The "Copy Cat" Treasure Hunt Has Been Solved

[artofhiddenmessages]

Hello Everyone!

The "Copy Cat" Treasure Hunt has been solved. In fact, I think a few people solved it. It was just a matter of who could get there first to retrieve the proxy item! The proxy item has been retrieved! 

I will offer more details later. I am waiting for the winner to answer some questions, but cell phone service in that area is not great. I did post some of the winner's photos on the Art of Hidden Messages facebook page.

Also, I will post a full solve, explaining each line of the poem, etc... 

Thanks to all who have played. 

I plan to make a similar hunt before summer is over. And I will make it more difficult so that it will (hopefully) last longer!

[artofhiddenmessages]

Solution to “The Secret Copy Cat”

The Proxy item was found at the Gazebo near the Presque Isle Lighthouse in Erie, Pennsylvania

The illustration shows the Erie “Land Lighthouse”. It could be identified by the date, the window shape, and doing a google search. This, like “The Secret” gave you the starting city.

Like “The Secret”, there was always a person in the illustration. And “The Secret” had a theme of different nationalities. I tried to continue this theme. The Erie Indians were known as the “Cat People”, the “Cat Nation”, the “Cat Tribe”.

The first part of the poem was an introduction

Oneth by land = There is one “Land Lighthouse” in Erie, PA. It was also the first lighthouse in Erie

Twoeth by sea = there are two other lighthouses in Erie, the Presque Isle Lighthouse, and the North Pier Lighthouse. Those are both on the water.

Start with the first = This gives you the city. The land lighthouse is in the city of Erie

But your total is three = There are three lighthouses in Erie

The question is this: Which one will it be? = You have to determine at which lighthouse the proxy item is hidden

The second part of the poem talked about the history and myth of the cat people

Here live the people of the cat = The Erie Indians were called cat people

They exist in dim light where the world is flat = just a reference to darkness; and the belief that the world is flat so you would know that these cat people were of another time period

Searching for the place where the sun touches the sea = this is part of the myth of the cat people. They were searching for where the sun came down into the water.

A dark tempest threatens all they can be = again, part of the myth of the cat people. A big storm hit, and almost wiped out their tribe.

A flash brightens their way and an arm is extended = part of the myth…the arm is Presque Isle

All harm to these children has peacefully ended = in the myth, their god liked the the cat people best and called them his children. He saved them from the storm by extending his arm out and creating Presque Isle.

If you could figure out the hints of the cat people and their myth, it would lead you to Presque Isle, in Erie.

The third part of the poem led you to sights that you would see on your way to retrieve the treasure. These were confirmers that you were on the right path. You could also see most of these landmarks on google earth.

Start at the ridge for an overview = Tom Ridge Environmental Center, Presque Isle

Go for a drive where the turtles cross too = Presque Isle Drive has “Turtle Crossing Signs” everywhere

Pass on admiring the circle that has squares inside = You had to pass the Admiral (admire) Perry monument, which when seen from above is a circle, with a lot of squares inside

You need to find the proxy’s hide = Pass on stopping at the Perry Monument and get on with your task!

You seek spider-like metal and red colored brick = the gazebo is black metal as in the illustration. It looks like a big giant spider with black, long legs. It is surrounded by a red brick wall. This is along Presque Isle Drive after you pass the Perry Monument.
The rest of these clues would have to be done when you were there, at the site.

But first you must know the counting trick = indicating that you would have to count something
There are four corners but only one is right = the brick wall had four corners, but the proxy item was only near one of those four corners

That quarter show the cat’s flash of light = each of the four corners of the brick wall had plaques describing the lighthouse that was there. One plaque explained that the Presque Isle Lighthouse was called the “Flash Light”. So of the four corners (one of four is a quarter) the one with the flash light plaque was the one where you needed to be.

Go behind and face the road = you needed to stand behind the brick wall…mostly so you weren’t seen!

Three blocks from the left and you’ll get what you’re owed = count three bricks over from the left, and dig. The proxy item was in a very shallow hole right below that third brick wrapped in two plastic bags. The item was a painted rock with a cat’s eye on it. If you show that you found the proxy item, you get what you are owed, the prize!

The location was also indicated by a cat’s eye on the illustration.

[susb8383]

Can you mention what the visual clues were? I know the brick wall, gazebo, and date. But were there things in her clothing like a skyline?

[GeneticBlend]

On the right hand side was an outline of Presque Isle. It was made to look a bit ambiguous as I didn't want to show a perfect map of Presque Isle. I tried to camouflage it as trees and just abstract shapes. But if a searcher was "getting" the clues, they probably would have been able to see the outline. Of course the waves in the window indicated it was near water. The woman's top coat had a partial outline of Erie. And as you already mentioned, the Land Lighthouse,the gazebo and the brick wall were all part of the illustration. There was a small cat's eye to represent the gem, as is done in "The Secret", at the precise place where the proxy item was hidden.

[GeneticBlend]

Steve Wise is the confirmed winner of the Copy Cat Hunt! He has given permission to post his name. CONGRATULATIONS STEVE!

Thanks for playing!

[susb8383]

So, is GeneticBlend and The Art of Hidden Messages one and the same person?

[Jenny]

Jul 28, 2020 21:22:52 GMT -5 susb8383 said:

So, is GeneticBlend and The Art of Hidden Messages one and the same person?

Yes

[Jenny]

Congrats to Steve!

[ILLUMINATINPS]

Great Job Steve!! and another fun hunt from artofhiddenmessages

[treysure]

Awesome, and nice work Steve!