THE Saltywhich in recent years has organized large and impressive events, revives the “Treasure Hunt” (in Greece it started as a radio game, became an institution at the Patras carnival and saw days of glory, even as a tabletop game) bringing exciting technological elements to the classic form.

The “Carnaral” of Alimos, on the last Sunday of Shrove Tuesday (March 17, 2024) will be the first in Greece to be performed with QR codes (QR=quick response code) hidden throughout the city. Drivers only need their mobile phone and an internet connection to decipher all the puzzles and find not only all the objects that will be asked of them, but even the place of the… finish, where ten crews will record their successes and they will announce the winner.

The “Carnaralli” will begin in the morning, when all participating cars, suitably and impressively masked, will parade in front of thousands of spectators, along with floats and dancers. At the end of the parade, the QR hunt will begin and every time the driver finds one, he will turn the mobile phone and the code will connect him to… the mayor of Alimos, Andreas Kondylis, who will give him the relevant instruction.

As the mayor emphasizes: “This is an unprecedented adventure for cars and drivers as well as their families/crews where everyone will take on an important role on the road to victory. The items requested will be truly…outrageous, as will the spirit of “masquerade” and, of course, all the riddles will be…masked. The Carnival of Alimos will be a brilliant test of intelligence, preparedness and observation and the prizes of corresponding originality.”

Drivers who want information and entry details can email [email protected] or… photograph this code here.

THE Nikos Mastorakis, “father” of the classic media “Hunt” who had the original idea and also designed the new game, says about it: “To the axiom of never changing a successful recipe, we, without changing, add. The first Athenians who ran in my radio “hunts” (hundreds of entries in each) took the instructions from their portable transistor. This year, for the first time, the “hunters” will get the directions by photographing the cunningly hidden code, connect with the mayor and get information about the item to bring, but also solve a simple riddle about where to find the next code. Because puzzles and items are in the same progression chain, if a “hunter” misses a code, they cannot continue the game. Such trials, however, are great fun and will make Shrove Sunday different from any other year.”