The Crazy Story Of A Real Life Treasure Hunt

SOURCES

Stuart Ashen's video on Hareraiser

MUSIC

Blue Wednesday, "Suede"

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The Nerdwriter is a series of video essays about art, culture, politics, philosophy and more.

[saranshgautam]

I feel bad for the physics teachers @ 4:35.

The Hare belongs to them.

[aylabr]

I couldn't imagine someone just looking at the pictures like: hmm maybe I should connect the left eye to the left hans/foot and vice versa. And then solve all the riddles with the letters! The creator truly was a genius!

[RhysticStudies]

I just love the way you tell a story, Evan. Thanks again for putting yet another beautiful one on my radar.

[cavv]

Treasure hunting is one reason that Geocaching is a world wide activity! You could do a lot worse than being a geek walking around with a GPS looking for hidden drop-boxes...

[michaelrudling]

No words bring joy to my life quite like “new from nerdwriter1”

[MrDbryer]

I grew up near Ampthill Park. I remember going up to the cross one morning when I was a kid and there being holes dug up all over the place. I never knew why until now. Thanks Nerdwriter.

[maxrosenblum]

Once again, this video inspires me as a creator in a way I can't describe

[xXPwnerXx]

OK your story telling ability is unparalleled! I'm just sucked inside the video and just left with my jaw hanging in awe when it ends, every. single. time.

[somedudewithanappleonhisfa]

Man, stories like this are a really cool idea to do every once in a while

[lightsout]

I'm from North London and I had never heard of this haha, I love the variety of subjects you choose they're always brilliant and always unexpected xx

[johnclavis]

I remember being in junior high school in 1983 and pouring over this book with my friends. We probably didn't get any further than finding the words spelled out with the red letters. But it was certainly exciting to think about!

[rolanddeschain]

Humans are the best in pattern recognition across the planet.
And I believe these treasure hunts, whether real or in the form of a story, are so popular because our brain rewards us so much in pattern recognition.
That's why we like to recognize patterns where there are not any. For example, in the case of star-constellations (you know - the archer, the twins ...) or conspiracy theories.
In addition, our brain rewards us when we find something. Whether food or anything else of value.
That leads to this great fascination, whether it's treasure hunts, a murder mystery or a good twist.
We recognize a pattern and find something.

[Nerdfightarial]

"He designed it so that any one of any age could solve the puzzle..."

Yeah, okay.

[twigcollins]

I had this book in my public library in the early 80's. Never thought I'd see anything about it on youtube of all places. Thanks for the great video.

[evilotto]

Awesome nostalgia pull! Loved Masquerade as a kid. Never before heard the solution or subsequent events.

Thanks!

[LeeAnnC]

Oh my god! I got the book "Masquerade" as a kid (7ish?) from one of my grandparents. We poured over that picture book reading ever riddle and looking at every picture. I quickly found all the hidden rabbits and figured out (or looked up) the answers to each riddle. I spent a lot of time reading and rereading the story line and trying to figure out the answer to the overarching riddle the book teased at the end. I memorized most of the book, and the "Fifty is my First" will forever be ingrained in my memory. Of course, we never found much. It wasn't till much later (14ish?) that we saw a newspaper clipping showing that someone finally found the golden hare, and then ever later that I read through the "Quest for the Golden Hare" that answered and explained the final riddle once and for all (and the scandal as well).
Even after finding out the answer the book is still a mystery to me. With such intriguing and odd looking pictures with an intriguing and odd sounding tale, how could it not be?

[votenixon]

Great video, thanks for posting. I still have a copy of Masquerade. Think I was given it for my birthday in 1980. Totally incomprehensible but lovely to look at and I remember the mystery surrounding the hunt being very exciting

[Nhojneirbo]

The unfairness of insider information.

[thinkcritically]

Nice to see a shout out for Ashens! I do remember this whole saga, particularly the computer game that sprang from it. It's probably what drew me to Geocaching :)

[frings]

thank you for the immense effort you put in each video :)