This year's medallion was "hidden" on the ground the statue of a soldier is kneeling on at the Korean War memorial in Veterans Memorial Park.
Any answer describing a spot within a square yard of that location — such as the soldier, rather than ground he's kneeling on — will be treated as correct. However, it isn't sufficient to have just named the memorial. Eagle staff will work today to verify correct answers (there are several) and contact those contestants.
Here are each day's clues and what they mean.
Day One
Clue:
Jump into the hunt but don't destroy,
A real medallion we didn't deploy.
Your description must be within a square yard,
Yes, it's specific, but it isn't that hard.
Hint:
More clues will you find on Channel 3.
The next one's a doozy, just wait and see.
The main point of the clue was a reminder that this year it was a virtual hunt; there was no need to destroy anything in the search. It also said that your guess of the location needed to be within a square yard of the hiding spot.
Day 2
Clue:
Gateway To The West... Doorway To Hell!
The ad did exclaim, a movie to sell.
Another one changed to Knight and Day;
These names are the place, they give it away.
Hint:
Our veteran hunters, they know the score.
Stay within limits — your feet won't be sore.
The main point of this clue was that the medallion was in Wichita. The first two lines of the clue pointed to the 1955 movie "Wichita," the poster for which said "Gateway To The West... Doorway To Hell!" The next two lines refer to the upcoming Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz movie, which was previously named "Wichita." In the hint, "stay within limits" meant stay in Wichita. "Veteran" pointed to the park and "feet" pointed to the statue.
Day 3
Clue:
Our hope is one, our friendship is too;
There's also our skyline, not meaning the view.
One thing in common, they share a trait.
We're narrowing it down, your goal does equate.
Hint:
Green with envy of those who have guessed?
Over 3,700 acres, that'll help in your quest.
The main point of this clue was that the medallion was hidden in a park. Hope, Friendship and Skyline are all names of Wichita parks. In the hint, "green" and "3,700 acres" did the same.
Day 4
Clue:
Wichita is full of beauty to be found;
Don't torpedo your chances, look to the ground.
But do not stare down, quit wasting your glances.
A stab at this clue increases your chances.
Hint:
Not private, this word, one means to your ends.
Then Guinevere's spouse, name shortened for friends.
The first line of the clue pointed you to public art. "Torpedo" is a reference to the U.S. Submarine Veterans of World War II Memorial, which is in Veterans Memorial Park. "Look to the ground" and "do not stare down" were references to the "ground" part of the Korean War statue, which is on top of the statue's base, not at ground level. "Stab" referred to the point of the soldier's bayonet piercing the ground. In the hint, "not private" means public. Guinevere's spouse is King Arthur, or Art to his friends. Together, the hint means public art.
Day 5
Clue:
Where the hardwood floors live,
Where an old crumb isn't famine,
Between these two points,
Don't act like a salmon.
Hint:
A home is a castle, or so it's been said.
With this type of wood, some of it's red.
The first line of the clue is a reference to Oak Park. The second line is a reference to The Castle Inn Riverside, formerly known as Crumm Castle. Between these two is the Little Arkansas River. "Don't act like a salmon" means to go downstream. The hint simply clarified the castle and the park.
DAY 6
Clue:
Rowdy Joe and Red Beard here get their due.
The west side filled up, you'll read about it too.
Where lions spit water, patriotic in hue,
Read the beginning. Stop at the who.
Hint:
Three little words, they say so much more.
Expand on that thought and then go explore.
This clue pointed you to Delano Park, at Douglas and McLean. "Rowdy Joe and Red Beard" ran dance halls in Delano and had a notorious gunfight in the area. A marker in the park tells their story. Also in the park is a marker that tells about filling in the river on the west side of Ackerman Island.The last two lines point you to the Ben F. McLean Memorial decorative water fountain, the waters of which are lit red, white and blue and flow out of the mouths of two lions. The first line of the fountain's inscription reads: "In memory of." The second line reads "Ben F. McLean." "Read the beginning. Stop at the who." means that all you needed was "in memory of," a reference to a memorial. The hint made clear that you only needed the three words.
DAY 7
Clue:
We're going back now, but it's not for kicks.
Start off your hunt by revisiting Day 6.
Your view should be broad; so truss yourself up.
But turn away from a slip with a cup.
Hint:
Over the fine kettle, your destination's in sight.
You can guess only once, you want to be right.
The first two lines of the clue meant you needed to go back to Delano Park. "Your view should be broad" meant look at the Broadview Hotel. "Truss yourself up" meant go up the Douglas Avenue Bridge, which is next to the park (a truss is another name for a bridge.) "Turn away from a slip and a cup" meant you should not be looking toward the Jayhawk, which sits next to the former Boathouse. A slip is where a boat rests. The Jayhawk was one of the yachts used in the 1992 America's Cup race. "Over the fine kettle" alludes to a fine kettle of fish, meaning you should be over the river.
Day 8
Clue:
Where fire's on water, it turns night to day.
Two entrances there, they have lots to say.
They're metal on stone, directions to chase.
After two become one, one of two is the place.
Hint:
This clue is a Keeper, it points the way,
But more than that, I'd rather not say.
The first line points you to the Keeper of the Plains, which is surrounded by fire pots that ignite at night. At each of the entrances are maps of the area on metal and stone pillars. Both illustrate the Arkansas and Little Arkansas rivers merging into one river. After the point where they merge, two attractions are highlighted: Exploration Place and Veterans Memorial Park (called Veterans Plaza on the sign).
Day 9
Clue:
They say Virgil first said it, idea does enthrall.
Aeneid 9: 641, last two words, that is all.
Words then given form by an artist's hand,
Another appears here, but it does not stand.
Hint:
A figurative maxim, it's served Kansas well.
Figurative another way: on that you should dwell.
What you were looking for here was ad astra, which some claim the poet Virgil coined in Aeneid Book Nine, the last two words of line 641. An artist giving form to those words refers to Ad Astra above the state Capitol. Sculptor Richard Bergen, who created Ad Astra, also created the soldier statue. Ad Astra is standing; the soldier is kneeling. The hint is a reference to Kansas' Motto: Ad astra per aspera. In the motto, or maxim, it's figurative meaning metaphorical; in the second line it's figurative meaning a form or figure in art.
Day 10
Clue:
Gold and silver are nice, they're not what you want.
Take the next step and you're a savant.
Next to the place that controls the real power,
Above the eight faces, your goal, it does tower.
Hint:
Start with exploration, if you're off to scout sites.
But you'll need to go swimming to enter these fights.
The first two lines of the clue evoke the traditional top three medals of achievement: gold, silver and bronze. The soldier statue is made of bronze. The third line refers to the Westar Energy system control center, which sits next to Veterans Memorial Park. The last line is about the base of the statue, which has eight sides, or "faces." The hint is a reference to Exploration Place, which is across the river from the park.
Day 11
Clue:
The final hunt day, you're almost done.
A good place to be, yes, under the gun.
Don't say the word MUSH, no dogs in this race;
But thinking of MASH is not out of place.
Hint:
Here's the final piece: we all should salute.
Forgotten no more, it was next to his boot.
"Under the gun" is a reference to the rifle the soldier is holding. MASH is a reference to the TV show and movie, set in the Korean War. The war is often called "the Forgotten War."
Print edition: 


