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2018 Pioneer Press Treasure Hunt

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Submitted by Administrator on Wed, 05/31/2017 - 12:32

Brass Monkey has become the first three-time finder in hunt history, finding this sucker on Harriet Island right around the time the unscrambled 12th clue came out late at night on the 31st of January! He was aided by Coldest Hunter, Map Guy, Matt Koskie, and Stacey King.

Hunt information
Dates:
First Clue:Sunday, January 21, 2018
Found on:Wednesday, January 31, 2018
Finders:
NameHometown
Rob BrassChaska
Steve WorthmanSt. Paul
Matt KoskieHastings
Steven SanftnerSt. Paul
Stacey KingWhite Bear Lake
Prize:
Maximum Prize:$10,000
Awarded Prize:$10,000
Location:
General Location:Harriet Island Regional Park
Exact Location:In west parking lot in a snowbank
Concealer:Inside a football fashioned from a cup koozie
Related Content
Pioneer Press Originals
Cooler Crew Originals
Clues
Clue #1
Published on Sunday, January 21, 2018
Coming here from far and near
A million will descend
To lure footfall here for football
Our carnival we shall extend

We hope this year to yell the team cheer
For the home team in the hull
Like Norse of old, will we be so bold
To drink from the loser’s skull?

Our own Super Bowl need not exact a toll
Of the vanquished quite so drastic
But go on a lark in an area park
And the reward could be fantastic
Explanation:
The first stanza talks about how the Winter Carnival has been extended to coincide with the Super Bowl festivities. In the second stanza, we invoke the team cheer or “skol” – the last time the medallion was found at Harriet Island (1996), it was hidden in a can of Skoal chewing tobacco. By legend, “skol” refers to the Viking practice of drinking from the skull of their enemy after a victory. “Hull” refers to the inside of the ship-shaped Vikings stadium, but it also alludes to the boatyard by Harriet Island. Also, the medallion is hidden within a repurposed beer koozie with a football theme. The third stanza invokes our own Super Bowl – the Treasure Hunt!
Our Thoughts:
Conversations with a certain PiPress executive had her stating that the medallion hunt always starts the Sunday before the Carnival. This year was no different, Although with a longer carnival, they could have completely enclosed the hunt during the carnival, as they did in 2004
 
Clue Rating: 
5
Average: 5 (1 vote)
Clue #2
Published on Monday, January 22, 2018
To make your mark, you may want to park
While searching within the county
It means a lot to end this plot
By digging up glorious bounty
Scrambled Clue:
make your park may mark to you to want
within county searching while the
a means to this lot plot end It
by digging glorious bounty up
Explanation:
“Park,” “lot” and “end” indicate the medallion is hidden at the end of a parking lot. Digging up indicates that it is buried in the snow and must be dug out.
Our Thoughts:
And until we were told to no one ever would have looked there. We were all within feet of that spot countless times during the course of the hunt.
 
Clue Rating: 
0
No votes yet
Clue #3
Published on Tuesday, January 23, 2018
Our last big game finished the same
As the others before it.
You’re no glib ghoul, so don’t play the fool —
Follow something knobbly to score it.
Scrambled Clue:
big our finished last game the same
others it before as the
fool so ghoul, glib don’t play you’re no the
to knobbly something it score follow
Explanation:
The Minnesota Vikings have been to the Super Bowl four times — the last in 1977 — and we lost each time. But hunters want to win, like 1977 finder Bill Gough (anagrammed by “glib ghoul”) did in Irvine Park. With Irvine Park as a reference point, we recommend following something knobbly, like a walnut (street), which marks a straight line to Harriet Island. Irvine Park has a strong connection to Harriet Island through Justus Ohage, who mortgaged his home on Irvine Park to buy Harriet Island, which he later gave to the city. The lore is that the city fixed up Irvine Park to show Ohage they would be proper stewards of Harriet Island. Ohage suggested the island be named after Harriet Bishop, the pioneer St. Paul educator.
Our Thoughts:
Kind of obscure since there's a river in the way of the Walnut Street line, but also kind of fun with a glib ghoul.
 
Clue Rating: 
0
No votes yet
Clue #4
Published on Wednesday, January 24, 2018
Look from the tower down to the bower
Where grasses grow so green
Come to the ledge then make a pledge
To collect a reward far from mean
Scrambled Clue:
from bower look tower down the the to
grow where so grasses green
then a ledge to make the come pledge
to far from a mean collect reward
Explanation:
From the towers of downtown St. Paul, you can see the “bower” of Harriet Island, including the green grass of the Ohage Great Lawn. For those who guessed the Highland Water Tower, you were halfway there – the tower was designed by Clarence “Cap” Wigington, who designed the pavilion named after him on Harriet Island.
 
Clue Rating: 
0
No votes yet
Clue #5
Published on Thursday, January 25, 2018
37, 5, 52 – is it a play just for you?
(Call it at your leisure.)
But 2-3-2 is the number that’s true
If you want to find treasure.
Scrambled Clue:
you 37 is 52 just play 5, for it a
your call leisure at it
is number true but 2-3-2 that’s the
find if you want treasure to
Explanation:
St. Paul has had 37 ice palaces since 1886; we’re hosting the 52nd Super Bowl (plus Hwy. 52 runs into the West Side), and this is the fifth time the medallion has been hidden on Harriet Island. That’s not the important bit, though. Following “232” — Babani’s 2 at Fillmore and Wabasha, a 3M building on Water Street and Warehouse 2 of the old hardware distributors Farwell, Ozmun, Kirk & Co. next door — will lead hunters to Harriet.
 
Clue Rating: 
0
No votes yet
Clue #6
Published on Friday, January 26, 2018
A loose cannon by name Bannon
Said his words were a “flub.”
“Mea culpa, sorry, disculpa,
How do I get back in the club?”
Scrambled Clue:
cannon by Bannon a loose name
were words “flub.” his said a
disculpa, sorry, “mea culpa,
back club?” the I in get do how
Explanation:
We bring up President Donald Trump’s disavowed former chief strategist Steven Bannon because of critical comments he walked back after the publication of “Fire and Fury” — a “flub” that we hoped would make hunters think of “bluff.” “Disculpa,” or “sorry” in Spanish, is a nod to the Hispanic heritage of St. Paul’s West Side, and “club” references the signs for Lilydale’s Pool and Yacht Club that dot Water Street.
 
Clue Rating: 
0
No votes yet
Clue #7
Published on Saturday, January 27, 2018
Accept our apology for this anthology
Of our republic’s justice and laws
But once destroyed it got redeployed
To serve our refreshment and pause
Scrambled Clue:
anthology our accept this for apology
republic’s justice and our of laws
redeployed destroyed got once but it
our pause and to refreshment servte
Explanation:
The anthology is of works by Plato, such as “Apology,” “Republic,” “Laws” and “Justice;” Plato Boulevard runs along the edge of Harriet Island Park. The “republic’s justice and laws” also refers to the old city hall and courthouse in St. Paul which was torn down in 1933; the Kasota stone from the demolition was used in building the pavilion on Harriet Island. Justice also alludes to Justus Ohage, the man who gave Harriet Island to the city and for whom one of its streets is named.
Our Thoughts:
This was a good one. Obviousness without the obvious obviousness.
 
Clue Rating: 
0
No votes yet
Clue #8
Published on Sunday, January 28, 2018
The man was fat, he wore no hat
As he climbed up onto the box car
When he jumped off, there’s those who scoff
He landed like a rock star
Scrambled Clue:
man he fat, no wore was hat the
he climbed onto car the as up box
he when off, those jumped there’s scoff who
landed rock like star he a
Explanation:
“Fat Man” was the codename for the atomic bomb dropped out of a B-29 bomber nicknamed “Bockscar” over Nagasaki that led to the end of World War II in the Pacific; Nagasaki Road used to go by the Harriet Island Regional Park, but was vacated in 1994 when the flood levee around Harriet Island was refashioned. “Box car” also alludes to an old railroad lift bridge down river that is echoed in the design of the Target Stage on Harriet Island. “Star” alludes to the explosive power of the atom bomb.
Our Thoughts:
For all of the destruction that came from the bomb, this one almost seems tasteless.
 
Clue Rating: 
5
Average: 5 (1 vote)
Clue #9
Published on Monday, January 29, 2018
Strap on your boots and follow the routes
Once plural but now singular
To a lovely spot once thought too hot
To waken the zealous mingler
Scrambled Clue:
the boots and routes your on follow strap
but plural singular now once
thought to once too a spot hot lovely
the waken mingler zealous to
Explanation:
After a channel was filled in 1949 the water routes by Harriet Island went from plural to singular – which is why Harriet Island is no longer an island. The island was once called “Devil’s Island,” due to a misinterpretation of its Dakota name, “Wakan.” Extra credit to those who guessed the “zealous mingler” refers to the island’s current namesake, Harriet Bishop, the pioneer schoolteacher who among other things was the founder of the First Baptist Church of St. Paul in 1849.
 
Clue Rating: 
4
Average: 4 (1 vote)
Clue #10
Published on Tuesday, January 30, 2018
You are bidden to land once forbidden
In all of its icy glory
Find the spot and you’ll thank us a lot
For giving you a wonderful story
Scrambled Clue:
land forbidden to are bidden once you
glory of its all icy in
the and spot us find you’ll lot a thank
story a giving wonderful for you
Explanation:
Harriet Island was off limits to the Treasure Hunt for a few years around the time it was redeveloped. “Lot” again identifies the area of the park where it is hidden. The medallion and its football-themed repurposed beer koozie are encased in ice.
 
Clue Rating: 
5
Average: 5 (1 vote)
Clue #11
Published on Wednesday, January 31, 2018
Do not panic and run off manic;
Cut your reverie short.
En route to yachters, between two waters,
Keep the landlubbers to port.
Scrambled Clue:
and run not manic panic do off
short your reverie cut
en yachters, two waters between to route
to the keep port landlubbers
Explanation:
“Run off manic” refers to hunters’ excitement when they get to a park and go off to search. This year, since the medallion was in a parking lot snow bank, we encouraged folks to cut their wild frolic short. The park is surrounded by slips and marinas, so the third line is meant to give some bearings — if you’re between the waters of the Mississippi and Water Street, keep the West Side on your left and head toward the St. Paul Yacht Club.
Our Thoughts:
This actually should have been the giveaway. It shouldn't have gotten to clue 12.
 
Clue Rating: 
4
Average: 4 (1 vote)
Clue #12
Published on Thursday, February 1, 2018
On the Mighty Mississippi – don’t get tipsy!
Lies the retreat where we buried it
You’ll have much for to thank if you dig in a snowbank
In a lot on the island of Harriet

Just off Ohage, far from the stage
Is the object of your hunt.
At the end nearest rigging is where you’ll be digging
For a prize you could punt.

While on your knees, look for two trees
That seem to exclaim a Vulcan Victory.
The bank they flank, so with your shank
Enter into Hunt history.
Scrambled Clue:
don’t Mighty the Mississippi tipsy get on
lies buried the we retreat it where
have for thank in a much snowbank if you’ll dig you to
on the island Harriet in of lot a

stage off just far Ohage the from
your is of hunt the object
is at you’ll be nearest end the rigging digging where
punt a prize you for could

while knees look on your two trees for
Victory that Vulcan to exclaim a seem
they the so bank flank your with shank
Hunt history into enter
Explanation:
The puck has been hidden at Harriet Island Regional Park, in the most westerly parking lot. At the far end of the lot — nearest the boats and rigging of the St. Paul Yacht Club — is a patch of land surrounded by a U-shaped drive. Hidden deep in a snow bank here, and near two V-shaped trees, lays the Treasure Hunt medallion.
 
Clue Rating: 
5
Average: 5 (1 vote)

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