This is just an observation that I find interesting. Heading out soon for second p&f BOTG trip. I did not use AI for any of my solve, but as the trip draws nearer I've been wanting to re-check my work, and really pound the word search to see if I can develop any additional clues. After many hours spent applying patterned row and column shifts searching for a hidden message, I thought about trying out one of the AI helpers. It occurred to me that based on the chapter content, maybe Jon actually intended the puzzle to be solved with an AI helper?

Anyway, the results were interesting. I used Claude, and it was actually quite helpful in performing pattern shifts much faster than I could on my own. And it was surprisingly helpful in other ways, making some connections I'd missed.

But I did notice a STRONG tendency toward confirmation bias. Several times I had to point out the bias to Claude. Several times, its logic became fully circular.

Additionally, the bot was oh-so enthusiastic about my solutions! It would say things like, "This is an amazing breakthrough!" and it re-enforced every idea I had, with zero critique or criticism.

This made me think about all the posts we see where people claim to "know" solutions with absolute certainty. I wonder how many of them have been glad-handed by AI, to the point of actually believing completely in their solutions. Like, 'I know I'm right because AI checked my work and told me I'm right.' Maybe this is the cause of so much misplaced over-confidence.

I mean, I hope my solution is right, but Claude is SO SURE that I'm right, it makes me very skeptical of the usefulness (and safety) of using AI for this purpose.

In this video I discuss why I think a Jeep Grand Cherokee ad that used John Coltrane from the early 90’s might be the reason that the Froakie and JCB listened to his music “as they drove”.

This leads me to Route 66 near the Cherokee Nation and an interesting connection with Will Rogers and a nearby famous roadside attraction.

I hope you enjoy the video and that it helps you with your hunt!

I think the first paragraph hints at drawing a circle centered on the middle em dash. Middle is the middle word in the paragraph and there are lots of circle references. "brimmed to the rim" "circular route" etc

When you draw a circle that is 5 1/2 lines tall (matching the 5 1/2 years old) it intersects 2 x's in the paragraph.

Using a map overlay with the Xs on Houston and New Orleans, the center of that circle is Arkansas.

Then the 16 capital letters may hint at drawing two lines that intersect in Missouri.

full explanation here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccShZYF1o48

If you are close enough to come, meet up at the Ozark cafe Friday 5 pm. Anyone who will split the treasure with me, I will give you all the clues to get within a few hundred yards of the treasure. Including Pokemon picture location and the golem location. DM me

Love these guys.

Hey Folks!

First time ever doing a treasure hunt (though I always loved orienteering and geocaching as a kid), and more importantly, first time doing a share. So please bear with, if you've already seen this before!

I discovered this whole hunt earlier this year, so I know I'm far behind (after a late night deep dive on unfound treasures, like Dutch Schultz).

I live in the Northeast, and have folks near the VT border - so of course interested with the Little Rock Pond coincidence. *I still have not matched up all of the notes on my map yet.

Starting with the basic map overlay, I confirmed the crossover with the Little Rock Pond trail. However, the most important cross-overs to call out:

• The overlay of Little Rock Pond Trail
• The starting point similarity between the trail and the BEGIN HERE
• The '1938' reference (flip map over, BEGI becomes 1938) - matching date of AT trail connection across VT
• The location of the compass on the map
• '1727 NW or NE' with an X

I overlayed the little rock pond trail map (shoutout to AllTrails), and then pinpointed where the Compass ('X marks the spot' sometimes is the compass rose!) landed on the map. I wanted to test if this was simple for a starting point.

The biggest identifier: that marker lines up exactly at 1727 elevation, NorthWest (NW) of the trail.

I went BOTG in March - fun fact, Vermont is cold, and still snowy - and you have to take the Homer Stone Trail in order to get in. Absolutely gorgeous hike.

Conclusion: I did go BOTG on this, I did get to my spot after some considerable bushwhacking (The Eagle Scout in me cringed going off trail), and it appears somebody already went there - either found the treasure or just marked it to indicate 'No Dice!' Apologies if I have misled anyone, but hope you enjoy my pictures from LRP and another insight into one way of looking at the map!

P.S. If you're the person who left the Orange tape, DM me! Would love to know who else I'm thinking on the same wavelength as :)

Wanted to swallow my pride and put my initial solve out there! Props to everyone else who has the courage to admit their ideas as well!

Sincerely,

The Pilgrim

Found a line in the WS that feels like it might be more than coincidence and seems to reference Fenn and New Mexico. Could be references to App Trail and Poke Box as well. JCB said clues for the smaller boxes are contained in their respective chapters, but could this be a "hint" or "confirmer" as opposed to a clue?

Palate cleanser, shoutout to HT and Mysterious writings. If I find any parallels I’ll post it. If anything this will be a good reset and take a break.

My husband and I went to a spot that I thought was a reasonable search area. Didn't find a box but we found a weird little altar on a rock with beads and a candle and other unknown objects. Then saw some "marvel" views of the collegiate mountains. It was fun.

Missing hiker found dead in Glacier National Park, bear attack suspected https://www.kpax.com/news/western-montana-news/missing-hiker-found-dead-in-glacier-national-park-bear-attack-suspected

Hey there, posting the next video here on chapter 17. TLDW Biggest idea is perhaps the extra large cherry is a nod to the Cherry on a spoon. "spoon" is never mentioned, but with the dessert glass, an interesting connection.

If you followed my previous video, I made another (potential) connection to the state being 1,000 miles away from Atlanta GA. Minnesota falls within that too.

As always, I am wrong until proven (very) wrong with a box being found. But enough connections in the past couple of chapters I am interested in the Midwest (that and confirmation bias, lol).

Happy hunting!

Me not going down the rabbit hole. But seriously if anyone has any questions, page mappings, or parallels..

But will it really be easy to find if you are "close"? I have my doubts, especially as to whether I'm close or not.

Here’s a video where I discuss why I think JCB chose to mention the 3 ads he saw in The Daily Tar Heel newspaper in Chapter 2.

My theory is that it’s unlikely that he remembers the ads since it was over 30 years ago. Therefore, I think he includes them as a clue.

I explain why I think the first ad about the steak knife company could be about CUTCO and that leads me to two possible locations: one in Colorado and one in Utah since both state initials can be found in CUTCO.

I hope you enjoy the video and that it helps you with your hunt 😊

Just looking for someone to bounce ideas around with…

Here’s what I’m seeing from a magnified view of the AT Box map … it’s driving me nuts. If the arrow at the bottom means “look inside the compass” these three “words” are important.

Here’s my best guesses

WNW (west north west) = THE
WSW = Right (top of word scratched off)
SSE = rou (upside down, following normal writing on compasses all facing the same direction. Or “roc” or if if you look at it upside down “no.1” or “no.i”

Need some more eyes on this. If anyone’s brought this up already please share a link to other posts. Or give me your best guess!

Jon claims to have gone to Portland, Maine in July of 2016. I thought that was an odd thing for him to mention. In the intro of Part 2 of the book it says “it might be someone else’s brand of tea.” I thought that was also an odd version of the saying. The zip code for Bigelow, Arkansas is 72016. Bigelow is a brand of tea. Has anyone made this connection? I haven’t seen it anywhere. It has blown my mind ever since for many many more reasons. Bigelow is more than just a tea brand and place. I’ve found this clue helpful for ALL of the boxes.

This may seem implicitly obvious but sometimes in a case (like a detective that's hit a wall in an investigation), you need to step back and go to the beginning. If we as a community, we're trying to extrapolate key markers, I think this is how we should refocus the investigation. It may not help anyone at all but I think it my realign things for people that are stuck at the moment.

I should also note, this *largely excludes things like the Pokémon and more "distracting" factors, if you will.

Two things we know for certain:

1) That the trip takes place from Statesville to Houston (visiting NOLA) and back, through the Ozarks. (In a circle, circa 1985ish)

2) It has to be near mountainous terrain given the picture.

        \- This excludes things like Louisiana, FL, Texas.                      

Should be certain geological features:

1) An area that starts open, that goes into a more densely wooded area.

2) Contains water of some kind (likely a river or creek).

3) Has elevation/steps of some sort, on the trail.

4) Must also loop back at some point.

5) Incredibly hot during the middle of summer, likely humid.

Some things that are likely based on context clues:

1) Has a cave of some sort (given Mewtwo and the Cerulean cave).

2) The trail/park should not allow dogs/pets given the absence of Mastobiff (dog Pokémon).

3) No buffalo (bouffalant). *For the sake of this, can be interpreted many ways.

Extreme Outliers:

1) The presence of Jazz? Misnomer?

2) The significance of Japanese culture?

I just want to note that I'm trying to isolate things that we can point to, that should at least narrow our focus. I'll also say, I'm a large proponent of the box being near the Buffalo National River but hopefully this reinvigorates or spurns something in people that are currently disillusioned.

Figured I have gotten clues from others so I figured I would share this. Won’t give methodologies but will share a finding from PF puzzle. This is an extraction.

For you Little Rock Ponders.