&sq=Envato&lang=en&file=File:Masquerade-book.jpg) Front cover of first edition | |
| Author | Kit Williams |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Kit Williams |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Armchair treasure hunt |
| Published | August 1979 |
| Publisher | Jonathan Cape |
| Publication place | United Kingdom |
| Pages | 32 |
| ISBN | 9780224016179 |
| Followed by | Masquerade: The Complete Book with the Answer Explained |
Masquerade is a picture book, written and illustrated by Kit Williams and published in August 1979, that sparked a treasure hunt by including concealed clues to the location of a jewelled golden hare that had been created and hidden somewhere in Britain by Williams. The book became the inspiration for a genre of books known today as armchair treasure hunts.[1]
In March 1982 Williams received a letter and sketch from a man called Dugald Thompson, which he acknowledged as the first correct solution to the puzzle, meaning that Thompson had won the contest. It was later found that Thompson had not solved the puzzle and had guessed the hare's location using insider knowledge obtained from a former acquaintance of Williams. The revelation caused a minor scandal. Two other persons were later acknowledged to be the first to have correctly solved the puzzle.[2]
- ^ Mark Shields (6 April 2019). "Masquerade: How a real-life treasure hunt obsessed a nation". BBC. Retrieved 10 April 2019.
- ^ Matt Warman (13 April 2011). "Masquerade: a treasure hunt that ended in a scandal". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 10 April 2019.