GRRiddler 2025 - SOLVED!

GRRiddler 2025 began on November 5, 2024 and was solved on March 4, 2025. Check out the video on YouTube for the riddle. Subsequent clues will be in the description of the video on YouTube.

Whoever finds it first will win the following prizes!

Word on Fire Collection

Word on Fire is back again as a sponsor this year, generously providing a collection of books for part of the prize package. Retail value of the collection is about $110. Find other great books at the Word on Fire store. Learn more about Word on Fire ministries at wordonfire.org

A Journey with Jonah: The Spirituality of Bewilderment

The book of the prophet Jonah is only two pages long—and Jonah’s prophesying is limited to one short sentence. And yet, around this small book, as if it were around Jonah’s own troubled ship, high waves of controversy and mystery have swirled for centuries.  In A Journey with Jonah: The Spirituality of Bewilderment, the Irish Dominican scholar Fr. Paul Murray strives to uncover the great lesson of this story of bewilderment. Featuring a 2003 lectio divina on Jonah by then-Cardinal Ratzinger—published here in English for the first time—A Journey with Jonah, like the book of Jonah itself, is a brief but compelling journey into the heart of the spiritual life.

After Humanity Bundle: A Guide to C.S. Lewis’s The Abolition of Man

After Humanity is a guide to one of C.S. Lewis’s most widely admired but least accessible works, The Abolition of Man, which originated as a series of lectures on ethics that he delivered during the Second World War. These lectures tackle the thorny question of whether moral value is objective or not. When we say something is right or wrong, are we recognizing a reality outside ourselves, or merely reporting a subjective sentiment? Lewis addresses the matter from a purely philosophical standpoint, leaving theological matters to one side. He makes a powerful case against subjectivism, issuing an intellectual warning that, in our “post-truth” twenty-first century, has even more relevance than when he originally presented it.

Lewis characterized The Abolition of Man as “almost my favourite among my books,” and his biographer Walter Hooper has called it “an all but indispensable introduction to the entire corpus of Lewisiana.” In After Humanity, Michael Ward sheds much-needed light on this important but difficult work, explaining both its general academic context and the particular circumstances in Lewis’s life that helped give rise to it, including his front-line service in the trenches of the First World War.

After Humanity contains a detailed commentary clarifying the many allusions and quotations scattered throughout Lewis’s argument. It shows how this resolutely philosophical thesis fits in with his other, more explicitly Christian works. It also includes a full-color photo gallery, displaying images of people, places, and documents that relate to The Abolition of Man, among them Lewis’s original “blurb” for the book, which has never before been published.

Confessions by St. Augustine

Dig into the rich tradition of Catholic literature with these significant and influential books recommended by Bishop Barron. These titles have transformed cultures and have proven indispensable to those seeking to encounter God, as revealed in Jesus Christ through His Church. The books are each elegantly bound and include a ribbon bookmark and a foreword and charcoal sketch of the book's author by Bishop Barron! You will not only enrich your life with these works, you'll be proud to display these gorgeous editions in your home or office. Translated by F.J. Sheed. "Prior to Augustine, no author had ever turned his speculative gaze so intently upon his own life and interiority. Hence, without the 'Confessions', there would have been no Shakespearean soliloquies (in fact, Augustine coined the term ‘soliloquia’); Joyce could never have written ‘Ulysses’ or ‘A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man’; Freud and Jung could never have developed psychoanalysis." - Bishop Barron

David the King Film

Includes:

2-Disc DVD (135 min total)

English and Spanish audio/subtitle options

David is the paradigmatic king in the Old Testament. His kingship recalls that of Adam in the Garden of Eden, and yet it points toward the King par excellence, Jesus Christ. In David the King, Bishop Barron helps us to understand this pivotal figure in light of the first king and the King of kings.  Adam was the first king and steward of the rightly ordered Garden of Eden. He was called to govern the garden according to God’s mind and purpose, but by allowing negative influences to wreak havoc on Eden, he did not fulfill his kingly responsibility. Long after Adam, David emerged as the definitive king who would restore order in the Garden and bring the world under the lordship of God. But like Adam, David fell, and his reign ushered in a succession of compromised kings and rejected prophets. 

The New Testament, however, foretold a son of David who would realize the fullness of Israelite kingship...but whose actual reign defied expectation. 

King David causes us to look back toward Adam’s kingship and forward toward Christ the King, seeing Christ as the fulfillment of the Davidic line and the realization of the Kingdom of God on earth.

DISC ONE:

1) The Law of the Gift - 22:53 

2) Your Servant is Listening - 21:20

3) Warrior of God - 24:06

DISC TWO:

1) Gathered in Jerusalem - 20:35

2) The House of David - 20:50

3) Absalom, My Son! - 25:27

 2023 US Mint Silver Proof Set

The 2023 United States Mint Silver Proof Set features 10 proof coins encased in two clear plastic lenses in a beautifully designed package you’ll be proud to display. The half dollar, quarters, and dime are struck in 99% fine silver.

All five 2023 American Women Quarters™ are packaged in a single protective lens to showcase and maintain their exceptional proof finish.

The American Women Quarters Program is a four-year series celebrating the accomplishments and contributions made by women who have shaped our Nation’s history and helped pave the way for generations who followed. Begun in 2022, and continuing through 2025, the Mint is issuing five new quarters each year featuring reverse (tails) designs honoring a group of prominent American women.

The reverse (tails) designs of the quarters honor diverse group of American women who made significant contributions in a variety of fields, including: suffrage, civil rights, abolition, government, humanities, science, space, and the arts. The women honored are from ethnically, racially, and geographically diverse backgrounds.

Each coin in this series features a common obverse (heads) design depicting a portrait of George Washington. This design was originally composed and sculpted by Laura Gardin Fraser as a candidate entry for the 1932 quarter, which honored the bicentennial of George Washington’s birth. The inscriptions are “LIBERTY,” “IN GOD WE TRUST,” and “2023.”

The 2023 reverse designs honor:

Bessie Coleman
Depicts Bessie Coleman as she suits up in preparation for flight, her expression reflective of her determination to take to the skies, the only place she experienced a freedom she did not have on the ground. Inscriptions are “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “QUARTER DOLLAR,” “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” “BESSIE COLEMAN,” and “6.15.1921,” the date Coleman received her pilot’s license.

Edith Kanakaʻole
A portrait of Edith Kanakaʻole, with her hair and lei poʻo (head lei) morphing into the elements of a Hawaiian landscape, symbolizing Kanakaʻole’s life’s work of preserving the natural land and traditional Hawaiian culture. The inscription “E hō mai ka ʻike” translates as “granting the wisdom” and is a reference to the intertwined role hula and chants play in this preservation. Additional inscriptions are “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” “25¢,” and “EDITH KANAKAʻOLE.”

Eleanor Roosevelt
A portrait of Eleanor Roosevelt and the scales of justice against a backdrop representing the globe, symbolic of her impactful work with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Inscriptions are “UNITED STATES of AMERICA,” “QUARTER DOLLAR,” “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” “ELEANOR ROOSEVELT,” and “UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS.”

Jovita Idar
Depicts Jovita Idar with her hands clasped. Within her body are inscriptions representing some of her greatest accomplishments and the newspapers for which she wrote. The text includes the inscriptions “MEXICAN AMERICAN RIGHTS,” “TEACHER,” “JOVITA IDAR,” “NURSE,” “EVOLUCIÓN,” “ASTREA,” “EL HERALDO CRISTIANO,” “LA CRUZ BLANCA,” “JOURNALIST,” “LA CRÓNICA,” “EL PROGRESO,” and “LA LIGA FEMENIL MEXICANISTA,” as well as “QUARTER DOLLAR,” “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” and “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.”

Maria Tallchief
Depicts Maria Tallchief spot lit in balletic pose, and her Osage name, which translates to “Two Standards,” written in Osage orthography. Additional inscriptions are “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” “QUARTER DOLLAR,” and “MARIA TALLCHIEF.

The other lens includes:

• One Native American $1 Coin – The obverse retains the central figure of Sacagawea carrying her infant son, Jean-Baptiste. Inscriptions are “LIBERTY” and “IN GOD WE TRUST.” The reverse design features Maria Tallchief in balletic pose. In addition to Tallchief, four other American Indian ballerinas from Oklahoma achieved international recognition in the 20th century, including her younger sister Marjorie Tallchief, Yvonne Chouteau, Rosella Hightower, and Moscelyne Larkin. Celebrated as the “Five Moons,” their legacy of achievement and inclusion continues to influence ballet today. A nod to the Five Moons is presented in the lunar motif, while the four ballerinas in the background are symbolic of both Tallchief’s American Indian ballerina contemporaries and the generations of dancers they inspired. Inscriptions are “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “MARIA TALLCHIEF,” “$1,” and “AMERICAN INDIANS IN BALLET.”
• One Kennedy half dollar
• One Roosevelt dime
• One Jefferson nickel
• One Lincoln penny

The set is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity.

One of a Kind Winner's Mug

You wouldn't be a winner without the winner's mug! So here it is. The image is for example only. The winner will receive a mug that says "2025 Winner."

Carbon Monoxide Detector

The Kidde Carbon Monoxide Detector, Battery Powered CO Alarm with LEDs, Test-Reset Button, Low Battery Indicator, Portable, model 9CO5LP2, is a carbon monoxide detector that uses electrochemical sensor technology to detect carbon monoxide. The CO detector is powered by 2-AA alkaline batteries located in the back of the unit, providing easy installation & no wiring, plus coverage during a power failure. The alarm is conveniently designed and portable enough for travel - simply install it on a wall or place it on a tabletop. When carbon monoxide is detected, an 85-decibel alarm will sound & a red LED will flash. A green LED indicates that the alarm is receiving power. The test-hush button allows you to test the battery operations as well as temporarily silence the low battery chirp warning. Install a smoke detector & carbon monoxide detector on every level of your home and near bedrooms to help keep your family safe from fire & poisonous gas. UL Certified with a 10-year limited manufacturer's warranty.

• Electrochemical sensor technology detects CO gas
• Easy installation, no wiring needed, detects during a power failure by operating on 2-AA batteries (included)
• Conveniently designed & portable: simple to install on a wall of your home or place on a tabletop
• Green LED indicates power to the carbon monoxide detector, while an 85-decibel alarm & a red LED indicates the presence of carbon monoxide
• Event Memory records the last time carbon monoxide was detected or when the unit was last tested
• Test-Hush button makes it easy to test the carbon monoxide detector or temporarily silence the low battery chirp warning
• UL Certified, 10-year limited manufacturer warranty

GRRiddler 2024 - EXPIRED

 GRRiddler 2024 began on December 4, 2023. Will Derek solve this one before the end of December? Will Fr. Terry make the long drive and swoop up the medallion first? Will someone new burst onto the scene? None of the above! GRRiddler 2024 went unsolved. Stay tuned for GRRiddler 2025.

Whoever finds it first will win the following prizes!

Word on Fire Collection

Word on Fire is back again as a sponsor this year, generously providing a collection of books for part of the prize package. Retail value of the collection is about $110. Find other great books at the Word on Fire store. Learn more about Word on Fire ministries at wordonfire.org

A Journey with Jonah: The Spirituality of Bewilderment

The book of the prophet Jonah is only two pages long—and Jonah’s prophesying is limited to one short sentence. And yet, around this small book, as if it were around Jonah’s own troubled ship, high waves of controversy and mystery have swirled for centuries.  In A Journey with Jonah: The Spirituality of Bewilderment, the Irish Dominican scholar Fr. Paul Murray strives to uncover the great lesson of this story of bewilderment. Featuring a 2003 lectio divina on Jonah by then-Cardinal Ratzinger—published here in English for the first time—A Journey with Jonah, like the book of Jonah itself, is a brief but compelling journey into the heart of the spiritual life.

After Humanity Bundle: A Guide to C.S. Lewis’s The Abolition of Man

After Humanity is a guide to one of C.S. Lewis’s most widely admired but least accessible works, The Abolition of Man, which originated as a series of lectures on ethics that he delivered during the Second World War. These lectures tackle the thorny question of whether moral value is objective or not. When we say something is right or wrong, are we recognizing a reality outside ourselves, or merely reporting a subjective sentiment? Lewis addresses the matter from a purely philosophical standpoint, leaving theological matters to one side. He makes a powerful case against subjectivism, issuing an intellectual warning that, in our “post-truth” twenty-first century, has even more relevance than when he originally presented it.

Lewis characterized The Abolition of Man as “almost my favourite among my books,” and his biographer Walter Hooper has called it “an all but indispensable introduction to the entire corpus of Lewisiana.” In After Humanity, Michael Ward sheds much-needed light on this important but difficult work, explaining both its general academic context and the particular circumstances in Lewis’s life that helped give rise to it, including his front-line service in the trenches of the First World War.

After Humanity contains a detailed commentary clarifying the many allusions and quotations scattered throughout Lewis’s argument. It shows how this resolutely philosophical thesis fits in with his other, more explicitly Christian works. It also includes a full-color photo gallery, displaying images of people, places, and documents that relate to The Abolition of Man, among them Lewis’s original “blurb” for the book, which has never before been published.

Confessions by St. Augustine

Dig into the rich tradition of Catholic literature with these significant and influential books recommended by Bishop Barron. These titles have transformed cultures and have proven indispensable to those seeking to encounter God, as revealed in Jesus Christ through His Church. The books are each elegantly bound and include a ribbon bookmark and a foreword and charcoal sketch of the book's author by Bishop Barron! You will not only enrich your life with these works, you'll be proud to display these gorgeous editions in your home or office. Translated by F.J. Sheed. "Prior to Augustine, no author had ever turned his speculative gaze so intently upon his own life and interiority. Hence, without the 'Confessions', there would have been no Shakespearean soliloquies (in fact, Augustine coined the term ‘soliloquia’); Joyce could never have written ‘Ulysses’ or ‘A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man’; Freud and Jung could never have developed psychoanalysis." - Bishop Barron

David the King Film

Includes:

2-Disc DVD (135 min total)

English and Spanish audio/subtitle options

David is the paradigmatic king in the Old Testament. His kingship recalls that of Adam in the Garden of Eden, and yet it points toward the King par excellence, Jesus Christ. In David the King, Bishop Barron helps us to understand this pivotal figure in light of the first king and the King of kings.  Adam was the first king and steward of the rightly ordered Garden of Eden. He was called to govern the garden according to God’s mind and purpose, but by allowing negative influences to wreak havoc on Eden, he did not fulfill his kingly responsibility. Long after Adam, David emerged as the definitive king who would restore order in the Garden and bring the world under the lordship of God. But like Adam, David fell, and his reign ushered in a succession of compromised kings and rejected prophets. 

The New Testament, however, foretold a son of David who would realize the fullness of Israelite kingship...but whose actual reign defied expectation. 

King David causes us to look back toward Adam’s kingship and forward toward Christ the King, seeing Christ as the fulfillment of the Davidic line and the realization of the Kingdom of God on earth.

DISC ONE:

1) The Law of the Gift - 22:53 

2) Your Servant is Listening - 21:20

3) Warrior of God - 24:06

DISC TWO:

1) Gathered in Jerusalem - 20:35

2) The House of David - 20:50

3) Absalom, My Son! - 25:27

 2023 US Mint Silver Proof Set

The 2023 United States Mint Silver Proof Set features 10 proof coins encased in two clear plastic lenses in a beautifully designed package you’ll be proud to display. The half dollar, quarters, and dime are struck in 99% fine silver.

All five 2023 American Women Quarters™ are packaged in a single protective lens to showcase and maintain their exceptional proof finish.

The American Women Quarters Program is a four-year series celebrating the accomplishments and contributions made by women who have shaped our Nation’s history and helped pave the way for generations who followed. Begun in 2022, and continuing through 2025, the Mint is issuing five new quarters each year featuring reverse (tails) designs honoring a group of prominent American women.

The reverse (tails) designs of the quarters honor diverse group of American women who made significant contributions in a variety of fields, including: suffrage, civil rights, abolition, government, humanities, science, space, and the arts. The women honored are from ethnically, racially, and geographically diverse backgrounds.

Each coin in this series features a common obverse (heads) design depicting a portrait of George Washington. This design was originally composed and sculpted by Laura Gardin Fraser as a candidate entry for the 1932 quarter, which honored the bicentennial of George Washington’s birth. The inscriptions are “LIBERTY,” “IN GOD WE TRUST,” and “2023.”

The 2023 reverse designs honor:

Bessie Coleman
Depicts Bessie Coleman as she suits up in preparation for flight, her expression reflective of her determination to take to the skies, the only place she experienced a freedom she did not have on the ground. Inscriptions are “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “QUARTER DOLLAR,” “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” “BESSIE COLEMAN,” and “6.15.1921,” the date Coleman received her pilot’s license.

Edith Kanakaʻole
A portrait of Edith Kanakaʻole, with her hair and lei poʻo (head lei) morphing into the elements of a Hawaiian landscape, symbolizing Kanakaʻole’s life’s work of preserving the natural land and traditional Hawaiian culture. The inscription “E hō mai ka ʻike” translates as “granting the wisdom” and is a reference to the intertwined role hula and chants play in this preservation. Additional inscriptions are “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” “25¢,” and “EDITH KANAKAʻOLE.”

Eleanor Roosevelt
A portrait of Eleanor Roosevelt and the scales of justice against a backdrop representing the globe, symbolic of her impactful work with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Inscriptions are “UNITED STATES of AMERICA,” “QUARTER DOLLAR,” “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” “ELEANOR ROOSEVELT,” and “UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS.”

Jovita Idar
Depicts Jovita Idar with her hands clasped. Within her body are inscriptions representing some of her greatest accomplishments and the newspapers for which she wrote. The text includes the inscriptions “MEXICAN AMERICAN RIGHTS,” “TEACHER,” “JOVITA IDAR,” “NURSE,” “EVOLUCIÓN,” “ASTREA,” “EL HERALDO CRISTIANO,” “LA CRUZ BLANCA,” “JOURNALIST,” “LA CRÓNICA,” “EL PROGRESO,” and “LA LIGA FEMENIL MEXICANISTA,” as well as “QUARTER DOLLAR,” “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” and “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.”

Maria Tallchief
Depicts Maria Tallchief spot lit in balletic pose, and her Osage name, which translates to “Two Standards,” written in Osage orthography. Additional inscriptions are “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “E PLURIBUS UNUM,” “QUARTER DOLLAR,” and “MARIA TALLCHIEF.

The other lens includes:

• One Native American $1 Coin – The obverse retains the central figure of Sacagawea carrying her infant son, Jean-Baptiste. Inscriptions are “LIBERTY” and “IN GOD WE TRUST.” The reverse design features Maria Tallchief in balletic pose. In addition to Tallchief, four other American Indian ballerinas from Oklahoma achieved international recognition in the 20th century, including her younger sister Marjorie Tallchief, Yvonne Chouteau, Rosella Hightower, and Moscelyne Larkin. Celebrated as the “Five Moons,” their legacy of achievement and inclusion continues to influence ballet today. A nod to the Five Moons is presented in the lunar motif, while the four ballerinas in the background are symbolic of both Tallchief’s American Indian ballerina contemporaries and the generations of dancers they inspired. Inscriptions are “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “MARIA TALLCHIEF,” “$1,” and “AMERICAN INDIANS IN BALLET.”
• One Kennedy half dollar
• One Roosevelt dime
• One Jefferson nickel
• One Lincoln penny

The set is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity.

One of a Kind Winner's Mug

You wouldn't be a winner without the winner's mug! So here it is. 

Carbon Monoxide Detector

The Kidde Carbon Monoxide Detector, Battery Powered CO Alarm with LEDs, Test-Reset Button, Low Battery Indicator, Portable, model 9CO5LP2, is a carbon monoxide detector that uses electrochemical sensor technology to detect carbon monoxide. The CO detector is powered by 2-AA alkaline batteries located in the back of the unit, providing easy installation & no wiring, plus coverage during a power failure. The alarm is conveniently designed and portable enough for travel - simply install it on a wall or place it on a tabletop. When carbon monoxide is detected, an 85-decibel alarm will sound & a red LED will flash. A green LED indicates that the alarm is receiving power. The test-hush button allows you to test the battery operations as well as temporarily silence the low battery chirp warning. Install a smoke detector & carbon monoxide detector on every level of your home and near bedrooms to help keep your family safe from fire & poisonous gas. UL Certified with a 10-year limited manufacturer's warranty.

• Electrochemical sensor technology detects CO gas
• Easy installation, no wiring needed, detects during a power failure by operating on 2-AA batteries (included)
• Conveniently designed & portable: simple to install on a wall of your home or place on a tabletop
• Green LED indicates power to the carbon monoxide detector, while an 85-decibel alarm & a red LED indicates the presence of carbon monoxide
• Event Memory records the last time carbon monoxide was detected or when the unit was last tested
• Test-Hush button makes it easy to test the carbon monoxide detector or temporarily silence the low battery chirp warning
• UL Certified, 10-year limited manufacturer warranty

GRRiddler 2023+ - SOLVED

GRRiddler 2023+ was solved on May 8, 2023!

Check out the riddle and the monthly clues on YouTube:

The Golden Apple Tale 40th Anniversary Tribute Hunt

 Coming in 2022...
After the apples have been harvested!

The Golden Apple Tale was published in 1982 by “Cam Kaskgn” via “Fantasy Press”.  The book is out of print, but you can find a black & white PDF copy here: http://kspot.org/trove/tgat.pdf

Many of the clues have been solved and are public knowledge. However, no final solution has ever been confirmed. Here's my own attempt at solving this decades old riddle. This could be one of those treasure hunts that gets lost to history at some point. But not quite yet.

Now, 40 years later, it's time to catch up with the Donlegs and MacIntoshes. Find out how the next generation has fared and discover a new twist in the ancestral stories. New riddles, new pictures and a new prize all within the same familiar setting. Who knows? Maybe in our attempts to solve the tribute hunt, some new light may be shed on the old hunt. 

Be sure to join the Facebook group to stay up to date. 

How you can help fund the next prize without giving me money!

My kids and I are currently working on a new armchair treasure hunt called Treasure In A Field. It will be a Minecraft* novel filled with adventure and intrigue. The main character, EpIcOnE7, embarks on a treasure hunt and needs to solve various puzzles in order to cobble together a 20-digit code that will unlock the chest with the treasure. The reader will join "Epic" in his quest by solving those very same puzzles to create the 20-digit code needed to claim the real-life prize. We're aiming to have this new hunt published in the Fall of 2022. 

There are a couple of different ways you can help fund the prize without giving me money.

Shop on Amazon*

If you shop on Amazon, visit them through this link. Simply by clicking on this link, I become a "referrer" and earn a commission from whatever you purchase. It's the same Amazon, same prices, same value. Amazon simply pays me a small amount because I directed you to their site*.

Loyalty/Rewards Programs

By signing up to these programs using the referral links below, I receive commission on your earnings (without reducing what you earn). While you earn your own gift cards, you'll help to build the value of the Read and Seek prizes if you sign up using the referral links below.

• Swagbucks* - My favorite. Earn SB by doing everything you normally do online: shop your favorite stores, search the web, answer surveys, watch videos, play games. They also have a number of mobile apps that can be used to earn SB as well. Sign up with the referral link and the Read and Seek will earn 10% of what you earn. In my opinion, this is the best opportunity to earn your own gift cards while helping the prizes grow.

• MyPoints.com* - Now owned by Swagbucks and pretty similar, including the 10% commission. I don't spend much time with this one, but still manage to cash out a bit every month or so. Mainly I click on emails and complete the daily goal.

*Minecraft, Mojang, Amazon, Swagbucks, MyPoints and Perk are not sponsors of my hunts, nor are they in any way affiliated with my hunts.

GRRiddler + 2022 - EXPIRED

GRRiddler + 2022 expired on October 31, 2022. No one found the medallion, so I win! But don't worry, the prizes will be rolled over to the next Grand Rapids Riddler treasure hunt which starts on Tuesday, November 8. The solution to GRRiddler + 2022 can be found in the description of the video on YouTube.

For GRRiddler 2022, Derek went and found the medallion in December 2021. So the 2022 hunt was solved before the year even started! Where's the fun in that? 

So, new tradition. Everybody's got a "plus" these days. Now the Grand Rapids Riddler has one too. If a hunt is solved before January 1, that triggers a spring hunt called GRRiddler +. 

The hunt is over! Here's the riddle:

Like all the other Grand Rapids Riddler hunts, the main prizes will be some sort of silver  and a carbon monoxide detector. I've been giving away current year U.S. Mint silver proof sets in previous hunts. 

1963 US Mint Proof Set

For this inaugural GRRiddler + hunt, I'm giving away another proof set, but this one is from 1963. For decades now, the United States Mint has issued proof sets for collectors on an annual basis. Proof Sets typically feature one of each denomination from the release of circulation coins, but with each coin struck in brilliant proof. In addition to offering beautiful visuals, sets such as the 1963 Proof Set also have silver content in some of the coins. 

Coin Set Highlights:

• Coins arrive in sealed plastic pouches with a US Mint envelope and Certificate of Authenticity!
• Includes five 1963 coins from the US Mint!
• Last year for the Franklin Half Dollar!
• Total issue of 3,075,645 proof sets in 1963!
• Contains .6148 Troy oz of actual silver content.
• Bears individual face values in US dollars.
• Obverse and reverse designs vary by denomination.
• Proof specimens.

The set comes with the original packaging from the United States Mint and includes a Certificate of Authenticity. Early proof sets such as these were often referred to as Proof Envelope Sets as the US Mint shipped the sets to collectors in manila envelopes to help delay the onset of tarnishing and discoloration on the coins. The coins are sealed in individual pouches in a clear sheet and packaged inside the US Mint envelope. 

Included in this set are five different proof coins. These coins all have frosted designs with mirror-like background fields. Three of the five coins have 90% silver content for a total of .6148 Troy oz of silver in the set. The silver coins in this set are the 1963 Dime, 1963 Quarter, and the 1963 Half Dollar.

This set comes with a US Penny, US Nickel, US Dime, US Quarter, and the US Half Dollar. Each coin has its own design elements, with Presidents Lincoln, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Washington on the penny, nickel, dime, and quarter respectively.

The highlight coin in the 1963 US Mint Proof Set is the 1963 Franklin Half Dollar. The Franklin Half Dollar design replaced the Walking Liberty Half dollar in 1948 and was struck until 1963. The next year, it was replaced by the Kennedy Half Dollar design. On the obverse side, you will find a right-profile portrait of Benjamin Franklin. The reverse face of the Kennedy Half Dollar comes with a Liberty Bell at the center of the design and a small heraldic eagle to the right side of the bell.

Steel Pennies

In addition to the 1963 Proof Set, the winner will also get a set of 10 steel pennies from 1943. The pennies were struck in steel due to wartime shortages of copper. The Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco mints each produced these 1943 Lincoln cents. The unique composition of the coin (low-grade steel coated with zinc, instead of the previously 95%-copper-based bronze composition) has led to various nicknames, such as wartime cent, steel war penny, zinc cent and steelie. The 1943 steel cent features the same Victor David Brenner design for the Lincoln cent which had been in use since 1909.

Due to wartime needs of copper for use in ammunition and other military equipment during World War II, the United States Mint researched various ways to limit dependence and meet conservation goals on copper usage. After trying out several substitutes (ranging from other metals to plastics) to replace the then-standard bronze alloy, the one-cent coin was minted in zinc-coated steel. This alloy caused the new coins to be magnetic and 13% lighter. They were struck at all three mints: Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco. As with the bronze cents, coins from the latter two sites have respectively "D" and "S" mintmarks below the date.

However, problems began to arise from the mintage. Freshly minted, they were often mistaken for dimes. Magnets in vending machines (which took copper cents) placed to pick up steel slugs also picked up the legitimate steel cents. Because the galvanization process did not cover the edges of the coins, sweat would quickly rust the metal. After public outcry, the Mint developed a process whereby salvaged brass shell casings were augmented with pure copper to produce an alloy close to the 1941–42 composition. This was used for 1944–46-dated cents, after which the prewar composition was resumed. Although they continued to circulate into the 1960s, the mint collected large numbers of the 1943 cents and destroyed them.

The steel cent is the only regular-issue United States coin that can be picked up with a magnet. The steel cent was also the only coin issued by the United States for circulation that does not contain any copper. (Even U.S. gold coins at various times contained from slightly over 2% copper to an eventual standard 10% copper to increase resistance to wear by making the pure gold coins slightly harder).

One of a Kind Winner's Mug

You wouldn't be a winner without the winner's mug! So here it is. Same style and design as the winner's mug for GRRiddler 2022, but your get a "+" added to it. 

52 Little Lessons from It's a Wonderful Life

The winner of GRRiddler + 2022 will also get the book “52 Little Lessons from It’s a Wonderful Life.” It’s a tie in to the previous hunt, which had tie ins to the hunt before that. 

 

If George and Mary Bailey are annual guests at your home every winter, you already know that It's a Wonderful Life is more than just a holiday tradition--it's a powerful reminder that our lives can change everyone around us, for better or worse. But what can this Christmas classic teach us about our everyday lives?

52 Little Lessons from It's a Wonderful Life will change the way you think about this holiday staple, from the lightheartedness of George and Mary's floor-parting dance to the poignancy of a community that rallies to save a desperate man, Bob Welch's 52 Little Lessons from It's a Wonderful Life will inspire you to live for the things that matter most.

Welch invites us to revisit the defining lessons in Frank Capra's 1946 classic and discover new dimensions of the film you've seen time and again, including:

What can we all learn from Mary's quiet contentedness?

Can George's selflessness make you rethink your own priorities?

What impact do we have on the people around us?

Join Welch for a close-up of the characters and themes that shape this timeless story of resilience and redemption. You'll be reminded that life's most important work is often the work we never planned to do, that God can use the most unlikely among us to get the job done, and that grace is the greatest gift we can possibly give.

Discover why It's a Wonderful Life is more than just a holiday tradition--it's an inspiration for us to lead better lives, to become people of honor and integrity, and to recognize what really matters.

GRRiddler 2022 - SOLVED

 On December 19, 2021, Derek H. solved GRRiddler 2022! He realized the holiday movie poll on Facebook was actually the second part of December’s clue. The poll was important as was the pole at the location. Derek worked super hard on this hunt from day one and impressed me with his clue-solving skills! Here's the solution:

Congratulations Derek!

On November 2, 2021, at 8:00pm Eastern time, the riddle was released on YouTube.

The Treasure

Similar to The Wyoming Riddler’s prizes, the treasure will include a coveted winner’s mug and "a treasure of silver and other items beyond description." The treasure will also include a carbon monoxide detector as a means to continue Joe's desire to educate people about the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning.

The highly coveted winner's mug!

The Silver

The original Wyoming Riddler, Joe Cramer, gave prizes of silver. In my first hunt, I continued that tradition and will continue to do so. This year's silver is a U.S. Mint 2021 Silver Proof Coin Set.

The 2021 United States Mint Silver Proof Set contains 7 proof coins, each bearing the “S” mint mark of the United States Mint at San Francisco. The set is accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity.

The 2021 United States Mint Silver Proof Set features 7 proof coins encased in two clear plastic lenses in a beautifully designed package you’ll be proud to display. The quarters, dime, and half dollar are struck in 99.9 percent silver. The 2021 Silver Proof Set is a great addition to any collection.

The 2021 United States Mint Silver Proof Set includes the following coins:

The final quarter in the America the Beautiful Quarters® Program series honoring the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site in Alabama. The reverse design depicts a Tuskegee Airman pilot suiting up to join the fight during World War II with the Moton Field control tower in the background. The pilot looks upward with pride and confidence as two P- 51 Mustangs pass overhead. The inscription “THEY FOUGHT TWO WARS” is arced across the top as a reference to the dual battles the Tuskegee Airmen fought – fascism abroad and racial discrimination at home. Inscriptions are “TUSKEGEE AIRMEN,” “ALABAMA,” “2021,” and “E PLURIBUS UNUM.”

One General George Washington Crossing the Delaware Quarter featuring an obverse (heads) design that marks a return to the familiar depiction of George Washington by John Flanagan as it appeared on the quarter from 1932 to 1998. The image was modified for the 50 State Quarters, the DC and U.S. Territories Quarters, and the America the Beautiful Quarters Programs. In this revived depiction, Washington’s portrait is larger and with higher relief. Inscriptions are “LIBERTY,” “IN GOD WE TRUST,” and “2021.” The reverse (tails) design features General George Washington commanding his troops through the overnight crossing of the ice-choked Delaware River prior to the Battle of Trenton during the American Revolutionary War. Inscriptions are "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA," "E PLURIBUS UNUM," "CROSSING THE DELAWARE," and "QUARTER DOLLAR.”

One Native American $1 Coin with the latest reverse (tails) design in the series. The 2021 design honors Native American military service. This reverse design features two eagle feathers, which were traditionally earned in battle or by performing a brave deed. Eagle feathers are revered, receiving the utmost care and handling, and are to be displayed proudly in homes. Stars representing five branches of the U.S. Military are in the foreground. A circle, a symbol with deep meaning to Native Americans, connects all the elements. Inscriptions include “NATIVE AMERICANS – DISTINGUISHED MILITARY SERVICE SINCE 1775,” “$1,” and “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.”

• One silver Kennedy half dollar
• One silver Roosevelt dime
• One Jefferson nickel
• One Lincoln penny
• Silver content – 0. 984 oz. (27.90 g)

The Set is accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity.

The 2021 United States Mint Silver Proof Set is a must-have for any collection. This unique and intriguing set makes a great gift for all ages and occasions—one sure to make anyone smile.

More Silver (Kind of)

Rose Marie (August 15, 1923 – December 28, 2017) was an American actress, singer, comedian, and vaudeville performer with a career that ultimately spanned nine decades - and included film, radio, records, theater, night clubs and television. As a child performer during the years just after the silent film era, she had a successful singing career under the stage name Baby Rose Marie. As an adult, she became one of the first major stars to be known simply by her given names.

Rose Marie was widely known for her role on the CBS situation comedy The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961–1966), as television comedy writer Sally Rogers, "who went toe-to-toe in a man’s world". Later she portrayed Myrna Gibbons on The Doris Day Show and was a 14-year panelist on The Hollywood Squares.

I was able to obtain a collection of Rose Marie's silverware from her daughter (who also included a certificate of authenticity). 

Markings: Insignia Plate E.P.N.S.	A1
ONEIDA LTD.	No other markings
ONEIDA LTD.	Silversmiths
ONEIDA LTD.	WM A. ROGERS A1 PLUS
ONEIDA LTD.	Silversmiths
COMMUNITY	No other markings
ONEIDA LTD.	WM A. ROGERS A1 PLUS
ONEIDA LTD.	WM A. ROGERS A1 PLUS
ONEIDA LTD.	WM A. ROGERS A1 PLUS
VICTOR S. CO.	A1+ OVERLAY I S
HOTEL D'ANGLETERRE	DFA
INTERNATIONAL S. CO. XII
REED & BARTON

Other Prizes

Joe Cramer's journey on the road to recovery from carbon monoxide poisoning was the genesis of The Wyoming Riddler. Throughout his career as the Riddler, he tried to raise awareness of the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning. With The Grand Rapids Riddler, I intend to keep the Riddler's journey going. The winner of GRRiddler 2022 will receive a Carbon Monoxide detector.

• CO detector that alerts with a warning signal against dangerous levels of carbon monoxide in your home
• Easy & quick installation - plugs directly into your home's standard wall outlet, 85 decibel alarm alerts of fire
• Protects during a power failure - 2-AA batteries, included with pack, provide backup service in the event of a power outage
• Whole home family protection - place 1 carbon monoxide detector on each level of your home & in your bedroom to protect from poisonous gases
• UL Certified, 10-year limited warranty

Word on Fire is back again this year! They've generously donated the following books with a total retail value of roughly $125. Bishop Barron and the Word on Fire team are at the forefront of the new media, reaching out to explain the rich history of the faith in a way that's easy to understand, yet not dumbed down.

The Wisdom of the Word: Biblical Answers to Ten Pressing Questions About Catholicism

Why believe God exists, or believe Jesus is God? Why listen to the Catholic Church? Why is the Church so strict about sex? Questions like these have propelled a crisis of disaffiliation and disbelief among Catholics in recent decades. Half of millennial Catholics have turned their backs on the Church, and at many churches, only a minority of parishioners believe in all of its teachings about faith and morality.

Building on the call of the Second Vatican Council for a greater appreciation of Scripture, The Wisdom of the Word invites Catholics who are thinking about leaving the Church, or who are confused about elements of Catholic faith and practice, to pause and give the Bible a chance to illuminate their way. From the infighting among the Catholic faithful to the sins of Catholic leaders, and from Christ’s sacrifice on the cross to the Church’s emphasis on caring for the poor, theologians Michael Dauphinais and Matthew Levering explore common challenges to the faith in light of the timeless insights of the Word.

Brilliant! 25 Catholic Scientists, Mathematicians, and Supersmart People

Think faith and science don’t go together? Think again! 

It’s important to teach children at a young age that faith and science are complementary! Too many people today—adults and children—think that faith and science don’t go together. In fact, many people who leave the Catholic Church report that they don’t believe faith is compatible with science. Sadly, one study found that the median age of people who leave the Church is surprisingly young—thirteen.  

In an effort to help children learn about the relationship between faith and science, the Daughters of Saint Paul, a premier publisher of Catholic children’s books for over seventy years through Pauline Books & Media, have partnered with the Word on Fire Institute to present an exciting new book for children: Brilliant! 25 Catholic Scientists, Mathematicians, and Supersmart People. The book introduces children to many of the Catholics who have been behind groundbreaking discoveries in science and math for centuries. Children will embark on an adventure through history where they’ll meet faith-filled pioneers in every field from anatomy to astrophysics. They’ll walk in the footsteps of these supersmart Catholics who changed the world and learn how brilliant they can be when they unite faith and science! 

Exploring Catholic Theology: Essays on God, Liturgy and Evangelization

Bishop Robert Barron is one of the Catholic Church's premier theologians and author of the influential The Priority of Christ. In this volume, Bishop Barron sets forth a thoroughgoing vision for an evangelical catholic theology that is steeped in the tradition and engaged with the contemporary world. Striking a balance between academic rigor and accessibility, the book covers issues of perennial interest in the twenty-first-century church: who God is, how to rightly worship him, and how his followers engage contemporary culture. Topics include the doctrine of God, Catholic theology, philosophy, liturgy, and evangelizing the culture. This work will be of special interest to readers concerned about the so-called "new atheism."

Renewing Our Hope: Essays for the New Evangelization

In a time of discouragement, how can the Church renew itself and its outreach to all people? Bishop Robert Barron, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, insists that a “dumbed down” Catholicism cannot succeed in today’s highly educated society—instead, the Church needs to draw upon its great theological heritage in order to renew its hope in Christ.

With Renewing Our Hope: Essays for the New Evangelization, Bishop Barron traces this renewal through four stages. “Renewing Our Mission” lays out the challenges that call for Catholics to become more aware of their own intellectual resources in encountering the “Nones.” “Renewing Our Minds” showcases the importance of theological reflection as a font of wisdom and sanity in the Church, touching on Thomas Aquinas, Hans Urs von Balthasar, the recently canonized John Henry Newman, and Pope Francis. In “Renewing the Church,” he proceeds to look at how Scripture, the family, the seminary, and Catholic college graduates can each contribute to this renewal. Finally, in “Renewing Our Culture,” Barron returns to the judgments Catholics must make in assessing contemporary culture, specifically, family life, liberalism, relativism, and (surprisingly) the beauty of cinema.

Bishop Barron, known as the host of the Catholicism PBS video series, was previously rector and professor of systematic theology at Mundelein Seminary outside Chicago, Illinois. He demonstrates again in Renewing Our Hope his ability to make the fruits of his wide reading accessible to a broad audience, while still giving his academic colleagues much to consider.

Vibrant Paradoxes: The Both/And of Catholicism

G.K. Chesterton once said that Catholicism keeps its beliefs "side by side like two strong colors, red and white...It has always had a healthy hatred of pink."

Catholicism is both/and, not either/or. It celebrates the union of contraries--grace and nature, faith and reason, Scripture and tradition, body and soul--in a way that the full energy of each opposing element remains in place.

In Vibrant Paradoxes, bestselling author Bishop Robert Barron brings together themes and motifs that many would consider mutually exclusive or, at best, awkward in their juxtaposition. But seen through the Incarnation, these opposites crash together and reflect new light in every direction requiring a new vision. This book will train you to see.

Give them a follow!

Facebook (Word on Fire)
Facebook (Bishop Barron)
YouTube
Instagram
Twitter

To be honest, I'm regifting this. Don't tell my mom. I'm not a big fan of Alexa, Siri or any other device that's intended to allow big tech to spy on me. I never took it out of the box. Now it could be yours!

• Echo Dot is a voice-controlled speaker that uses Alexa to play music, control smart home devices, make calls, answer questions, set timers and alarms, and more.
• Play music from Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify, Pandora, SiriusXM, TuneIn, and iHeartRadio.
• Call or message family and friends hands-free, or drop in from the Alexa App to your Echo device.
• Controls lights, locks, thermostats, and more with compatible connected devices.
• Use the built-in speaker, or for bigger sound, connect to speakers through Bluetooth or audio cable.
• 50,000+ skills, including Jeopardy!, Lyft, Audible, and Domino's. Always getting smarter and adding new features.
• Hears you from across the room with 7 far-field microphones for hands-free control, even in noisy environments or while playing music.

The Rules

(Borrowed extensively from The Wyoming Riddler)

You must find the medallion and personally bring it to me. Once you find it, email me with details about where you found it and we will arrange a time and place to meet. At that time, you may redeem the medallion for the prize. The medallion and prize exchange must be done in person. I will not accept photographs, mailed or anonymous claims. 

Some of The Wyoming Riddler's
medallions. Mine will be similar.

The medallion is accessible 24 hours a day without trespassing. It is not on private property. It is not completely buried. You may have to move grass, snow or leaves to see it. It is no higher than three feet above ground. It is not located within 100 feet of a school, public building, mall or post office. 

The riddle tells you the location. It can be found by using a map of the greater Grand Rapids, Michigan area. You must figure out how. I will not deceive you.

Additional clues will be issued on the first Tuesday of every month until solved or until midnight on the last day of February. If the riddle is not solved by midnight on the last day of February, the game will end and the treasure will be added to the following year. You may email to ask questions. However, I will not answer questions that result in an advantage to you. By emailing questions, you are giving me permission to post them publicly (without your name included) if I choose to do so.

My home or place of employment have no bearing on the medallion’s location. I have told no one of its location. Everyone is eligible to participate including past winners and their relatives.

You are looking for an oval metal medallion about the size of a large index card. It has identifiable markings beyond those pictured, so attempting to counterfeit a medallion will be of no use. I may have used zip ties to secure it to a location. I'd recommend taking along scissors, a jackknife, box cutter or some other tool that would be able to cut through zip ties. 

There is no cost to you. It is free for the enjoyment. This is a game and it’s just for fun. In the spirit of Joe Cramer (The Wyoming Riddler) I do ask you to remember the dangers related to chronic carbon monoxide poisoning.

Additional Stuff

In consideration of participating in this treasure hunt or any Read and Seek treasure hunt, and for other good and valuable consideration, you agree to release and discharge from liability Martin Smith and all other persons or entities acting for him (hereinafter collectively referred to as "Releasees") as follows:

1. You acknowledge that treasure hunting involves known and unanticipated risks which could result in physical or emotional injury and property damage. 

2. You expressly accept and assume all of the risks inherent in this activity. Your participation in this activity is purely voluntary and you elect to participate despite the risks. In addition, if at any time you believe that search conditions are unsafe or that you are unable to participate due to physical or medical conditions, then you will immediately discontinue participation.  

3. You hereby voluntarily release, forever discharge, and agree to indemnify and hold harmless Releasees from any and all claims, demands, or causes of action which are in any way connected with your participation in this treasure hunt.