As a final note, one Hunter had a visual way of depicting his frustrations:
So now with all that in the open, let's get to the details!
ME AND THE MAP
Again, it was a great honor and very very welcome surprise...and gave me some pause as to my future competing in the Hunt. More on that below. Nonetheless, my work with this site is what got me there, and my work is only possible because of YOU...the people who come out to the Hunt, helping it continue year after year...you're the reason I do all this work so really, you helped me get there. All I can say really say is: THANK YOU!
WEATHER HI JINX
We had another year where weather threatened to bring rain to the Hunt; I think Tom is jinxing things since the 2008 Post Hunt had quite a bit of drizzle-type rain. In the end, it only had a brief mist of rain, and then everything cleared up. It was actually sunny towards the Hunt's final puzzle, which I didn't expect to happen.
FIRST PHOTOS The first set of Hunt photos are up. These photos are mine; yours will be next! Video is coming, too, but it will take time. I shot over 1 gig of video, and that takes time to upload. If you have your own pictures or video, please LET ME KNOW, because I will want it for the Archives!
SPECIAL THANKS
I (well, not just me, but you, too!) need to thank the following people from the Miami Herald (in no particular order):
ELAINE
TOM
JUDI
DAVE
VIRGINIA
CHRISTINA
AND EVERYONE ELSE WHO PUT ALL THE TIME, PLANNING AND CREATIVITY INTO THE HUNT!
AND, OF COURSE, A GREAT BIG THANK YOU, TO THE HUNT VOLUNTEERS, SOME OF WHOM I'VE SEEN AT MULTIPLE HUNTS (INCLUDING DAVE'S BLOGITS)! :)
(Why the CAPS? BECAUSE IT WAS IMPORTANT!)
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS!
The first place team was a bunch of 'locals', all of which went to high school at Sunset Senior High many years ago. Not all of them live in South Florida anymore, but their roots are here, so they're locals in my book. Congratulations, Antonio, Frank, Greg, Beesham and David!
THE HUNT PUZZLE BREAKDOWN/REVIEW
In my continuing tradition, I offer the following review/thoughts on the 2008 Herald Hunt:
- VENUE: Bicentennial Park/Downtown Miami/Arsht Center: Downtown Miami has always been a favorite; lots of parking, and easy to move around in. I personally found it fitting to have the Herald building in the background during the Hunt. The Herald is what brings the Hunt to us, and having it in the backdrop of the Hunt is only appropriate!
- DIFFICULTY: Up until now, the 2002 Herald Hunt was the most difficult, but this one trumped it. This one now pegged the top of the scale for Hunt difficulty.
- MY PUZZLE-BY-PUZZLE ANALYSIS: Do-re-mi: The only one that my team came closest with, eventually getting the right answer without all the pieces in place. We had the phone number, but the prize redemption code threw us for a loop. Later, I realized what we needed to do with that.
Unity Party: Okay, we didn't get this one. However, in hindsight, I don't know how we missed it. I know one team looked at it for about two minutes right behind me and then left, claiming they had the answer. I'll say for those more clear minded than we were, it may have been one of the easiest puzzles of the Hunt.
The Marathon: The only puzzle that I have any real complaint about, especially having done the Post Hunt where they had a race puzzle as well. At the Post Hunt, the race announcer always said "the order is important". However, here, the person who was flagging the winner always said, "And we have our winner." This made me focus only on the winner and not the others. I personally think the announcer should have indicated who was first, second and third...but that's me. Consequently, we didn't get this answer.
The Hand: BOOOOO! Didn't get this one. The guy above in the picture had the right idea. Probably should have, but it was a tougher puzzle in my book. The setting in the Arsht Center was FABULOUS, however! Wow, loved that hall!
The Concert: THERE'S A FLYING SHEEP! Second easiest puzzle or maybe tied with "Do-re-mi" overall for how easy it was. We didn't get the answer initially, but upon leaving, we got onto the right path for it. My teammate Nick tried to throw everyone off during one of the solos when the crowd was half humming/singing to the Beatles' famous song..."When I'm..." "FORTY SEVEN!" Nick shouted over everyone, replacing the real song lyrics. Heh...nice try, Nick!
The final puzzle: Wow. This one was all over the map...okay, bad pun. You had teams getting to the right place for the wrong reason, and we COULD HAVE WON if I could count properly. However, it was tough tough tough...and combining it with the main puzzles...it made the Hunt overall that much more challenging.
MY ONGOING RECOMMENDATIONS...
1) Can the Hunt be held in the spring (February/March time frame)? It's likely to be cooler, and there's no sporting events to try to schedule the Hunt around. (Not everyone may know that the Hunt is scheduled...as best as possible...around Dolphin games that are here in South Florida). 2008 Update: Not likely to happen now because of the Post Hunt. I can live with two Hunts 5-6 months apart. :)
2) Can out-of-towners be banned from winning?
3) Please? 2008 Update: HAHAHA! Two years in a row!
4) Can we have more 'original' content as part of the Hunt special section? This goes back to the original Tropic Magazine...it was nice to have the Hunt incorporate the actual articles (not always ads) from Tropic, such that you really had to review/research beforehand...and it allowed more flexibility in the final puzzles...(I really miss Tropic Magazine!) 2008 Update: Echoing years past: BRING BACK TROPIC! BRING BACK TROPIC! Barring that, put some extra stuff in the Hunt section!
5) On a marketing note: I'd love to be able to buy a small poster of Otis Sweat's great work with the Hunt maps! If they could be reprinted on glossy/poster paper and sold at the Hunt for like $3 each...I think the Herald would be pleasantly surprised at how many would be sold! Otis' wonderful work is always something I look forward to...and he really knows how to capture the spirit and fun that comprises a Hunt in his maps! 2008 Update: Still no map for sale! And I'm on it this year! It would have been a best seller! You could have had Dave, Tom, Otis, Elaine and I sitting at table signing autographs for folks. It would have been pure gold, I tell ya!
6) Do another online puzzle next year, but work a bit more closely with Dave and Tom on it. This year's was a bit...technical. Enlist the Herald web site folks a bit more, maybe a search of pages for hidden images/links could be better? 2008 Update: The Post Hunt did this as a warm-up/intro for D.C. folks to the Post Hunt, copying old Tropic/Herald Hunt puzzles. Maybe it can be done in the future, but it's not likely necessary anymore. I won't push for this anymore.
IN CONCLUSION
Last but NOT least, I thank YOU, my visitors! Each year, more and more of you came up to me and said 'hi', and almost all of you congratulated me for getting onto the map. I can't tell you how much that meant to me (some even asked for autographs, too...don't Ebay them just yet as the market on my autograph is still developing!). It's always fun to meet everyone, and I genuinely appreciated it!
While I work on this site, we all need to work to ensure that we keep the Hunts going in the future! Please, do everything you can to make that a reality: write a letter to the Herald editors thanking them, tell the sponsors thank you AND give them business if you can, and buy your Hunt shirts each year! This level of strong interest contributes to making the Hunt an ongoing community event, and keeps us having fun each year after year.
On that note, the 2008 Herald Hunt may mark the year where I drop out of formal competition and go strictly to documenting the Hunt. Running around crazily during a short 3-4 hour window of time and trying to capture it all for the site is near impossible. Heck, it is, and it's not really fair to my team. I'll make my mind up before next year's Hunt and give you all a head's up. HOWEVER...I still (currently) plan on competing at the Post Hunt. You D.C. folks are NOT off the hook!
KEEP CHECKING BACK FOR MORE PICTURES AND VIDEO UPDATES! AND DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE POST HUNT ON MAY 17th, 2009!
Got pictures? Got video? Got stories about your Hunt experience? PLEASE email me if you'd like to contribute them to the Archives! I'd be eternally grateful, as well as the other visitors to the site! Because of your help, the archives now has over 860 items, including pictures, stories, audio AND video! Let's keep it growing!
How else can you help the Archives? IF you are inclined, you can click the donation button below. Choose your own amount...it would be much appreciated! (Doing so will not increase your chances of winning the Hunt, but may make you feel are warm and fuzzy inside like it does me!)
NON-HUNT ITEM: AUSTRALIAN PINK FLOYD TICKETS AVAILABLE!
I have 2 tickets to tonight's show (8pm, Jackie Gleason Theater on Miami Beach) that are ROW 4 (technically, Row A of the Orchestra section, dead center). I am selling these tickets at face value. If you want to see Pink Floyd's "The Wall" performed in its entirety AS WELL AS a small "greatest hits" set afterwards, email me! I can meet you outside the show and get you the tickets.
I also have one Row 2 seat (Pit, row B) for Sunday night's show as well!
That's right, I got a special bouncer I paid off that will let everyone slip in through a side door...so after the Hunt, come chill with Dave, Tom and rest of the Hunt crew, as well as your fellow Hunters...and have a good time unwinding from the day!
* Your First Name (Wackiness here doesn't count) * Your Last Name (nor here) * Home Address * City, State, Zip * Email address * Wacky Team Name
Remember, the deadline for entering is October 17th, so get your entries in NOW! The winner gets 4 (four) Hunt t-shirts, and the ability to wear them proudly and proclaim yourselves the winners...even though you'll look like everyone else on Hunt day. :)
Winners will be announced on October 22nd.
DAVE'S VIDEO INTRODUCTION TO THE HUNT!
Go take a look...it's over at the Herald Hunt website now. There's also the solution videos for the 2006 and 2007 Hunts as well! WANT TO BE A HUNT SPONSOR?
Here's your chance to contribute to keeping the Hunt going year after year! Sponsors are the lifeblood of the Hunt! If you're interested in being a Hunt sponsor, contact Virginia Del Pino at 305-376-4724 or via email.
MISCELLANEOUS NON-HUNT PLUG
If any of you are Pink Floyd fans like I am, the Australian Pink Floyd Show will be performing the entirety of The Wall and a special hits encore afterwards at the Fillmore on Miami Beach (where the Hunt stage was last year!) on Saturdayand Sunday nights on Hunt weekend! I know the band personally, and they put on a very authentic show in terms of sound, lighting, lasers, props...some of my friends who have seen them believe they put on a better performance than even Pink Floyd themselves! The tickets are reasonably priced for shows nowadays, and I seriously can not recommend them enough. I'll be going to their shows both Saturday and Sunday night, and I'd love to see a bunch of Hunt fanatics there, too! Get your tickets now! You won't be disappointed!
Now...that's an interesting location. I haven't really been down to the park in a very very long time...so it's going to be fun to get acquainted with it again!
1) The first set of Post Hunt photos are up. These photos are mine, and I'll be starting with some of yours next! Video is being touched up and will be available by this weekend. If you have your own photos or video, please LET ME KNOW!
2) I need to thank the following people from the Washington Post (in no particular order):
JULIE
GENE
AMANDA
TOM
AMY
NICOLE
DAVE (okay, he's from the Herald!)
OTIS (okay, he's from the Herald!)
JUDI (okay, she's from the Herald!)
AND EVERYONE ELSE WHO PUT ALL THE BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS INTO CREATING THIS FIRST POST HUNT!
AND A GREAT BIG THANK YOU, HUNT VOLUNTEERS!
4) CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL LOCAL WINNING TEAMS!
You did yourselves proud by not letting South Floridians (or those from Seattle) run all over you...
5) In my continuing tradition, I offer the following review/thoughts on this year's Hunt:
Penn Quarter/Chinatown: Heck, it was a first for me, and I loved the area. Safe, easy to get around, and spacious enough for a good Hunt!
Judging the difficulty of this Hunt...on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being hardest (2002's Hunt), and 1 being easiest (2004's Hunt), this Hunt seemed to be just a bit tougher than normal...so I give it a 8.5...mostly because of the end game.
My puzzle-by-puzzle analysis: The Comics: Okay, I have a small beef with this puzzle. We watched it first, since we were at the Hunt stage when the Hunt began, and a KEY CLUE that made solving the puzzle much, much easier, was NOT THERE at that point in time, but was there when we returned for the final clue. We did get the answer, after talking with other Hunters...but I feel a bit cheated. It was an honest mistake, to be sure, but we wasted a lot of time on this as a result. However, this puzzle was one of the coolest ones in a long time, since it involved working with nationally syndicated cartoonists tailoring their panels for the Hunt!
The Arch: Overall, this puzzle wasn't bad. We initially thought that we needed to look for larger Chinese characters, before we understood what we needed to do. However, my teammates argued with me regarding the final answer (which I had right) because they thought it was too much of a cultural reference that someone would have to know. However, based on my Hunt knowledge, it wasn't the first time that this type of reference had been made by the Hunt creators.
Second Glance: We got the answer to this one quickly, but felt unsure about it because we didn't understand what the signs in front of the library meant. Once we did, we were fine with it. Probably the easiest puzzle in the Hunt.
The Presidents: This one was probably the second easiest of the Hunt, although many people argued about what the presidents represented exactly, coming up with different numbers as a result. We had the wrong answer (for the right reason) within a few minutes, but it didn't match the list of clues, so we adjusted our thinking and quickly got the answer.
The Cookies: Okay...I'm embarassed. We got our answer and felt very confident in it. Another South Florida team that I knew gave up during the Endgame, and agreed to help us out. The pointed out our answer and said, "Where'd you get that?" "Well, from the cookies puzzle!" "That's wrong!" "Huh?" Then they explained to us what we missed, and we, I'm sure, collectively slapped our foreheads. I can't really say for sure, because I hit myself too hard and knocked myself out.
Endgame: Ack...I'm sorry, did I meantion 'ACK!'? I think this was easily one of the most confusing end games yet...just in sheer number of steps that needed to be achieved...but then again, teams seemed to get it more quickly than some past Herald Hunts...so I won't be too harsh on it. However, the local reference...to throw out-of-towners off...well...grrrrr....
Now let's look at my ongoing recommendations from past Herald Hunts to see how relevant they are...
1) Can the Hunt be held in the spring (February/March time frame)? 2008 Post Hunt Update: Hey, it was nice out, despite the rain...it was a good time of year to have it in D.C.!
2) Can out-of-towners be banned from winning?
3) Please? 2008 Post Hunt Update: Errrr....
4) Can we have more 'original' content as part of the Hunt special section? 2008 Post Hunt Update: Having this done by the Washington Post Magazine brought back fond memories of Tropic Magazine...
5) On a marketing note: I'd love to be able to buy a small poster of Otis Sweat's great work with the Hunt maps! 2008 Post Hunt Update: Still no map for sale! I'm still lobbying for this to happen. We love his work!
6) Do another online puzzle next year, but work a bit more closely with Dave and Tom on it. 2008 Post Hunt Update: The Post did a lot of work to prepare everyone for their first Hunt, from radio and subway ads, to sample puzzles online...they did a fantastic job!
This was a great Hunt, and it wasn't just because of Dave, Tom and Gene, and the folks at the Post, but it was because of YOU, the people who came to the Hunt, under threat of having to take a shower getting poured on, because you knew overall you were going to have fun and make the best of it! The turnout was great, and everyone was well behaved...I can't say that I saw ANYONE complaining about the rain, or getting frustrated by the puzzles...you did a fantastic job, and keep up your enthusiasm for the Hunt by writing the Post editors and letting them know, buying your Hunt shirts, etc. This lets the people who keep the Hunt going that you're out there, and you'll be counted!
This weekend was one of the most enjoyable Hunt weekends I've had in a long time, and despite the fact that I wasn't prepared to do my Hunt coverage afterwards, the time up in D.C. was great, and I'm glad that y'all up in D.C. had the chance taste the Hunt for yourselves! And drop me a note if you have anything you want to contribute!
REMEMBER, KEEP CHECKING BACK OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS! MORE PHOTOS AS WELL AS VIDEO WILL BE GOING UP!
WELCOME TO THE ARCHIVES!
The Tropic/Herald Hunt Archives database is online and provides more details about the previous Hunts than ever before! If
you have something to contribute, please let me know and I will send you details.
All submissions will be properly credited.
What was the Tropic Hunt? What is the Herald Hunt?
The most fun you'd ever have going insane! Seriously,
it's a wacky, zany race across areas of South Florida
that the Miami Herald's
Tropic Magazine held (approximately) every year from
1984 through 1998. Thousands of people searched for puzzles,
strived to solve them and then put resulting
clues together in order to win fabulous prizes. Sadly,
The Miami Herald discontinued publication of Tropic
Magazine shortly after the 1998 Hunt.
However, in 2001,
the Hunt made a triumphant return (sans Tropic Magazine) as the Herald Hunt!
And the Herald has been keeping the tradition alive by presenting new Hunts every year since 2001!
Many thanks to everyone at the Herald who have reaffirmed their commitment to
keeping the Hunt alive, and to Tom Shroder, who is now a senior editor at the Washington Post, but
continues to make time to work with Dave on this wonderful event!
I have been through all of the Tropic/Herald
Hunts, with the exception of the one you did from your
own living room (what I call the 'non' hunt).
PLEASE READ THIS!
I am merely a fan of the Tropic/Herald Hunt.
While I have had some experience setting up scavenger
hunts and my own version of the Tropic Hunt, I
do not have the resources available to assist others who
are organizing their own similar hunts. I
genuinely would like to help, but there are
many other pages on the 'net to look up this sort of
information. Right now my focus is to maintain this online
'museum' dedicated to the Tropic/Herald Hunts, from which you
may use the resources here to create ideas of your own.
Click on a year below for more
information or pictures.
Please Contribute to the Archives!
I hope to archive all the previous hunts with
these web pages. If you have pictures or puzzles
(or stuff that was handed out at some puzzles)
that I do not show here, please let
me know!
About the Author (Andy Wenzel)
I have participated in every
hunt since the first one was held (with
the exception of the 'non' Hunt), come
close to winning a couple of them, but
overall am a loser like everyone else. To
this day, I find it hard to describe the
Hunt properly. Nonetheless, I have managed
to create two 'hunts' of my own while
attending the University of Florida (The
U.F. Hunts I & II). I strongly
encourage everyone to come out,
participate, go mad, boo Tom Shroder and Dave Barry &
the folks at the Miami Herald/Washington Post, and have
a great time!
Tom Shroder, Gene Weingarten, Andy and Dave
Barry! (2008 Post Hunt)
Email
me if you have any
questions/comments/stories/archive
submissions!
Legal Stuff
All trademarks/copyrights/whatever
are held by whoever they belong to (most likely
the Miami Herald and Washington Post). I merely am someone who is extremely fond of the Hunt and
wish to document it in all its glory!
visitors since 9/16/2007! (counter reset 9/16/2007)
