Wow! The Launch of The Secret Red Herrings armchair treasure hunt by The Art of Hidden Messages by Beth Hovanec was exciting! And there is still time to join the adventures! (more info here)

Searchers were waiting for the 3PM November 1st release of the hunt on the MysteriousWritings Treasure Hunt Forum. They began solving the clues immediately.  Twelve Images and Twelve Verses, two of each which are Red Herrings, were released.  Out of these, only ten correctly matched Images and Verses lead to a location of a hidden proxy to claim a valuable gemstone (and the original piece of artwork for the hunt)!

Many searchers are on the hunt.  Within the first 48 hours, correct matches were being made.  Searchers headed out to a few of the locations, found the hidden proxy, and their Treasures claimed!

However, what is fantastic is the hunt is not over with 1 treasure being claimed, but with TEN!  AND THERE ARE MORE OUT THERE YET TO FIND!

It was known a few of the treasures would fall quickly.  But when will the last one be found is the real question!  Is there one hidden near you? Will you be the one to make the match, solve the clues, and find the proxy item to claim the treasure?

Congrats to all the winners to date!  And those to come. 

So how was one of the treasures claimed?  How might the others be found?    Let’s look at one of the solutions. 

Within the PDF downloadable booklet are images and verses.  One of the first matched led Jen Rao to Griffith Park, Los Angeles, California, Pepperland Rock. Putting the clues together, which were realized in both the correctly matched image and verse, described the location of the hidden proxy. Jen found it like an expert armchair treasure hunter! Congrats!

Here is the match:

Here were the clues: (As posted by The Art of Hidden Messages)

Sixty-eight jumpers all tied to rope = Every horse on this merry-go-round was designed to be a jumper, and there are 68 horses on this MGR.

The band grinds and they start to lope = There was a real organ (which “grinded”) and played band music. But the word “band” had triple meaning…it also meant the band, the Beatles, and referred to Sargent Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band

Created in the twenties and jewel encrusted = This MGR was made in the 1920 and had jewels added to it

Today they are paint-chipped, and a bit rusted = The MGR is old and is showing wear

Music racing around fourteen miles an hour is not too fast = This MGR went 14 miles per hour

Sitting on his bench, he watched them tour past = Walt Disney used to come to this park with his two daughters and sit on a bench while they rode this MGR. There is a bench dedicated to him. The word, “tour” is used because of the Beatles song, Magical Mystery TOUR.

Raising smiles on his daughters’ faces = Another reference to Walt Disney’s two daughters. Raising smiles is again from Beatles lyrics.

Guaranteed dreams of magical places = The word, “guaranteed” from the same Beatles lyrics. Magical places is a reference to Disney Land.. and also Magical Mystery Tour.

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From the Los Angeles Times:

MAY 30, 1987
12 AM

Beatlemaniacs can celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Fab Four’s “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” album at today’s noon dedication of “Pepperland” in Griffith Park. That’s right, Pepperland.

Beatles fans intent on having a West Coast version of the “Strawberry Fields” garden in New York City’s Central Park have planted trees and shrubs in a four-acre plot of land next to the Griffith Park merry-go-round. Today, that plot will be christened “Pepperland.”

The celebration will include the ceremonial planting of a final tree, and the unveiling of a stone monument to the Liverpudlians. The “Sgt. Pepper’s” album debuted 20 years ago Monday.

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***The tangerine trees that were planted were destroyed by beetles!

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Here is what it reads on the Pepperland Rock Plaque:

Pepperland

A grove of tangerine trees and marmalade skies
where dreams come true and peace abounds
we thank John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George
Harrison and Ringo Starr for being the human
instruments of the phenomenon called The
Beatles. This grove is lovingly dedicated
May 30,1987 by fans of the 20th Anniversary
of the release of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts
Club Band.

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The proxy was hidden directly below the OFSGT on the plaque

The Found Proxy:

The Claimed Gemstone (.25 Carat Orange Opal)

Images of the actual location:

Solutions to others are posted on the MW Forum.

(as of this posting, only 4 of the 10 have been found- updates can be found on the MW Forum)

Join the Adventures!