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It is important that all answers are neatly written, in full. For example, although the clue in a question relates only to the word "Mayflower", and you come across a signboard reading "Mayflower Tours and Travels Sdn. Bhd", you should write down the complete name instead of just the word "Mayflower". There will be no marks awarded for incomplete answers.
Pay attention to what is said at the briefing, for that is where details concerning the Hunt, instructions for tulip reading, and how to approach questions are given. Sometimes, even vital hints and information are dropped. If you are uncertain about anything raised at the briefing, ask!
It is impossible for any team to do well if the team members are constantly fooling around during the Hunt. In sectors without questions, time should be spent discussing forthcoming questions so that the team will be prepared to tackle the questions when arriving at the correct sector.
Sometimes it is necessary to double-back in a sector to find an answer. But remember this: doubling-back just once means that you would have travelled along the same sector three times. If the team still cannot see the answer after multiple attempts, it is advisable to continue on the journey. It is also a good policy to travel to the end of the sector before doubling back.
Thesaurus, fact books and all other reference materials that you think that will help you in a Hunt should be brought along and made easily accessible in the car. If possible, at least one team member should be delegated with the job of research, or it will be pointless to bring reference materials if no one wants to look at them.
A Treasure Hunt trip can be a long one and teams should stock up food and drinks, therefore, having to stop constantly for meals will be avoided.
Prepare for the Hunt. It is advisable to have a Pre-Hunt discussion to identify who is to do what. If you need a specific book, find time to get it. On the next supermarket visit, look at items with the Hunt in mind – you may identify key words on a wrapper that may relate to a treasure!
Your team may have solved a treasure that other teams have not. Be careful and discreet when you pick up treasures, or your rivals may get the treasure without doing the work!
Doing well in a Hunt requires teamwork. If you think that you have figured out an angle to the question or treasure, do not be afraid to voice your views. No one knows everything, so the more discussion, the better.
Remember that not every junction, traffic light or side-road is indicated in the tulips, it is sometimes impossible to do so. It is crucial that the Navigator and Driver keep track of the distance between tulips so that the correct junction is identified, or you may end up heading in the wrong direction.
It goes without saying that all questions in a Treasure Hunt are based on some facts or the other. Although usually the knowledge required is of the general type, a team should consist of members having wide range of interests and good memory power, sometimes for the most trivial of things!
Knowing when to give up looking for an answer is an important skill to be learnt. There may be arguments within a team as to whether the team should give up or continue looking, therefore, it is a good idea to appoint a team leader to make this decision.
In particular – management of time. As each team only has a prescribed time to complete the Hunt, it is important that the team has an overview of the entire journey. Too much time spent trying to find answers at the start of the Hunt may end up with the team having very little time to get the answers at the closing stages of the Hunt.
Sometimes, no matter how hard the team tries, it may not be able to pin down the answer to a question. In such cases, it may be a good idea for the team to just jot down whatever they can see for consideration in sectors where there are no questions.
Apart from understanding the questions, this is the other important skill that team members should possess. Look everywhere, answers need not necessarily be on major signboards, and keep looking – there could be red-herrings. It is advisable to read out what you see, your team members who have not seen it may suddenly identify the answer!
Being punctual when you check-in at the start of the Hunt means that you will not miss out on any last minute instructions that the Clerk-of-Course may provide. In addition, those who come late are likely to be flustered and not in a proper frame of mind to tackle the Hunt.
Read each question carefully, each word can be a possible clue. Look at the questions from various angles and try to identify the key words. If you cannot get a grip on the questions, looking for the answers will be much tougher.
Help can be found in the most unlikely places. Sometimes the coffee-shop keeper may be able to give you valuable information or the budak kampung may be able to tell you where to pick up a flower as a treasure. Don’t be afraid to ask, but remember that collaboration between teams is a definite no!
By far the most important rule in any Hunt. You are on public roads, ensure that you comply with traffic rules. Drivers should concentrate on driving and make it a point to draw to the side of the road when slowing down to look for answers.
Tulips are navigational aids and when a Hunt flags off, each team will be given a few pages of Tulips, which will indicate the route to be taken. The Tulips should be held by the Navigator and instructions are to be given to the Driver. Instructions as how to read Tulips are usually given at the Briefing, and for efficient navigation, Driver and Navigator should devise a system of “call signs”, for example Check Right, if the Tulip has a side road on the right.
A treasure is an item or items. Read the riddles/questions carefully and make sure that the right item is identified Ensure that it is obtained and delivered in order, to score points.
The basic tools you need for a Hunt, besides your eyesight and brain, are surely a pen, paper and clipboard – preferably one set for each member of the team, apart from the driver. It is also advisable to bring a stapler, liquid paper, scissors, etc. along.
The onus is on each team to ensure that the vehicle they travel in is in a road-worthy condition, with valid license and road tax. Having a breakdown in the middle of the Hunt results in valuable time being lost and in all likelihood, the team being unsettled.
Many questions are nothing more than the Clerk-of-the-Course fooling around with words to try to trick you. It could be in the form of an anagram, removal or insertion of letters, etc. Identify the key words in the questions, juggle the words around, and you may figure out the answer!
In some Hunts only one set of questions is given to each team. As having to share this among team members can be disconcerting, making photocopies will solve this problem.
Be assured that you will see this happening in your car, as most Treasure Hunts starts quite early in the morning and can be both physically and mentally taxing. Go to bed early on the night before the Hunt.
Remember what was said about the Tulips not showing every junction, side-road, etc. in a sector and the importance of keeping track of the distance? The means of doing so is for the Driver to keep tripping to zero as he reaches each Tulip. When distance and Tulip matches, you will know that you are on the right track.