THE TREASURE HUNT
Search for a real treasure buried somewhere on planet Earth
FAMILY FINDS BURIED TREASURE IN NEW ORLEANS
BE THE FIRST AND WIN!
The first participant to solve the puzzle and correctly place their pin on the map in a two-mile radius of the treasure's location wins a real golden nugget worth $1,000.00 USD.
INTRODUCING BRAIN CHASETHE CLUES
PICTURES
Each webisode has hidden globes, maps, or other symbols relevant to the location of the golden treasure. Check our Facebook page after each webisode is released for hints about what to look for.
ENCODED WORDS OR NUMBERS
There’s a reason Mae Merriweather is mailing each participant a real decoder ring—you’re going to need it! Be careful when you spot hidden letters or numbers in an episode—you may need to run them through your decoder to understand them.
Background items, locations, and plot twists
Pay attention, because everything is fair game.
Things people say
You won’t just want to watch, you’ll want to listen carefully.
BONUS CHALLENGES
Pay close attention to both the challenges and the answers, as some of them will hold valuable clues. Many of the challenges will teach you skills that you’ll need in the larger treasure hunt.
HOW TO SOLVE THE MYSTERY
TAKE NOTES
Note-taking is a good academic skill in itself. Write down clues, words, symbols, and ideas that stick out, and refer back to them later. There may even be some clues you’ll need to string together over several episodes.
WORK TOGETHER
We know it’s a race and only one person will win, but some of you will spot clues and solve riddles that others can’t. Share your thoughts and findings on our Facebook page or with your friends and family. After all, you’re all part of the Grayson Academy of Antiquities.
REVIEW PAST CHASES
Check out the Brain Chase Blog and study solutions to past treasure hunts.
USE THE INTERNET!
Conduct online searches. Spend time on Google Earth (we strongly recommend using Google Earth Pro - you can download it for free). Get to know the world around you —again, anything is fair game.
WATCH THE VIDEOS AGAIN
You won’t catch everything the first time. Slow things down. Pause where necessary. Go back to earlier videos later on.
BE PATIENT
There’s no shortcut to adventure, and there’s certainly no shortcut to finding the real Sunstone of Cortés. Finding the buried treasure will challenge your intuition, your focus, your ability to locate and decipher clues and riddles, and your commitment to completing the challenge.
HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR ANSWER
Each player has access to a virtual map board. Using research and deductive reasoning, drop a pin on the map where you think the treasure is hidden! You get one chance every 24 hours.
WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO WIN BRAIN CHASE?
WHAT THE WINNER RECEIVES
A real-life adventure
Under non-covid circumstances, the winner and a chaperone will be flown to the treasure's location. While Brain Chase cameras are rolling, the winner will unearth the treasure chest and claim the real treasure. While we're still in a pandemic, the winner will receive the treasure in the mail.
Remember, you must pay to enroll in the Online Learning Challenge in order to be eligible to compete for this prize. Click here for a complete list of contest rules.