Treasure: In Search of the Golden Horse
| Company type | Contest / Puzzle |
|---|---|
| Industry | Entertainment, Publishing, Film |
| Founded | 1984 |
| Founder | Sheldon Renan |
| Products | Illustrated book, direct-to-video movie |
Treasure: In Search of the Golden Horse is a treasure hunting puzzle released in 1984 by Intravision. Created by filmmaker Sheldon Renan as a narrative-driven contest similar to Kit Williams' Masquerade, it was made available in two distinct formats: an illustrated book authored by Jean-Francois Podevin and published through Warner Books, alongside a direct-to-video movie featuring performances by Doryan Dean and Elisha Cook, Jr., with narration by Richard Lynch and a musical score composed by Jesse Frederick. The film was distributed on cable television and sold in various home video formats including VHS, Betamax, Capacitance Electronic Disc, and Laserdisc by Vestron Video.
Presented as a competitive puzzle, the challenge required participants to decode a rebus embedded within the story to discover a one-kilogram gold horse figurine concealed on publicly accessible land within the continental United States. The puzzle was crafted by Paul Hoffman under the alias "Dr. Crypton." The individual who solved the puzzle before the May 26, 1989 deadline would be awarded the statuette along with an additional US$500,000 secured inside a safe deposit box, which could be opened with a key hidden within the horse. Both the book and video versions contained unique yet complementary clues, allowing the puzzle to be solved through either medium. The contest's regulations were overseen by the advertising firm D.L. Blair.
The film
Set in the year 1984, the movie centers on a young girl searching for her horse, while simultaneously embedding hints that guide viewers toward locating the buried golden horse statuette somewhere within the United States.[1]
Solutions
Although it was asserted that the rebus could be solved within the allotted time, no contestant succeeded before the deadline expired; consequently, the prize was donated to Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. Neither Paul Hoffman nor the contest organizers revealed the official solution, leaving treasure hunters to persist in their attempts. Approximately seven months later, Nick Boone and Anthony Castaneda uncovered what is now referred to as the "Captain Nemo" solution found in the book and excavated a vial at Tennessee Pass, Colorado, situated on National Forest Service property near the 10th Mountain Division memorial.[2]
See also
- The Clock Without a Face
- Money Hunt: The Mystery of the Missing Link
- On the Trail of the Golden Owl
- Paul Hoffman (science writer)
- Fenn treasure, found 2020
External links
- CED Videodisc listing for TREASURE
- New York Times article on hunt's conclusion
- New York Times article on hunt's failure
- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article on hunt's conclusion
- rec-puzzles.org listing
- Captain Nemo solution
References
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs named:0 - ↑ Blau, Eleanor (1989-11-30). "Site of Golden Horse Is No Longer a Puzzle". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-06-01.