The MW Codes and Ciphers segments continue with this MW Spotlight #18. MW Spotlights are released on either Monday or Wednesday (because it is MW, of course), and are short and to the point posts on all things treasure.
This spotlight is on one of the clues hidden in The Lost Skull armchair treasure hunt. The Lost Skull was released in the fall of 2019, and was solved in early 2020. The grand prize was a crafted skull and $1000 cash. More information on this hunt can be found here and on the MW forum.
One way we know to get better at armchair treasure hunting is to get acquainted with methods used in past hunts to recognize possible clues in others. What we learn through practice might help us solve and find a hidden treasure. So let’s look at how one of the clues for the general area, the State, was given in The Lost Skull created by Robert Brewer.
Near the back of the book of The Lost Skull is a page of Skulls (shown above). There are 50 skulls, and it is noticed by counting from the top, left to right, the 17th Skull is different. It is colored instead of being black and white like all the others. Because there are ‘50’ of them, a searcher might think ‘states’. (50 states)
A quick search on what was the 17th state admitted to the union gives the answer OHIO. It happens that the general location for the treasure was in Ohio. Was the state confirmed with just this one find or clue, though? If it was the only thing pointing to Ohio, then no. But as more and more clues became known, and they also connected to Ohio, it became a confirmation.
Searchers of armchair treasure hunts don’t always know where to start. One must just start somewhere and follow any path that might lead to more answers, connections, and discoveries. This Ohio start turned out to be a great lead.
Eventually, hopefully, clues start coming together to provide a definite answer for where the treasure hides waiting for you.