Here is the answer key to this year’s Treasure Hunt! Another huge thanks to our Treasure Hunt Master, Rich Krisciunas!
The 2024 John H. Watson Treasure Hunt
Hello, Watsonians! It’s time for our annual Treasure Hunt! Actually, it’s a little past time, so let’s dig into the adjusted rules (which are also at the back of the Hunt itself, but this is for safety, sooo…):
The Annual John H Watson Canonical Treasure Hunt is being posted on the Society’s website on the Treasure Hunt page at exactly midnight (Pacific) on July 31st on August 2nd this year. A link is posted at that time to allow participants to download the Treasure Hunt as a .docx or .pdf document. All participants will have an equal opportunity relative to time and access. The Treasure Hunt will end at 12 a.m. (Pacific) on September 3rd. All categories of competition will be required to meet the same deadline.
- The Treasure Hunt will have four categories: Open Individual (U.S.), Open Individual (international), Open Team (U.S.), and Open Team (international). Two individuals and two teams will be accorded High Honors with runners-up given Honors. As the competition is Open, participants do not have to be members of the John H Watson Society to compete. No registration is necessary. To be considered for Honors, simply submit answers as per below.
- Participants may enter as individuals or as teams of two to five. Participants may not compete as both an individual contestant and a team member, and individual participants and team participants may not confer on their answers.
- All requests for clarification of questions shall be either posted to this post or sent via email to the Treasure Hunt Master by email at rkrisciu@yahoo.com.
- The winners will be determined by two criteria: (1) Number of correct answers, and (2) Time of receipt of the answers by email at rkrisciu@yahoo.com. Answers may be submitted in a numbered list in the body of the email or in a document attached to the email. Attachment formats should be either .pdf, .doc or .docx; handwritten documents are acceptable when scanned as a .pdf. If submitting a handwritten document, please print clearly. Each submission must include the name(s) of the participant(s), contact email for each participant, and one contact telephone number.
- The announcement of the Honors will be posted no later than September 14. A fully documented answer guide to the Treasure Hunt will be posted at the time the winners are announced.
- All matters concerning the Treasure Hunt, the contest, the answers, and the determination of the Honors will be the sole decision of the John H Watson Society Directors. The only purpose of the Annual John H. Watson Society Canonical Treasure Hunt is to encourage fun, collegiality, scholarship, and a deeper understanding of the writings of John H Watson, MD.
Here’s the .docx (Microsoft Word) version, and here’s the .pdf! Ready, set, GO! And good luck!
The 2021 Treasure Hunt Results Are In!
“These are the traces of the treasure-seekers.”
Rich Krisciunas, the 2021 JHWS Treasure Hunt master, has finished reviewing the entries for this year’s hunt, and is pleased to announce:
This year’s High Honors goes to Michael Ellis* of Plymouth, Michigan. He surpassed the other entrants with a total of 181 points and was the only hunter to earn the 15 bonus points by deciphering the coded message, “I am lost without my Boswell.”
Ellis, a member of the Amateur Mendicant Society in Detroit, Michigan and the Greek Interpreters of East Lansing, edged past Honors winning Sherlockian and Watsonian author, The Shingle of Southsea blogger, and past Treasure Hunt master, Paul Thomas Miller (159).
O.V.E. (Order of the Valiant Effort) for this year goes to David Merrell (154) and Enrico Solito (152). Honorable Mentions include returning hunters Mark Doyle (143), Brad Keefauver (132) and Carmen Savino (122). Shout Out this year to Mike Foy (40).
There were entries from the United States, England, Italy and Australia. Many thanks to all who participated. We applaud you for carrying on the John H Watson Society Treasure Hunt tradition. The answers, including any alternatives accepted, will be posted soon.
*Note: If I count correctly, this is Michael’s sixth time to earn High Honors. Bravo!- Mopsy
“One possible loose end lies in the question…”
Hello Watsonians!
Our loose end at the moment is the final warm-up question for the 4th JHWS Treasure Hunt that will begin in just a few weeks on August 1. As I’ve mentioned before, we are looking at the mixture of imagination and reality for this year’s hunt. Warm up question one concerned a real date, warm up question two concerned a mixture of Canonical facts, and now we are at warm up question three. It is time to use your imagination to solve a question. And here we go:
If one were to imagine all the ages aligning, these two might have benefited from the unexpected charity of the professional criminal. Which two? Which criminal? What charity?
It this question appeared on the actual hunt, it would be worth four points–maybe just enough for you to pass the other competitors in the totals. This one is good practice and hopefully fun. I look forward to your answers.
Margie
JHWS/Gwen
2016 Treasure Hunt Master
Mixing it up for the 4th JHWS Treasure Hunt warm up
Hi Watsonians–
Here we are a mere six weeks until the treasure hunt begins on August 1. Since the posting of the first warm up question, I’ve heard from The Sherlock Holmes Society of India. The society will have a team in the competition. I’m so glad SHSI is joining in the fun.
As to the first warm up question, we had a few comments about it. I’m guessing most of you solved it rather quickly; the answer is January 7th (VALL). If you have your 1930 Doubleday Single Volume with the Christopher Morley introduction (Buttons’ beloved ‘W’), the quote is found on page 773.
As noted before, the theme this year is ”that mixture of imagination and reality which is the basis of my art” (Holmes,THOR). With the first question, we talked about reality. For the second warm up question, we have a mixture:
Kitty+Porky+Birdy=common 4 letter location–where?
I look forward to your answers,
Margie
JHWS ‘Gwen’
2016 Treasure Hunt Master