Coordinate treasure hunt: three beginner puzzles
Read x first, then y. Use one small map to find landmarks, write coordinates and uncover the treasure.
Your mission
Find a hidden treasure on a map of six landmarks. Play alone or take turns with a partner. You need a pencil and paper, or just read the map on screen. There is no timer.
The map, all three puzzles and the answer key are on this page. For paper play, choose an A4 or US Letter PDF below. Page 1 has the puzzles; page 2 has the answers. Print only page 1 if you want to keep the solution out of sight.
Read the map
Write a point as (x, y): x is horizontal and comes first; y is vertical and comes second. The origin is (0, 0), where the axes meet.
Here each coordinate marks a grid-line intersection, not a square. The map starts at O in the bottom-left corner. One unit is the gap between neighbouring intersections. x increases to the right and y increases upwards. All landmarks and the treasure have positive coordinates.
Worked example: to find (3, 2), start at O, move 3 units right, then 2 units up. Stop on the crossing. Count the gaps you move through, not the starting point. This example is an empty crossing.
The island map
text
y
6 +--+--+--+--+--+--+
| | | | | | |
5 +--A--+--+--B--+--+
| | | | | | |
4 +--+--+--+--+--+--F
| | | | | | |
3 +--+--C--+--+--+--+
| | | | | | |
2 +--+--+--+--+--D--+
| | | | | | |
1 +--E--+--+--+--+--+
| | | | | | |
0 O--+--+--+--+--+--+
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 xLetters replace the + at their exact intersection. O is the origin. Horizontal and vertical lines join neighbouring intersections.
Landmark key
A = tower; B = bridge; C = camp.
D = dock; E = oak; F = cave.
Map in words
For reading the map aloud: on row y = 5, A is at x = 1 and B is at x = 4. On row y = 4, F is at x = 6. On row y = 3, C is at x = 2. On row y = 2, D is at x = 5. On row y = 1, E is at x = 1. All other intersections are unlabelled, apart from O at (0, 0).
Puzzle 1 — Decode the stops
For each coordinate, write the letter and name of the landmark. Start from O for each new coordinate.
(5, 2) = ?
(2, 3) = ?
(6, 4) = ?
Puzzle 2 — Send a location
Write the coordinates of A, B and E. Check the horizontal position first, then the vertical position.
A, the tower = (?, ?)
B, the bridge = (?, ?)
E, the oak = (?, ?)
Puzzle 3 — Find the hidden treasure
Start at E, the oak. Move 3 units right, then 2 units up. Mark the endpoint T and write its coordinates. These moves start from your current point, rather than restarting at O.
Check your endpoint: it should be directly below B and directly to the right of C. The treasure is at an unlabelled intersection on the original map.
Printable hunt and answer key — A4
Two pages, black-and-white friendly. Choose the paper size loaded in your printer; use Fit if the preview clips an edge. No cutting or colour printing required.
Printable hunt and answer key — US Letter
Two pages, black-and-white friendly. Choose the paper size loaded in your printer; use Fit if the preview clips an edge. No cutting or colour printing required.
Answer key — check after playing
Puzzle 1: (5, 2) is D, the dock; (2, 3) is C, the camp; (6, 4) is F, the cave. In each case the first number selects the horizontal position and the second selects the height.
Puzzle 2: A = (1, 5), B = (4, 5), E = (1, 1). A and B share a height of 5; A and E share a horizontal position of 1.
Puzzle 3: E is (1, 1). After 3 units right you reach (4, 1); after 2 units up you reach T = (4, 3). T shares x = 4 with B and y = 3 with C, so both cross-checks agree.
If you wrote (3, 4), you swapped the coordinates. That point is 3 units right and 4 units up from O; it is a different intersection. If you reached (3, 2) in puzzle 3, you started the route at O instead of E.
Make the next hunt
Choose a different empty intersection with x and y between 1 and 6. Write its coordinates privately, then give a partner a starting landmark and a route. Check the endpoint yourself before handing over the clue. Swap roles after the answer is checked.