My memories from childhood + imagination were enough for exactly one quest: a dozen tasks that are not duplicated.
But the children liked the fun, they asked for more quests and had to go online.
This article will not describe the scenario, legends, design. But there will be 13 ciphers to encode the tasks for the quest.

Code number 1. Picture

Drawing or photo that directly indicates the place where the next clue is hidden, or a hint of it: broom + socket = vacuum cleaner
Complication: make a puzzle by cutting the photo into several parts.

Code 2. Leapfrog.

Swap the letters in the word: SOFA \u003d NIDAV

Code 3. Greek alphabet.

Encode the message with the letters of the Greek alphabet, and give the children the key:

Code 4. On the contrary.

Write the assignment backwards:

• every word:
  Etischi dalk dop yonsos
• or the whole sentence, or even a paragraph:
  etsem morcom momas in - akzaksdop yaaschuudelS. itup monrev an yv

Code 5. Mirror.

(when I made a quest for my children, at the very beginning I gave them a "magic bag": there was a key to the "Greek alphabet", a mirror, "windows", pens and sheets of paper, and all sorts of unnecessary stuff to confuse. Finding another riddle , they had to figure out for themselves what from the bag would help to find a clue)

Code 6. Rebus.

The word is encoded in pictures:

Code 7. Next letter.

We write a word, replacing all the letters in it with the next ones in alphabetical order (then I is replaced by A, in a circle). Or previous, or following through 5 letters :).

CABINET = SCHLBH

Code 8. Classics to help.

I took a poem (and told the children which one) and a code of 2 digits: line number number of letters in the line.

Example:

Pushkin "Winter Evening"

A storm covers the sky with mist,
Whirlwinds of snow twisting;
Like a beast, she will howl
It will cry like a child
That on a dilapidated roof
Suddenly the straw will rustle,
Like a belated traveler
There will be a knock on our window.

21 44 36 32 82 82 44 33 12 23 82 28

did you read where is the clue? :)

Code 9. Dungeon.

In a 3x3 grid, enter the letters:

Then the word WINDOW is encrypted like this:

Code 10. Labyrinth.

My children liked this cipher, it is unlike the others, because it is not so much for brains as for attention.

So:

on a long thread / rope you hook the letters in order, as they go in the word. Then you stretch the rope, twist it and tangle it in every possible way between the supports (trees, legs, etc.). After walking along the thread, as if through a maze, from the 1st letter to the last, the children will learn the clue word.

And imagine if you wrap one of the adult guests in this way!
Children read - The next clue is on Uncle Vasya.
And they run to feel Uncle Vasya. Eh, if he is also afraid of tickling, then everyone will have fun!

Code 11. Invisible ink.

Write the word with a wax candle. If you paint over the sheet with watercolors, then it can be read.
(there are other invisible inks .. milk, lemon, something else .. But I only had a candle in my house :))

Code 12. Rubbish.

The vowels remain unchanged, while the consonants change according to the key.
for example:
OVEK SHOMOZKO
reads like - VERY COLD, if you know the key:
D L X N H
Z M Shch K V

Code 13. Windows.

The kids loved it so much! They then encrypted messages to each other with these windows all day long.
So: on one sheet we cut out windows, as many as there are letters in the word. This is a stencil, we apply it to a blank sheet and write a hint word "in the windows". Then we remove the stencil and on the remaining clean place on the sheet we write many different other unnecessary letters. You can read the cipher if you attach a stencil with windows.
The children first fell into a stupor when they found a sheet covered with letters. Then they twisted the stencil back and forth, but you still need to attach it with the right side!

Code 14. Map, Billy!

Draw a map and mark (X) the location of the treasure.
When I made my quest for the first time, I decided that the map is very simple for them, so they need to make it more mysterious (later it turned out that just a map would be enough for the children to get confused and run in the opposite direction) ...

This is our street map. The clues here are house numbers (to understand that this is our street in general) and huskies. This dog lives next door.
The children did not immediately recognize the area, they asked me leading questions ..
Then 14 children participated in the quest, so I combined them into 3 teams. They had 3 versions of this map and each had its place marked. As a result, each team found one word:
"SHOW" "TALE" "REAP"
That was the next task :). After him were hilarious photos!
On my son's 9th birthday, there was no time to invent a quest and I bought it on the MasterFuns website .. At my own peril and risk, because the description there is not very good.
But we liked it with the children, because:

1. inexpensive (analogue somewhere around $ 4 per set)
2. fast (paid - downloaded - printed - for everything about everything in 15-20 minutes)
3. a lot of tasks, with a margin. And although I didn’t like all the riddles, but there was plenty to choose from, and you could enter your task
4. everything is decorated in one monster style and this gives the holiday an effect. In addition to the tasks for the quest, the kit includes: a postcard, flags, table decorations, invitations to guests. And it's all about the monsters! :)
5. in addition to the 9-year-old birthday man and his friends, I also have a 5-year-old daughter. The tasks are beyond her strength, but she and her friend also found entertainment - 2 games with monsters, which were also in the set. Phew, in the end - everyone is happy!

Digging on the Internet and thinking about a topic for an article about stoves and fireplaces, I accidentally stumbled upon information about stove folklore. Never thought about this question before. The stove has been in the hut for a long time, which means that its presence in a person’s life has been overgrown with proverbs, sayings, riddles, signs. That's what I wanted to talk a little about, and we'll start with riddles about the oven and everything connected with it. For convenience, we sort them by clues.

Without arms, without legs, but climbed onto the hut.
A white pillar stands on the roof and grows higher and higher. Here he has grown to heaven - and disappeared.
Born in fire, escaped from fire. Separated from the fire - and quickly disappeared.
He flew out of the oven, curled rings.
Damn ankle, arching much
Kumovo reel went under the sky.
Ham walks around the shop in a Ham shirt; open the window, come out, Ham, out
A bear is dancing on the roof of the house.
I was born in the stove, curled into rings, danced trepak and went into the clouds.
I chopped a thick deck, but I could not cut it.
Although I am not snow, I am melting, not a bird, but I am flying.
What is higher than the roof, more dexterous than a mouse?

I am furry, I am curly
I am over every hut in winter,
Over the fire and the factory
Over the fire and the steamer.
But nowhere, nowhere me
There is no fire.

Poker

The bear's paw rakes in the heat.
The field of red horses is full, one black horse will come - it will disperse everyone.
The black horse gallops into the fire.

Bake

Grandmother is gray-haired, in winter she is sweet to everyone. And as summer comes, they forget about their grandmother.
In the hut - a hut, in the hut - a pipe. Noisy in the hut, buzzed in the pipe. The people see the flame, but do not extinguish it.
Grandfather is old all white, summer will come, don't look at him, winter will come, hug him.
The house is white, the door is black, the owner is red. What entered the house - everything went to heaven!
He eats a lot in winter and sleeps a lot in summer. The body is warm, but there is no blood. Sit on it - sit down, but no luck.
In winter he eats everything, and in summer he sleeps; the body is warm, but there is no blood; sit on it, sit on it, but it won’t take you from your place
There is no heat in winter, no cold in summer.
Whoever baked bread would lay down on him.
Summer will come - they do not look at her, winter will come - they embrace her.
He sleeps in the summer, burns in the winter, his mouth opens, what is given, swallows.
The mother is fat, the daughter is red, the son is a demon, flew to heaven.
Our fat Fedora takes a long time to eat. But when full, from Fedora - warmth.
Our dough got into a hot place. Horrible - not gone, it became a ruddy bun.
There is a woman in the corner, and her mouth is in her side.
There is a woman on the floor, opening her hole.
There is a girl in a hut, and a scythe in the yard.
There is a brick hut, sometimes cold, sometimes hot.
Matryona is standing, healthy, vigorous, her mouth opens, what she swallows.
Now she bakes pancakes, then she shows dreams.
The closet is large, the doors are small, white is put in, black is taken out.
A fur coat in a hut, a sleeve on the street.

Pechnik

Our oven smoked
Pies do not want to bake.
The master here came skillful,
He tied a white apron.
Corrected the bricks in the masonry
And he smeared the crack with clay ...
Our oven is fine now.
She doesn't smoke now.

Barrier and damper

Mother Sophia dries day and night: the morning will come, she will leave behind (stove damper).
Where is Samson in the hut? (Barrier)
The day pores, the night pores, under the flood (or: one morning) sleeps (barrier)
There is a wolf - a scorched side (barrier)

Pipe

On the roof of our dwarf sits and smokes the sky every day.
Arina is sitting, her mouth open.
A woman is sitting on the stove in a white coat.
An old man is sitting on the roof, dressed in a modest jacket. Every now and then smoke lets out, as if smoking tobacco.
Sophia dries, neither drinks nor eats, everything looks at the sky.
Elder Sofya dried up for three years: she didn’t drink, she didn’t eat, she kept looking at the sky.

grip

Not a bull, but butting, not eating, but enough food.
One-handed, but horned, he is the first grip in the hut. Grabbed the pot - yes in the stove.
Horned, but not a bull, grab, but not full, gives to people, but he goes to rest.

Various

Golden birds fly out of a deep well and disappear in the air. (Sparks from the chimney)
Crooked crooks lay down like peahens, and when they became hot, they licked the bricks. (Firewood in the oven)
The nose is golden, the tail is wooden. (burning wood)
Small, light and hard to lift. (Hot coal)
Without arms, without legs, but climbs on the stove (sour).
There are three chocks, three geese, three ducks, three black grouses in the stove (seasons).
I will plow a clean field, I will catch up with black sheep (bread in the oven).
Two crows fly, eat one head (crows)
Bury - it does not rot, throw it into the water - it will float (coal).
There is a pig, gold bristle (hot heater).
What is not visible in the hut? (Warm)
The black cow drank a whole tub of water (bathing heater).
Damn old woman all in patches (heater in the bath).
The line of sparrows is full: they sit, do not fly, chirp (the stones on the stove hiss when they give in)
The field is small, plowed smoothly, no plow, no harrow, damn beard (under the stove)
Up the root grows (soot).
He is ready to dine. You see: how many languages! He quickly eats firewood in the oven, heating the bricks. Don't touch him with your hand: he can bite ... (Fire)
We have golden chicks in the stove (heat)
For years I have been living as a meek prisoner inside the oven: I cook soups with borscht, bake kalachi. I give warmth to the house, but in me, believe me, a bloodthirsty beast is hidden more terrible than thunder. (Fire)

Riddles with many clues

The horse had not yet been harnessed, but he had already raised his tail. (Fire and smoke)
Tutorya came out of the underground, began to rake in gold. (Poker and coal)
Two brothers-in-law, between their black dog (brow, trumpet, smoke).
Two white men are leading a blackie (the forehead of the stove and the ochelish).
The red bull lies on the ground, the blue bull reaches for the sky. (Fire, smoke)
The mother is heavy, the daughter is red, and the son is lighter than a feather. (furnace, fire, smoke)
The mother is fat, the daughter is red, the son is curly, the father is hunchbacked. (Oven, fire, smoke, poker)
The mother is fat, the daughter is red, the son of a sparrow flew into the sky. (furnace, fire, smoke)
The mother is fat, the daughter is red, the son is brave - he left in the skies. (Stove, fire, smoke.)
The father was just born, and the son is already walking down the street. (Fire, smoke)
The oven is full of bakes, in the middle of the oven is a loaf (sky, stars, month).
There is a tower, there is a box in the tower, a flour in the box, a bug in the flour. (Kiln, ash, coals)
I walk along the tramp, I look into the beetle, in the beetle of the ax, it is covered with a roar (floor, stove head, firewood, stove).

I am a helpful bastard.
I am happy to serve everyone.
I am silent as an idol.
And then I sing songs.

(Samovar)

The pig is running
Ripped back.

(Drum)

Say the magic words
Swipe the subject just barely:
Flowers will bloom instantly
Between the snowdrifts here and there.
And you can conjure rain
There are five cakes at once.
And lemonade and sweets...
You name that subject!

(Magic wand)

Near different girlfriends,
But they are similar to each other.
They all sit next to each other
And just one toy.

(Matryoshka)

Two twins, two brothers
They sit on top of the nose.

There will be delicious food
With a golden crust
If you are using...
Right,

(with a frying pan!)

Didn't look out the window
There was only one Antoshka,
Looked out the window -
There is a second Antoshka!
What is this window
Where was Antoshka looking?

(Mirror)

This thing is functional:
She can sweep.
Well, you can (it's not a secret!)
Fly on it under the clouds.
Brand "Nimbus" thing happens,
Everyone plays Quidditch on it.

Roof from under the roof
Out in the rain.

I have legs, but I don't walk
With a back, but I do not lie,
You sit down - I'm not sitting.

Even though she doesn't look very good.
And a little like a hedgehog,
Loves very much before I go to bed,
Dance on my teeth for a minute.

(Toothbrush)

You knock on the wall -
And I'll jump back.
Throw on the ground -
And I'll jump.
I'm flying from palm to palm
I don't want to lie still.

They sat on the nose
looked at the world,
They held on to their ears.

Among the spoons I am a colonel.
And they call me...

(Ladle!)

Kettle's girlfriend
Has two ears
Cooks porridge, soup for Yulia.
And her name is...

(Saucepan)

Where the sponge will not master,
Do not wash, do not wash,
I take on the task of:
Heels, elbows with soap rub,
And I wipe my knees
I don't forget anything.

(washcloth)

Lots of neighbors
Everyone lives nearby
And they never see each other.

She puffs up her sides
Your four corners
And you, as the night falls,
It will still draw you in.

(Pillow)

Soup, salad, mashed potatoes, meatballs
Always served in ... (Plate)
And for tea and yogurt
Give it up buddy...


Wizards all use it.



Five boys
Five closets.
Dispersed boys
In dark closets.
Every boy
Into your closet.

(Fingers and gloves)

I'm sitting on top
I don't know who.

I have two horses, two horses.
They carry me on the water.


(skates, ice)

I am any girl
I'll cover my hair
I'll cover the boy too
Short haircuts.
I am protection from the sun
That's what it was made for.


Thick, long-nosed…

I ride it
Until evening time.
But my lazy horse
Carries only from the mountain.
And always on the hill
I walk myself
And my horse
I lead by the rope.

Two braids, two sisters,
From sheep's yarn,
How to walk - so put on,
So that five and five do not freeze.

(Mittens)

The whole universe lives in it,
And it's an ordinary thing.

(Television)

There are ears near the body, but no head.

(Pot)

Strokes everything it touches
And if you touch it, it bites.

Even though we have four legs,
We are not mice and not cats,
Although we all have backs,
We are not sheep or pigs,
We are not horses, even on us
You sit down many times.

Two bellies, four ears.

(Pillow)

The track says - two embroidered ends:
"Wash a little
Wash the ink off your face!
Otherwise, you'll get me dirty in half a day."

(Towel)

I know how to jump and roll, And if they leave, I'll fly. Laughing faces all around: Everyone is happy about the round ...

Seal firmly with glue
And they sent it to me right away.
I won't pity him
I'll get it and put it up.

(The envelope)

Not a human,
And he's talking.

Two birch horses
They carry me through the snow.
These red horses
And they are called...

In order not to freeze
five guys
knitted in the oven
They are sitting.

(Mittens)

Admire, look -
North Pole inside!
There sparkles snow and ice,
Winter lives there.
Forever us this winter
Brought from the store.

(Fridge)

Fall - jump
Hit - do not cry.

your ponytail
I held in my hand
You flew
I ran.

(Balloon)

Unapproachable, lonely
On a steep, high cliff,
A gloomy lump in appearance
He is by the lake.
Through the ancient loopholes
Looks into the surface of the lake.

With a tail, but you can't lift it by the tail

I'm spinning, I'm spinning
And I'm not lazy
Spin around all day long.

Not boots, not boots
But they are also worn by legs.
We run in them in winter:
Go to school in the morning, home in the afternoon.

(Felt boots)

A new vessel, but all in holes.

Dove is white
flew into the hut,
What in the world I saw
She told about everything.

They go for water - they sing sonorous songs,
And they go back - tears are shed.

I walk in the rain and in the heat,
My character is like this.

Four legs, but not a beast.
There are feathers, but not a bird. What's this?

(Bed and pillow)

On one finger
bucket upside down.

(Thimble)

It stands like a pillar, burns with fire, no heat, no steam, no coals.

Downhill - a horse, uphill - a piece of wood.

On the road I walked
Found two roads
Went to both.

At little Katyusha
Sat on the crown
Not a moth, not a bird -
Holds two pigtails.

Hanging on the ears, not earrings.

(Headphones)

When it is needed, it is thrown away. When not needed, they pick it up.

You enter through one door and exit through three
You think you're out, but you're actually in.

(Shirt)

I work in the locker room
I keep my coat on weight.

(Hanger)

You turn - a wedge,
Unfold - damn it.

What will get the back of your head with your teeth?

(Comb)

Made from boards
And put on a belt
And this dish keeps
Summer harvested from the garden.

I have which year
the hedgehog lives in the room.
If the floor is waxed
He will rub it to a shine.

(floor polisher)

This eye is a special eye.
He quickly looks at you
And will be born
The most accurate portrait of you.

(Camera)

Goes down - breaks the road, goes up - builds.

(Doggy zipper on jacket)

Among the spoons I am a colonel.
And they call me...

(Ladle!)

Kettle's girlfriend
Has two ears
Cooks porridge, soup for Yulia.
And her name is...

(Saucepan)

Where the sponge will not master,
Do not wash, do not wash,
I take on the task of:
Heels, elbows with soap rub,
And I wipe my knees
I don't forget anything.

(washcloth)

Lots of neighbors
Everyone lives nearby
And they never see each other.

She puffs up her sides
Your four corners
And you, as the night falls,
It will still draw you in.

(Pillow)

Soup, salad, mashed potatoes, meatballs
Always served in ... (Plate)
And for tea and yogurt
Give it up buddy...

For predictions, this subject is indispensable.
Wizards all use it.
It's round and transparent like glass
It is quite easy to see the future in it.

Five boys
Five closets.
Dispersed boys
In dark closets.
Every boy
Into your closet.

(Fingers and gloves)

I'm sitting on top
I don't know who.

I have two horses, two horses.
They carry me on the water.
And the water is as hard as stone!

(skates, ice)

I am any girl
I'll cover my hair
I'll cover the boy too
Short haircuts.
I am protection from the sun
That's what it was made for.

On the stove - pots chief.
Thick, long-nosed…

I ride it
Until evening time.
But my lazy horse
Carries only from the mountain.
And always on the hill
I walk myself
And my horse
I lead by the rope.

We stood all summer, waiting for winter.
They waited for the time - they rushed from the mountain.

Two braids, two sisters,
From sheep's yarn,
How to walk - so put on,
So that five and five do not freeze.

(Mittens)

The whole universe lives in it,
And it's an ordinary thing.

(Television)

Kuzma is knotted, it is impossible to untie.

There are ears near the body, but no head.

(Pot)

Strokes everything it touches
And if you touch it, it bites.

Even though we have four legs,
We are not mice and not cats,
Although we all have backs,
We are not sheep or pigs,
We are not horses, even on us
You sit down many times.

Two bellies, four ears.

(Pillow)

He swing and bed
It's good to lie on it
Is he in the garden or in the forest
Shows on weight.

Duck in the sea, tail on the fence.

Who comes, who goes
Everyone leads her by the hand.

Who made me does not say. Who does not know me, accepts. And who knows, they won't let you into the yard.

(Fake coin)

Khokotun Egor took up the cleaning,
I went dancing around the room,
Looked around - a clean floor.

There is a fat woman -
wooden belly,
Iron belt.

Along the edges are two sharp sticks,
In the middle is what
What all the guys will exclaim
Kohl suddenly hear it.

(Bell)

Lots of teeth, but nothing to eat.

(Comb)

What is it with Galochka?
thread on a stick,
Wand in hand
And a thread in the river.

sheet of paper in the morning
They bring us to the apartment,
On one such sheet
a lot of news.

I held your tail in my hand,
You flew, I ran.

(Balloon)

What is a judge without a tongue?

He rides on someone else's back, but carries a load on his own.

On the squares of the board
The kings brought down the regiments.
No for battle with regiments
No bullets, no bayonets.

(Chess)

I have guys
Two silver horses
I drive both at the same time.
What kind of horses do I have?

They love the young man very much, but they beat him, beat him endlessly.

A small head sits on the finger.
Hundreds of eyes looking in all directions.

(Thimble)

In the belly - a bath, in the nose - a sieve, on the head - the navel. One hand, and that one on the back. What's this?

Four blue suns
Grandma's in the kitchen
Four blue suns
They burned and faded.
Shchi is ripe, pancakes hiss.
Until tomorrow the sun is not needed.

(Gas stove)

Under the roof - four legs,
Under the roof - soup and spoons.

They beat him with a hand and a stick -
Nobody feels sorry for him.
Why are they beating the poor guy?
And for the fact that he is inflated.

Come on, guys, who can guess:
Are two fur coats enough for ten brothers?

(Mittens)

Bent over the river
Their deal is this:
The river will exchange it
Perch on a worm.

A warm wave splashes
Under the wave of whiteness.
Guess, remember
What kind of sea is in the room?

(Drum)

Very fast two horses
They carry me through the snow
Through the meadow to the birch,
Pull two strips.

In our house under the window
There is a hot accordion:
She doesn’t sing or play - she heats the house.

(heating battery)

They speak in Moscow, but we hear it.

I'll sit under my arm and tell you what to do:
Either I'll put you to bed, or I'll let you walk.

(Thermometer)

Blue house at the gate.
Guess who lives in it.

The door is narrow under the roof -
Not for a squirrel, not for a mouse,
Not for the spring tenant,
Talking starling.

News is flying in through this door
They spend half an hour together.
The news does not stay for a long time -
Flying in all directions!

(Mailbox)

There are no clouds on the horizon
But an umbrella opened up in the sky.
In a few minutes
Got down...

(Parachute)

In linen country
On the river sheet
The steamboat is sailing
Back, then forward
And behind him such a smooth surface,
Not a wrinkle to be seen.

The house is a glass bubble
And the light lives in it.
He sleeps during the day, but when he wakes up,
It will ignite with a bright flame.

small, round,
And you can't catch it by the tail.

On the wall, in plain sight,
Gathers the news together
And then its residents
They will fly in all directions.

(Mailbox)

She has her whole soul wide open,
And even though there are buttons - not a shirt,
Not a turkey, but inflates,
And not a bird, but flooded.