How to take part
Each issue of the Spectator from now until 8 December will carry a clue. Each of the nine clues will have three parts; the answers to the first two parts (a and b) will form an anagram of the name of the place which is the answer to the third part (c). All the places will be in the British Isles — making a trail which will lead eventually to the whereabouts of the treasure. It will not be necessary to visit the places in question, but to be certain of arriving at the treasure it will be necessary to keep a record of all the places along the trail — in other words to solve all the clues in the order in which they appear. At the end of the nine weeks, a rhyming clue will tell you how to decode a final place name from the nine place names you should have collected.
In theory it would be possible to win by only solving part (c) of each question correctly to arrive at the final answer. In practice, however, points will be awarded for answers to (a) and (b) as well as (c) and for showing your working — for explaining allusions and identifying quotations by author and work (and act and scene if a play). Long explanations will not be required and there is a limit of 150 words for explaining the set of questions that make up the three parts of each clue . For instance in the first clue three identifications are needed for (a), one for (b) and four for (c).
Do not give up if you fail to solve all the sub-sections of the first One or two clues — you have nine weeks to research your answers and you may still win with a less than perfect set of answers. It could for example be worth your while guessing at an author even if you do not recognise the quotation.
The closing date for entries will be 10 January 1985. No entries will be opened before that date. If several correct and complete answers are received then the winner will be decided by lot. In the event of any dispute or doubt, the final arbiter will be the Editor of the Spectator. The competition is not open to employees of the Spectator or their relatives.
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