On July 28, 2020, The Art of Hidden Messages released The Secret Copy Cat armchair treasure hunt. This hunt was free for all to play (Donations were accepted in order to help with costs/time). It was intended to be quickly solved and soon was. Steve Wise had taken up the hunt, googled some possibilities, and found the connections for a location! What a great find!

The Art of Hidden Messages plans to create more awesome and exciting hunts for Questers, like for all of us here at MW! They are beautifully created and crafted hunts to enjoy and challenge our minds. Let’s learn more about how The Secret Copy Cat was solved by Steve! Might it help us with another hunt we are currently working on, or maybe it will give us the edge on the next Hunt by The Art of Hidden Messages! Enjoy!

Six Questions with Steve:

  • 1Q) Congrats on claiming the Treasure of The Secret Copy Cat armchair treasure hunt by The Art of Hidden Messages! Had you been planning on doing some treasure hunting that day? 😊

Not until the night before – I saw that the Copy Cat Hunt was posted the day or so before. I got some time to work on it on Monday, and was pleased when I actually started to solve it. Since my schedule was free on Tuesday, and my wife was working all day, I decided to make the 3 ½ hr drive on Tuesday morning since I figured it would be found by the weekend.

  • 2Q) Can you share what clues you had solved that led you to the location? Did you know right where to go before leaving your house?

Well, the first thing I noticed was the date on the artwork and the window details. From the poem, I deduced that we were looking for a lighthouse. I first guessed that it would be in Massachusetts or at least the east coast based on the “one if by land” line of the poem. Googling the date and lighthouses, I came across the Erie Land Light.

Finding photos of the light confirmed I was on the right track. Next, researching where the light is located, revealed the native legend of the “cat people”, and the God’s outstretched arm. Looking up the location, Presque Isle, PA, I found out that there were indeed three lighthouses built, only one had red brick around it. Looking on a map, I found the Tom Ridge Environmental Center, Turtle crossing signs prevalent on the Isle (Peninsula).

The aerial view of the Perry monument looked like our circle with squares. I saw the spider shaped structure on Google Maps, but didn’t put two and two together until I was on site BOTG. My initial thought was that it was on the brick doorway next to the lighthouse. Once onsite, I quickly surmised that it was near the separate metal gazebo, confirmed in poem and artwork. I found the plaque about the flashlight, so had the right corner. When I didn’t see the token outside the wall, I restudied the artwork and noticed the very small cat’s eye drawn just under the ground level of the brick wall. Using a stick as a rake, I finally hit the baggie containing the token.

  • 3Q) Discovery of the treasure had to be exciting! What were your thoughts when you had it in your hand?

Yes, it was very exciting for me to find the treasure! I had come close on several other hunts over the years, and getting beat out by days or even hours too late behind other searchers. Or, as in the case of Cowboy (Domino Ireland), during the many years that was hidden, I actually went BOTG 3 or 4 times, and came up empty-handed. Several times I had even searched around the correct tree without seeing it. Glad that it was finally found though.

Anyway, on the way up to Presque Isle, I read the FB post by GeneticBlend, Author of the hunt and The Art of Hidden Messages, stating another searcher sent in a photo, so GB clarified that the object to find was a token. My heart raced as I thought I wouldn’t get there in time. Then, Once I got to the Island, A sign said that the park was closed! Sure enough, a gated fenced prohibited exploring around the lighthouse. Fortunately the iron gazebo with red brick wall was outside of the fence.

Of course, not finding it right away makes you second guess your assumptions and logic. But, once I saw that Cat’s eye on the artwork, I knew I would find it if it was still there. So far the soil looked undisturbed. I also had to deal with a steady stream of beach-goers and tourists wandering around the exhibit. Taking a stick, I raked the area three bricks from the left, and a couple inches under the soil, I hit a plastic bag with the token (painted stone). Reaching down, I scooped up the prize with a cry of “EUREKA”, still not quite believing I had it.

  • 4Q) I was just thinking how we go back to the Maranatha days (2005)….they were the times! What do you enjoy most about Armchair Treasure Hunting?- Besides the finds, of course! (I know you have had a few).

Wow, can you believe that was 15 years ago now. Maranatha, A Treasure Trove, and the The Key to the Wind, we spent an eternity trying to solve. What I enjoy the most about Armchair Treasure Hunting is the research side, finding out about new places and history. I really enjoyed and had success with the Historical Hunts a few years back. I struggle with the ladder logic puzzles, and prefer the ones I can solve with codes, or images. Then there is the occasional hunt where you can actually go searching. Most of the hunts have been on the east coast or west, so when I saw that this was in the next state from me (I’m in OH), I was all over it! Finally, I have enjoyed making friends in the Armchair Treasure Hunt community.

  • 5Q) Are you working on any other treasure hunts currently? And does your whole family enjoy them or is it mostly you?

Due to some serious health issues (I’m better now) and job changes, I haven’t had the time or drive until recently to do many hunts. I still have many of the books though, and want to resume working on them. They include: The Beacon, The Oracle, The Secret. While my wife has accompanied me on a couple of the BOTG adventures, it has been mostly me involved in the research part. I really like the style of hunts from “The Art of Hidden Messages”, so I hope that she comes out with more!

  • 6Q) What advice might you have to those just getting starting out in the hobby? When you begin a new hunt, what first do you do?

I would say to beginners to use their “newness” as an advantage to be able to see things from a fresh perspective. Too many times I have caught myself overthinking a problem, not seeing the forest for the trees! Enjoy the process of discovery, and ultimately when you do find a treasure, it makes it that much sweeter. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t succeed at first. Learn from others, share when you can, and be mindful of others so as not to spoil their fun.

My normal path is to read the book/poem cover to cover as a story first and soak up the illustrations to get the overall feel of the story. Then, I will look for searchable clues like names, dates, etc to narrow the search. I use Google Maps a lot to look for places which may fit the pattern or theme. Finally, I make some notes in the margins which may lead to new ideas/paths to pursue, until I have explained to myself how each clue fits within a solve.

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