Herald Hunt 2011

Yes, you are looking at a gigantic brassiere in a construction site. No, this is not a practical joke, though many people would say so. This is the Herald Hunt—the one time during the year when uprising intellectual sleuths gather round ridiculous phenomena, such as this bra, to ruminate over its larger meaning and fit the jagged pieces of the puzzle together in their minds for a chance to win a prize. Of course, some people just do it for the hell of it knowing from the start that they won’t win while still keeping the spark of hope alive in their minds, because there is a possibility that they might win. The Hunt began in 1984 and, since then, has brought some of the most interesting and interesting-looking people to different locations throughout Miami to test their wit.

I think the writers of the clues for this Hunt thoroughly enjoy watching people go crazy as they try to figure out the puzzle, which usually has an obvious solution; the right-in-front-of-your-nose effect drives people absolutely mad.

This year the Hunt took place around the new Marlins Stadium, yet another Miami spectacle that is sure to draw more and more people to downtown Miami. I’m not exactly sure who won, but I think it was a family from Broward. Yes, once again, my family walked away empty-handed with nothing but headaches and sunburns to show for our five hours of thinking abstractly—maybe next year we’ll win.