Latest ATH News

  • 26 Apr 2020: When is the prizegiving?
  • 04 Mar 2020: Scores and prizes announced.
  • 16 Jan 2020: Solution released. :
  • 20 Dec 2019: The hunt has been released.
  • 18 Nov 2019: A poster for the 2019 hunt can be found here, with a postscript on this site.
  • 05 Jul 2019: Future ATH setters are confirmed as Apopheniacs Anonymous (2020) & James Medhurst (2021). Volunteers for 2022 and beyond are invited to apply here.
Pablo's Armchair Treasure Hunt

Pablo’s Armchair Treasure Hunt

This is an archived copy of Pablo’s Armchair Treasure Hunt home page at the end of ATH2019. Links to ATH2019 information are operational, Home and Pablo's ATH logo link return to the 2019 Archive page and all other links simply reload this page.

Welcome to Pablo’s Armchair Treasure Hunt! This annual hunt has been running for over 30 years. Just before Christmas, a setting team buries or hides a small box somewhere in England, and posts on this website a set of elaborate puzzles and clues that reveal the hiding place. The challenge is to be the first to unearth the box, which usually takes a dedicated team anywhere from a week to a month.


The November 2019 edition of the ATH Newsletter may be found here. If reports are to be believed, the threat of legal action has necessitated a complete redrafting of this year's Hunt.

Lady Emma has requested we add: "Thank you to all the Newsletter readers for their kind messages of condolence. Sir Charles wished his ashes to be scattered abroad, in a country well-suited to his creations. With this aim, a coach will be departing very early this morning from Leicester Square. All who wish to come are welcome, but please be punctual and mention the booking reference ONCRKAZM to the driver, who is our eldest. My husband loved hill-walking, especially in places with nearby hostelries for when he began to flag: that's a big plus!"

Monday December 9th: The UK hunt release clock is ticking... ... towards what would have been dinner-time tomorrow, were it 1582 in Lyon.

Friday December 20th: The 2019 Armchair Treasure Hunt can be found here. As usual, the target is a box, hidden somewhere in SE UK. If you find it, obey the instructions inside and replace it as it was.

Wednesday December 25th: For (some of) those not celebrating today, see

Monday December 30th. As promised, the Muddy Boots award is announced here.

Saturday Jan 11th Pablo's ATH - unremitting, relentless labour. Just two more days to find the box, locate ATHEXIT and submit your entry.

Tuesday Jan 14th: And the Hunt has closed. Thank you collectively for finding the Box and ATHEXIT.

Thursday Jan 16th: The solution, marking documents and some tales may be found here. .

Wednesday March 4th Results available here.

Sunday April 26th A corrected roll of honour has been released - no changes to the prize-winners. You will not be surprised to hear that plans for the prize-giving have had to be put on hold. Depending how things develop, we shall aim to hold the prize-giving in the early autumn or late summer. Unless people would prefer a virtual prize-giving?