HOW IT WORKS

Work out what these refer to and tell us which is the odd one out:

1. A trio of European layers
2. Half dozen birds upon the lake
3. A brace of snapping love birds
4. Third prime, first colour, in circles

That is up to you – we like to think of it as an Adventure. It includes the fun clue-solving experiences of a scavenger hunt or an escape room, but also the secondary discovery of seeing parts of the town you may never have found. Whether you choose to race the clock or simply enjoy the experience as you tour the town is entirely up to you!

No. Clues are written assuming no knowledge of the town, and are sequential – each clue has several components to look for to guide you toward that clue’s destination. In fact, we have witnessed locals going wrong by trying to solve the whole clue and making the wrong assumptions!

There is a leaderboard on the website for those who want to race, and the clues are challenging enough to keep the most competitive Teams interested. For everyone else it is a leisurely tour of the town. In our experience over 80% of teams end up enjoying the experience just for fun!

Each adventure is written for a different target audience based on the length of walking and the venues visited. Please check the Pricing Guide for each adventure to see restrictions. Children under 18 are permitted on all adventures unless advised specifically, however some adventures may not be suitable for small children – in that case it is recommended to bring a bike or stroller for any small children accompanying you.

You are not required to purchase anything along the route, however there are multiple opportunities for shopping and dining if you wish. Businesses all accept cash/debit/credit, and there are ATMs along the way. Mystery Towns does not receive any payments from any of the businesses, and whether you choose to purchase is up to you. Occasionally you may receive a text clue with a special offer from a business – again this is directly from them to you and there is no requirement or expectation to buy.

Your tour involves between 2km and 5km of leisurely walking on flat trails and through town. You are not required to do anything more dangerous than crossing roads unless specifically advised. Please dress according to the weather and wear suitable footwear. We suggest bringing water to drink – there are places along the route to purchase refreshments, but there may be sections where there are several clues between shops.

Stuck on a clue? Use the HINT buttons within the App - though time penalties will be added to your final score! Along the way you may ask for DIRECTIONS, or help on how to SOLVE the puzzle (each incurs a 10-minute time penalty). You may also PASS to skip a clue, incurring a 30-minute penalty. If you are racing the clock to try and make the leaderboard, time penalties matter. If you are simply enjoying the experience you may use the clues at will! All time penalties are added to your final score - you will not be made to wait during the game.

That would be a problem. Please ensure that your cellphone is charged before you start, and please ADD other phones if you are concerned. You are only required to use the phone for text - no photos or internet browsing is required. Bringing a phone charger is a good idea if your battery is weak – you may charge your phone by speaking to the businesses at your scheduled breaks.

Depending on your chosen adventure, you may interact with several businesses – these have been selected to showcase some of the great shopping, dining and learning experiences in the town. In each case your interaction is different – we do ask that you please be respectful of their staff and customers. None of the businesses pay to be included – they and their staff simply add to the experience.

In the rare case that a participating business is closed, or that roadworks or events cause road closures that your route, please use the DIRECT hint to take you to the destination or the PASS clue to get the answer. You may then email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the details and we will remove the penalties from your score.

Suggested team size is 2-4 players. It is most fun when working with other people to find and solve clues – we do not therefore recommend single players. We also suggest a maximum group size of 4 players players to ensure everyone is part of the clue-solving experience. If you have more we suggest you split into smaller groups and compete against each other – there are places along the way to meet and discuss progress (or poke fun at each other!)

You will receive an email on confirmation of your booking. Download the App, go to the Start Location and input the details as instructed. From there you will receive instructions and a backstory, and when ready to go you will receive a series of clues that will lead you through your adventure. Submit your answers and when correct you will receive a new clue – or if wrong you will receive a time penalty. All answers are ONLY ONE WORD or NUMBER with no punctuation - please ensure you check spelling carefully as many players have received time penalties due to autocorrect! Complete all the clues and solve the final mystery!

You can travel at your own pace, and therefore the time varies significantly. Teams that are racing against the clock will take between 2-3 hours, while players leisurely enjoying the many places that the tour takes them will take between 4-6 hours. Most groups take approximately 4 hours to complete a signature adventure, and approximately half that for DISCOVERY or SCAVENGER adventures. There are two scheduled stops along the way giving you a chance to take a breather and get refreshments.

We hope you enjoy your experience - please feel free to share your thoughts on TripAdvisor, and social media, but please do not share the clue answers. Check the online leaderboard to see how you did - or to laugh at those who clearly didn't spend enough time enjoying the journey!

New adventures will be added in different locations over the coming weeks. To learn more join our mailing list, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

Mystery Towns is part of Uncorked Experiences Ltd., an Alberta-based corporation bringing many years of tourism experience. Uncorked Experiences is also the owner/operator of the multi-award-winning Canmore Uncorked Food & Drink Festival.