St. Paul Medallion Hunt

The ClubHouse: General Discussions - Jan -Apr. 2001: January: St. Paul Medallion Hunt

Leap

Tuesday, January 23, 2001 - 12:04 pm Click here to edit this post

Each year, the city of St. Paul (in MN) holds its annual winter carnival. There are lots of outdoor activities, a giant slide, a big dance, etc. They also hide a small plastic medallion somewhere in the city. Each day they post one clue leading to its whereabouts. If you find the medallion, you win $10,000.

Anyway, the hunt has started. I actively participate in this hunt and communicate with other hunters through a message board. Anyway, I am going to post the clue here for those who like puzzles. Post any ideas you have. I have to admit that it might be a total mystery to those who know nothing about St. Paul

Clue 1
Go through the cold and prepare to be bold,
Or you won't find the secret item
Our beloved St. Paul is the place for gold,
Dig elsewhere and you'll search ad infinitum
Last year at Newell our fate was most cruel,
Unfortunately the game ended too soon
Come now and prepare for a much tougher duel,
Keep on your toes or you'll hunt until June

Clue 2
There's no need to destroy as you deploy
For the hunt in our wonderful town
Golf courses and statues you must not annoy
And please steer clear of all private ground

Clue 3
Circular thinking can be one way of linking
To the treasure that lies out of view
Your bank account won't be shrinking
If you can figure out this clue

Clue 4 will be posted late tonight.

Leap

Tuesday, January 23, 2001 - 12:04 pm Click here to edit this post

PS Usually we spend a few days shoveling snow in a St. Paul park.

Willi

Tuesday, January 23, 2001 - 03:15 pm Click here to edit this post

Leap,

I wish I knew the St. Paul area. It sounds like great fun and a terrific prize...Good luck! :)

Soeur

Tuesday, January 23, 2001 - 04:36 pm Click here to edit this post

Circular thinking? A round park, pond, roundabout?

Leap

Tuesday, January 23, 2001 - 10:44 pm Click here to edit this post

Clue 4
East and west are part of our test
Though only one is the proper place
If this choice leaves you depressed
Playing might put a smile on your face

Spam, if you are reading this, email me with any suggestions you might have.

Willi, Thanks for the goood wishes.

Leap

Monday, January 29, 2001 - 09:32 am Click here to edit this post

Well, it is over. It was found early this morning while I was sleeping. Here are the clues and the explanations.

Go through the cold and prepare to be bold,
Or you won't find the secret item
Our beloved St. Paul is the place for gold,
Dig elsewhere and you'll search ad infinitum
Last year at Newell our fate was most cruel,
Unfortunately the game ended too soon
Come now and prepare for a much tougher duel,
Keep on your toes or you'll hunt until June

-- Informs hunters that the medallion is located in St. Paul and wishes them good luck while noting that last year's hunt, which ended at Newell Park, was unusually short.

Clue No. 2:
There's no need to destroy as you deploy
For the hunt in our wonderful town
Golf courses and statues you must not annoy
And please steer clear of all private ground


-- Cautions hunters to stay on public land and avoid golf courses or other areas that could be damaged.

Clue No. 3:
Circular thinking can be one way of * linking
To the treasure that lies out of view.
Your bank account won't be shrinking
If you can figure out this clue.
* The final word in the first line of Clue No. 3 was incorrect in Tuesday's Pioneer Press. "Linking" is correct.

-- "Circular thinking" refers to various circles -- Cafesjian's Carousel, fire pits, the old pony riding ring, spinning amusement rides -- that are near the medallion's hiding place.

Clue No. 4:
East and west are part of our test
Though only one is the proper place
If this choice leaves you depressed
Playing might put a smile on your face


-- "East" and "west" refer to the east and west picnic grounds at Como Park. "Playing" is a reference to the playground by the west picnic grounds, where the medallion was hidden.

Clue No. 5:
A man of steel cannot be real
But another has plenty of mettle
Look for his name around our deal
And you'll be in very fine fettle


To escape the herd find a peaceful bird
Somewhere deep in the snow
Our treasure is boxed inside the word
And that's what you need to know


-- The medallion was wrapped in a sock with an "Ironman" label. Thus the reference to "mettle" (a pun on "metal") and "a man of steel." The "peaceful bird" in the second stanza is a dove. In addition to being wrapped in a sock, the medallion was hidden inside a package of Dove brand soap.

Clue No. 6:
The prize is at a place with lots of space
Where riding around can be fun
But you'll have to move off base
If you hope to be the victorious one


-- "Lots of space" refers to Como Park, one of the largest public spaces in St. Paul. "Riding around" refers to the rides at the small amusement park north of the medallion's hiding place. "Moving off base" tells hunters not to look on any baseball fields in the park.

Clue No. 7:
Memory lane, we need hardly explain
Is the busiest street of all
Think of traveling the old way again
And you might make a bill haul


-- "Memory lane" refers to Beulah Lane, a street south of the medallion's hiding place. Parts of the street have been closed off and are thus only a memory. But the key clue here is to "think of traveling the old way again." This refers to the old streetcar displayed by the west picnic grounds.

Clue No. 8:

Adding hot cocoa to a cup of mocha
Creates a stirring combination
Put them together and you'll evoke a
Potentially lucrative location


-- The first two letters of "cocoa" and "mocha" spell out "Como," directing hunters to the medallion's location.

Clue No. 9:

Vanished tracks in the snow will help you go
To the spot where the treasure lies waiting
Proceed toward shelter from the opening below
And with luck you'll soon be celebrating


-- "Vanished tracks in the snow" are the old streetcar tracks that once ran south of Horton Avenue near the treasure site. The "opening below" refers to an underpass, its span now gone, along these tracks. Finally, this clue directs treasure hunters to go from the underpass toward "shelter" (the picnic shelters in the west picnic grounds.

Clue No. 10:

Going just halfway isn't good, they say
But we think you should stay near the middle
Do this and you'll have a picnic today
As you try to decipher this riddle.


-- "Stay near the middle" refers to Midway Parkway, which is just east of the medallion's hiding place.

Soeur

Monday, January 29, 2001 - 09:40 am Click here to edit this post

Leap, I really thought you had it in the bag. Think it was a good idea sleeping last night? Ah well...