The Search (TV series)
Encyclopedia
The Search was a seven part television show on Channel 4
, which first aired on 7 January 2007, the final episode was broadcast on 24 February 2007. The premise of the programme was that ten contestants with unique skills must solve a variety of ancient clues and puzzles from throughout history, with the aim in each episode of finding "The Symbol". The team which fulfills this directive wins the game and the losing team must then sacrifice a team member. The final episode saw the remaining (three) contestants compete to uncover a £50,000 hidden treasure. This 'treasure' was located somewhere in the United Kingdom
according to Jamie Theakston
on the Steve Wright radio show on BBC Radio 2
broadcast on 26 January 2007.
The Search was presented and conceived by Jamie Theakston
, inspired by the Kit Williams'
children's book Masquerade
and made by Princess Productions
.
The programme was filmed at a variety of locations and made active use of historical buildings and themes incorporated in the puzzles. The first episode focused on Renaissance
Italian
themes; the second, Medieval French
; the third, Mughal
India
n; the fourth, Ancient Egypt
ian, the fifth Mayan
Guatemala
, the sixth Inca
Peru
and the seventh (finale
), British History
.
Italian
Theme
The contestants meet in Venice
and proceed to a boatyard called Arsenale di Venezia
. Using Rotogravure
maps they create a map to head to Corte del Milion. On the way, by gondola, the girls make a tactical error and go the wrong way, giving the boys the lead. At the location, the contestants break "la wan" wax
balls, in accordance with the Chinese message hiding technique of steganography
. Inside is the name of the next location, Florence.
In Florence, continuing the Renaissance
theme, the Search makes use of the Uffizi
and Accademia
. In the Uffizi gallery, the girls follow a clue of "eye of the beholder" by following the line of sight of one of the statues. Their next clue takes them to the Medici Chapel (Medici financed many Renaissance artists). Here, the teams found the name of their next location to be the Abbey
at San Galgano, whereupon they are forced to scour the site making use of perspective
to reveal a perfect circle
. Digging at the point where this circle was revealed unearthed the location clue for San Gimignano
. The boys allowed the girls to win by not interfering when they saw them digging at the correct spot.
In San Gimignano the teams predictably had to climb the tallest of the famous towers to reveal numbers to input into a Cardano combination lock
in the order of the Fibonacci Sequence. Doing so presented the final location clue for this episode, Pisa
. While the boys worked well, Alexandra and Monica conflicted, leaving the girls' group dynamic in tatters. At Pisa, the teams were required to make use of a Cardano grille, leading them to search the Torre pendente di Pisa
(campanile
) for victory in the challenge. Mairianne chased after Simon, but was too late to beat him to the symbol.
As winners of the challenge, the male team progressed intact to episode two. Consequently, the women's team were required to take part in a poison chalice round and eventually eliminated Monica.
Episode Two: Religion
and Medieval French
Themes
First aired 14 January 2007.
The second episode began at Notre Dame de Paris
. The team's first clue concerned distances, which meant they must go to Point Zero where all distances in France are measured from (now known as Kilometre Zero
) near the Cathedral, which had an arrow pointing to their next clue hidden in some bushes. The clue was French writing, translating to finding the rose window, which the contestants realised meant the famous rose windows of the cathedral. The girls struggled finding the clue at Point Zero, allowing the boys to get the head start. They found a pictorial stained glass
by the rose window, and placing this over the French message filtered out certain letters, revealing the name Chartres
, a town also famous for its cathedral
, which became the teams’ next location. The teams there made use of a passage in the Holy Bible
, hinting to the stained glass windows where their next clue would be. Saskia and Alex shrewdly asked the tour guide to direct them to the artwork depicting Creation, while the men didn't ask for directions for Noah's Ark. The clue was a set of numbers, which corresponded to the passage they had read (i.e. 4 is the fourth character in the passage), to discover a coded message saying: “Ascend to the kings and angels via God’s first”. The girls, however, misinterpreted the clue, believing it to be a more traditional book code of page numbers than character numbers. Though they still figured out the clue quicker, Adrian worked out the message meaning, climb the stairs marked G (God's first). This led the male team to the top of the cathedral and a small room furnished with statues of kings and angels. One of the statues contained a clue to the third location in this episode, the fortified town of Carcassonne
. Thus, the boys won the first task.
At Carcassonne, the teams find a parchment covered in a dead regional language, consisting mostly of French, with hints of Latin and even Greek. However, the key is not the words, but particular letters, which have been pinpricked. Holding the paper up will allow light to shine through, revealing which letters are needed to make the name of the next location. The girls solve the clue quickly, with Suzie having knowledge in Victorian history from where the trick originates. Meanwhile the boys are left floundering, with Simon and Nat disagreeing about how to solve the clue. The girls work out that they must go to La Tour du Trésau, one of over 50 towers in Carcassonne. In La Tour, the female team open a trapdoor
which Mairianne and Saskia climb down through and find a collection of paintings with a clue to examine the ‘subtext’. They soon wipe away the surface of the paintings and find letters spelling out Montségur
, the fourth location in this challenge.
The mountain fort at Montsegur is reached by an arduous two-hour walk which proves too difficult for the male team contestant Alan, who resigns his place in the show and returns to England
. At this point, the teams are numerically balanced in terms of personnel following Monica’s elimination in the first episode. The boys' morale is left in shatters, but after a team talk, pull themselves together in the hope of regaining their lead. Reaching the summit the teams are required to locate rock-filled bags amongst ruins which they form into an Occitan cross
. However, letters on the rocks also require placing in a particular way (inspired by Chinese trigrams), to reveal the final location, the caves of http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grotte_de_Lombrives Grotte de lombrives]. The female team is the first to succeed and they arrive at the cave complex, and Alexandra and Saskia find a French message to look for the lady in the rock, actually referring to a rock formation which resembles a pair of women's legs. Despite Simon and Kristian catching up, Alexandra manages to find the symbol. Outside, Jamie reveals much to everyone's elation that the next location will be India.
Having been beaten to the symbol, the male team take part in the poisoned chalice and Nat is eliminated by Simon.
Episode Three: Mughal
India
n Theme
First aired 21 January 2007, Channel 4
.
The Indian themed episode 3 opens in Rajasthan
. Breaking from the previous gender split teams, Jamie appoints last week's symbol finders Saskia and Alexandra as team captains. Saskia takes Simon and Marianne, while Alexandra picks Suzie, Kristian and Adrian.
The location for their first challenges is in Agra
, at the site across the river from the Taj Mahal
where Emperor Shah Jahan
had intended to build his second Taj in black before he died. Their first task is to simply get across the river, but there is only one boat and it is tied by two ropes which are knotted up. The first team to untangle the rope will win, effectively, but the groups fail to realise it is actually a Gordian Knot
. In History, the Gordian Knot was an intricate problem, so the rope was simply cut by a sword, hence the saying to refer to a rash and decisive action to solve a complicated problem. After untangling the rope first, Saskia's team realise the rope still stretches from a cart to the boat, and they remember the legend. Finding a sword in the cart, they cut the rope, meaning the other team will have to wait for the boat's return and receive a heavy time penalty. Inside the grounds of the Taj Mahal, the teams must find the "Pink Lady". Simon and Marianne completely miss a lady dressed in bright pink, whereas Suzie finds her immediately. The lady tells them to go to Agra Fort
, where Shah Jahan was imprisoned by his son. There, the teams find sets of mirrors and numerous dark passageways. By reflecting the light between the mirrors down the hallways, the name of the next location, Jaipur
, will be revealed. The task is inspired directly from History, where Shah Jahan was permitted to only see his beloved Taj Mahal through a mirror by his son. While Suzie and Alexandra conflict, both trying to get a say, Saskia works well with her team, and they quickly solve the task in a matter of minutes.
In Jaipur, incidentally known as the "Pink City", the teams have to explore astrology
in the observatory
at The Jantar Mantar
. Two from each team must find a location in the area and memorise word sequences (the Indian skill of Dhagranamatrka), with which they can make the next location's name with the first letter from each. Suzie is frustrated
by her team mates’ struggle to navigate
the simple grid road system, but still returns first with the words memorised. However, their lead is lost as both teams struggle with the answer simply staring them in the face. In the end, it is Saskia's team who work out the clue, which is to light the famous canon. Naturally, the real canon has only been fired once (which deafened the loader), so the contestants need only launch bottle rockets. Saskia's team do so, and outside Suzie and her group hear them go off, signaling their failure once again.
The teams progress to Udaipur
and the Jag Niwas. We are told that the Hindu
religion
has over 300 million deities
and the contestants explore Eklingji
to learn more about Hinduism
. Here, they find parchments in particular shrines, together making two handprint images which have 26 circles on. Saskia realises that it must be an alphabet (actually known as Nirbhasa). They manage to crack the code to make GANESH, and in the shrine for this God is their final clue. Both teams search for the symbol, and eventually Saskia finds it hidden under a statue of Ganesh.
Alexandra’s team take part in the poisoned chalice round and eliminate Suzie from the competition.
Episode Four: Ancient Egypt
and the Exodus
Theme
First aired 3 February 2007, Channel 4
.
The six contestants remaining are divided into male and female teams once again for the first challenge which opens in Cairo
. In an unusual twist the teams discover their first clue is in the taxi which they arrive in after realising their journey has taken them in circles. Both teams rip the taxi apart, looking at the driver's documents and anything that could be a clue. After some time, the cars drive close to each other, and while communicating across to each other, Saskia hears that the boy's car has the same music playing. Listening to the music, the girls manage to make out a faint lyric, Red Pyramid
, the name of their next location in Dahshur
. Meanwhile, Simon's frustration at not being able to find the clue leads him to tell the driver to turn off the music so he can concentrate, leaving his team dead in the water. In Dahshur, each team receives a map which points toward tombs. They first head to the collapsed pyramid (or Black Pyramid
), and follow in the footsteps of tomb-raiders by having to climb down a narrow entrance where they broke in. Here, they gain three rings. Once they find all three they have to shine light in a room in the nearby Bent Pyramid
through the rings to reveal the name of the third location in the episode, Giza. It is the male team who achieve this first to win the first challenge of this episode.
The next challenge begins at night in Cairo
at the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities
. Ahead of the male team, the female team translate the Demotic
language on a Rosetta Stone
inspired parchment. They then find the correct exhibition and exhibit number, picking up their clue to visit the remains of the Egyptian rulers. Once there, they use an ultraviolet light to reveal their next location on some glass. Meanwhile, Simon and Adrian lag behind and are easily beaten.
The final day sees the teams begin in The Monastery of St. Catherine
at the base of the Mount Sinai
(the supposed location of the burning bush
). As a Greek Orthodox, Alexandra is sent in, with Simon for the boys. Alex eventually finds the clue first, meaning the girls have first choice on how to get up the mountain, the long but easy camel ride, or the more direct but arduous trek up over 1000 steps. With the knowledge that Adrian will slow the boys down, the ladies take the dromedary
camel
s. At the top of the mountain, the teams find a tablet with writing on it. However, there is also clue disguised as Arabic, to break the tablet as Moses
did in Bible
. Inside the teams find a map to help find the symbol, which is situated across the mountain terrain. Saskia heads straight for it, while Simon follows instinctively without any idea what to do himself. Consequently, Saskia finds the symbol first.
In the poison chalice round Kristian is surprisingly eliminated when he is passed the chalice by Simon for the final time.
Episode Five: Guatemala
and Mayan
Theme
First aired 10 February 2007, Channel 4
.
Five contestants remain in Episode five (Saskia, Adrian, Simon, Mairianne and Alexandra), which opens in Antigua Guatemala
. The first location is the Church of La Merced. From the church their first clue is to find an image of the Virgin Mary. While Adrian and Simon go down literally the wrong avenue of exploration (looking in the public toilets), Alex spots the image, leading the girls to two alfombra, which are carpet
s made from sawdust
. Moving away this dust reveals the second location clue which Saskia achieves by kicking it. Adrian and Simon manage to catch up, but waste time not noticing the message hidden underneath the design.
Location two is the ruined Church of La Recoleccion, within which the contestants race to find a hidden scroll beneath an octagonal window. Their clue concerns the number eight, but they fail to notice the eight-sided windows. Marianne finds the scroll, though by flawed logic. Placing the cylindrical container for the scroll correctly mirrors a piece of artwork, revealing the name of the third location, the Pacaya
volcano
.
At the volcano the female team make a rapid ascent, but Alexandra struggles with chest pains. Unsurprisingly, in the male team, Adrian also has difficulty with the climb but Simon's encouragement urges him on. This is not enough to beat the girls, however, who shortly uncover the name of the fourth location blazing on sticks at the volcano's summit, Yaxhá
, the ceremonial centre of the Maya civilization
.
Arriving at the ruins in Yaxhá in the Petén
forests, the teams reach the Mesoamerican pyramids
, where they must decipher Mayan glyphs. Saskia's code breaking talent leads her to discover that this task requires simple knowledge of frequency analysis (cryptanalysis). Solving the clue with ease, the girls are directed to the river, where they must fill a well with water, causing refraction to allow them to view the name of the next location. However, in their haste, they fill the well with dirty water, preventing refraction due to the sand. Consequently, the boys, using clear water, solve the challenge first.
That night, Jamie informs the contestants that tomorrow they must work individually for the first time. The first to find the symbol shall be safe, with all others facing the poison chalice. The next day, all the contestants are given a map and a key. Their task is to use the poem on the back of the map to work out the order and which treasure boxes to visit in sequence. Alex is blinded by the pressure to succeed (knowing Saskia, Simon and Marianne are planning to vote her off), and forgets about the poem, heading to the final chest first. Meanwhile, Simon also goes in the wrong order while Adrian wastes time orienteering. As the number of keys in each box decreases, so too do the number of remaining participants. In the final straight, only two keys remain. Marianne gets the first, with Saskia getting the second. The two race for the symbol, and Saskia manages to uncover it first. Inside, she shrieks as tarantulas protect the symbol and runs back, giving Mairianne ample opportunity to steal the symbol for herself. However, she refuses to be so callous, and allows Saskia to come back and take the immunity from the chalice.
The remaining contestants take part in the poison chalice round the following day. Though Mairianne hesitates with guilt, she conforms to Simon and Saskia's plan, giving the chalice to Simon on the fourth pass, who quickly chooses to eliminate Alexandra. Mairianne worries that her hesitation might make her friends view her as a potential problem.
Episode Six: Peru
with an Inca Theme
First aired 17 February 2007, Channel 4
.
Episode six shows the remaining contestants (Simon, Adrian, Mairianne and Saskia) in the hunt for the penultimate symbol of the challenge. The episode begins in Cusco
, Peru
. Jamie's
first clue directs the teams to the market square
where they are to find a shaman
. The teams for this episode are Simon and Mairianne versus Saskia and Adrian. Saskia and Adrian quickly take the lead on account of Saskia's fluency in Spanish, while Simon and Marianne struggle with the locals. Upon finding the shaman, the teams are presented with a basket
containing seven snakes and a map. The map shows eleven locations, one of which (location 6) refers to a street known as 'Seven Snakes' (Siete Culebras). Again, Saskia's fluency becomes a significant advantage and she proceeds directly to that location. However, Simon and Mairianne are unaware of the significance and proceed to visit each location on the map following a "path of logic". Saskia and Adrian arrive at an Inca wall on the street and discover the clue behind a stone with a snake carved on it. The clue leads to Coricancha
. Eventually, Simon and Mairianne ask a bilingual priest for assistance and are directed to the carved stones where they too discover the clue to the second part of the task.
With a time advantage, Saskia and Adrian arrive at Coricancha
to find a replica golden disc (representing Inti
) hanging from a circle of candles. Saskia attempts to melt the disc before realising that the clue is on the paper found in Cusco which depicted an arch
way above the name of Coricancha
. Together with Adrian they begin their search of the site for an arch which matches the picture. When they find the arch, the room beyond it contains another paper clue with a picture of the golden disc and a word written in invisible ink
. After some debate they realise this has to be returned to the candles and heated to allow the acid
in the smoke
to reveal the message. Meanwhile, upon seeing what Saskia is doing, Simon and Mairianne decide to copy her quickly, but in their haste allow their parchment to catch fire. Saskia's patience of slow heating pays off, revealing the next location (Wanuska Wasi).
In the next location (an Inca tomb
complex), the teams have to follow a puma symbol through the network of caves before finding a wall with a code on it. Jamie had previously told them to "break the code", and in a pun, the contestants do not need to decipher the code, simply break the wall down with brute force. Saskia and Adrian solve this first and find a llama
foetus wrapped in a cloth used as a shaman offering. Mairianne also solves the 'break' pun and, upon finding the shaman offering, appears to solve the message on the cloth ahead of Saskia. Despite this, it is Saskia and Adrian who have the lead in this challenge as they begin a rafting trip toward Ollantaytambo
. Saskia and Adrian are physically disadvantaged in this task and Simon and Mairianne close the gap only to find the random current
in the rapids slows them down. Andreas Holland explains the significance of Aguas Calientes
as the teams solve a pigpen cipher
, outlined in the shape of an ankh. With Adrian slowing Saskia down, Simon and Marianne arrive at the clue first and methodically work through the code to solve it before Saskia has a chance to decipher it. Before the final challenge, the teams eat guinea pig
with local families and spend the night there.
The next day sees a solo challenge as each contestant has to use a series of Quipu
devices to decipher names of locations in Machu Picchu
, which they must navigate to using their maps. This problem is compounded by low visibility
and drizzle
common to the Yungas
, making Simon demoralised. Saskia's skills in decryption see her solve the puzzles quickly, leading her first to the second quipu. However, on the third quipu, despite reaching it first, she wastes time going through all 25 shift codes instead of simply using a reverse substitution cipher, which Marianne does first to reveal "Young Peak". Meanwhile, Adrian and Simon have both been placed into the poison chalice round by solving the clues too slowly. With a slight lead of Saskia, Marianne sets off up Young Peak, a mountain next to Machu Picchu. However, she fails to notice her clue on the ground, a cryptic map resembling a hedgehog. Saskia finds it, and at the summit notices structure formations similar to the diagram. Once again, Saskia there finds the symbol, ensuring her a place in the final, leaving Marianne visibly upset that she didn't even get a fair shot at winning.
In the poison chalice round, Mairianne and Simon trade the chalice several times before it is passed to Adrian, who is eliminated.
Episode Seven (finale
): England
and Scotland
with a Tudor
Theme
First aired 24 February 2007, Channel 4
.
With the show reaching its climax, the team return home to Great Britain, working individually to find the £50,000 prize money. Each contestant is allowed to have a previously eliminated player aid them in their final quest. Saskia chooses philosopher Nat, with Mairianne opting for codebreaking enthusiast Suzie, and Simon sticking with his old comrade Adrian. The first clue is at the National Portrait Gallery in London, where the teams must find a specific painting with an inscription. They must then enter the exhibit code into the audio tour guide, to hear Jamie's voice telling them where to go next, Hatfield House
. It is Adrian who finds the words first, written faintly on a portrait of James I. He and Simon head off, though both Saskia and Mairianne are not far behind. At Hatfield House, Elizabeth I's childhood home, the team find a clue about the heir revealing itself. They then find a large hall with numerous mirrors. Adrian, in train of thought, actually says the answer, that heir is a play on words for "air", and breathing on the mirrors will reveal a message. Doubting himself, however, they allow their lead to slip away. Finally, Simon listens to Adrian about his theory, and they win the first task.
Task two sees the teams head for the London Library
, where waiting for them are individual cryptic clues. While Mairianne and Saskia swiftly figure out that the clue is in fact catalogue directories to find a specific book in a library of literally millions, Simon refuses to listen to Adrian, believing the clue is itself an encryption. While they struggle, Saskia takes the lead and finds the next clue, to head to a nearby park. She and Nat arrive and Saskia quickly spots a Tudor rose, underneath which is the clue, Old Royal Naval College
. There, the teams find a digraphic substitution cipher, and using the six symbols they learnt from around the world, they crack the code as "THE PLACENTIA", the courtyard outside. While both Simon and Saskia look around the area (Simon actually walking past where they must go next), Suzie suggests she and Marianne try to find underground access. The idea pays off, with Mairianne finding the seventh symbol. After much time-wasting, Saskia also finds the symbol, thereby giving her another chance in the final stage. Not long later, Simon and Adrian arrive to find only the poison chalice.
With just two teams remaining, The Search moves on to Edinburgh, Scotland. Here, Jamie tells the contestants that they'll find their next clue at Edinburgh Castle
, Queen Mary's home while she was pregnant with James I. Both teams run up the Royal Mile to the castle, and are directed to Mary's private quarters (which they notice as a symbol outside corresponds with the seventh symbol). There, they find a piece of parchment and a cryptex. The parchment shows many Roman numerals, the answer being that they show the Tudor line of monarchs, the next in the sequence being James I or James VI in terms of Scotland, so the answer for the cryptex is SIXTH. Saskia works her mathematical brain looking for statistical logic in the sequence, naturally to little avail. Meanwhile, Mairianne remarkably comes to the correct answer in virtually moments of looking at the clue. Inside the cryptex is a clue to follow the hidden passageway. Pressing on the walls reveals a secret room, and inside the teams are locked in a dungeon with hundreds of different keys on the ground. Inside a barrel, they find a map with X marking the prize money, as well as the clue "He Be Loot", which is an anagram for Boot Heel, where the real key is hidden. Suzie speaks about how in one era they used to hide things in the soles of shoes, and when Marianne picks up one of the boots, the heel snaps off and the key is revealed. Despite not properly solving the anagram, the girls get a strong lead on Saskia for the final straight, the location of the treasure, Craigmillar Castle
.
Once there, neither Suzie or Nat are permitted to enter the grounds while the game is still in play, meaning Mairianne and Saskia will be on their own. Arriving ahead, Mairianne runs round the area with her map, eventually finding the next clue, two gravestones with one marked as IR, and one as ER. Meanwhile, Saskia and Nat have also escaped the dungeon, and are right behind Marianne in a taxi, with Saskia offering the driver money if he can get her there immediately. Mairianne is now faced with a £50,000 decision: she must pick which grave to dig at. One contains the gold, another the poison chalice. To help her, she has a clue "In my end is my beginning" on a piece of parchment, along with a symbol. The quote is actually of Mary's before her execution at Elizabeth's hands, referring to her son James, who would take the monarchy and start the reign of the Stuarts over the Tudors. Thus, in her end is her name's beginning against Elizabeth. The symbol is also made up of the characters in her name, overlapped to make MARIE STUART. While ER is Elizabeth Regina, IR is Jacobus Rex (as there was no J in the Latin alphabet, I was used to represent King James), meaning the IR grave contains the treasure. Along the way, other clues were also present, like the London Library being on St. James's Square, the contestants running through St. James's Court while running up the Royal Mile, and IR written on the ceiling in the private chambers at Edinburgh Castle. But has Mairianne spotted these clues?
She decides that the symbol is the crest of Elizabeth, and digs at the ER grave. While still digging, Saskia finally arrives, and is forced to dig the unoccupied grave whether she agree with the decision or not. Both girls struggle to pull out their treasure chests, and open the boxes simultaneously. A look of disappointment spreads across Mairianne's face as she pulls out the poison chalice, while Saskia weeps as she finds £50,000 in gold coins.
The final credits show Saskia's journey throughout the show, with the final shot of her lifting up the sixth symbol from Peru to the heavens, to the magnificent backdrop of Machu Picchu.
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
, which first aired on 7 January 2007, the final episode was broadcast on 24 February 2007. The premise of the programme was that ten contestants with unique skills must solve a variety of ancient clues and puzzles from throughout history, with the aim in each episode of finding "The Symbol". The team which fulfills this directive wins the game and the losing team must then sacrifice a team member. The final episode saw the remaining (three) contestants compete to uncover a £50,000 hidden treasure. This 'treasure' was located somewhere in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
according to Jamie Theakston
Jamie Theakston
Jamie Theakston is an English television and radio presenter, producer and actor.-Education:...
on the Steve Wright radio show on BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
broadcast on 26 January 2007.
The Search was presented and conceived by Jamie Theakston
Jamie Theakston
Jamie Theakston is an English television and radio presenter, producer and actor.-Education:...
, inspired by the Kit Williams'
Kit Williams
Christopher 'Kit' Williams is an English artist, illustrator and author best known for his book Masquerade, a pictorial storybook which contains clues to the location of a golden jewelled hare created by Williams and then buried "somewhere in Britain."Williams wrote another puzzle book with a bee...
children's book Masquerade
Masquerade (book)
Masquerade is a children’s book, written and illustrated by Kit Williams, which sparked a treasure hunt by concealing clues to the location of a jewelled golden hare, created and hidden somewhere in Britain by Williams...
and made by Princess Productions
Princess Productions
Princess Productions is a London-based television production company started in September 1996 by Henrietta Conrad and Sebastian Scott which has produced broadcast shows and pilots for all the major British broadcasters across a variety of genres, mainly specialising in entertainment and factual...
.
The programme was filmed at a variety of locations and made active use of historical buildings and themes incorporated in the puzzles. The first episode focused on Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
themes; the second, Medieval French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
; the third, Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n; the fourth, Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...
ian, the fifth Mayan
Maya civilization
The Maya is a Mesoamerican civilization, noted for the only known fully developed written language of the pre-Columbian Americas, as well as for its art, architecture, and mathematical and astronomical systems. Initially established during the Pre-Classic period The Maya is a Mesoamerican...
Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
, the sixth Inca
Inca Empire
The Inca Empire, or Inka Empire , was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The administrative, political and military center of the empire was located in Cusco in modern-day Peru. The Inca civilization arose from the highlands of Peru sometime in the early 13th century...
Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
and the seventh (finale
Series finale
A series finale refers to the last installment of a series with a narrative presented through mediums such as television, film and literature. In many Commonwealth countries, the term final episode is commonly used in regards to a television series...
), British History
History of the British Isles
The history of the British Isles has witnessed intermittent periods of competition and cooperation between the people that occupy the various parts of Great Britain, Ireland, and the smaller adjacent islands, which together make up the British Isles, as well as with France, Germany, the Low...
.
Episode synopses
Episode One: RenaissanceRenaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Theme
The contestants meet in Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
and proceed to a boatyard called Arsenale di Venezia
Venetian Arsenal
The Venetian Arsenal was a complex of state-owned shipyards and armories clustered together in Venice in northern Italy. It was responsible for the bulk of Venice's naval power during the middle part of the second millennium AD...
. Using Rotogravure
Rotogravure
Rotogravure is a type of intaglio printing process; that is, it involves engraving the image onto an image carrier...
maps they create a map to head to Corte del Milion. On the way, by gondola, the girls make a tactical error and go the wrong way, giving the boys the lead. At the location, the contestants break "la wan" wax
Wax
thumb|right|[[Cetyl palmitate]], a typical wax ester.Wax refers to a class of chemical compounds that are plastic near ambient temperatures. Characteristically, they melt above 45 °C to give a low viscosity liquid. Waxes are insoluble in water but soluble in organic, nonpolar solvents...
balls, in accordance with the Chinese message hiding technique of steganography
Steganography
Steganography is the art and science of writing hidden messages in such a way that no one, apart from the sender and intended recipient, suspects the existence of the message, a form of security through obscurity...
. Inside is the name of the next location, Florence.
In Florence, continuing the Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
theme, the Search makes use of the Uffizi
Uffizi
The Uffizi Gallery , is a museum in Florence, Italy. It is one of the oldest and most famous art museums of the Western world.-History:...
and Accademia
Accademia di Belle Arti Firenze
The Accademia di Belle Arti is an art academy in Florence, Italy and it is now the operative branch of the still existing Accademia delle Arti del Disegno that was the first academy of drawing in Europe.-History:The Accademia delle Arti del Disegno The Accademia di Belle Arti ("Academy of Fine...
. In the Uffizi gallery, the girls follow a clue of "eye of the beholder" by following the line of sight of one of the statues. Their next clue takes them to the Medici Chapel (Medici financed many Renaissance artists). Here, the teams found the name of their next location to be the Abbey
Abbey
An abbey is a Catholic monastery or convent, under the authority of an Abbot or an Abbess, who serves as the spiritual father or mother of the community.The term can also refer to an establishment which has long ceased to function as an abbey,...
at San Galgano, whereupon they are forced to scour the site making use of perspective
Perspective (visual)
Perspective, in context of vision and visual perception, is the way in which objects appear to the eye based on their spatial attributes; or their dimensions and the position of the eye relative to the objects...
to reveal a perfect circle
Perfect Circle
Perfect Circle can refer to:*The Perfect Circle, a 1997 movie by Bosnian director Ademir Kenovic.*Perfect Circle , 2004 novel by Sean Stewart*Perfect Circle , song from R.E.M.'s debut album Murmur*A Perfect Circle, rock band...
. Digging at the point where this circle was revealed unearthed the location clue for San Gimignano
San Gimignano
San Gimignano is a small walled medieval hill town in the province of Siena, Tuscany, north-central Italy. It is mainly famous for its medieval architecture, especially its towers, which may be seen from several kilometres outside the town....
. The boys allowed the girls to win by not interfering when they saw them digging at the correct spot.
In San Gimignano the teams predictably had to climb the tallest of the famous towers to reveal numbers to input into a Cardano combination lock
Combination lock
A combination lock is a type of lock in which a sequence of numbers or symbols is used to open the lock. The sequence may be entered using a single rotating dial which interacts with several discs or cams, by using a set of several rotating discs with inscribed numerals which directly interact with...
in the order of the Fibonacci Sequence. Doing so presented the final location clue for this episode, Pisa
Pisa
Pisa is a city in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the right bank of the mouth of the River Arno on the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa...
. While the boys worked well, Alexandra and Monica conflicted, leaving the girls' group dynamic in tatters. At Pisa, the teams were required to make use of a Cardano grille, leading them to search the Torre pendente di Pisa
Leaning Tower of Pisa
The Leaning Tower of Pisa or simply the Tower of Pisa is the campanile, or freestanding bell tower, of the cathedral of the Italian city of Pisa...
(campanile
Campanile
Campanile is an Italian word meaning "bell tower" . The term applies to bell towers which are either part of a larger building or free-standing, although in American English, the latter meaning has become prevalent.The most famous campanile is probably the Leaning Tower of Pisa...
) for victory in the challenge. Mairianne chased after Simon, but was too late to beat him to the symbol.
As winners of the challenge, the male team progressed intact to episode two. Consequently, the women's team were required to take part in a poison chalice round and eventually eliminated Monica.
Episode Two: Religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
and Medieval French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Themes
First aired 14 January 2007.
The second episode began at Notre Dame de Paris
Notre Dame de Paris
Notre Dame de Paris , also known as Notre Dame Cathedral, is a Gothic, Roman Catholic cathedral on the eastern half of the Île de la Cité in the fourth arrondissement of Paris, France. It is the cathedral of the Catholic Archdiocese of Paris: that is, it is the church that contains the cathedra of...
. The team's first clue concerned distances, which meant they must go to Point Zero where all distances in France are measured from (now known as Kilometre Zero
Kilometre Zero
In many countries, Kilometre Zero or similar terms in other languages, is a particular location , from which distances are traditionally measured...
) near the Cathedral, which had an arrow pointing to their next clue hidden in some bushes. The clue was French writing, translating to finding the rose window, which the contestants realised meant the famous rose windows of the cathedral. The girls struggled finding the clue at Point Zero, allowing the boys to get the head start. They found a pictorial stained glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
by the rose window, and placing this over the French message filtered out certain letters, revealing the name Chartres
Chartres
Chartres is a commune and capital of the Eure-et-Loir department in northern France. It is located southwest of Paris.-Geography:Chartres is built on the left bank of the Eure River, on a hill crowned by its famous cathedral, the spires of which are a landmark in the surrounding country...
, a town also famous for its cathedral
Cathedral of Chartres
The French medieval Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres is a Latin Rite Catholic cathedral located in Chartres, about southwest of Paris, is considered one of the finest examples of the French High Gothic style...
, which became the teams’ next location. The teams there made use of a passage in the Holy Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
, hinting to the stained glass windows where their next clue would be. Saskia and Alex shrewdly asked the tour guide to direct them to the artwork depicting Creation, while the men didn't ask for directions for Noah's Ark. The clue was a set of numbers, which corresponded to the passage they had read (i.e. 4 is the fourth character in the passage), to discover a coded message saying: “Ascend to the kings and angels via God’s first”. The girls, however, misinterpreted the clue, believing it to be a more traditional book code of page numbers than character numbers. Though they still figured out the clue quicker, Adrian worked out the message meaning, climb the stairs marked G (God's first). This led the male team to the top of the cathedral and a small room furnished with statues of kings and angels. One of the statues contained a clue to the third location in this episode, the fortified town of Carcassonne
Carcassonne
Carcassonne is a fortified French town in the Aude department, of which it is the prefecture, in the former province of Languedoc.It is divided into the fortified Cité de Carcassonne and the more expansive lower city, the ville basse. Carcassone was founded by the Visigoths in the fifth century,...
. Thus, the boys won the first task.
At Carcassonne, the teams find a parchment covered in a dead regional language, consisting mostly of French, with hints of Latin and even Greek. However, the key is not the words, but particular letters, which have been pinpricked. Holding the paper up will allow light to shine through, revealing which letters are needed to make the name of the next location. The girls solve the clue quickly, with Suzie having knowledge in Victorian history from where the trick originates. Meanwhile the boys are left floundering, with Simon and Nat disagreeing about how to solve the clue. The girls work out that they must go to La Tour du Trésau, one of over 50 towers in Carcassonne. In La Tour, the female team open a trapdoor
Trapdoor
A trapdoor is a door set into a floor or ceiling .Originally, trapdoors were sack traps in mills, and allowed the sacks to pass up through the mill while naturally falling back to a closed position....
which Mairianne and Saskia climb down through and find a collection of paintings with a clue to examine the ‘subtext’. They soon wipe away the surface of the paintings and find letters spelling out Montségur
Montségur
The Château de Montségur is a former fortress near Montségur, a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France. Its ruins are the site of a razed stronghold of the Cathars. The present fortress on the site, though described as one of the "Cathar castles," is actually of a later period...
, the fourth location in this challenge.
The mountain fort at Montsegur is reached by an arduous two-hour walk which proves too difficult for the male team contestant Alan, who resigns his place in the show and returns to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. At this point, the teams are numerically balanced in terms of personnel following Monica’s elimination in the first episode. The boys' morale is left in shatters, but after a team talk, pull themselves together in the hope of regaining their lead. Reaching the summit the teams are required to locate rock-filled bags amongst ruins which they form into an Occitan cross
Occitan cross
The Occitan cross — also cross of Occitania, cross of Languedoc, cross of Forcalquier and Toulouse cross — is the symbol of Occitania...
. However, letters on the rocks also require placing in a particular way (inspired by Chinese trigrams), to reveal the final location, the caves of http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grotte_de_Lombrives Grotte de lombrives]. The female team is the first to succeed and they arrive at the cave complex, and Alexandra and Saskia find a French message to look for the lady in the rock, actually referring to a rock formation which resembles a pair of women's legs. Despite Simon and Kristian catching up, Alexandra manages to find the symbol. Outside, Jamie reveals much to everyone's elation that the next location will be India.
Having been beaten to the symbol, the male team take part in the poisoned chalice and Nat is eliminated by Simon.
Episode Three: Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n Theme
First aired 21 January 2007, Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
.
The Indian themed episode 3 opens in Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
. Breaking from the previous gender split teams, Jamie appoints last week's symbol finders Saskia and Alexandra as team captains. Saskia takes Simon and Marianne, while Alexandra picks Suzie, Kristian and Adrian.
The location for their first challenges is in Agra
Agra
Agra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...
, at the site across the river from the Taj Mahal
Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal is a white Marble mausoleum located in Agra, India. It was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal...
where Emperor Shah Jahan
Shah Jahan
Shah Jahan Shah Jahan (also spelled Shah Jehan, Shahjehan, , Persian: شاه جهان) (January 5, 1592 – January 22, 1666) Shah Jahan (also spelled Shah Jehan, Shahjehan, , Persian: شاه جهان) (January 5, 1592 – January 22, 1666) (Full title: His Imperial Majesty Al-Sultan al-'Azam wal Khaqan...
had intended to build his second Taj in black before he died. Their first task is to simply get across the river, but there is only one boat and it is tied by two ropes which are knotted up. The first team to untangle the rope will win, effectively, but the groups fail to realise it is actually a Gordian Knot
Gordian Knot
The Gordian Knot is a legend of Phrygian Gordium associated with Alexander the Great. It is often used as a metaphor for an intractable problem solved by a bold stroke :"Turn him to any cause of policy,...
. In History, the Gordian Knot was an intricate problem, so the rope was simply cut by a sword, hence the saying to refer to a rash and decisive action to solve a complicated problem. After untangling the rope first, Saskia's team realise the rope still stretches from a cart to the boat, and they remember the legend. Finding a sword in the cart, they cut the rope, meaning the other team will have to wait for the boat's return and receive a heavy time penalty. Inside the grounds of the Taj Mahal, the teams must find the "Pink Lady". Simon and Marianne completely miss a lady dressed in bright pink, whereas Suzie finds her immediately. The lady tells them to go to Agra Fort
Agra Fort
Agra Fort, is a monument situated at Agra, is a UNESCO World Heritage site located in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India. It is about 2.5 km northwest of its more famous sister monument, the Taj Mahal...
, where Shah Jahan was imprisoned by his son. There, the teams find sets of mirrors and numerous dark passageways. By reflecting the light between the mirrors down the hallways, the name of the next location, Jaipur
Jaipur
Jaipur , also popularly known as the Pink City, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Founded on 18 November 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber, the city today has a population of more than 3.1 million....
, will be revealed. The task is inspired directly from History, where Shah Jahan was permitted to only see his beloved Taj Mahal through a mirror by his son. While Suzie and Alexandra conflict, both trying to get a say, Saskia works well with her team, and they quickly solve the task in a matter of minutes.
In Jaipur, incidentally known as the "Pink City", the teams have to explore astrology
Astrology
Astrology consists of a number of belief systems which hold that there is a relationship between astronomical phenomena and events in the human world...
in the observatory
Observatory
An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geology, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed...
at The Jantar Mantar
Jantar Mantar (Jaipur)
The Jantar Mantar is a collection of architectural astronomical instruments, built by Maharaja Jai Singh II at his then new capital of Jaipur between 1727 and 1734. It is modeled after the one that he had built for him at the Mughal capital of Delhi. He had constructed a total of five such...
. Two from each team must find a location in the area and memorise word sequences (the Indian skill of Dhagranamatrka), with which they can make the next location's name with the first letter from each. Suzie is frustrated
Frustration
This article concerns the field of psychology. The term frustration does, however, also concern physics. In this context, the term is treated in a different article, geometric frustration....
by her team mates’ struggle to navigate
Navigation
Navigation is the process of monitoring and controlling the movement of a craft or vehicle from one place to another. It is also the term of art used for the specialized knowledge used by navigators to perform navigation tasks...
the simple grid road system, but still returns first with the words memorised. However, their lead is lost as both teams struggle with the answer simply staring them in the face. In the end, it is Saskia's team who work out the clue, which is to light the famous canon. Naturally, the real canon has only been fired once (which deafened the loader), so the contestants need only launch bottle rockets. Saskia's team do so, and outside Suzie and her group hear them go off, signaling their failure once again.
The teams progress to Udaipur
Udaipur, Rajasthan
Udaipur , also known as the City of Lakes, is a city, a Municipal Council and the administrative headquarters of the Udaipur district in the state of Rajasthan in western India. It is located southwest of the state capital, Jaipur, west of Kota, and northeast from Ahmedabad...
and the Jag Niwas. We are told that the Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
has over 300 million deities
Deity
A deity is a recognized preternatural or supernatural immortal being, who may be thought of as holy, divine, or sacred, held in high regard, and respected by believers....
and the contestants explore Eklingji
Eklingji
Eklingji is a Hindu temple complex in Udaipur District of Rajasthan in western India. Eklingji is believed to be the Ruling deity of Mewar Princely State and the Ruler Maharana rules as his Dewan....
to learn more about Hinduism
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
. Here, they find parchments in particular shrines, together making two handprint images which have 26 circles on. Saskia realises that it must be an alphabet (actually known as Nirbhasa). They manage to crack the code to make GANESH, and in the shrine for this God is their final clue. Both teams search for the symbol, and eventually Saskia finds it hidden under a statue of Ganesh.
Alexandra’s team take part in the poisoned chalice round and eliminate Suzie from the competition.
Episode Four: Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...
and the Exodus
The Exodus
The Exodus is the story of the departure of the Israelites from ancient Egypt described in the Hebrew Bible.Narrowly defined, the term refers only to the departure from Egypt described in the Book of Exodus; more widely, it takes in the subsequent law-givings and wanderings in the wilderness...
Theme
First aired 3 February 2007, Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
.
The six contestants remaining are divided into male and female teams once again for the first challenge which opens in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
. In an unusual twist the teams discover their first clue is in the taxi which they arrive in after realising their journey has taken them in circles. Both teams rip the taxi apart, looking at the driver's documents and anything that could be a clue. After some time, the cars drive close to each other, and while communicating across to each other, Saskia hears that the boy's car has the same music playing. Listening to the music, the girls manage to make out a faint lyric, Red Pyramid
Red Pyramid
The Red Pyramid, also called the North Pyramid, is the largest of the three major pyramids located at the Dahshur necropolis. Named for the rusty reddish hue of its stones, it is also the third largest Egyptian pyramid, after those of Khufu and Khafra at Giza. At the time of its completion, it was...
, the name of their next location in Dahshur
Dahshur
Dahshur , is a royal necropolis located in the desert on the west bank of the Nile approximately 40 kilometres south of Cairo...
. Meanwhile, Simon's frustration at not being able to find the clue leads him to tell the driver to turn off the music so he can concentrate, leaving his team dead in the water. In Dahshur, each team receives a map which points toward tombs. They first head to the collapsed pyramid (or Black Pyramid
Black Pyramid
King Amenemhat III built the Black pyramid during the Middle Kingdom of Egypt . It is one of the five remaining pyramids of the original eleven pyramids at Dahshur in Egypt. Originally named Amenemhet is Mighty, the pyramid earned the name the Black pyramid for its dark, decaying appearance as a...
), and follow in the footsteps of tomb-raiders by having to climb down a narrow entrance where they broke in. Here, they gain three rings. Once they find all three they have to shine light in a room in the nearby Bent Pyramid
Bent Pyramid
The Bent Pyramid is an ancient Egyptian pyramid located at the royal necropolis of Dahshur, approximately 40 kilometres south of Cairo, built under the Old Kingdom Pharaoh Sneferu...
through the rings to reveal the name of the third location in the episode, Giza. It is the male team who achieve this first to win the first challenge of this episode.
The next challenge begins at night in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
at the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities
Egyptian Museum
The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities, known commonly as the Egyptian Museum, in Cairo, Egypt, is home to an extensive collection of ancient Egyptian antiquities. It has 120,000 items, with a representative amount on display, the remainder in storerooms....
. Ahead of the male team, the female team translate the Demotic
Demotic (Egyptian)
Demotic refers to either the ancient Egyptian script derived from northern forms of hieratic used in the Delta, or the stage of the Egyptian language following Late Egyptian and preceding Coptic. The term was first used by the Greek historian Herodotus to distinguish it from hieratic and...
language on a Rosetta Stone
Rosetta Stone
The Rosetta Stone is an ancient Egyptian granodiorite stele inscribed with a decree issued at Memphis in 196 BC on behalf of King Ptolemy V. The decree appears in three scripts: the upper text is Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, the middle portion Demotic script, and the lowest Ancient Greek...
inspired parchment. They then find the correct exhibition and exhibit number, picking up their clue to visit the remains of the Egyptian rulers. Once there, they use an ultraviolet light to reveal their next location on some glass. Meanwhile, Simon and Adrian lag behind and are easily beaten.
The final day sees the teams begin in The Monastery of St. Catherine
Saint Catherine's Monastery, Mount Sinai
Saint Catherine's Monastery lies on the Sinai Peninsula, at the mouth of a gorge at the foot of Mount Sinai in the city of Saint Catherine in Egypt's South Sinai Governorate. The monastery is Orthodox and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site...
at the base of the Mount Sinai
Mount Sinai
Mount Sinai , also known as Mount Horeb, Mount Musa, Gabal Musa , Jabal Musa meaning "Moses' Mountain", is a mountain near Saint Catherine in the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt. A mountain called Mount Sinai is mentioned many times in the Book of Exodus in the Torah and the Bible as well as the Quran...
(the supposed location of the burning bush
Burning bush
The burning bush is an object described by the Book of Exodus as being located on Mount Sinai; according to the narrative, the bush was on fire, but was not consumed by the flames, hence the name...
). As a Greek Orthodox, Alexandra is sent in, with Simon for the boys. Alex eventually finds the clue first, meaning the girls have first choice on how to get up the mountain, the long but easy camel ride, or the more direct but arduous trek up over 1000 steps. With the knowledge that Adrian will slow the boys down, the ladies take the dromedary
Dromedary
The dromedary or Arabian camel is a large, even-toed ungulate with one hump on its back. Its native range is unclear, but it was probably the Arabian Peninsula. The domesticated form occurs widely in North Africa and the Middle East...
camel
Camel
A camel is an even-toed ungulate within the genus Camelus, bearing distinctive fatty deposits known as humps on its back. There are two species of camels: the dromedary or Arabian camel has a single hump, and the bactrian has two humps. Dromedaries are native to the dry desert areas of West Asia,...
s. At the top of the mountain, the teams find a tablet with writing on it. However, there is also clue disguised as Arabic, to break the tablet as Moses
Moses
Moses was, according to the Hebrew Bible and Qur'an, a religious leader, lawgiver and prophet, to whom the authorship of the Torah is traditionally attributed...
did in Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
. Inside the teams find a map to help find the symbol, which is situated across the mountain terrain. Saskia heads straight for it, while Simon follows instinctively without any idea what to do himself. Consequently, Saskia finds the symbol first.
In the poison chalice round Kristian is surprisingly eliminated when he is passed the chalice by Simon for the final time.
Episode Five: Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
and Mayan
Maya civilization
The Maya is a Mesoamerican civilization, noted for the only known fully developed written language of the pre-Columbian Americas, as well as for its art, architecture, and mathematical and astronomical systems. Initially established during the Pre-Classic period The Maya is a Mesoamerican...
Theme
First aired 10 February 2007, Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
.
Five contestants remain in Episode five (Saskia, Adrian, Simon, Mairianne and Alexandra), which opens in Antigua Guatemala
Antigua Guatemala
Antigua Guatemala is a city in the central highlands of Guatemala famous for its well-preserved Spanish Mudéjar-influenced Baroque architecture as well as a number of spectacular ruins of colonial churches...
. The first location is the Church of La Merced. From the church their first clue is to find an image of the Virgin Mary. While Adrian and Simon go down literally the wrong avenue of exploration (looking in the public toilets), Alex spots the image, leading the girls to two alfombra, which are carpet
Carpet
A carpet is a textile floor covering consisting of an upper layer of "pile" attached to a backing. The pile is generally either made from wool or a manmade fibre such as polypropylene,nylon or polyester and usually consists of twisted tufts which are often heat-treated to maintain their...
s made from sawdust
Sawdust
Sawdust is a by-product of cutting lumber with a saw, composed of fine particles of wood. It can present a hazard in manufacturing industries, especially in terms of its flammability....
. Moving away this dust reveals the second location clue which Saskia achieves by kicking it. Adrian and Simon manage to catch up, but waste time not noticing the message hidden underneath the design.
Location two is the ruined Church of La Recoleccion, within which the contestants race to find a hidden scroll beneath an octagonal window. Their clue concerns the number eight, but they fail to notice the eight-sided windows. Marianne finds the scroll, though by flawed logic. Placing the cylindrical container for the scroll correctly mirrors a piece of artwork, revealing the name of the third location, the Pacaya
Pacaya
Pacaya is an active complex volcano in Guatemala, which first erupted approximately 23,000 years ago and has erupted at least 23 times since the Spanish conquest of Guatemala. Pacaya rises to an elevation of . After being dormant for a century, it erupted violently in 1965 and has been...
volcano
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
.
At the volcano the female team make a rapid ascent, but Alexandra struggles with chest pains. Unsurprisingly, in the male team, Adrian also has difficulty with the climb but Simon's encouragement urges him on. This is not enough to beat the girls, however, who shortly uncover the name of the fourth location blazing on sticks at the volcano's summit, Yaxhá
Yaxha
Yaxha is a Mesoamerican archaeological site in the northeast of the Petén Basin region, and a former ceremonial center and city of the pre-Columbian Maya civilization. Located in the modern-day department of Petén, northern Guatemala, it is approximately 30 km southeast from Tikal, between the...
, the ceremonial centre of the Maya civilization
Maya civilization
The Maya is a Mesoamerican civilization, noted for the only known fully developed written language of the pre-Columbian Americas, as well as for its art, architecture, and mathematical and astronomical systems. Initially established during the Pre-Classic period The Maya is a Mesoamerican...
.
Arriving at the ruins in Yaxhá in the Petén
Petén
Petén or Peten may refer to:*Petén , a department of Guatemala*Petén Basin, the geographical / archaeological region of Mesoamerica and a center of the Maya civilization*Lake Petén Itzá, a lake in the Petén Basin region...
forests, the teams reach the Mesoamerican pyramids
Mesoamerican pyramids
Mesoamerican pyramids, pyramid-shaped structures, are an important part of ancient Mesoamerican architecture. These structures were usually step pyramids with temples on top – more akin to the ziggurats of Mesopotamia than to the pyramids of Ancient Egypt...
, where they must decipher Mayan glyphs. Saskia's code breaking talent leads her to discover that this task requires simple knowledge of frequency analysis (cryptanalysis). Solving the clue with ease, the girls are directed to the river, where they must fill a well with water, causing refraction to allow them to view the name of the next location. However, in their haste, they fill the well with dirty water, preventing refraction due to the sand. Consequently, the boys, using clear water, solve the challenge first.
That night, Jamie informs the contestants that tomorrow they must work individually for the first time. The first to find the symbol shall be safe, with all others facing the poison chalice. The next day, all the contestants are given a map and a key. Their task is to use the poem on the back of the map to work out the order and which treasure boxes to visit in sequence. Alex is blinded by the pressure to succeed (knowing Saskia, Simon and Marianne are planning to vote her off), and forgets about the poem, heading to the final chest first. Meanwhile, Simon also goes in the wrong order while Adrian wastes time orienteering. As the number of keys in each box decreases, so too do the number of remaining participants. In the final straight, only two keys remain. Marianne gets the first, with Saskia getting the second. The two race for the symbol, and Saskia manages to uncover it first. Inside, she shrieks as tarantulas protect the symbol and runs back, giving Mairianne ample opportunity to steal the symbol for herself. However, she refuses to be so callous, and allows Saskia to come back and take the immunity from the chalice.
The remaining contestants take part in the poison chalice round the following day. Though Mairianne hesitates with guilt, she conforms to Simon and Saskia's plan, giving the chalice to Simon on the fourth pass, who quickly chooses to eliminate Alexandra. Mairianne worries that her hesitation might make her friends view her as a potential problem.
Episode Six: Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
with an Inca Theme
First aired 17 February 2007, Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
.
Episode six shows the remaining contestants (Simon, Adrian, Mairianne and Saskia) in the hunt for the penultimate symbol of the challenge. The episode begins in Cusco
Cusco
Cusco , often spelled Cuzco , is a city in southeastern Peru, near the Urubamba Valley of the Andes mountain range. It is the capital of the Cusco Region as well as the Cuzco Province. In 2007, the city had a population of 358,935 which was triple the figure of 20 years ago...
, Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
. Jamie's
Jamie Theakston
Jamie Theakston is an English television and radio presenter, producer and actor.-Education:...
first clue directs the teams to the market square
Plaza
Plaza is a Spanish word related to "field" which describes an open urban public space, such as a city square. All through Spanish America, the plaza mayor of each center of administration held three closely related institutions: the cathedral, the cabildo or administrative center, which might be...
where they are to find a shaman
Shamanism
Shamanism is an anthropological term referencing a range of beliefs and practices regarding communication with the spiritual world. To quote Eliade: "A first definition of this complex phenomenon, and perhaps the least hazardous, will be: shamanism = technique of ecstasy." Shamanism encompasses the...
. The teams for this episode are Simon and Mairianne versus Saskia and Adrian. Saskia and Adrian quickly take the lead on account of Saskia's fluency in Spanish, while Simon and Marianne struggle with the locals. Upon finding the shaman, the teams are presented with a basket
Basket
A basket is a container which is traditionally constructed from stiff fibres, which can be made from a range of materials, including wood splints, runners, and cane. While most baskets are made from plant materials, other materials such as horsehair, baleen, or metal wire can be used. Baskets are...
containing seven snakes and a map. The map shows eleven locations, one of which (location 6) refers to a street known as 'Seven Snakes' (Siete Culebras). Again, Saskia's fluency becomes a significant advantage and she proceeds directly to that location. However, Simon and Mairianne are unaware of the significance and proceed to visit each location on the map following a "path of logic". Saskia and Adrian arrive at an Inca wall on the street and discover the clue behind a stone with a snake carved on it. The clue leads to Coricancha
Coricancha
The Coricancha , originally named Inti Kancha was the most important temple in the Inca Empire, dedicated primarily to Inti, the Sun God...
. Eventually, Simon and Mairianne ask a bilingual priest for assistance and are directed to the carved stones where they too discover the clue to the second part of the task.
With a time advantage, Saskia and Adrian arrive at Coricancha
Coricancha
The Coricancha , originally named Inti Kancha was the most important temple in the Inca Empire, dedicated primarily to Inti, the Sun God...
to find a replica golden disc (representing Inti
Inti
According to the Inca mythology, Inti is the sun god, as well a patron deity of the Inca Empire. His exact origin is not known. The most common story says he is the son of Viracocha, the god of civilization.- Worship :...
) hanging from a circle of candles. Saskia attempts to melt the disc before realising that the clue is on the paper found in Cusco which depicted an arch
Arch
An arch is a structure that spans a space and supports a load. Arches appeared as early as the 2nd millennium BC in Mesopotamian brick architecture and their systematic use started with the Ancient Romans who were the first to apply the technique to a wide range of structures.-Technical aspects:The...
way above the name of Coricancha
Coricancha
The Coricancha , originally named Inti Kancha was the most important temple in the Inca Empire, dedicated primarily to Inti, the Sun God...
. Together with Adrian they begin their search of the site for an arch which matches the picture. When they find the arch, the room beyond it contains another paper clue with a picture of the golden disc and a word written in invisible ink
Invisible ink
Invisible ink, also known as security ink, is a substance used for writing, which is invisible either on application or soon thereafter, and which later on can be made visible by some means. Invisible ink is one form of steganography, and it has been used in espionage...
. After some debate they realise this has to be returned to the candles and heated to allow the acid
Acid
An acid is a substance which reacts with a base. Commonly, acids can be identified as tasting sour, reacting with metals such as calcium, and bases like sodium carbonate. Aqueous acids have a pH of less than 7, where an acid of lower pH is typically stronger, and turn blue litmus paper red...
in the smoke
Smoke
Smoke is a collection of airborne solid and liquid particulates and gases emitted when a material undergoes combustion or pyrolysis, together with the quantity of air that is entrained or otherwise mixed into the mass. It is commonly an unwanted by-product of fires , but may also be used for pest...
to reveal the message. Meanwhile, upon seeing what Saskia is doing, Simon and Mairianne decide to copy her quickly, but in their haste allow their parchment to catch fire. Saskia's patience of slow heating pays off, revealing the next location (Wanuska Wasi).
In the next location (an Inca tomb
Tomb
A tomb is a repository for the remains of the dead. It is generally any structurally enclosed interment space or burial chamber, of varying sizes...
complex), the teams have to follow a puma symbol through the network of caves before finding a wall with a code on it. Jamie had previously told them to "break the code", and in a pun, the contestants do not need to decipher the code, simply break the wall down with brute force. Saskia and Adrian solve this first and find a llama
Llama
The llama is a South American camelid, widely used as a meat and pack animal by Andean cultures since pre-Hispanic times....
foetus wrapped in a cloth used as a shaman offering. Mairianne also solves the 'break' pun and, upon finding the shaman offering, appears to solve the message on the cloth ahead of Saskia. Despite this, it is Saskia and Adrian who have the lead in this challenge as they begin a rafting trip toward Ollantaytambo
Ollantaytambo
Ollantaytambo is a town and an Inca archaeological site in southern Peru some 60 kilometers northwest of the city of Cusco. It is located at an altitude of 2,792 meters above sea level in the district of Ollantaytambo, province of Urubamba, Cusco region...
. Saskia and Adrian are physically disadvantaged in this task and Simon and Mairianne close the gap only to find the random current
Current (stream)
A current, in a river or stream, is the flow of water influenced by gravity as the water moves downhill to reduce its potential energy. The current varies spatially as well as temporally within the stream, dependent upon the flow volume of water, stream gradient, and channel geometrics...
in the rapids slows them down. Andreas Holland explains the significance of Aguas Calientes
Aguas Calientes, Peru
Aguas Calientes is the colloquial name for "Hot Springs", a town in Peru on the Urubamba River. It is best known as the closest access point to the sacred historical site of Machu Picchu , which is away, about 1.5 hours walk. There are many hotels and restaurants for tourists, as well as natural...
as the teams solve a pigpen cipher
Pigpen cipher
The pigpen cipher is a geometric simple substitution cipher which exchanges letters for symbols which are fragments of a grid...
, outlined in the shape of an ankh. With Adrian slowing Saskia down, Simon and Marianne arrive at the clue first and methodically work through the code to solve it before Saskia has a chance to decipher it. Before the final challenge, the teams eat guinea pig
Guinea pig
The guinea pig , also called the cavy, is a species of rodent belonging to the family Caviidae and the genus Cavia. Despite their common name, these animals are not in the pig family, nor are they from Guinea...
with local families and spend the night there.
The next day sees a solo challenge as each contestant has to use a series of Quipu
Quipu
Quipus or khipus were recording devices used in the Inca Empire and its predecessor societies in the Andean region. A quipu usually consisted of colored, spun, and plied thread or strings from llama or alpaca hair. It could also be made of cotton cords...
devices to decipher names of locations in Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu is a pre-Columbian 15th-century Inca site located above sea level. It is situated on a mountain ridge above the Urubamba Valley in Peru, which is northwest of Cusco and through which the Urubamba River flows. Most archaeologists believe that Machu Picchu was built as an estate for...
, which they must navigate to using their maps. This problem is compounded by low visibility
Visibility
In meteorology, visibility is a measure of the distance at which an object or light can be clearly discerned. It is reported within surface weather observations and METAR code either in meters or statute miles, depending upon the country. Visibility affects all forms of traffic: roads, sailing...
and drizzle
Drizzle
Drizzle is a light rain precipitation consisting of liquid water drops smaller than those of rain, and generally smaller than 0.5 mm in diameter. Drizzle is normally produced by low stratiform clouds and stratocumulus clouds. Precipitation rates due to drizzle are on the order of a millimetre...
common to the Yungas
Yungas
The Yungas is a stretch of forest along the eastern slope of the Andes Mountains from southeastern Peru through central Bolivia. It is a transitional zone between the Andean highlands and the eastern forests. Like the surrounding areas, it has characteristics of the Neotropic ecozone...
, making Simon demoralised. Saskia's skills in decryption see her solve the puzzles quickly, leading her first to the second quipu. However, on the third quipu, despite reaching it first, she wastes time going through all 25 shift codes instead of simply using a reverse substitution cipher, which Marianne does first to reveal "Young Peak". Meanwhile, Adrian and Simon have both been placed into the poison chalice round by solving the clues too slowly. With a slight lead of Saskia, Marianne sets off up Young Peak, a mountain next to Machu Picchu. However, she fails to notice her clue on the ground, a cryptic map resembling a hedgehog. Saskia finds it, and at the summit notices structure formations similar to the diagram. Once again, Saskia there finds the symbol, ensuring her a place in the final, leaving Marianne visibly upset that she didn't even get a fair shot at winning.
In the poison chalice round, Mairianne and Simon trade the chalice several times before it is passed to Adrian, who is eliminated.
Episode Seven (finale
Series finale
A series finale refers to the last installment of a series with a narrative presented through mediums such as television, film and literature. In many Commonwealth countries, the term final episode is commonly used in regards to a television series...
): England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
with a Tudor
Tudor period
The Tudor period usually refers to the period between 1485 and 1603, specifically in relation to the history of England. This coincides with the rule of the Tudor dynasty in England whose first monarch was Henry VII...
Theme
First aired 24 February 2007, Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
.
With the show reaching its climax, the team return home to Great Britain, working individually to find the £50,000 prize money. Each contestant is allowed to have a previously eliminated player aid them in their final quest. Saskia chooses philosopher Nat, with Mairianne opting for codebreaking enthusiast Suzie, and Simon sticking with his old comrade Adrian. The first clue is at the National Portrait Gallery in London, where the teams must find a specific painting with an inscription. They must then enter the exhibit code into the audio tour guide, to hear Jamie's voice telling them where to go next, Hatfield House
Hatfield House
Hatfield House is a country house set in a large park, the Great Park, on the eastern side of the town of Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England. The present Jacobean house was built in 1611 by Robert Cecil, First Earl of Salisbury and Chief Minister to King James I and has been the home of the Cecil...
. It is Adrian who finds the words first, written faintly on a portrait of James I. He and Simon head off, though both Saskia and Mairianne are not far behind. At Hatfield House, Elizabeth I's childhood home, the team find a clue about the heir revealing itself. They then find a large hall with numerous mirrors. Adrian, in train of thought, actually says the answer, that heir is a play on words for "air", and breathing on the mirrors will reveal a message. Doubting himself, however, they allow their lead to slip away. Finally, Simon listens to Adrian about his theory, and they win the first task.
Task two sees the teams head for the London Library
London Library
The London Library is the world's largest independent lending library, and the UK's leading literary institution. It is located in the City of Westminster, London, England, United Kingdom....
, where waiting for them are individual cryptic clues. While Mairianne and Saskia swiftly figure out that the clue is in fact catalogue directories to find a specific book in a library of literally millions, Simon refuses to listen to Adrian, believing the clue is itself an encryption. While they struggle, Saskia takes the lead and finds the next clue, to head to a nearby park. She and Nat arrive and Saskia quickly spots a Tudor rose, underneath which is the clue, Old Royal Naval College
Old Royal Naval College
The Old Royal Naval College is the architectural centrepiece of Maritime Greenwich, a World Heritage Site in Greenwich, London, described by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation as being of “outstanding universal value” and reckoned to be the “finest and most...
. There, the teams find a digraphic substitution cipher, and using the six symbols they learnt from around the world, they crack the code as "THE PLACENTIA", the courtyard outside. While both Simon and Saskia look around the area (Simon actually walking past where they must go next), Suzie suggests she and Marianne try to find underground access. The idea pays off, with Mairianne finding the seventh symbol. After much time-wasting, Saskia also finds the symbol, thereby giving her another chance in the final stage. Not long later, Simon and Adrian arrive to find only the poison chalice.
With just two teams remaining, The Search moves on to Edinburgh, Scotland. Here, Jamie tells the contestants that they'll find their next clue at Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle is a fortress which dominates the skyline of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, from its position atop the volcanic Castle Rock. Human habitation of the site is dated back as far as the 9th century BC, although the nature of early settlement is unclear...
, Queen Mary's home while she was pregnant with James I. Both teams run up the Royal Mile to the castle, and are directed to Mary's private quarters (which they notice as a symbol outside corresponds with the seventh symbol). There, they find a piece of parchment and a cryptex. The parchment shows many Roman numerals, the answer being that they show the Tudor line of monarchs, the next in the sequence being James I or James VI in terms of Scotland, so the answer for the cryptex is SIXTH. Saskia works her mathematical brain looking for statistical logic in the sequence, naturally to little avail. Meanwhile, Mairianne remarkably comes to the correct answer in virtually moments of looking at the clue. Inside the cryptex is a clue to follow the hidden passageway. Pressing on the walls reveals a secret room, and inside the teams are locked in a dungeon with hundreds of different keys on the ground. Inside a barrel, they find a map with X marking the prize money, as well as the clue "He Be Loot", which is an anagram for Boot Heel, where the real key is hidden. Suzie speaks about how in one era they used to hide things in the soles of shoes, and when Marianne picks up one of the boots, the heel snaps off and the key is revealed. Despite not properly solving the anagram, the girls get a strong lead on Saskia for the final straight, the location of the treasure, Craigmillar Castle
Craigmillar Castle
Craigmillar Castle is a ruined medieval castle in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is situated south-east of the city centre, on a low hill to the south of the modern suburb of Craigmillar. It was begun in the late 14th century by the Preston family, feudal barons of Craigmillar, and extended through the...
.
Once there, neither Suzie or Nat are permitted to enter the grounds while the game is still in play, meaning Mairianne and Saskia will be on their own. Arriving ahead, Mairianne runs round the area with her map, eventually finding the next clue, two gravestones with one marked as IR, and one as ER. Meanwhile, Saskia and Nat have also escaped the dungeon, and are right behind Marianne in a taxi, with Saskia offering the driver money if he can get her there immediately. Mairianne is now faced with a £50,000 decision: she must pick which grave to dig at. One contains the gold, another the poison chalice. To help her, she has a clue "In my end is my beginning" on a piece of parchment, along with a symbol. The quote is actually of Mary's before her execution at Elizabeth's hands, referring to her son James, who would take the monarchy and start the reign of the Stuarts over the Tudors. Thus, in her end is her name's beginning against Elizabeth. The symbol is also made up of the characters in her name, overlapped to make MARIE STUART. While ER is Elizabeth Regina, IR is Jacobus Rex (as there was no J in the Latin alphabet, I was used to represent King James), meaning the IR grave contains the treasure. Along the way, other clues were also present, like the London Library being on St. James's Square, the contestants running through St. James's Court while running up the Royal Mile, and IR written on the ceiling in the private chambers at Edinburgh Castle. But has Mairianne spotted these clues?
She decides that the symbol is the crest of Elizabeth, and digs at the ER grave. While still digging, Saskia finally arrives, and is forced to dig the unoccupied grave whether she agree with the decision or not. Both girls struggle to pull out their treasure chests, and open the boxes simultaneously. A look of disappointment spreads across Mairianne's face as she pulls out the poison chalice, while Saskia weeps as she finds £50,000 in gold coins.
The final credits show Saskia's journey throughout the show, with the final shot of her lifting up the sixth symbol from Peru to the heavens, to the magnificent backdrop of Machu Picchu.
Contestants
| Name | Details | Elimination |
|---|---|---|
| Adrian Benjamin Adrian Benjamin The Reverend Adrian Victor Benjamin is a prebendary of St. Paul's Cathedral and a former actor who has appeared with Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor.... |
A 64 year old vicar from London whose congregation at All Saints Church in Whetstone Whetstone, London -Buses:* 34 - Barnet Church to Walthamstow Central bus/tube/railway station* 125 - Winchmore Hill to Finchley Central* 234 - Barnet to Highgate Wood * 251 - Edgware bus/tube station to Arnos Grove tube station... includes Lady Thatcher Margaret Thatcher Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990... . Educated at Oxford University of Oxford The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096... , Adrian read Theology Theology Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo... and English English literature English literature is the literature written in the English language, including literature composed in English by writers not necessarily from England; for example, Robert Burns was Scottish, James Joyce was Irish, Joseph Conrad was Polish, Dylan Thomas was Welsh, Edgar Allan Poe was American, J.... . He returned to the show in Episode Seven to assist Simon in the finale. |
Episode Six |
| Alan Fildes |
A 58 year old Egyptologist with over 30 years experience in ancient history. Literate in hieroglyphics, Alan is a specialist in the Egypt Egypt Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world... ian Old Kingdom Old Kingdom Old Kingdom is the name given to the period in the 3rd millennium BC when Egypt attained its first continuous peak of civilization in complexity and achievement – the first of three so-called "Kingdom" periods, which mark the high points of civilization in the lower Nile Valley .The term itself was... and the location of pyramids. Alan elected to resign his part in the show following a moderately physical climb near Montségur Montségur The Château de Montségur is a former fortress near Montségur, a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France. Its ruins are the site of a razed stronghold of the Cathars. The present fortress on the site, though described as one of the "Cathar castles," is actually of a later period... in Episode Two. |
Walked inEpisode Two |
| Alexandra |
A 27 year old French France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... girl educated in architecture Architecture Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art... and interior design Interior design Interior design describes a group of various yet related projects that involve turning an interior space into an effective setting for the range of human activities are to take place there. An interior designer is someone who conducts such projects... . Alexandra is fluent Fluency Fluency is the property of a person or of a system that delivers information quickly and with expertise.-Speech:... in French French language French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts... , English and Greek Greek language Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;... as well as possessing a knowledge of Latin Latin Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and... , Italian Italian language Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia... and Ancient Greek Ancient Greek Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek... . |
Episode Five |
| Kristian Bradshaw |
A 27 year old from London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... educated at Cambridge University of Cambridge The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally... where he read Modern and Medieval Languages. He now practises as a solicitor Solicitor Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title... , having completed a postgraduate diploma in law. Kristian is also represented by Absolute Models as a male model. |
Episode Four |
| Mairianne Reardon |
A 24 year old head hunter Recruiter A recruiter is someone engaging in recruitment, or the solicitation of individuals to fill jobs or positions within a corporation, nonprofit organization, sports team, the military, etc. Recruiters may work within an organization's human resources department or on an outsourced basis... in The City City of London The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of... , originally from Great Torrington Great Torrington Great Torrington is a small market town in the north of Devon, England. Parts of it are sited on high ground with steep drops down to the River Torridge below... in Devon Devon Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with... . Mairianne was educated at Oxford University of Oxford The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096... where she read music Music Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture... after achieving a choral Choir A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus... scholarship Scholarship A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:... . |
Runner-up |
| Monica |
A 51 year old freelance editor Editing Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete... from London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... with a Masters Degree in Medieval History and a Bachelors Degree in Arabic Arabic language Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book... . Monica's apparent inability to integrate with her fellow female contestants may have led to her being the first to be eliminated in the female team's first poisoned chalice. |
Episode One |
| Nat Coleman |
A 25 year old Londoner and graduate of Oxford University of Oxford The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096... and the Institut d'etudes Politiques Institut d'études politiques Instituts d'études politiques , or IEPs, are nine publicly owned institutions of higher learning in France. They are located in Aix-en-Provence, Bordeaux, Grenoble, Lille, Lyon, Paris, Rennes, Strasbourg and Toulouse , and their vocation is the study and research of contemporary political science... . Nat has degrees in Classics Classics Classics is the branch of the Humanities comprising the languages, literature, philosophy, history, art, archaeology and other culture of the ancient Mediterranean world ; especially Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome during Classical Antiquity Classics (sometimes encompassing Classical Studies or... and Political Philosophy and is a keen dramatist. Nat's laboured methodical approach may have led to his being eliminated in the male team's first poisoned chalice though he returned to the show in Episode Seven to successfully pair with Saskia for the finale. |
Episode Two |
| Saskia de Groot |
A 24 year old talented polyglot Polyglot (person) A polyglot is someone with a high degree of proficiency in several languages. A bilingual person can speak two languages fluently, whereas a trilingual three; above that the term multilingual may be used.-Hyperpolyglot:... whose German Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... father is a Professor of Genetics Genetics Genetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms.... . Saskia is studying for a PhD PHD PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer... in Bioinformatics Bioinformatics Bioinformatics is the application of computer science and information technology to the field of biology and medicine. Bioinformatics deals with algorithms, databases and information systems, web technologies, artificial intelligence and soft computing, information and computation theory, software... at Oxford University of Oxford The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096... and is fluent in German German language German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union.... , French French language French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts... and Spanish Spanish language Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the... . Like Alexandra, Saskia also has a knowledge of Ancient Greek Ancient Greek Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek... and Latin Latin Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and... . Saskia's MySpace MySpace Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors.... blog details her personal experiences on The Search. The eventual winner of The Search in Episode Seven, Saskia collected £50,000 in prize money Prize money Prize money has a distinct meaning in warfare, especially naval warfare, where it was a monetary reward paid out to the crew of a ship for capturing an enemy vessel... . |
Winner |
| Simon |
A 32 year old Londoner with a Masters Degree in Contemporary Art Contemporary art Contemporary art can be defined variously as art produced at this present point in time or art produced since World War II. The definition of the word contemporary would support the first view, but museums of contemporary art commonly define their collections as consisting of art produced... from the Courtauld Institute, Simon lectures in history History History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians... . Simon appeared to be a significant reason for the success of the male team in Episode One. Despite strong performances in earlier 'rounds', Simon's performance in the final was weak, in part due to his reluctance to take advice from Adrian. |
3rd place (chalice). |
| Suzie Devey-Humpleby |
A 39 year old from Hartlepool Hartlepool Hartlepool is a town and port in North East England.It was founded in the 7th century AD, around the Northumbrian monastery of Hartlepool Abbey. The village grew during the Middle Ages and developed a harbour which served as the official port of the County Palatine of Durham. A railway link from... and enthusiastic treasure hunt Treasure hunt A treasure hunt is one of many different types of games which can have one or more players who try to find hidden articles, locations or places by using a series of clues. This is a fictional activity; treasure hunting can also be a real life activity. Treasure hunt games may be an indoor or... er with a Masters Degree in Tourism Tourism Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a... Management and a First Bachelors of Arts Degree in Business Administration. Suzie was eliminated in the third poisoned chalice however she returned in Episode Seven to assist Marianne in the finale. |
Episode Three |