Several friends started sharing this video with me not long after it was posted (and already going viral).
While so much of modern politics is mired in mudslinging, negativity, fearmongering, and hate speech, Zohran Mamdani opted instead to get his fellow New Yorkers moving, excited, and motivated in a healthy, fun, engaging way: a scavenger hunt.
This video got 114,000 views in one day. And as for the actual turnout:
Participants who arrived early received their playing card and their first clue:
So many players documented their adventure across social media, not only excited about taking on this walking-friendly public challenge, but meeting fellow New Yorkers who were similarly buzzing about this fun, educational event!
The cards ran out quickly, but that didn’t stop many intrepid puzzlers from taking on the journey regardless.
They were assisted by many fellow Zcavenger hunters sharing pics of the clues online, as well as offering photos to document their progress!
The tweet above brilliantly summarizes some of the joys that come along with a public event like this. It’s not all about winning or completing the challenge. Sometimes, it’s about discovering something new about a place you thought you knew, or exploring a place that you didn’t know before!
It was an absolute joy to follow all of the posts across Twitter and Bluesky about the event. It gave me flashbacks to The Great Urban Race from years ago!
A recurring motif was all the fresh air and exercise the Zcavenger hunters were enjoying. It was a beautiful day and solvers made the most of it.
By any and all metrics, this was a huge success. THOUSANDS of New Yorkers came out to explore, enjoy the city, meet fellow puzzlers, and revel in a truly rare occurrence: a campaign event that left people smiling at the end.
When I talk about puzzles bringing people together, this is the energy I mean. Whether it’s a tournament or a scavenger hunt or simply a few people gathered around a kitchen table, puzzles are community builders.
Yes, puzzles can be a solitary endeavor, and a delightful one at that, but so much of the joy of puzzling comes from solving together, sharing the experience.
Here’s hoping we see more of this energy in the future.
PuzzCulture 