The Armchair Treasure Hunt Club
Hunts for the General Public

The Armchair Treasure Hunt Club publishes its own exclusive hunts for its members but also keeps track of current hunts available to the general public - through the bimonthly newsletter and online bulletin board. Public hunts come in many shapes and sizes and are published for a number of reasons. Some are devised to promote charities or causes, many are written by budding hunt-setters on a non- or low-profit basis, whilst others are commercial. But with hunts you often don't get what you pay for, so don't assume the free hunts are any less well-crafted and enjoyable that the commercial hunts.

Armchair treasure hunts have been popular for some time now - ever since the ground-breaking Masquerade - and new hunts are released all the time. Some hunts are designed for a specified period of time and have a closing date, whilst other continue indefinitely.

Below are links to our summaries and background information on a number of hunts available to members of the general public. All of these hunts are published in English. We have a list of websites containing details of a number of non-English hunts.

Current Hunts

The following (listed in reverse chronological order of date published) is a small selection of hunts that are 'current' - unsolved and the closing date (where one applied) has not passed. Click on the names for more information. A more complete list can be found on the quest4treasure bulletin board or Mysterious Writings

Members' Hunts

Although these have been written/published independently by club members, these hunts are open to all members of the public.

Name Format Type Prize Published Closing Date Written by
The Dark Arks of the Covenant pamphlet written solution bronze statuette of Moses February 2002   Terry Lydon

Selected Other Current Hunts

Name Format Type Prize Published Closing Date Written by
Cloud Quest PDF document Puzzle solutions 25% of  enrolment fees 2014   P. U. Kekoe
The Ultimate Quest illustrated book guarded treasure oak cask with replica Grail cup 2001 by Roland Oliver 30 June 2011 William Lynhope

Closed Hunts

The following hunts (listed in reverse chronological order of date solved or closed) have now closed - they are either solved and/or their closing date has passed. Click on the hunt names for more information.

Name Format Type Prize Published Closing Date Written by Solved
Dragonigma illustrated images of cards buried token/deed Dragon of Gold - gold, ruby and diamond jewel Autumn 2002 by the Treasure Hunt Club (not related to this club)   The Dragonigma Team August  2012 by Paul Harkin
Menagerie three web based illustrations and text buried map and treasure silver replica of Kit Williams' Golden Hare July 2005 Dillon Waugh July 2008 by Paul Harkin
The Red Herring illustrated pamphlet buried token engraved silver plaque February 2002 in aid of Deafblind Scotland None, but postal claims accepted after 31 March 2003 Charles Cunningham February 2007 by Brian Souter
Dennis - A Treasure Hunt Adventure illustrated book and website(s) hidden treasure 24ct gold figurine values at £10,000 September 2005 by Piranha Studios Pete Underhill September 2006
Quest: A Zetetic Treasure Hunt illustrated book written answer golden chest valued ay £30,000 September 1992 by Tree House   Martyn Lambourne March 2006 by Shaun Whitehead
Text4Treasure III three regions: daily text-message clues buried prizes/token two golden brooches (runners up) and a single golden apple with diamond 20 June 2005 none but typically solved within a week Shaun Whitehead 25 June 2005 by Martin Dennett, Deborah Hatton and Phil Evans
Lucky 7 a simple illustration buried treasure 1oz solid gold krugerrand March 2005 None, but anticipated to be solved quickly Paul Harkin March 2005 by 'Beer Monster'
Quest of The Grail Email clues and website illustrations hidden token half the gross subscriptions May 2004 by Grailquest.tk April 2005 Grailquest.tk November 2004
Smugglers' Gold illustrated pamphlet buried treasure £3000 jewel December 2000   Shaun Whitehead July 2004 by Paul Harkin with the assistance of Matt Edwards and Brian Souter
Menagerie (taster) web based illustration and text email answer signed print and advance copy of new hunt February 2004 Dillon Waugh April 2004
Mysterious Stranger: A Book of Magic illustrated book with code embedded in text buried token - golden orb inside a stone (USA) gold coins valued at US$100,000 October 2002 by Villard Books (USA) and Channel 4 Books (UK) 1 Jan 2005 David Blaine (and Cliff Johnson) March 2004 by Sherri Skanes from Ventura, California, USA
Text4Treasure2 text message clues buried treasure artefacts & trinkets 21 July 2003 about 1 week Shaun Whitehead July 2003 by A: Anthony Perry, B: Martin Dennett, C: Clive Weatherley
Text4Treasure text message clues buried treasure Golden key 19 May 2003 about 1 week Shaun Whitehead May 2003 by Clive Weatherley and Martin Dennett
The Towers of Eden illustrated book hidden tokens / wriiten solution 12 jewelled brooches / jewelled suit of armour Originally slated for mid 2002, but currently unpublished armour only: originally end 2002 Christopehr Nightingale & Duncan Storr Project on hold and as yet unpublished.
2nd Forest of Dean Gold Leaf Quest real hunt visible token golden leaf in oak case August 2002 by Forest of Dean Tourism     November 2002, by club members Rob and Diane Farmer
Jim Hawkins and the Curse of Treasure Island hardback book with map random draw from written solutions antique sovereigns valued at £5000 October 2001 by Orion Children's Books 1 August 2002 Francis Bryan August 2002 by Mrs Parr from Lancashire (random draw)
1st Forest of Dean Gold Leaf Quest real hunt visible token golden leaf in oak case March 2002 by Forest of Dean Tourism 31 October 2002   July 2002, by club members Rob and Diane Farmer
Apple Punch audio hidden token then written answers 9ct Golden Apple 1998 by Diabetes UK 31 March 2002 Terry Pitts Fenby March 2002, by club members Shaun and Alison Whitehead
The Merlin Mystery illustrated book written answer jewelled alchemist's wand and £75,000 1998 by Voyager (HaperCollins) end 2001 Jonathan Gunson and Marten Coombe unsolved
Island Treasure electronic book email solution £1,000,000 July 1999 by Island Treasure Ltd end 2001   unsolved
The Code Book - The Cipher Challenge Paperback non-fiction with 10 ciphers written answer £10,000 September 1999 by Fourth Estate   Simon Singh October 2001 by team of 5 from Sweden
Charlie's Christmas Gift 3 page pamphlet buried instructions and treasure silver and gold statuette 1995 by Dan James/Sandra Young   Dan James December 2000 by Frances Morgan
The Edgar Allan Poe Cryptographic Challenge cipher written answer US$2500 February 1993   Edgar Allan Poe October 2000 by Gil Broza
A Fairy Story illustrated pamphlet or web page buried instructions and treasure Gold fairy atop a silver bell 1997   Stephen Parkes April 2000 by Martin Dennett
Aureum Interactive CD-ROM written answers £20,000 in gold coins 1999 by Attica Interactive Ltd Withdrawn 12 May 2000 Dan James February 2000, Years I and II solved by club members Shaun Whitehead and Paul Harkin
Chasing Charlie illustrated book hidden treasure 1000 bottles of Scotch 1996 by Black Raven Publishing Closed December 1999 Richard Henderson unsolved
Quest: In Search of the Dragontooth illustrated book and map written answer tusk mounted on bronze handle September 1994 by Running Press Closed Michael Green unsolved
Treasure illustrated book hidden tokens 40 gold coins, 5 original paintings, and £250,000 1994   Dan James Tim Button
The Key to the Kingdom illustrated playing cards and book written answer plus tie-breaker Golden Key and US$10,000 September 1992 by Pavilion Books   Tony Meeuwissen Susan Kavanagh
Search for the Lost Railway Engine illustrated book written answer golden railway engine 1989 June 1992 Pauline and Steve Bane unsolved
The Golden Key (original book) illustrated book buried token £50,000 November 1982 by William Maclellan Ltd Withdrawn 1987 Don Shaw unsolved
Relaunch in 2004/5 under new ownership
Untitled illustrated book submitted answer without using written words inlaid wooden box with titled book May 1984 May 1985 Kit Williams May 1985 by Steve Pearce
The Last Fairy illustrated book buried treasure in UK & USA Golden statuette of a fairy with a wand 1983 by Fantasy Publications   Fred Hancock unknown
Conundrum illustrated book hidden tokens 12 golden eggs 1983 by Cadbury's 1984 Don Shaw & Nick Price (ill) unknown
The Piper of Dreams illustrated book buried treasure golden jewelled flute October 1982 by Hodder & Stoughton 1983 Terry Pitts Fenby and Bill Bruce 1982
Masquerade illustrated book buried treasure golden jewelled hare September 1979 by Jonathan Cape   Kit Williams February 1982; treasure found by Ken Thomas; puzzle solved by Mike Barker and John Rousseau

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