As the pandemic keeps foreign tourists away for now and Prague's city center remains the domain of locals, one enterprising Prague resident has developed an outdoor treasure hunt designed for adventurers with a passion for the past. The concept is simple: after registering online, each player receives an SMS with a riddle and has three hours to solve the riddle and find the treasure β a cash prize of CZK The riddles cover topics such as Czech history, renowned figures, and famous events in Prague.
Where once there were large swarms of tourists, there were now strolling residents, enjoying the opportunity to experience their city without the crowds.
The organizer explained that in a recent game, there were six people who guessed where the prize was hidden, but none of them noticed the flag. Each set of clues is thematic, linking to topics as varied as Prague's musical heritage, political figures, architecture, industrial advancement, and even natural disasters. Starting vague, and becoming more concrete, each clue points to the location of the prize. Once the player has figured out the location of the prize, it becomes a race to get there first.
When one of the competitors finds the prize, the other players will receive a message saying that the game has ended. It also suits nimble-fingered-googlers and those who can quickly navigate their way around a Wikipedia page. The first clue is released at the start of the game, followed by the second clue, one hour later.
Both of these clues are free. The clues are written in Czech, English, and Russian. Of course, being able to read Czech is an advantage. We believe that the game offers players the chance to get to know the city better and discover new facts about its history. If we have more players taking part in the future, we will complicate the questions and increase the size of the treasure.
