Since 1981, sleepless puzzlers have sought after one-of-a-kind coins scattered annually as part of the "Mystery Hunt," which celebrated its 30th hunt last week.
Alumni Association blogger Amy Marcott has tallied the location of all 30 coins hidden over the hunt's history, a search itself that began months ago after Mystery Hunt originator Brad Schaefer ’78, PhD ’83 suggested it as a fitting tribute to the hunt's anniversary.
"Where to hide the coin can be a challenge. The location has to be accessible at all hours; impervious to outside forces like rain, squirrels, or cleaning crews; and easy to designate with clues — a lesson Schaefer learned during the first-ever Hunt when a mezzanine level he wasn’t aware of caused some participants to break into a librarian’s office (see 1981 on the map). In early Hunts, puzzle creators (usually one or two people) waited for teams to call when they arrived at the final solution. These days, the endgame includes a massive runaround with teams (often accompanied by puzzle creators) traversing campus based on an intricate set of instructions...."
Learn more about the locations and see the detailed map on Slice of MIT.
Congratulations to this year's winner, Metaphysical Plant!
Alumni Association blogger Amy Marcott has tallied the location of all 30 coins hidden over the hunt's history, a search itself that began months ago after Mystery Hunt originator Brad Schaefer ’78, PhD ’83 suggested it as a fitting tribute to the hunt's anniversary.
"Where to hide the coin can be a challenge. The location has to be accessible at all hours; impervious to outside forces like rain, squirrels, or cleaning crews; and easy to designate with clues — a lesson Schaefer learned during the first-ever Hunt when a mezzanine level he wasn’t aware of caused some participants to break into a librarian’s office (see 1981 on the map). In early Hunts, puzzle creators (usually one or two people) waited for teams to call when they arrived at the final solution. These days, the endgame includes a massive runaround with teams (often accompanied by puzzle creators) traversing campus based on an intricate set of instructions...."
Learn more about the locations and see the detailed map on Slice of MIT.
Congratulations to this year's winner, Metaphysical Plant!
