Games and perspective

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In a game like this treasure hunt the solution lies in the ability to decipher what went through the designer's mind. If you followed behind me, in my exact tire tracks, only moments after, you would have seen something different. It still would have required you to do some thinking to figure out what it is that I saw. Perspective! Several years back the medallion was on a telephone pole located on the corner of two streets. The pole was sunk in the edge of the wedge where the two sidewalks intersected. The medallion was on the inside of the intersection, facing the house on the corner, away from the street. It was attached to the pole by a Phillips screw and sunk about an inch into the ground, clearly visible if one looked. A fellow that played the game every day also walked his dog every morning about 9:00am before going to work. He often carried the riddle and clues with him to look over while the dog dallied as dogs do some times. As he explained to me later, there was a fire hydrant next to that telephone pole that his male dog found to be of great interest. He would lean on the telephone pole, reading and thinking about the riddle and clues while his dog followed his instincts regarding that fire hydrant. Almost every day of the four months the game took to be solved. There were a couple occasions the dog found interest in the telephone pole too, all around it in fact. While this guy diligently tried to decipher the riddle and clues. Someone else found it just after he went on one of his dog walks. Perspective!

That's what games are all about. Last night Michigan had the perspective, Michigan State didn't. They were left at the doorstep. Both excellent teams with loads of talent. Such is the way of games. Two more seconds and perhaps a different outcome. Don't get caught leaning on the pole while someone else does the looking.

Riddle help Clue #1

Ah, the anticipation and expectation of more food for thought has more quickly born fruit this year. The first two weeks are behind us without a winner so it is time for clue #1 to help you solve the January 3rd treasure riddle. This ought to be of great help to you and perhaps bring a smile to your face to boot. Here tis:


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"For help you could kind of look for the arch and jelly. You figure out the why or not."
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There you go! If no winner there will be another clue in two weeks on January 31st.

Good luck! More info available in today's Grand Rapids Press or Advance newspapers, www.Mlive.com or Greg's site at www.wyomingriddler.com I just may let you in on what the treasure consists of sometime in the near future. Watch for it...................Joe

Treasure Hunt Riddle news

Hundreds more people are in the search for the medallion right out of the chute this year because of the January start and anticipation of a faster pace due to the more frequent clue announcements. In spite of the increased activity there is still no winner so the next clue will be revealed tomorrow January 17th 2012. I was virtually mobbed yesterday morning at church and then again at the grocery store by folks hoping for some added information. All in good fun of course because I do not give out secrets as everyone already knows. That's some of the fun of this game: Conversation and ideas, using the old noggin, anticipation, hope! I see nothing at all wrong with any of that, do you?

I had a fantastic experience last Friday by having the honor of being interviewed by Josh Leng on 1340am radio in Grand Rapids. The interivew lasted almost 25 minutes but seemed to go by in a flash. They spoke about the riddle and even read a quote from "Joe's Story: The Book of a Lifetime. Those guys know their business all right and I received a huge response from people I know and others I don't know too saying they enjoyed it. Anything that points out the danger of Carbon Monoxide poisoning is a definite plus as far as I'm concerned. Thanks guys!

The new clue will be in the Grand Rapids Press and Advance Newspapers tomorrow and also on Mlive.com and Greg will follow on his website www.wyomingriddler.com too. We're right in the thick of it right now and for those that pursue it on a daily basis the weather is quite cooperative too. Last year it was over a foot deep and the guy that won just kept digging and digging through it until he found the medallion. Will it be you this year? We'll find out won't we? Til tomorrow then.