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Scrambles / Sleuthing Contests of Wit, Wisdom & Walking!
He & She Detectives checking out Space Needle!

Contest rating: MODERATE ENERGY

Bloody Erich? Scrambles make cattle stampedes look well organized! Competing teams of scramblers crawl all over Seattle Center's 74-acre campus like it was one big ant hill. You are surrounded with easily recognizable landmarks like the Space Needle, Pacific Science Center, Key Arena and EMP (Experience Music Project). However, you will find yourself chasing around places where you didn't know there were places such as the Olympic Iliad, the Guardian Lions and Bloody Erich.
Frenzied Fun! Your team, the Mission Impossibles, huddles to establish a winning game plan. Your Team Leader puts everyone on high alert - "be resourceful and scramble as a team." Some of your teammates are sent dashing off to solve mysteries lurking about. Others are frantically trying to find certain items. You are dispatched with your team's remaining players scheming ways to crack a challenging puzzle. Periodically your team regroups to exchange roles. By the end of the Hunt you have done so much careening about Seattle Center that you feel you have played the role of the ball in a pinball machine! 90 minutes of friendly but frenzied fun! Whew! But wait - for bonus points we have the Mystery Pix puzzle to solve and then our team's Best Story contest to prepare for .... and to think that our team's fate may depend on our team choreographing and performing a skit about our crazy Scramble encounters. Move over Shakespeare - we have tales to tell!
Team- building Morale Events Scrambles are great team-building morale events, social mixers, and entertainment for large or small groups. They are designed to be very challenging contests. And they are a sneaky and very fun way to "tour" Seattle Center's most interesting places. Designed and emceed by the ClueMaster, these events may be held any day year-round during daytime or evening hours.
Who can play? These contests are designed so that Seattle Center buffs have little, if any, advantage over Seattle Center newbies. They test not one's prior knowledge of Seattle Center but a team's ability to formulate a strategy (as in "teamwork") to find out more about this entertainment center than their opponents. To get answers, players must "go there."
Where do we go? Each team is given a Search Areas Map of Seattle Center outlined with 9 search areas: Theaters, McCaw Hall, Key Arena, International Fountain, Center House Up Floor, Center House Down Floor, EMP/SFM, Pacific Science Center, Space Needle. It should be noted that even the most energetic teams rarely get to all of the Search Areas during the 1½ hour Scramble Hunt. This is deliberate in the contest design. Some Search Areas have more points than others and some, of course, are closer than others. It is left as a matter of team strategy as to which ones they will go to. 
What do we do? There are 8 ways for teams to get points to win the contest. During the Scramble they can: solve mysteries, scavenge items, do the Rub 'n Run, try to win the Lock Race, and find the ClueMaster. After the Scramble they can attempt to figure out the Mystery Pix and Mugshots puzzles and win the Best Story contest.
Rules.... ....we don't need no stinking rules! Oh, yes you do, Bucko. The ClueMaster will set you straight from the get-go with the contest instructions. Teams will receive some tips on how to win the contest. Also, how they might get penalty points - there is a hefty late penalty! Teams may not spend any money, borrow or steal. They cannot make any phone calls or use any high tech devices including copiers.
Planning Your Event Your event may start whenever. Here are some popular timelines:
   
10:15 1:15 4:15 Instructions
10:30 1:30 4:30 Hunt begins
12:00 3:00 6:00 Hunt ends
Lunch / Refreshments / Dinner
Mystery Pix puzzle
Mugshots puzzle
Prepare for Best Story contest
1:00 4:00 7:00 Best Story Contest
1:15 4:15 7:15 Awards Ceremony
1:30 4:30 7:30 End of event
1:45 4:45 7:45 Finish (as in we ran over)

This event typically takes 3-4 hours. The number of teams rather than the number of people in the group normally determines how long your event would take. Accordingly, the larger the group the larger the team sizes to keep the event from running too long. 

Team
Sizes
7/8-player teams are typical but may be smaller or larger depending on the size of the group. Teams should be formed by the host organization before the event.
Balanced Teams Scrambles are designed to give those folks who may "really know" Seattle Center little, if any, advantage. However, there may be a perception that a team loaded with Seattle Center buffs has an unfair advantage. Therefore, it is recommend that the host organization balance those folks as evenly as possible across the teams.
Team
Leaders
When the contest instructions are given each team will be asked to "elect" one member of their team to be their Team Leader. This individual will have the awesome responsibility of harnessing the sleuthing talents of each team member into a highly coordinated winning team strategy. Yikes! For corporate groups managers are normally not allowed to be Team Leaders. To date this rule has resulted in no complaints from managers! :)
Team
Names
Teams will be assigned detective names such as Dirty Harrys, Inspector Clouseaus or Mission Impossibles unless the host organization provides See Seattle with other team names several days before the day of the event.
Contest
Materials
Each team is provided one set of contest materials to use during the Scramble.
  • Search Areas Map.
  • Mysteries To Solve.
  • Items To Scavenge.
  • Rub 'n Run.
  • Lock Race.
  • Find The ClueMaster and say ....                            During Scramble Hunt
  • Mystery Pix Puzzle.                                                             After Scramble Hunt
  • Mugshots Puzzle.                                                        
  • Best Story Contest.                                                                                
Awards The ClueMaster awards the following whimsical certificates (8½" X 11") at the end of the event for all of the following categories:
  • "B S Certification" - Best Story contest team winners.
  • "Team Leadership Affidavit" - Presented to the courageous Team Leader of each team and signed by all teammates.
  • "Seattle's Best Sleuthers" - All players on all teams, given in the spirit of "you are all winners."
  • "Wipeout" - Last place team, given in the spirit of "being good sports."
  • "Seattle's Right Stuffers!" - Winning team, given with much fan fare.
  • "We're #1" - Presented to the winning Team Leader. 
Prizes Option Although optional, See Seattle encourages Host Organizations to award prizes to each team member for some or all of the categories listed in "Awards" above. Prizes often range from items of value (gift certificates are popular) to novelty store gag items.
Event
Meeting
Facilities
Seattle Center has a variety of event meeting facilities with or without catering for large or small groups:
  • Northwest Rooms on the Seattle Center campus.
  • Skyline Banquet Level of the Space Needle.
    Note: Includes passage to the Observation Deck.
  • Learning Labs or Sky Church of EMP (Experience Music Project).

The event meeting facility should have tables large enough to accommodate the team sizes for your group (i.e. "team tables"). These should be separate team tables that team players can sit around - not just seating for the whole group at a number of tables sitting side-by-side or chairs without tables.

Some small groups may be able meet outdoors at the Mural Amphitheatre (a public area just south of the Center House).

For directions to and parking at Seattle Center see Maps & More ....

PowerPoint The Contest Instructions and / or the Awards Ceremony can be conducted with PowerPoint presentations when the required equipment is made available for See Seattle to use. The minimum requirement is a PC (e.g. a laptop running Windows) with a CD drive, a projector and a projection screen or suitable wall surface. A mouse is optional but would be used if available. Also, a microphone (preferably wireless) would be desirable for large groups. These presentations can add quality to events for groups of any size but are especially effective for large groups.   
How
Much?
The fee for See Seattle to emcee this event and provide contest materials is $20.00 per person, $400.00 minimum plus Washington State sales tax of 9.5%. The host organization would be directly responsible for all expenses and arrangements relating to meeting facilities, food and refreshments, prizes, team shirts, costumes, etc.

Payment: 30 day invoice or check at the end of the event - sorry, no credit cards.  
 
How to Make a Private Group Reservation or Request Additional Information
  • An easy way to make a private group reservation or request additional information is by completing our online Group Form.
  • You may also make a private group reservation or request additional information by email - Group@see-seattle.com or telephone/fax - (425) 226-7641.


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