The Great Twin Cities Treasure Hunt XI — July-August 2023 (LIV)

TCTreasure

INTRODUCTION

Find your fun in the sweltering sun—
The most humid and hazy of summers;
Our main attraction’s back in action,
Ready to take on all comers!

Last year’s MacGuffin proved a tough ‘un
Right down to the final clue,
But Mr. Smith—the man, the myth—
Would claim it for his crew!

This year’s quest is a fiendish test—
Deceptively unpretentious;
No radio station or wild goose chasin’,
Just you and your wits against us!

So seek out our mark in an area park,
Zig and zag through the grove—
To make the claim and prevail in the game
Of the Great Twin Cities trove!

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CLUE #1

Go for a hike or hop on a bike
To make your rounds on the trail;
Stop to munch on a picnic lunch
In a green space along the rail.

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CLUE #2

Make the take by shores of lake;
Just do as we advise—
Nature’s steward gazes shoeward
To saunter off with the prize.

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CLUE #3

Excitement abounds on playful grounds—
A sanctum for seekers of pleasure;
Heed our words—and watch for birds—
On your trek to a tree-covered treasure.

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CLUE #4

To claim the jewel, go back to school;
Into the woods alight—
Along the track, a ponderous plaque
Commemorates the site.

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CLUE #5

Redirected and interconnected,
Wending its way to the win—
The city proclaimed a route renamed
To match with the park therein.

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CLUE #6

Fifty-six years of turning gears—
All told, beginning to end;
Forward march from station to arch
And up around the bend.

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CLUE #7

Solo or team, it’s a seeker’s dream—
The perfect, peaceful plot;
A trail cuts through to split it in two
Just steps from the secret spot.

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CLUE #8

Volunteers wield trowels and shears
To fend off a troublesome culprit—
Encouraging more-a the native flora,
Like bloodroot and jack-in-the-pulpit.

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CLUE #9

Explore the woods to claim the goods,
On a path through the verdant cover—
And take a poke at the base of an oak
Between one lake and the other.

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CLUE #10

Meet your match in a prosperous patch
With abundant competition—
For victory hard-earned, a stone overturned
Will bring this hunt to fruition.

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CLUE #11

A gem on a chain down the shady lane—
Regal, rich, and splendid;
Basswood buttes bear sweetest fruits,
Just as the super intended.

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CLUE #12

Pull up stakes to the City of Lakes,
Where waters and woods intertwine;
Make your mark at Berry Park
On the Como-Harriet line.

West of the rail and south of the trail,
Take the victorious measure;
A few dozen paces—off to the races—
From forest’s edge to the treasure!

On rough-hewn track with serpentine tack,
Bend and break the hex;
Take a look for the secret nook
Near two trees that fell in an ‘X,’

While scoping out the faded route,
Be careful where you tread;
Patrol the zone for a sandy stone—
And the treasure aforesaid.

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BONUS CLUE

Mind the middle to solve our riddle;
Decipher the secret code—
Locate the cache by dot and by dash
And unearth the mother lode!

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CLUE EXPLANATIONS

The last stanza of the introduction contains the phrases “seek out our mark in an area park” and “Zig and zag through the grove.” This was intended to suggest searching for the jewel in a Twin Cities park, on a serpentine path in a wooded area.
The first clue contains the phrases “go for a hike or hop on a bike / To make your rounds on the trail” and “Stop to munch on a picnic lunch / In a green space along the rail.” This was intended to suggest searching for the jewel in an area with picnic facilities somewhere on one of the Twin Cities’ Grand Rounds systems, along the route of a railroad line.
The second clue contains the phrases “Make the take by shores of lake,” “do as we advise,” and “Nature’s steward gazes shoeward / To saunter off with the prize.” This was intended to suggest searching for the jewel in an area with nearby lakeshore related to a steward of the outdoors, and that the jewel was hidden on the ground.
The third clue contains the phrases “playful grounds,” “A sanctum for seekers of pleasure,” and “Heed our words—and watch for birds— / On your trek to a tree-covered treasure.” This was intended to suggest searching for the jewel in an area with a nearby playground and bird sanctuary, while also suggesting that the area surrounding the treasure was forested.
The fourth clue contains the phrases “To claim the jewel, go back to school,” “Into the woods alight,” and “Along the track a ponderous plaque / Commemorates the site.” This was intended to suggest searching for the jewel on woodland near an area with a plaque related to education.
The fifth clue contains the phrase “Redirected and interconnected, / Wending its way to the win— / The City proclaimed a route renamed / To match with the park therein.” This was intended to suggest searching for the jewel near a roadway renamed to share its designation with a nearby park.
The sixth clue contains the phrases “Fifty-six years of turning gears— / All told, beginning to end” and “Forward march from station to arch / And up around the bend.” This was intended to suggest searching for the jewel in an area down the tracks from a station along the historic Como-Harriet Streetcar line (which originally operated from 1898 to 1954) and just uphill from a bridge, along a curving route.
The seventh clue contains the phrases “it’s a seeker’s dream— / The perfect, peaceful plot” and “A trail cuts through to split it in two / Just steps from the secret spot.” This was intended to suggest searching for the jewel in a quiet, tranquil space with a single, primary path cutting it roughly in half.
The eighth clue contains the phrase “Volunteers wield trowels and shears / To fend off a troublesome culprit— / Encouraging more-a the native flora / Like bloodroot and jack-in-the-pulpit. This was intended to suggest searching for the jewel in an area that has volunteer-based management of invasive species and native plant communities.
The ninth clue contains the phrase “Explore the woods to claim the goods, / On a path through the verdant cover— / And take a poke at the base of an oak / Between one lake and the other.” This was intended to suggest searching for the jewel at the base of a tree in wooded parkland with two or more lakes.
The tenth clue contains the phrases “Meet your match in a prosperous patch / With abundant competition,” “a stone overturned,” and “bring this hunt to fruition.” This was intended to suggest searching for the jewel near a patch of weeds, under a stone.
The eleventh clue directs hunters to William Berry Woods.
The twelfth clue directs hunters to the hiding spot, roughly 35 paces from the edge of the woods.
The kick-off bonus clue contains the phrases “Mind the middle to solve our riddle; / Decipher the secret code” and “Locate the cache by dot and by dash.” This was intended to suggest searching for the jewel using a “Morse Code.”

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