Record participation in the Hafnarfjörður Rat Game
Ásta Eyjólfsdóttir from Hafnarfjörður is the Riddles of Hafnarfjörður 2023 Puzzle Queen, which concluded on Tuesday after running all summer. To have a chance of becoming the Ratleiks King of Challenges, one had to have found all 27 of the ratleiks markers, which had been placed at interesting locations across the town, though mostly in the uplands.
Ásta Eyjólfsdóttir is the 2023 King of the Hafnarfjörður Maze Challenge.
Ásta Eyjólfsdóttir from Hafnarfjörður is the Riddles of Hafnarfjörður 2023 Puzzle Queen, which concluded on Tuesday after running all summer. To have a chance of becoming the Ratleiks Thrautakóngur, one had to have found all 27 ratleiks markers, which had been placed at interesting locations far and wide across the town's landscape, though mostly in the uplands. The 2023 Hafnarfjörður Scavenger Hunt Champion received a splendid pair of walking boots from Fjallakofinn as a prize. In total, around 140 participants attended the Hafnarfjörður Scavenger Hunt's awards ceremony, which was held at the Pharmacy in Hafnarborg last week.
Record participation
A total of 265 participants submitted solutions, and 133 found all 27 signs and can therefore call themselves Riddleslayer. Only last year did more people complete the entire game, when 6 more did so. Total participation this summer was about 14% higher than last year, which was also a record year. 69 visited at least 18 locations, an increase of 77% from last year, and can call themselves walkers. 63 went to at least 9 locations, an increase from last year, and can call themselves Lightfooted. Participants in the Rat Games are of all ages, and it is a popular family game. People come from far and wide, and participants were seen from Selfoss, Vogar, Mosfellsbær, Reykjavík, Seltjarnarnes, Garðabær and Kópavogur. Although the vast majority come from Hafnarfjörður, participants from Norway and Denmark could also be seen.
Map and information
A high-quality aerial photograph map was printed, with streets and footpaths marked on it and the locations of the geocache markers. Participants then have the task of finding the best route to the markers, and sometimes it takes several attempts to find them. The maps were available in many places around the town, but the vast majority were collected from Fjarðarkaup. The aim of the game is to encourage people to enjoy the countryside of Hafnarfjörður, and it is published by Hönnunarhúsið in collaboration with the City of Hafnarfjörður.
Numerous sponsors
The game is published by Hönnunarhúsið ehf., with Rio Tinto in Iceland as the game's main sponsor and the City of Hafnarfjörður as a publishing partner. Ómar Smári Ármannsson, who runs the information website ferlir.is, has provided tremendous assistance in the making of the game, as he is one of the most knowledgeable people about the Reykjanes Peninsula.
Image with announcement: Regional news