Clue Hunt Help

RULES AND GUIDELINES - Please read ALL rules and guidelines before you begin the Clue Hunt.

HOW TO PLAY
  1.     Each clue hunt (“Season”) consists of a set number of separate puzzles.  As you solve each puzzle, you will advance to the next one.  Once you’ve solved all of the puzzles in a particular Season, you will earn a spot on the Leader Board.
  2.     You will be able to interact with many of the clues by typing or clicking on the screen, but only the final answer to each clue will be judged correct or incorrect (and, if correct, allow you to move on).
  3.     The answer to each clue is a word, or a series of words (or, in one case, a series of numbers), that must be spelled correctly and submitted in the answer field at the bottom of each clue.
  4.     For best puzzle experience, we recommend completing the Clue Hunt on a desktop, laptop, or iPad.
  5.     Feel free to print the clue pages – each page is designed to be printer friendly.
  6.     Recognizing that there was no way to prevent people from trying to Google answers, the clues were intentionally designed so that this would only be of occasional help.  There are definitely a few clues where Google could prove useful, but the real challenge (in most cases) will involve figuring out what each clue is asking you to do in the first place.
  7.     Each clue has a title that is not part of the actual clue.  The title is often meant to point you in the right direction for how to solve the clue.
  8.     PLEASE DO NOT POST SPOILERS ONLINE ONCE YOU’VE SOLVED A CLUE – that diminishes the fun for other players.
                 SEASON 4 COMPETITION
  1.    The new Season (Season 4) will consist of 13 clues.
  2.    A timer will keep track of how long it takes each team to complete all 13 clues, and the team that completes the entire Season in the shortest (cumulative) amount of time will be the winner and will receive a prize.
  3.    The clues in Season 4 will be released ONE per week, the Season 4 timer will stop after each clue is solved and it will not begin running again until the next clue is opened.  Even if the next clue has been released and is available, teams will still be given the option to continue on to the next clue or to take a break and resume solving clues later.  The times taken to complete each of the clues will be added together and the total will be the team’s score for the Season.
  4.    Season 4 will continue to apply the "minature golf" rule:  The maximum amount of time that will be added to a team's timer on any given clue will be three hours - no matter how long it takes to ultimately solve the clue.  Once you hit the three hour maximum time on a clue, the interactive timer will stop and turn yellow to indicate it is paused. And if you are still stuck and need extra help, you can email [email protected] for an additional hint.  (Response times may vary based on admin availability.)
  5.    The first leg of Season 4 will become available at 6:00 pm Eastern Time on Thursday, January 9, 2025, and subsequent legs will become available at 6:00 pm Eastern Time on each of the next twelve Thursdays thereafter.  Season 4 will officially end at the later of: (a) 6:00 pm Eastern time on Thursday, April 10, 2025 or (b) whenever the first team solves the final clue.  At that time, the team that has completed the entire Season in the least total amount of time will be the winner.
  6.    You can leave and re-enter the Clue Hunt at any time, and you should be able to pick up right where you left off, but remember that the clock keeps ticking from the time you begin each clue until you have completed that clue (or until you hit the 3-hour maximum time for the clue).
  7.    NEW FOR SEASON 4: There will now be multiple hints offered for each clue.  The first hint will always become available when the timer reaches 30 minutes, and additional hints will become available at varying intervals thereafter.
FAQs

Can we work in teams?
Yes, working in teams is highly recommended.  The clues are challenging and working together with friends and family makes it more fun!

Can we Google answers?
If a clue includes references to things that you aren't familiar with, you should try Googling them - but don't count on this to be a shortcut to figuring out the answers.  

Is it possible to get a hint if we get stuck?
Yes.  After you’ve been working on a clue for 30 minutes, you’ll be given the opportunity to ask for a hint.  If you're still stuck, additional hints will become available at varying intervals thereafter.

Are we required to solve the clues at any particular time?
No.  Teams may solve each clue at their convenience.  The timer will start each time a clue is opened and it will stop when that clue has been solved.  After solving a clue, it is recommended that teams consider whether they will have sufficient time (and sufficient stamina) to make it through the next clue before opening it.

Can we still participate in the Competition if we don't play during the opening week?
Yes.  If you miss the opening week (or weeks) of the Competition, you can still play as long as you catch up and complete all 13 clues by 6:00 pm Eastern Time on Thursday, April 10th, 2025.

If we're new to cluehunting.com, can we still go back and play previous Seasons?
Of course.  Please note, though, that the operation of the timer was a bit different in earlier Seasons: It ran continuously in Season 1, and only stopped at the end of each "3-Clue Leg" in Season 2.   Seasons 1-3 also only offered one hint per clue.

Can we get additional hints if we get stuck on Archived Season clues?
Yes.  Email [email protected].  (Response times may vary based on admin availability.)