Halloween's Pursuit

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Halloween's Pursuit was a puzzle game that took place between 2003 and 2004 in the United States. It was most likely a staged alternate reality game (ARG), but some believe it to be an actual treasure hunt. Regardless of its intent, it involved a series of increasingly complex puzzles, challenges, and clues. A small but dedicated group of fans dedicated their time to cracking the puzzles, often working in teams. Kevin Desether, a college student attending the University of New Mexico is thought to be the first person to discover the puzzle, and many people think that he may have been involved in its creation and execution.

The plot involved a character named Halloween Jack who had hid $77,000 somewhere in the United States in the 1980's and then set up a series of clues describing its location. Fans who believed the puzzles to be authentic gathered from clues that Halloween Jack was an eccentric millionaire who could afford to invest such a large amount of money in the game as a form of entertainment. More plausible explanations contend that the game was an advertisement like most ARGs, and some believe the game was an attempt to create a pay-to-play ARG that would lure players in for free, and then begin charging for content. Other theories speculated that Halloween Jack was a front for a cult, a marketing firm, or even the Church of Scientology.

In 2004, the puzzles dried up and clues ceased to turn up. Some players believe that someone solved the puzzle and collected the money, but no one has ever come forward with solution or prize, or taken credit for creating the game.

Ongoing research to document and compile the various puzzles and clues, as well as the people who attempted to solve Halloween's Pursuit is taking place today.