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Wonderland Treasure Hunts – Six Questions
The Wonderland Treasure Hunts continue to engage puzzle lovers! From the outdoor adventure of The Hatter’s Hat to fully armchair challenges like The Mad Tea Party, Best Riddles, and Sherlock Holmes, each book offers a unique way to experience the thrill of a real treasure hunt. In this interview, creator David Jacobsen shares more information about the Wonderland series, how his hunts have evolved over the years, and what makes Wonderland such a fun place for treasure seekers to explore!
(This is the 7th Six Questions with David! (see list here). It’s always a pleasure to chat with David, and I appreciate him reassuring searchers that, while he may be working quietly behind the scenes, he’s still keeping a close eye on all of his treasure hunt projects.
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Six Questions with David:
- 1Q) Congrats on the release of another children’s book in your Sherlock Series: The Case of the Missing Marbles! Like the first, there are clues inside to claim a treasure. This is the same treasure, correct? Do you feel a young child could find and solve these clues in the books by themselves – or are parents meant to help?
Thank you! It’s been a lot of fun. Correct, there are clues inside the book to help you find the treasure. There is just one cache for the entire Sherlock Series. It’s the same treasure, but I’ve provided additional clues in the second book to assist searchers who might find themselves stuck. Depending on the age of the child, I believe a clever child could absolutely find the clues him or herself. Why not? There are some sharp little ones out there as I’m sure you know.
- 2Q) There are numerous ways to hide clues. How would you describe the different types of clues you use in your treasure hunts? For example, do you view some clues as direct instructions, others as confirmations, and others as clues that require research, wordplay, symbolism, or lateral thinking? What should searchers understand about the role each type of clue plays in reaching a solution?
Good question. The types of clues are probably all a little bit different. The Hatter’s Hat, for instance, is more of a boots on the ground treasure hunt, so it leans heavily toward providing location clues and directions. The armchair treasure hunts are more aimed at wordplay, lateral thinking, and providing clues that help you identify a verbal solution.
The main commonality, I suppose, among all the hunts is that the clues are always intended to give you that ah-ha moment feeling when you discover them. Take a look at some of the hunts that have already been solved. When you hear the solutions, they appear almost obvious in retrospect. You might find yourself saying, “Why didn’t I think of that?” My hope is that when you discover a clue you will know it without a doubt.
- 3Q) The Hatter’s Hat has been out there since November 2020, and while many people have searched for it, it hasn’t been found. Since things can sometimes go missing over the years (I know that from experience!), have you been back to verify that the proxy item is still there?
If not, what should a searcher do if they believe they’ve solved the clues and identified the correct location? Would you want them to contact you with their solution and a photo of the spot before continuing their search?
Another great question. I have not been back to the spot in some time. It’s a beautiful place. I may go back at some point, but I am hesitant because there are people frequently in the area and I would hate to give away the location by going back. I’ve taken steps to ensure I would be notified upon the proxy chest’s recovery. If a searcher believes they have solved the clues and identified the correct location, they should go to the spot the clues point them to and pick up the proxy treasure then contact me.
Sign up for the mailing list at wonderlandtreasure.com and reply to that email. Your email will find its way to me that way. If someone finds the treasure chest they should reach out to me immediately. I’ll know if they’ve really found it because they will be able to tell me the precise location of the proxy and also will be able to provide a photograph and the secret message written on the hundred dollar bill within the chest. That is going to be a very memorable and fun day for whoever finds that treasure chest. I get a vicarious thrill just thinking about it.
- 4Q) I know I asked a similar question in previous Six Questions interviews, but another year or so has passed. What advice would you give to searchers currently working on your hunts? What do you think is the biggest reason some of them remain unsolved? Specifically for The Hatter’s Hat – do you feel the biggest challenge is that searchers haven’t searched thoroughly enough once they’re on the ground, or are there important clues and connections to make at home that are still being overlooked?
I believe there are important clues and connections to be made at home that are still being overlooked. If you put together all of the clues, it will lead you straight to the treasure and there would be little room for doubt as to where it was located. I wonder if anyone on the planet has ever discovered the most important clue. One day, multiple people will have discovered that important clue, and one of those people will perhaps spill the beans on the internet about it, and that will open up a flurry of discussions on the forums.
It will open up the hunt on a whole new level. I’m not seeing that happen yet, but when it does, I believe that will open up the floodgates, and I believe the proxy will be found very soon after that happens. I was expecting that to have happened already to be honest. But a lot of things about this hunt have surprised me. Here is my advice to searchers: if you think you have found a very important clue, FOLLOW IT. Where does it lead you next? Not enough searchers are thinking in those terms.
- 5Q) What have you learned from watching people attempt to solve your hunts over the years? Have searchers ever come surprisingly close to the correct solution without realizing it? What common mistakes do people make when approaching your puzzles?
There have been a lot of wonderfully talented and intelligent searchers over the years involved in all of the hunts. I’ve learned how amazing and clever people can be. There are many searchers who have come very close either in terms of their way of thinking or, in the case of The Hatter’s Hat, in terms of their physical search location. Some have known it, while others have not. The most common mistake is that people make guesses without closely following the logic of the clues.
I’m shocked, for example, that no one has solved the last Mad Tea Party hunt yet. One person was pretty darn close. But people aren’t following the logic of the clues closely enough.
- 6Q) Which of your books or hunts are you most proud of and why? What other books are you working on and we should be on the lookout for?
I’m most pleased with the participation in The Hatter’s Hat treasure hunt. That was the most fun for me to create, and it thrills me to see people getting away from the devices and out into the woods and mountains with an activity to motivate them. I think the people who go out searching for that treasure will be the most changed in a positive way through their participation because they will discover something about themselves and the beautiful natural world in the process. That was what inspired me to do this whole treasure hunt thing in the first place.
In terms of other books and hunts, I am in the process of working on a sequel to Treasure Island and have been for quite some time. I am about halfway through writing the book now. I have so many other projects I am working on that I don’t get a lot of time to work on it unfortunately, but when that one is complete, I think it will be a good one. But, of course, only time will tell for sure. Stay tuned.