt with BOTG required. (Treasure is original art piece, gemstone, and proxy stone). Here is a sneak preview! Discussions/updates on the MW Forum and TAOHM Facebook Group Page. Join us there!
The Art of Hidden Messages is also releasing The Secret Red Herrings in NOVEMBER! The Puzzle Booklet will contain clues (Images and Verses) to multiple locations of hidden treasures all across the continental USA! The hunt will be available for purchase via this website (MysteriousWritings), who is hosting the PDF Downloadable Puzzle Booklet.
DON’T MISS OUT ON THIS ONE!