I'm looking for ideas for: puzzles, riddles, problems and scavenger hunt type stuff to incorporate into a gift.

July 19, 2012 2:53 PM

I'm looking for ideas for: puzzles, riddles, problems and scavenger hunt type stuff to incorporate into a gift.

For my husband and I's anniversary, I am going to get him a few presents, and make a game out of him getting them.

For example, I wrote a script for his smartphone that requires him to go to a specific location, and every so often he can check how close he is, but it won't say it what direction the location is. So there is some problem solving involved in getting there.

Other parts include a crossword puzzle to solve, and a riddle that gives the word to open a cryptex (made of PVC pipe). Another part is where he has to meet up with a mutual friend of ours and beat him at a game to get a clue for another thing.

He is interested in mechanics/rebuilding trucks, engineering and sports. The big present is an iPad, which I am going to preload with some apps for the other puzzles.

I am looking for ideas to add to it. I've been googling for riddles and brain teasers, but I'm looking for a few things more physical or social I guess. As well as just puzzles.

posted by jesirose to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (10 answers total)

You might try checking the University of Chicago Scavenger Hunt Archive. Gotta be some good ideas in there.
posted by aparrish at 3:44 PM on July 19, 2012 [1 favorite]

Actually I think that this previous ask meta would probably have ideas that you can use.Some of the ideas that they list that I think would appeal to you based on your description are things like this picture puzzle or a 3-D image generator (you write the clue,he has to see it in 3-D).Assuming that he has a smart phone.

This previous ask me answer also has really cute ideas that you could use depending on whether you involve friends or not.

Does he have a smart phone? Make a QR Code that he scans and points to a web page. It could be audio, a note, a clue, whatever.

I am also repeating something that I heard a friend did, which you could use for this activity, too. My friend took a picture of his wife doing something really funny several months before (brushing her teeth/frothing at the mouth) and she forgot about it. He had the picture made into a puzzle and then told his nephews and nieces to assemble it as a surprised. Now you know your partner's sense of humor/what he appreciates/doesn't appreciate, but you could have a picture made into a puzzle. Maybe something funny.Or the two of you together. Whatever it is, but the idea sounded fun.It could be in a little container as one of the intermediate prizes.

Do tell us what you end up doing, this sounds like fun.
posted by Wolfster at 4:10 PM on July 19, 2012

For a physical puzzle, you could put the ipad in a box and lock it with a combination lock. Write some trivia questions of the wrapping paper that reveal the code. They can be simple, the answers being something like Six String Samurai, Fifth Element, Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Or you can make it a bit harder (and more fun) by having the answers come out to the traditional wedding anniversary gifts. So 853 would be questions about Bronze, Wood, and Leather.
posted by Garm at 5:42 PM on July 19, 2012

I just found this puzzle which uses the same gimmick, anniversary gifts converted to numbers, to make a puzzle, if you want to riff on it.
posted by Garm at 5:46 PM on July 19, 2012

For a physical puzzle, you could put the ipad in a box and lock it with a combination lock.

Better: password protect the iPad and lead him on a merry chase for the password. He has his gift, but he can't use it!
posted by SPrintF at 6:56 PM on July 19, 2012

Oh, and here's a riddle: "A riddle without an answer."

Life? Death? Time? Eternity? God? The answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe and anything?

No. The answer is "a riddle by itself." Password: RIDDLE.

My variation on "Speak friend and enter."
posted by SPrintF at 7:03 PM on July 19, 2012

Grill ciphers can be fun for this, whether you use original letters or a favorite book. One nice thing is you can make the grille out of normal paper, shove it in an envelope, and hide it in public places.
posted by 23 at 7:03 PM on July 19, 2012

What you want is a Reverse Geocache Puzzle box.
posted by ThisKindNepenthe at 11:55 PM on July 19, 2012 [2 favorites]

Response by poster: @ThisKindNepenthe That was what inspired the first part of it :)

Thanks everyone else for the ideas, they are great! I am looking through them now!
posted by jesirose at 11:47 AM on July 20, 2012

Awesome! I hope you come back and tell us what you did, and how it came out. Good luck!
posted by ThisKindNepenthe at 7:28 PM on July 20, 2012