Scavenger hunt generator

Write a clue for players and the answer for the host, or start from one of the ready-made clue sets. Print numbered clue cards and a separate answer key — as a find-it list, or as a trail where each answer is where the next card is hidden, with every team starting at a different stop.

Example hunt A six-stop backyard trail for two teams. Change the clues to make it yours — nothing leaves this browser.

Hunt style

Clues

6 cards

In a trail, write each answer as a place — that is where the next card gets hidden. Use ↑ ↓ to change the order of the loop.

Preview

6 clues · 11 points
    Loop of 6 stops; teams start at different stops1Bird bath2Hose reel3Compost bin4Back steps5Fern bed6Swing
    Team Red1 of 6

    I hold water but I am not a cup. Birds splash in me.

    2 ptsStart card — hand to Team Red
    Team Red2 of 6

    Find the place where the garden hose sleeps.

    1 ptHidden at: Bird bath
    Team Red3 of 6

    I have a lid, and I eat your apple cores and peels.

    2 ptsHidden at: Hose reel
    Team Red4 of 6

    Count the steps to the back door. Look under the last one.

    1 ptHidden at: Compost bin
    Team Red5 of 6

    Find something that grows in the shade by the fence.

    2 ptsHidden at: Back steps
    Team Red6 of 6

    I go up and down and back and forth, but I never leave the yard.

    3 ptsHidden at: Fern bed
    Team RedFinish

    Well done! Last stop: the picnic table — the prize is in the blue box.

    ★Hidden at: Swing

    Host answer key

    Hiding list — what goes where

    PlaceTeam RedTeam Blue
    Bird bathCard 2Card 5
    Hose reelCard 3Card 6
    Compost binCard 4Finish card
    Back stepsCard 5Card 2
    Fern bedCard 6Card 3
    SwingFinish cardCard 4
    Hand out at the startCard 1Card 1

    Clues and answers

    CardPlayer cluePointsAnswerStarts here
    CARD 01I hold water but I am not a cup. Birds splash in me.2Bird bathTeam Red
    CARD 02Find the place where the garden hose sleeps.1Hose reel
    CARD 03I have a lid, and I eat your apple cores and peels.2Compost bin
    CARD 04Count the steps to the back door. Look under the last one.1Back stepsTeam Blue
    CARD 05Find something that grows in the shade by the fence.2Fern bed
    CARD 06I go up and down and back and forth, but I never leave the yard.3Swing
    Total · finish at the picnic table — the prize is in the blue box11

    Running the hunt

    Clue trail

    Hand each team its first card. Every other card is hidden at the answer of the card before it, so finding one place reveals the next clue. The last card sends players to the finish.

    Several teams

    Teams follow the same loop but start at different stops, so they rarely arrive together. Each place holds one card per team — the colored stripe and team name tell them apart.

    Good clues

    Describe what to look for, not a route: “Find a leaf with three points” works better than “go behind the garage”. Pictures help children who are not reading yet.

    Safety

    Walk the route first. Check stops for sharp tools, ponds and stinging plants, and say which parts of the yard are out of bounds.

    Ready-made scavenger hunt clues

    Do not want to write sixteen riddles yourself? Each set below has at least 16 original clues with answers and points; one click loads it into this generator, where you can edit any card before printing.

    Planning for an occasion? The planning guides cover a Christmas light hunt, six Christmas hunt formats, an office hunt for 10 to 60 people, birthday trails that end at the present and a bachelorette hunt, an Easter basket hunt by age and rhyming clues, each with a list that opens here.

    How to make a scavenger hunt with this generator

    1. Write or load the clues. One clue per card, with the answer the host should accept. In a clue trail, write each answer as a place.
    2. Choose the style and the teams. A clue trail sends players along one path; a find-it list hands out every clue at once. Up to 8 teams.
    3. Print. Player cards are numbered and color-coded per team; the answer key (with the hiding list for a clue trail) prints on its own page for the host.
    4. Hide the cards. Follow the hiding list: each place gets the next card for every team, and each team gets its first card by hand.

    Questions

    Is this scavenger hunt generator free?

    Yes. There is no account and no advertising. A hunt holds up to 40 clues and 8 teams and is saved in this browser.

    Can I use ready-made clues?

    Yes. Pick one of the clue sets — indoor, outdoor, kids, teens and adults, Christmas or Thanksgiving — and press Make printable cards; the clues load into this page for you to edit.

    What is the difference between a clue trail and a find-it list?

    In a clue trail each answer is the place where the next card is hidden, so players follow one path. In a find-it list everyone gets every clue and can search in any order.

    How many teams can play?

    Up to 8. In a clue trail each team starts at a different stop of the same loop and gets cards in its own color.

    What do I print?

    Numbered player cards and a separate host answer key; for a clue trail the key adds a hiding list, and for a find-it list each team can print a tick-box checklist.