And so, our sixth annual Easter Hunt is wrapped up, snug as a bug in fact. Five clues, five lucky winners and a bonus clue sent out on Tuesday to those who riddled their way to all five eggs throughout the week (which was a group of about three hundred brave souls).
We promised we would crown someone who cracked the bonus clue TOYR (The Official Yuppiechef Riddler) for 2014. World, meet Hazel Mitchley, who tells us she will be buying a long-awaited KenWood Chef Mixer with her R5,000 Yuppiechef voucher prize. Ayoba.
When did you discover your talent for riddles?
When I was about 10 my grandmother introduced me to cryptic crossword puzzles, and that pretty much got me hooked. Riddles are just slightly longer cryptic clues, and they actually give you more to work with.
How do you keep your skills sharp and at the ready?
Whenever there’s a newspaper in the house I grab the puzzle section first – those cryptic crosswords are still my favourite.
Which of this year’s Easter Hunt clues did you find hardest to crack?
I’d have to say the champagne one. Instead of searching for “More” I searched for gruel, porridge, Oliver, and Twist (all separately, of course). When I moved onto the rose part of the clue I focussed on things like rose essence, rose water, rose hip jam… My eyes just kept skipping over wine and champagne bottles without registering them. I wanted to kick myself the moment I finally registered the Rosé Champagne!
How does it feel to be TOYR for 2014?
Amazing! Winning this has probably used up my quota of luck for the next 15 years, and I’m totally fine with that.
Any tips for riddlers out there?
Don’t get fixated on one interpretation of a riddle. If your first interpretation of a riddle seems to be going nowhere, try thinking in entirely new directions. And if it’s really stumping you, take a break and come back to it later, even 10 minutes can give you a new perspective.
Thank you, Hazel, and enjoy mixing up a storm in your new acquisition.
Check out the riddles and solutions on the Easter Hunt page. And we’ll see you again next year for more head scratching, brain sizzling and mental gymnastics.
Related posts:
Welcome to the annual Easter Riddle Hunt
The greatest hunt since the dish ran away with the spoon
Easter riddle hunt 2012: prepare ye