The Philly Treasure Hunt 2025
CONCLUDED ON 9/1/25; get your companion zine here!
This free yet elaborate adventure invited Philly-area treasure-seekers to solve unusual puzzles while exploring the public space. That’s right—clues were embedded in the very fabric of your surroundings, waiting to be discovered and deciphered! The fastest teams won exciting prizes—including a $1700 Deluxe Rivers Casino Staycation for first place. The hunt concluded with an invite-only puzzle party for every team that completed the first checkpoint.
The hunt was structured around a series of digital checkpoints—basically, password-protected web pages that you had to discover. At each one, after figuring out and entering the correct password, you recorded your team’s completion of that checkpoint, then proceeded to the next step in the treasure hunt. Prizes were awarded to the fastest teams to complete the final checkpoint!
Thank you so much to Presenting Sponsor Delaware River Waterfront Corporation for making this hunt possible!
Read about this experience in Philly Voice!
The Philly Treasure Hunt 2025 Solution Walkthrough
Interview With The 1st Place Team, Dirty Joeys
“These puzzles are extraordinary. We are very impressed with the elegant and clean solutions!”
—Team Dirty Joeys, 1st Place
Where:
Within Philadelphia city limits.
When:
June 6th, 2025 to September 1st, 2025
Difficulty:
◉◉◉◉◉ (but designed for everyone to be able to take part!)
Price:
Free! Everything needed to solve the treasure hunt was free and publicly available.
Rules:
All passwords are entirely lowercase.
To be eligible for prizes, you must register your team (1–10 players). Registration is free and may be completed at any time, including after The Philly Treasure Hunt has begun and after reaching the first checkpoint.
At least one member of each team must by 18 or older as of 6/6/2025.
Teams may use any legal means at their disposal to solve the treasure hunt. Taking any action that prevents or discourages other teams from participating will result in disqualification from this and all future Eric The Puzzler projects.
There are NO actual or representational prizes buried or hidden in the real world. (Do not dig up the waterfront!) Prizes will be awarded based on timestamped completions at the final digital checkpoint (see explanation above) and winning teams will be contacted by Eric via email.
There ARE physical locations involved in solving the treasure hunt, and they are all within Philadelphia city limits and open to the public. Trespassing, entering areas closed to the public, or tampering with physical locations involved in the hunt will result in disqualification from this and all future Eric The Puzzler projects.
Teams are responsible for dividing up any prizes they win.
By participating in The Philly Treasure Hunt, you assume all associated risks and agree not to hold Eric The Puzzler or Delaware River Waterfront Corporation responsible for any liability that results from your participation. (The Philly Treasure Hunt 2025 is not designed or intended to be risky.)
Employees of Delaware River Waterfront Corporation and their family members are not eligible for prizes.
How to participate:
Follow the clues to solve the series of puzzles that lead to the treasure. The treasure hunt is not currently active, but the components will remain in place for a while if you’re still solving just for fun.
Prizes:
Thank you to DRWC for coordinating the incredible prize packages below!
1st Place: Deluxe Rivers Casino Staycation ($1700 value)
2-night stay (for 2) at Riversuites Hotel at The Battery
2 front-row concert tickets of your choice (during 2025 Rivers Casino show schedule)
Prix fixe dinner for 6 at Sapore Italian Kitchen
6 Summerfest drink tickets
6 tickets to Independence Seaport Museum
2nd Place: Waterfront Sampler Staycation ($800 value)
1-night stay (for 2) at Penn’s Landing Hilton
$50 gift certificate to Keating's Rope and Anchor Bar + Kitchen
2 tickets to a Fringe Festival show of your choice
1-year FringeArts Membership (20% off shows over $15, 4 Fringe Bar drink tickets, and 2 guest passes)
4 Summerfest drink tickets
4 Summerfest roller skating tickets
4 Summerfest mini golf tickets
4 tickets to Independence Seaport Museum
1 free artwork from a Cherry Street Pier artist
3rd, 4th, and 5th Places: Riversuites Staycation ($600 value)
2-night stay (for 2) at Riversuites Hotel at The Battery
50% off prix fixe dinner for 2 at Sapore Italian Kitchen
6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th Places: Summerfest Cabana Party ($125 value)
1 free Summerfest cabana party rental
8 Summerfest drink tickets
4 Ferris wheel tickets
2 tickets to Independence Seaport Museum
1 free art print from Cherry Street Pier resident artist Thomcat23
Accessibility information:
Most locations involved are ADA accessible, but you know how people talk about the “last mile problem” in transportation? Unfortunately, Puzzlers with accessibility needs may encounter a “last foot problem” with this treasure hunt. There are a couple spots where this may come into play, so make sure you have someone on your team who can take care of them!
What people said about The Philly Treasure Hunt 2024:
“This was seriously so much fun. The puzzles were perfect. The most thrilled I've been in a really long time!”
—Caleb
“Thanks a bunch for doing all this! We found lots of cool places that ended up having nothing to do with the treasure, but it's been an adventure!”
—Mason
“What a fun, wholesome, exciting thing to bring to the community. Truly amazing.”
—Pana
“I wish I’d never seen this video. I can’t stop thinking about it.”
—Jillian
The Philly Treasure Hunt 2024 winning team:
