Ah… the great Amazing Race! You’ve probably seen an episode or two of the popular variety show where participants play the game of wits, outracing other teams to reach the finish line first.
But what about Puzzle Hunts, are they similar?
Puzzle Hunts are outdoor adventure activities where players solve mysteries while exploring various precincts of Singapore. What makes Puzzle Hunts stand out is that these games revolve around using the area’s natural surroundings as part of the gameplay!
The Ransack’s Puzzle Hunts centres around Pepper the… oh so slightly clumsy Dinosaur and the many shenanigans that he gets himself into. Pepper seeks the help of participants to solve the games and save his day!
With a Puzzle Booklet, Map, Puzzle Tool and Pencil at hand, you’re equipped to help Pepper scour the alleys and streets of beautiful historic Chinatown to collect his favourite dishes.
Poor Pepper… he was getting ready for a rawr-some dinner party when he accidentally stubbed his toe on the table, snapping the table leg which caused it to crash to the floor.
As he sources for a new dining table – Pepper has appointed you to go on a quest (ehem wild goose chase) to collect his choice of dishes. Only you can save this party now and feed all of the guests!
But wait…
How are Puzzle Hunts different from Amazing Race?
1. Puzzle Hunts revolve around sites with historical landmarks.
Photo credit: Trip.com
Compared to Amazing Rooms, Puzzle Hunts encourages people to explore landmarks, solve puzzles and collect keywords to complete the final puzzle. Players are able to fully immerse themselves in the natural atmosphere and view through the lens of an explorer.
In Ransack: Chinatown Puzzle Hunt, players get to explore 8 different landmarks such as the charming Chinese-style Garden Bridge and lively Kreta Square (in front of the famous Buddha Tooth Relic Temple!) to solve puzzles using surrounding elements at those locations.
2. Puzzle Hunts require the use of the location’s natural surroundings.
Created based on the surrounding elements of the location, Puzzle Hunts require players to interact with the landmarks through sight and sound. The key to solving the puzzles depends heavily on spotting a specific structure or symbol and analysing it.
3. Puzzle Tools are an essential part of Puzzle Hunts.
Ahh… here’s what makes solving the puzzles interesting! Puzzle Tools are an addition to the booklets for players to closely examine, and make use of to solve the initial clues and get the keyword.
In the Chinatown Puzzle Hunt, players are given a small Puzzle Tool card printed with a mix of alphabets, fruits, and numbers. It also has a few square cut-outs! When viewed with the naked eye, the tool makes no complete sense. It is only useful when the participants are at the various landmarks solving the puzzles.
4. Puzzle Hunt has an element of tech and digitalisation.
After solving every puzzle, players are required to type in a single keyword into the URL – www.thersansack.com/keyword to attain the hidden token. However, that’s not all, the dishes are the first part of solving the final puzzle, not the answer. That’s what makes Ransack’s Puzzle Hunts so unique!
5. Side Quests are a thing with Puzzle Hunts.
Players who are speedy and finish the puzzles are encouraged to take a selfie with a sighting or animal! For the Chinatown Puzzle Hunt, players have to spot a painting of the King of Kungfu holding the King of Fruits take a selfie with it, tag @pepperthedinosaur and use #foundthekings in the caption!
Moving onto Amazing Race…
5. Amazing Races can be done virtually.
Virtual Amazing Races are now becoming all the rage, especially with how COVID-19 has changed working arrangements from home. Convenient and fully immersive, players can participate remotely and explore 360° real-life clues with an exciting storyline. It takes less than half a day to complete, for unlimited players, anywhere and anytime!
Similar to a regular Amazing Race, players will explore a series of interactive clues and slider puzzles as a team and race around the world to be the first to reach the final pit stop and win the race!
6. Amazing Races are fully customisable.
On the flip side, Amazing Race can be customised fully which makes personalisation for specific themed team-building events possible. Routes and checkpoints can be tailored to a specific event location, turning any venue into an amazing race playing field. Or… switch up the storyline of an Amazing Race! Find the mystery killer on the loose to recovering the stolen artwork by a criminal mastermind, the race can be customised to fit any event. The possibilities are endless!
7. Special action cards are given in Amazing Races.
Puzzle Tools are what makes Puzzle Hunts unique, but what about Amazing Races?
Obstacles such as Detour, Road Block and even U-Turn exist to prevent teams from moving forward. Ahah, you heard that right! The team are given these cards to sabotage and delay another team or give their own team an advantage for the entire challenge.
8. Amazing Races provide a fully guided experience with professional facilitators.
Ah… professional facilitators, the key to an exciting Amazing Race for Team Building! Facilitators are necessary in helping participants reflect on how the activity mirrors real life and how it can be applied to gain meaning, insight and action.
They conduct the briefing (ensures the activity goes smoothly!) and debrief the activity. For Amazing Races, facilitators will discuss the event challenges and mission with each team and ask questions to assess their performance before announcing the winning team.
Lastly, FUN!
Fun can be highly subjective, depending on your interests or even preferred themes when talking about outdoor activities or games in Singapore.
Round 3… the final and last round (officially entering the zone of personal opinions again haha!), I feel that Amazing Races are an elaborate and elevated version of Puzzle Hunts that can be more catered to a company’s goals as the playing fields have expanded. In addition to solving challenges, players get the chance to explore new locations while experiencing fun and thrilling storylines!
Moreover, with the customisability of themes and special action cards, Amazing Races creates an exciting and alternate experience for players to bond with one another while solving interactive puzzles and missions.
Concluding this almost TL;DR paragraph, Amazing Races are more effective for Team Building as it encourages players to reflect to work together cohesively, reflect on their team’s effectiveness and identify areas for application in their real life.
Coming together as a team where one person’s weakness can be another’s strength allows the team to be leaders in their own way and work towards a common goal of completing the Amazing Race!
That’s all we have for you folks! Has our explanation of Amazing Race got you jumping out of your seat, ready for an exhilarating Amazing Race?
Wait… you’re still interested in solving a couple of puzzles while exploring cultural and historical landmarks in Singapore?
Haha, we read your mind! Check out these Puzzle Hunts created by us and our wonderful friends at Ransack!
With 4 different locations to choose from – classics such as Chinatown, and Little India to the exciting and interesting Fort Canning and Fort Siloso, brimming with history and memorabilia from WWII.
Need more visual information on the Puzzle Hunts?
Fret not, check out our teaser video of what you can expect at a Chinatown Puzzle Hunt with us!
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