THIRD ANNUAL YABA TREASURE HUNT

ICEBREAKER

Traditionally the YABA Treasure Hunt has started at Sydney Walton Park in San Francisco. We have bagels, schmear and orange juice while we take care of registration. This year we wanted to encourage teams to mingle and cooperate with each other, at least at the start, so we used an icebreaker puzzle to force teams to work together to figure out where to go to get their clues. This icebreaker, called "Powers of Two," was written by Rick Rubenstein of the National Puzzlers League. The puzzle consisted of 32 transparencies. Each transparency contained chunks of six trivia questions. The idea was for a group of about 9 people to take their transparency, solve the first question and then look for the mate to that question. For example, if the solution to the first question were "Black" a team would look for "White" (running around yelling "Black looking for White").  When Black and White found each other, they would put their transparencies together, and they'd be able to read the entire second question.   They'd solve that, and find the matching group who had two transparencies with a match to their question #2. By this means, 32 single groups would become 16, then eight, then four, then two, then one.  The final group - of 280 people! - would lay all 32 transparencies on top of each other and read the completed message at the bottom (see #63, below) Michael Springer of Team 5 Layer Dip figured out right away that you didn't actually have to solve the questions, you just had to lay all the transparencies on top of each other, in no particular order. He tried to get people to be orderly about this, but fortunately people didn't listen, chaos ensued, and a good time was had by all. There were a total of 63 questions (32+16+8+4+2+1), as follows (click here to see the answers): 1. In classical chemistry, the smallest bit of matter that matters 2. If it follows "Christmas", it precedes Christmas 3. Clint of country hits Killin' Time and No Time to Kill 4. Deep-voiced singer Barry, popular on dates 5. 1992-1993 heavyweight champ nicknamed "Big Daddy" 6. 1972 Economics Nobelist of voting paradox fame 7. The dirty rotten scoundrel who educated Rita? 8. Traditional companion of ready and willing 9. One who fishes, votes, or works in bronze 10. Creators of Tootsie and Lavender Mist: No. 1 11. Actress of The Partridge Family and L.A. Law 12. Singer departing on 12:00 loco to Atlanta, perhaps? 13. Recent House Judiciary Committe chairman 14. Follower of Indian religion founded by Nanak 15. She was as good as it got at the 1997 Oscars 16. He won a bushel of praise for To Kill A Mockingbird 17. "An Essay Concerning Human Understanding" author John 18. Poet who witnessed the bombardment of Fort McHenry 19. Assasinated San Francisco gay rights activist 20. Small files placed on your hard drive by a website 21. The Quaker the Quaker State is named for 22. Puff the Magic Dragon's playmate 23. He shares a name with fellow comedy Amigo Steve 24. Singer of 1991 hit "Girlfriend" 25. Band behind "Come Sail Away" and "Mr. Roboto" 26. I know, it's only rock and roll - but they like it 27. Polar explorer Richard and hoopster Larry 28. Golden Girl Arthur and Sheriff Andy's aunt 29. Actor who has become more famous by degrees? 30. They get dressed up for hide-and-seek during Easter? 31. Multiplied, in the manner of rabbits 32. One who interrupts, or an angry goat? 33. A long-distance photocopy of sorts 34. Charts, graphs, or excercises for a skater 35. Songstress Liz of "Jealousy" and "Whip-Smart" 36. Follower of Red, Harvard, or T 37. What the Cheshire cat leaves when it leaves 38. Middle name of "How many Ways" poet Elizabeth 39. Rodgers's collaborator (no, the other one) 40. A flatfish, or what's flat on a flat foot 41. The first name of the first name in girlie mag empires 42. In country songs, you're required to do it after breaking down 43. 70's band known more for makeup than for talent 44. Guy with a bow, an apple, and an overture 45. Boy, to his great-grandmother's only child's only child 46. He played with Daltrey, Townshend, and Entwistle 47. Donald, Darkwing, or Disco 48. "Blueberry Hill," if performed by, say, the Cranberries 49. The Brady located in row two, column one 50. A man of affairs (Student Affairs, anyway) 51. Pod-dwellers found podless on your plate 52. Things you don't want to miss if you're on stage 53. You might do it to get apples on October 31st 54. It could come from the sun, or from the ocean 55. Stewart, Steiger, or Serling 56. 32, 3.2, or 3/2, but not 3+2i 57. Portrayer of cross-dressing corporal on M*A*S*H* 58. Word to follow nautical shout of "Anchors" 59. A song that makes it onto Casey's list 60. Something good to get in gin rummy or baseball 61. An item you're warned against resting on 62. Joe or Frank of youth sleuth fame 63. Click here for solution(s).