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  1. Southern Living
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  3. Scavenger Hunt Play-By-Play

Scavenger Hunt Play-By-Play

By Rachel Hardage Barrett
June 11, 2012
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Credit: Chris M. Rogers
Check out the day's photos of Sela Ward's annual scavenger hunt, and get tips on how to plan your own game this summer!
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The Setup

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Howard, Sela's husband and hunt mastermind, announces eight teams.

  • Read More: Thrill of the Scavenger Hunt

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Getting Pumped

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Dressed in team T-shirts, guests watch a video of last year's highlights.

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The Gear

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Official walkie-talkie distribution...

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Let the Games Begin!

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Participants race to grab their first clue. Smack talk ensues.

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High Speed Chase

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Cars whip up dust, despite the 25 mph speed limit.

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Got a Clue?

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Sela takes a stab at one of her husband's mind-baffling clues.

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Getting Close

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The brown team (in war paint!) is close behind the lead.

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The Winners?

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The pink team optimistically claims victory.

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Compiling the Clues

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Not so fast! Teams must piece together clues.

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Almost There!

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Still piecing it together...

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And the Winner Is...

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Could it be...a tie? Howard controls the chaos via his megaphone.

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Scavenger Hunt Winners

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It's a tie! Decorated members of the blue and purple teams strike a pose.

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Victory Lap

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Winning teams hop on the pontoon for a victory lap set to "We Are the Champions."

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Going All In

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The losing teams jump in to playfully dampen their spirits.

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All Smiles

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Sela's daughter, Anabella (right); cousin Anne Tyler (left); and friend Anne Morgan

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Time to Chow Down

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After much-needed showers, guests enjoy bragging rights and a BBQ feast by Randy Chapman and Ed Davis.

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Nighttime Ride

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After dinner, a hayride takes guests back to the pond's beach for live music.

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Host Your Own Scavenger Hunt!

Credit: Photo: Chris M. Rogers

Howard puts down his megaphone to share his tips for pulling off a (smaller scale) hunt.

  • Establish a location. It can take place in your backyard or span an entire city. "Ideally, at least one person on each team should be familiar with the setting," he says.
  • Select teams. Nothing brings people together like a common enemy, so "feel free to form teams of semi-strangers and assorted ages," he says. Order T-shirts at customink.com.
  • Pinpoint destinations. Choose 10 or so places (fewer if you're gallivanting around a city) that will be relatively easy to identify via clues. If you're looking beyond the back-yard, assign each team a vehicle (bike, car, golf cart, you name it).
  • Create clues. Pose simple questions or get creative. "Take a photo of a location, print it out, and cut it into small pieces," says Howard. "Place the pieces in an envelope so that each team has to complete the puzzle to know where to go." Or create a playlist of songs and ask participants to identify the common thread, which will lead them to the next location.

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1 of 18 The Setup
2 of 18 Getting Pumped
3 of 18 The Gear
4 of 18 Let the Games Begin!
5 of 18 High Speed Chase
6 of 18 Got a Clue?
7 of 18 Getting Close
8 of 18 The Winners?
9 of 18 Compiling the Clues
10 of 18 Almost There!
11 of 18 And the Winner Is...
12 of 18 Scavenger Hunt Winners
13 of 18 Victory Lap
14 of 18 Going All In
15 of 18 All Smiles
16 of 18 Time to Chow Down
17 of 18 Nighttime Ride
18 of 18 Host Your Own Scavenger Hunt!

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