The Secret: A Treasure Hunt is a treasure hunt centered publication originally released in the fall of 1982, conceived and produced by Byron Preiss, who buried treasure “casques” in 12 different cities across North America.  Only three of twelve cases have been officially resolved in 43 years’ time as of 2025. Each individual puzzle first requires accurately combining a “verse” of cryptic written instruction and a hauntingly enigmatic painting littered with inconspicuous communication to determine the casque’s whereabouts.

Yes, and I would highly recommend it, although pertinent puzzle material is also available online. Modern prints are available to purchase at a reasonable price.

Not “officially”, no. Byron tragically passed away in 2005, taking a host of “secrets” to the grave. All related parties have expressed limited knowledge related to the inner workings of Byron’s puzzle. Even painter John Jude Palencar, responsible for the Secret images, claims to not only have no knowledge of the casques’ whereabouts, but is unable to solve the puzzles himself despite exclusive intel. Subsequently, gems are only awarded by the current publisher I Books (John Colby) with the presentation of a casque. Forms for submitting a proposed solution found in the official “Secret” book are no longer applicable.

Depends on who you talk to and what you qualify as a “confirmation”. A number of cities have been confirmed without question. St. Louis was confirmed by Byron himself years ago but is denied to this day resulting from a conflict of investigator expectation. Cities universally recognized as “confirmed” include San Francisco, Milwaukee, Chicago (solved), Cleveland (solved), Boston (solved), Houston, New York City, and a Canadian location likely to be Montreal. Some will claim that image and city pairings have been comprehensively and publicly “confirmed”, which objectively is false.

If you believe the Cleveland finders who spoke to Byron directly, then no. According to them, Byron confirmed there are no additional clues related to the puzzles in the remaining 169 pages, commonly referred to simply as the “back of the book”. However, this does nothing to discourage an unhealthy obsession with unearthing hidden morsels of information through an investigative mentality comparable to how we approach the puzzles themselves, applying circumstantial matches that possess countless alternative and equally unprovable interpretations. Ironically, the images and verses already provide a plethora of evidence in many cases we have no clue what to do with…so why add more?

It is a handmade container (possibly clay or ceramic) encased in plexiglass, roughly 6 inches square. It was reportedly buried up to 3 and a half feet deep, but in confirmed cases it was well less than that.

To be blunt, chances are extremely likely that you don’t. Impossibly, thousands of individuals all believe they have solved the product of a singular answer. In the first year alone, Byron collectively received 500 wrong answers. From a statistical standpoint, at best, 99.9% of all proposed solutions are wrong. In many cases we are finding tree knots and mulberry bushes but not actually “solving” anything. Before doing anything else, I would prioritize adapting an analytical approach to prove your solution is wrong. If you think it is bullet proof, let someone else look at it. This doesn’t mean that all critical challenges are automatically and exclusively valid, but if nothing else it aids in the critical thinking process. Most “evidence” I see presented represents wishful thinking, random guesses, and emotionally motivated justifications. “Our” ideas do not lead to answers in someone else’s puzzles. This page provides an abundance of resources for vetting and eliminating proposed answers.

San Francisco is the only one with a permitting system. Probability of gaining permission in any other municipality is approximately less than zero. City representatives have been unfortunately inundated with loose theories recklessly touted as definitive “solutions” for decades. Subsequently, there is an unrelenting aversion to Secret related inquiries, no matter how convinced you are.

Maybe. Two of three casques did contain some metal. GPR has reportedly proven unreliable in test runs.

I strictly discourage such line of thinking. No physical investigations should be executed without expressed permission from applicable entities. Most cities are prepared to throw the book at anyone caught attempting unauthorized subterranean exploration in the name of frivolous pursuits.

There was a time I was incredibly open to this, but that season has passed. I simply don’t have the time or the patience to mull over the vast multitude of loosely assembled musings. If you have a proposal that you want taken seriously, then I suggest you follow two steps. 1. Familiarize yourself with the standards of investigation presented on these pages. 2. Look at the solutions presented on this site and explain through critical analysis and objective observation why they are the product of a coincidence. If you can do that, you’ll have my attention, but I have no influence in official circles whatsoever. My philosophy is there is no such thing as “my solution” or “my dig spot” given the puzzle doesn’t belong to us. It’s Byron’s solutions versus everything else. Byron’s answers are the only ones that interest me. In this regard, phrases such as but not limited to “my ideas”, “my solution”, or “my dig spot” raise an immediate red flag.

He too has been frightened away by unhinged enthusiasm just like most others. Bothering the poor man will do you nothing. For those not in the “know” (see what I did there), Josh Gates is the host of Expedition: Unknown on Discovery and has covered The Secret on multiple occasions, including the 2019 Boston find at Langone Park. Like anyone else loosely associated with The Secret, Josh was bombarded with every loose theory imaginable, and to my knowledge has now distanced himself from any direct involvement.

No, not if we separate ourselves from the equation and support the right answers for the right reasons regardless of who “had” them first. While most of the casques have been destroyed, these puzzles can be solved without them. If we can cease to be a group of disjointed individuals fighting to assert “our” ideas relating to someone else’s puzzles, and form a reality prioritizing alliance surrounding a mutual goal, we have a real chance of resolving at least some of these cases once and for all. These puzzles need to be put to rest, and Byron deserves to be recognized for the visionary he was. To learn how you can help the cause, visit the contact page.