It's been a great hunt and now it's almost over. Ten teams started this quest. Who will ever forget those Wild Hanlons and their burger stop during the hunt? :O I still admire those Grad Gals for trying to continue after a horrible injury. And I don't know about some of you, but my ears are just now getting back to normal from all the wailing that Kay-te Fogal unleashed on the masses. Now we are down to our final three... the Southies, the Geniuses, and team Air Force. The Southies doubted their skills and sought out alliances early in the hunt. But these guys came back to prove themselves and cracked some of the hardest codes. The Geniuses had some physical disadvantages, but their high IQ paid off bringing them to the finals. Team Air Force has dominated the hunt both physically and mentally and have been compared to robots. It's time to find the 7th and final artifact to "reveal the key."
Philadelphia, PA: Suprise, suprise, the teams look rested from a night at
another B&B. Air Force says they are a little anxious while the Southies have butterflies. The Geniuses are just thinking about caffeine...oh and winning lots of money. Host Laird calls the teams and announces that it's "End Game." Teams will need their artifacts to help in this last leg. They remind us of a few of those artifacts, the empty map, a compass, box engraved with a lighthouse, and a medallion engraved with a ship. They are also holding onto a cryptex that they need a five letter word to help open it. There's a twist at the end:
(What good hunt would it be without a twist?) The teams can't use their computers. Teams must travel 137 miles to Washington, D.C and find the Library of Congress. While team Air Force is driving they are trying to figure out all the artifacts and come up with a common theme. They think it's something to do with shipping. The Southies try to follow the Geniuses, but the young guys won't have any of it and lose them in traffic.
(I guess that was a good thing for the Southies because somehow) The Southies arrive at the Library of Congress first. This library is the largest in the world. There's over 530 miles of books with 29 million volumes. Teams must locate one of three books : Poltroons and Patriots; Official Histories; The American Flag: Of Stars and Stripes. As soon as the Southies enter the beautiful library, they start fighting with each other
(No suprise there). As they are trying to figure out were to start their search one Southies says they are all rock heads and they should have gone to the library while they were in school.
(You know, you can do that as an adult too.) :) He also says he'd rather have a root canal.
(Now I know they've lost their ever-lovin' minds.) The Geniuses arrive second and Frances starts talking about finding the card catalog and Charles yells "No." :suspicious They start wondering around and the Southies decide to follow. Team Air Force arrive third and with robotic action head straight to the room housing the card catalog. The Southies change their plan and go after team Air Force. They are stumbling over each other as team Air Force finds the location of one of the books in the card files. They leave the room and the Southies are left their to fight about which row the other team was on.
(They really must not have ever been to the library.) Team Air Force is the first to find one of the books. They start looking through the book for a "key." Nothing is there. Back to the shelf, they notice that behind the book is their clue. It's a leather bound book of maps. As they look through the book they notice a "chevron" design that shows an "X" marks the spot on all the locations they've been to. They get to the last blank page and it says at the bottom: Old Printing Press. Host Laird calls and tells that the "key has been in front of them all along." Team Air Force searches the library and find the old printing press room. Inside is a blank plate that holds their remaining artifacts. They must use all these items and make their next map to find their final destination. They find the owner's manual and begin work on their map. Brooke tells the Matt's to take their time. When the new map is revealed it shows the "Battle of Baltimore," during the War of 1812. This clue leads them to Francis Scott Key and they will be going 38 miles to Ft. McHenry to find the truce ship that Key was aboard during the war. Shortly after team AF leaves, the Geniuses have found their clue and locate the printing press. They make their map quickly, with little argument and they are off to Ft. McHenry also. The Southies are taking a break. They discuss quitting the hunt because they think it is hopeless at this point. But somehow they find the strength to continue on and eventually find their next clue. Off to the printing press they go.
On the way to Ft. McHenry, team Air Force gets lost. They stop at a firestation to asks the locals for some help with direction. The Geniuses follow the road signs and make it to Ft. McHenry first. They hop on the boat with Cap'n Rich and head out into the Baltimore Harbor. Francis is alread confident they are going to win as they start looking in the dark for the "truce ship." Charles gives us a little history lesson about the war and Francis Scott Key. During the battle while the British attacked, Key was aboard this truce ship and wrote a poem that later became the "Star Spangled Banner." They finally see something sticking out of the water and find the truce ship. They are the first to board. As they go below deck, they see a glass pane that has a copy of the map they just made. Inside the glass pane is a box. The box holds a silver coin with a star on both sides and a note that says "The treasure is not here. The answer is right in front of you." They see from the map that they need to head to the shore that was once the Lazaretto Battery. Team Air Force arrives at the harbor second. They think the Geniuses have a good hour lead on them. The Southies are rolling towards the harbor as team AF boards their boat. As the Geniuses are looking for where they need to go, off in the distance is a
huge building (all light up) called "Key Industries." There's also a
huge American flag under the buildings name. (Could they make it anymore obvious?!?!) Air Force get to the truce ship and find their box and next clue. As they get back on their boat, the Genuises notice that they have a team behind them. Shortly after, Sam
(who was going to be dumped way back when) notices the Key Industries building. As they get to shore, host Laird calls and tells that Key Indurstries now stands on the site of the old battery. Teams must search and gain access to a secret chamber. Once inside they must find the five letter word that will open their cryptex and it will point them to the treasure. Back in the harbor, team Air Force is having trouble locating their destination. The Geniuses are first to the Key Indurstries building. They decided to head up on the outside stairs. The Southies finally arrive at their boat and don't seem to have too much trouble locating the truce ship
(great editing and help from the camera guys.) :shifty Back at Key Industries, the Geniuses are still searching and Francis notices a door on one of the many pipes in the building. Once opened there are stairs leading down and it's a tight squeeze. They have found the chamber and notice a slot on the door. They discuss dropping the star token in, but are unsure. They know if they do this and it's not right, the token is gone. They take the big chance
(because the show is almost over) and magically, the chamber door opens. Once inside they notice all the "glyphs" (Hieroglyphs) on the stone walls.
(Also on the floor, flooded in light looks like a spot to stick a key.) They feel like they are so close, now they just have to come up with the five letter word. Team AF arrives and start their search. Right on their heals are the Southies. We get a clue from Genworth Financial that says..."I seek they reef. Fling with Anacreon." When we come back from the commerical the clue now reads, "The key is free." To be continued....
Join us back next week for the exciting live finale, where we will discover who wins the hunt for the treasure.
Note from writer: I would like to take a guess at the five letter word that will open the cryptex. I think it might be "light." Once the Geniuses entered the chamber there are beams of "light" shining on the floor. From Genworth Financial we learn that the "key is free," and we know that natural light doesn't cost us anything. I may be way off on this but if you were on my team in the hunt, would you agree.
Let me hear from you and what your guess might be. Sign up and come chat with us!