France's prolonged quest for the elusive golden owl spanning three decades has concluded.
The adventure, titled "Chasing the Golden Owl," was inspired by a 1993 publication of brain-teasers. Contestants were required to crack 11 brain-teasers from the book and an extra one that was hidden, to pinpoint the true location of the prize.
A warning popped up on a Discord channel with numerous subscribers. "Hands off!," it stated, following the news that the Golden Owl symbol had been found the previous night. "The news is out, the Golden Owl emblem has been discovered," it continued, sparking a deluge of melancholic and weepy emojis. "No point digging any further."
The solutions provided by those who claimed to have discovered the prize were being checked at the moment, the warning stated.
Regis Hauser, the writer of the book, and Michel Becker, the illustrator, created a devoted following with over 200,000 gamers, known as "owlers," across France and beyond, according to the hunt's official site.
Becker clarified in a YouTube documentary that he was in charge of financing and overseeing the creation of the prize; a gold owl weighing 6.2 lbs (3 kg) and a silver owl weighing 15.4 lbs (7 kg) with diamond studs embellishing its face.
Gatherings for "owlers" to bond and exchange strategies were organized throughout France.
Hauser, the genius behind the riddles, went by the pseudonym "Max Valentin" initially to avoid being hounded by determined treasure hunters. He passed away in 2009, as reported by French newspaper Le Monde.
Together, Hauser and Becker decided to bury a replica of the owl, with the actual treasure safely secured elsewhere. As per treasure hunt enthusiasts, the replica is worth €150,000 euros (approximately $165,000).
To claim the prize, the victorious participant had to submit the replica along with the solutions to all the book's mysteries.
Becker did not provide a comment in response to a request from The Associated Press.
Upon hearing the news of the discovered replica owl, Discord members of the hunt channel reacted swiftly, flooding the platform with thousands of messages.
"Time to break out the tissues," one participant wrote. "It's the end of an era," sighed another.
French media outlets also acknowledged the conclusion of the three-decade quest, marking one of the world's longest ongoing scavenger hunts. "I'm disappointed because I thought I was close but at the same time relieved that it's over," commented a participant from southern France on France Inter radio.
The 30-year-old participant shared that he had spent every weekend searching for the owl over the previous two years and sometimes dug at night.
On the hunt's official website, Becker reminded "owlers" to refrain from digging holes on private or public property without permission.
According to a 2021 documentary, the idea originated from "Masquerade," a 1979 publication of brain-teasers by Kit Williams, where gamers also had to solve various puzzles to discover a golden hare.
The style of the treasure hunt, inspired by Regis Hauser's and Michel Becker's brain-teasers, significantly influenced the arts of puzzle solving and treasure hunting. Visitors to the "Chasing the Golden Owl" exhibition, showcasing Hauser's works, can appreciate the artistic expression of his puzzle-making style in the arts.
