Puzzle Book

[sg]

Published during the eighties, a book of elaborate illustrations containing clues to a puzzle, if you solved the puzzle you would discover the location of buried treasure, which was supposed to be a solid gold rabbit. I think the author's first name was Kim.

[andy-hughes]

The book is 'Masquerade' by Kit Williams. The author and TV presenter Bamber Gascoigne buried the jewelled hare in Ampthill Park, where the author used to play as a child. He then published the children's book which contained an elaborate series of clues which, if solved, revealed the location. Ken Thomas, who found the hare was one of the people trying to solve the clues, and the location occured to him by accident, as he waslked his dog in the park.

[sg]

Thanks andy, it's called Letterboxing, apparently. A hobby that started in Britain about 150 years ago. http://www.gigagraphica.com/Michelle/letrbox.html

[jake-the-peg]

There's an account of the solution and how it was found (by somewhat underhand methods) here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/classic/A533800

[sg]

Very interesting, jake. Thanks.

[Quizmonkey]

Woah! You're confusing a couple of things here SG. Masquerade was the first of a genre now known as 'armchair treasure hunts'. There have been many similar books/hunts published since, and a club called the Armchair Treasure Hunt Club exists. Bamber Gascoigne wrote a book 'Quest For The Golden Hare' about the hunt and its solution.

Letterboxing is a phenomenon associated with Dartmoor but which has spread, minimally, to other areas of the UK/world. Thousands of little boxes are hidden all over the moor, each containing a rubber stamp and visitor's book. Letterboxers find them, either by chance or from clues, and collect impressions of the stamps on cards or in books. I have well over 2,000 such stamps, many of which are beautifully designed and cover a wide range of subjects. A fascinating hobby which takes you to places you may otherwise never have visited.

[sg]

Thankyou for clarifying that, Qm.

[Quizmonkey]

No problem - I thoroughly recommend letterboxing if you're ever in the Devon area!

[DiscoStu]

How odd!