The Merlin Mystery
| Industry | Publishing |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
| Products | Books |
The Merlin Mystery is a children's puzzle book from 1998 authored by Jonathan Gunson, with illustrations by Gunson and Marten Coombe. Released by Warner Books and endorsed by Mensa, it served as an armchair treasure hunt that invited readers to unravel the enigma by interpreting visual clues to cast a magical incantation. Although it attracted 30,000 participants, no one successfully solved the challenge, resulting in the £75,000 prize being donated to the World Wildlife Fund.
Plot
The narrative centers on a nameless black cat venturing through the erstwhile residence of the legendary wizard Merlin from Arthurian legend. Accompanied by a northern spotted owl, the cat uncovers details about Merlin’s existence, his mystical abilities, and the doctrine of 'The Pendragon Alchemy', which emphasizes generosity over greed. The tale recounts Merlin’s protection of a princess from malevolent sorcerers, his creation of the stone circle at Avebury, and his romance with Nimue, the Lady of the Lake.
It is eventually disclosed that the black cat is actually Nimue and the owl represents Merlin. Nimue absconds with Merlin’s Wand to liberate the sorcerers, initially convinced she can rescue the magical realm but ultimately misled. When she attempts to wield the wand against them, Merlin intervenes and becomes magically confined. Before his imprisonment, he transforms Nimue into the waters of a nearby lake. Both remain trapped yet close until 'the seeker' (the reader) deciphers the puzzle to summon the wand.
Puzzle and solution
Similar to earlier armchair treasure hunts such as Masquerade, the storyline itself does not directly reveal the answer. Instead, hints are concealed within illustrations and along page borders featuring symbols like alchemical symbols, astrological signs, and heraldic cadency marks. These borders include items labeled with Latin botanical names, chemical elements, and directional icons alongside depictions of English cultural symbols such as Beefeaters and Town criers.
Solving the puzzle requires recognizing 75 objects placed around page borders by drawing 75 lines "in 3 dimensions" through the book. Lines originate from border squares marked with silver Nimue emblems (the Mercury astrological sign) and witch hats. Gold and silver Merlin symbols indicate when to turn pages; gold alchemical icons dictate line directions; cadency marks signal additional page changes; crescent moons guide navigation along borders to locate objects. The 75 objects are organized using Roman numerals encoded on each page.
Decoding this list of objects reveals instructions to perform the spell: during a full moon facing north, arrange a pentagram composed of five distinct types of wood inside a circle of salt. Surround this with twelve runes plus a thirteenth placed at the pentagram’s northern point. Position silver and gold candles nearby and burn rosemary in a censer at the center. The incantation involves pronouncing all thirteen rune names aloud, extinguishing the candles afterward, and concluding with the word "Peace."
Soundtrack
A companion soundtrack CD was created by British composer and producer Julia Taylor-Stanley, who composed, performed, and produced all tracks featuring vocals by Miriam Stockley, Shelagh and Sheryle Gwynfar, and Joss Ackland. Released on September 15, 1998, by EarthTone Records under the group name Alkaemy, this CD was launched internationally alongside the book.
Prize
The champion was awarded £75,000, which was approximately $125,000 at that time, along with a thirty-six-inch wand crafted with an ancient Brazilian crystal threaded in gold and set in silver, topped by a gilded staff symbolizing the tree of life. The wand's tip was adorned with a ring of alchemical symbols. Other awards included:
- A bracelet featuring twelve golden alchemical emblems
- A prominent golden emblem known as Sulphur Sublimate, affixed to lapis lazuli
- A small vial holding 24-carat gold pellets said to originate from the River Nile
- Three interconnected charms representing the Sun, Moon, and Saturn—central figures within the narrative
- A solid oak chest secured by three locks and keys, engraved with the phrase "Merlinius Est Mihi Dominus"
Reviews
Select bibliography
- Jonathan Gunson & Marten Coombe, The Merlin Mystery, Warner Books, 1998 ( ISBN 0-446-52432-8 ) ( LC 98-84996 )
External links
- Merlin's Magic: Raise the sword and pass the royalties, by Murray Waldren, 1998, first published in The Australian. (Archived version)