I started this puzzle, like many of you did, alone in my hunt. Slowly I started making friends which eventually lead into the podcast, and the facebook pages you all enjoy so much. The podcast completely changed the way I view this hunt. Sitting around for hours, listening to people like Jo-Ellen and Ben reminisce about Byron made me realize that this book didn't start out, like many of us thought, as a cash grab... No. It was Byrons way of doing something fun with his friends. I can hear the voice in his head... "Lets make a treasure hunt. I need a photographer, let me call my old friend Ben. I need a sculpter, I'll call Jo-Ellen. I need a painter, Let me build a fire so I can send smoke signals that John can see on whatever mountain he lives atop..." Those friendships came together and birthed this hunt that we all hold so dear. None of them ever imagined that it would still be affecting people 40 years later. A few years back John and I found ourselves in Byrons shoes. We became bogged down with the hunt's exclusivity, the way people seemed to cling to their own ideas, never opening their minds to others, never sharing information they had. It cause the hunt to stagnate. We wanted to try and change that. We felt that if we could introduce people to the basics of the puzzle, put every peice of information we had on the table, and provide an open forum for ideas, a way for people to collaborate, the hunt might progress. And it has... much farther than any of us had anticipated. We called our friends for help. Kris, John (the other one), Mark, Robert, Matt, they all shared our vision... and they all wanted to try this new idea out. Along the way we formed new friends, from people who would randomly blow up our phones at 3am.... to people who invite us to their family bar-b-que. From people who restructure their family vaction just to hang out for a bit, to people who blow up and call us assholes on facebook... and yes... even Josh Cornell, you have all become a part of the wonderfuly large disfunctional Secret family. You all have given us so much... we want to give something back. We are introducing a new casque to the hunt. In memory of the friendships formed by the work of Byron and his team. The casque posted earlier is not a replica... and it wasn't taken from the ground. It is 'The Casque'. The first casque. It is the casque that Jo-Ellen personally scuplted, the casque which was used to form all 12 casques we have been searching for for 40 years. And we have it. It was graciously given to us, so that we could bury it in the ground and allow all of you to find it, using only a single verse... and a single painting. Kit Palencar, JJP's son, is finishing the painting as we speak, And someone close to The Secret, who has asked to remain nameless, is painting the casque, key and forming the verse. The answer will be given to someone trusted, like a lawyer... someone who is not interested in this hunt, because he already has a casque... for safe keeping. So that, 40 years from now, if we should die, the answer will still be out there. The rules stay the same. Solve the puzzle... dig up the box, retreive the key and claim your reward. What is the reward, you may be asking? A 3 karat Pink Tourmaline. Value in 2018, roughly $1,500. We are not charging anything for this hunt, there is no fee of any kind. No books to buy, no speaking engagements, no paypal transactions for high res images, and no $40 bound photocopies. Everything will be released to everyone, at the same time, for free. We have financed this endeavor without asking for donations of any kind. I think Byron would have liked it this way. We hope you will accept this new casque, in thanks for everything you all have given us. Some say The Secret is Byron's legacy... but I think he would be more proud of the bonds he helped create. Thanks Byron. https://imgur.com/GHd4ESU https://imgur.com/TrEUxkz https://imgur.com/KhZF7gv

Never saw the Facebook page or the podcasts but sounds like a great tribute to the book! Indeed Preiss would be honored.

burnstyle wrote:: Kit Palencar, JJP's son, is finishing the painting as we speak Love that you got Kit on board. Great project. Good luck with it!

Will it be buried with an immigration theme/connection? Plexiglass box? Please not Central Park NY Thank you

Doghousereiley wrote:: Will it be buried with an immigration theme/connection? Plexiglass box? Please not Central Park NY Thank you Yes, but only as far as we understand the immigration connection right now. The plexi box is a bit of a decision, we are weighing the pros and cons of that versus some sort of plastic box that can be sealed against the elements. I give you my word it won't be central park.

I think the sealed element proof box makes sense Do the usual caveats apply? (a) any life-threatening location, such as a dangerous highway embankment, a contaminated area or active railway track (b) any cemetery (c) any public or private flower bed (d) any property owned by the contributors to the book, their families or friends. I believe Byron would confirm the city to a researcher who guessed correctly, what confirmations will be given to inquiries? I imagine you will be getting plenty

ive also made a puzzle for niagara im pretty much finished designing it, i just need an artist.

its pretty bomb.

Unknown: A 3 karat Pink Tourmaline. Value in 2018, roughly $1,500. So, if this puzzle is modeled after the original, and the same rules apply, can we assume that the value of the stone indicates that solving this puzzle will be harder than solving the hardest puzzle in the original? Or do we need to adjust for inflation?

This is so exciting! Can't wait to start a new hunt! While of course continuing the old.......

Now the Painting and Verse please

Spiritr wrote:: Now the Painting and Verse please The casque isn't even in the ground yet, it is being painted like the one on the cover.

I know.... the hidden message was "hurry up please"

did you guys write the poem first, shouldnt you do that first? lol

We want to try to involve the community... without giving anything away. We will release a timeline soon, and regular updates.