Cryptic clues

On the spur of the moment, I attended a remarkable sharing session this afternoon led by fellow OFA member and chess kaki, Liong Chian Min, who shared a detailed account of his experiences participating in treasure hunts across the country. He began with crossword puzzles during his university days and later found treasure hunts equally appealing, given that the clues were as cryptic as those in crosswords. For the past 24 years, he’s been fully immersed in treasure hunting, which he finds an incredibly rewarding hobby.

During the session, he broadened our perspectives—there were about 20 of us in attendance—on deciphering treasure hunt clues. It takes a lot of lateral, out-of-the-box thinking. Personally, I believe that having a slightly devious mind—though I’m not suggesting Chian Min has one—certainly helps. His passion for the hobby was infectious, and by the end of the session, many of us were curious to try our hand at a treasure hunt.

Anyway, I applaud him for his insightful sharing. In my book, he's the leading proponent of treasure hunting at The Old Frees' Association, and after listening to him, I can see why he’s so highly regarded in this unique world of puzzle-solving adventures.