Booneanza ‘26

A puzzle-based treasure hunt across Boone County, MO.

Presented by Buchroeders Jewelers

The hunt for the $10,000 hidden treasure begins Saturday, April 25th.

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Welcome to Booneanza ‘26!

After the massive success of our Hundredth Anniversary treasure hunt, the Booneanza, we are bringing it back! That’s right, thanks to our Presenting Sponsor (and Boone County Hall of Fame inductee) Buchroeders Jewelers, we will be hiding another treasure somewhere in Boone County this spring. Do you have the skills to win Booneanza ‘26?!

Like the original, Booneanza ‘26 is a county-wide, puzzle-based treasure hunt. With all new puzzles, a slightly more condensed timeline, and prizes for EVERY team that finishes, Booneanza ‘26 is the perfect excuse to gather friends and family together for an all-in weekend (plus) of puzzling and exploration. But while every team that finishes will receive special commemorative coins, only the winner will get the treasure — a natural GIA-certified round 2.53 carat diamond valued at $10,000. 

Anyone can enter. You’ll need to sign up as an individual, but you’re welcome to recruit as many friends as you like to help you out (but remember that they’ll be expecting you to split the treasure with them! And we are limiting the commemorative coins to 8 per successful completion). Just fill out an entry form, pay the sign-up fee (every penny of which supports the year-round efforts of the Boone County History & Culture Center) and wait for your first puzzle. 

To win Booneanza '26 requires no specialized knowledge or skills, though knowing a bit of local history will serve you well, as will good internet sleuthing skills. Expect riddles, codes, trivia and the occasional bit of misdirection. And happy puzzling!

For more information, check out our FAQs here.

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How it works

Register yourself/your team for $100

Receive your first puzzle at 9am on April 25, 2026

Solve puzzles while exploring Boone County

Be the first to solve all puzzles to win the treasure

Your Guide to Booneanza

Click here to watch the live Q&A with puzzle creator David Wilson.

The Basics

  • Booneanza ‘26 is a puzzle-based sequential treasure hunt designed to celebrate Boone County history and raise money for the Boone County History & Culture Center.

  • Yes. Competitors will solve a series of puzzles leading them to discover the hidden treasure — a natural GIA certified round 2.53 carat diamond valued at $10,000, courtesy of Buchroeders Jewelers.

    Note: There is no cash alternative or substitution of the Treasure allowed, and the prize winner may not sell, return, or otherwise transfer the diamond Treasure to Buchroeders Jewelers.

  • Once the treasure hunt begins, it will continue until the treasure is found. While this could theoretically take weeks, organizers anticipate the winning team will finish in approximately 3–5 days.

How The Hunt Works

  • All puzzle locations, as well as the treasure itself, are located within Boone County. Participants will never need to leave the county to solve Booneanza ‘26.

  • Sometimes. Most puzzle solving and research can be completed at home or online, but each puzzle will ultimately lead to a physical location that must be visited to obtain the next puzzle.

  • No specialized technical knowledge is required. All puzzles can be solved by a creative high school student. However, participants will need to use the internet at times, and familiarity with Boone County may be helpful.

  • Details about puzzle formats, confirmation methods, and points of contact will be shared with registered participants. After signing up, competitors will receive additional instructions via email, along with information about an in-person rules meeting and optional meet-ups.

Entry, Teams & Prizes

  • Yes. Booneanza ‘26 is a fundraiser, and each entry costs $100. Participants may split this cost among teammates if desired. Hints will be available for purchase at $20 each during the first half of the hunt, though no participant can purchase their way to the final treasure.

  • Teams are optional. Each entry is registered under a single contestant who serves as the point of contact and receives the treasure if they win. How the prize is shared among teammates is up to participants, though puzzles are often easier and more enjoyable to solve collaboratively.

  • New for 2026, every team that successfully completes Booneanza ‘26 will receive commemorative gold challenge coins for up to eight teammates.

Rules & Safety

  • NO. Participants will NEVER need to dig, move rocks or earth, vandalize property, trespass, or break any laws to complete Booneanza ‘26. Any contestant who violates these rules will be disqualified.

  • Please carefully read the official rules on this page.

  • "It was the greatest gift. Although we didn't win, we truly enjoyed the lack of sleep, the distraction from personal responsibilities, and the child-like joy we felt with each QR code discovered."

    Persephone Dakopolos

  • "We had a wonderful time working on your clues and learned so much about Boone County. We all agree that we’d love to treasure hunt again and have decided that if there is a next time we will take vacation days and get a hotel in Columbia so we don’t have to think about anything else during the hunt!"

    Jeannie Shumate (and the Questing Cousins)

  • "The real prize has been the fun we had along the way! Thank you so much for organizing this! Let me go add "treasure hunter" to my resumé :)"

    Emily Kittle

Registration Open Now - $100
The hunt for the $10,000+ treasure begins Saturday, April 25

Boone County, Missouri

Do you have what it takes?

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