I was reminded the other day of paper trails.
I used to love doing these when I was kid. I rekindled it when I met my Missus in the late Seventies. It was a lot of fun. Cheap too. All you needed was a pen and paper!
Basically a paper trail is a trail of paper around the house, garden or both. It can even work in a place away from the home like a forest or park. Daylight is my only experience but it could also be done in the dark using torchlight.
The person who has laid the trail hides pieces of paper in various locations. Each one is hinted at in a clue written on the paper in the preceding location. The first clue is read to the person or persons playing.
The player has to then read each clue and find the next location, eventually finding the final one and the prize.
The clues could be as simple or as cryptic as you wanted. Basic statements maybe, rhyming slang or even lengthy riddles.
As the trail layer you had to remember where the notes where in case the game stalled and you had to kick-start it again. It happened.
I used to enjoy paper trails in the house. I'd lay them for anyone who would play: brothers, sisters, Mum, Dad, mates, lodgers and complete strangers. Even Shandy the dog, who just ate the clues!
It was huge fun to watch the trail unfold and the player win the prize, which again could be as simple or as off-kilter as you wanted. Maybe a toblerone bar or as I did with my young Missus a meal out at the local pizzeria!
Did you ever lay a paper trail readers?
PS. I have just thought that an interesting trail might start late on New Years Eve and go into the new Year! A time-travelling trail! Or might it be bad luck to continue the old year into the next? Hmmm.
