Black Cat Treasure Hunts News and Views

April might mark the start of Treasure Hunt Season… but with May the Fourth just around the corner, things are about to get galactic. This month kicked off with one of my favourite themed treasure hunts yet: a hen party where the entire group arrived dressed as Stormtroopers, while the bride-to-be channelled full Princess Leia energy. Brighton shoppers didn’t know whether ....

April always feels like a turning point in Brighton — longer days, lighter evenings, and that first real hint that summer is on the way. For Black Cat Treasure Hunts, it also marks something else entirely: the official start of Treasure Hunt Season. And this year, it’s arrived with a bang. Across just four days — from this Friday to next Monday — I’m running six....

By Tim Carter (Owner at Black Cat Treasure Hunts) 

I asked AI to come up with a word cloud that related to my treasure hunt website and the key features I am trying to get across. It was interesting to see which words and phrases made the cut. I give my opinion on what it got right and wrong or what maybe I need to change to help it to get it 100% right! If you are interested in b....

Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure of designing treasure hunts for teams, hen parties, couples, families, and groups looking for something a little different in Brighton. Every hunt is handcrafted, every route is tested, and every clue is designed to spark a moment — a laugh, a discovery, a bit of friendly competition, or a shared “aha!” moment. Rather than tell y....

Most companies know the standard reasons for booking a team building activity: improving communication, boosting morale, encouraging collaboration. All good — but hardly surprising. What is surprising is just how many lesser known, slightly quirky, and occasionally brilliant reasons there are to run a team building treasure hunt with Black Cat Treasure Hunts. If you’re looking f....

By Tim Carter (Founder of Black Cat Treasure Hunts)

I love writing team building treasure hunts, and with a recent enquiry ringing in literally a minute ago, it seems fate has dictated that I should write a little story for you to give you more of an explanation as to what to expect.

A Day in the Life of a Team on a Brighton Treasure Hunt  Picture this: it&rsq....

By Tim Carter (Owner at Black Cat Treasure Hunts)

With 2026 just around the corner, here is a questions and answers blog on treasure hunts to help you whilst you consider a booking for an event for next year. Here are some useful questions relating to the different types of treasure hunts that Black Cat Treasure Hunts offers and where they are best done.
Q. Why is Brighton such a....

By Tim Carter (Owner of Black Cat Treasure Hunts)

November is the time of year for my treasure hunt awards 2025. It`s a lot of fun to review the treasure hunts that made the most impact on me this year and to give you some ideas for your own Black Cat treasure hunt in 2026.From hen party treasure hunts to team building treasure hunts, the winners are...
Hen Party Treasure Hunts. ....

By Tim Carter (Black Cat Treasure Hunts)

As the clocks have just gone back this weekend (I kind of forgot but in a good way!)it feels like Autumn has properly begun and Winter will follow close behind. It`s time to look forward to next year in my opinion. It actually feels good rather than strange to write down 2026 for the first time. What is going to happen in the world of Black Cat T....

By Tim Carter (Owner of Black Cat Treasure Hunts)

This time last year, I wrote a treasure hunt blog comparing the treasure hunt possibilities in Split, where I had just taken a short holiday, to my treasure hunts in Sussex where similar options may occur but not necessarily all in the same place. This year I have not had a holiday (I know, I know...I`m trying to hold back the tears!) bu....

By Tim Carter (Owner of Black Cat Treasure Hunts)

One of the most popular aspects of personalised Black Cat treasure hunts are the photo/video clip challenges. These are an opportunity for me to either link in to a supplied theme, something specific that catches my eye on route or the place where the treasure hunt is being held. If you are interested in the team building benefits o....

By Tim Carter (Owner of Black Cat Treasure Hunts)

One of the features of this Summer/Autumn`s team building treasure hunts and Language school treasure hunts have been the distinct European feel to them. For starters three Norwegian groups have experienced their first Black Cat treasure hunt. The last group was an IT company which had merged with one from Sweden. This Scandina....

By Tim Carter (Owner of Black Cat Treasure Hunts)

I see May as the perfect time to be considering team building treasure hunts or summer party treasure hunts. If January sees a flurry of hen party treasure hunt enquiries following Christmas and New Year engagements, then the last month of Spring is a tactically sound time to boost team morale early into a new budget year. Different comp....

By Tim Carter (Owner of Black Cat Treasure Hunts)

A lot of people use the terms treasure hunt and scavenger hunt interchangeably. However, I think there are a couple of significant differences between the two and this blog will seek to show how my Brighton team building treasure hunts and Brighton hen party treasure hunts incorporate essential elements of a scavenger hunt within them. A....

By Tim Carter (owner at Black Cat Treasure Hunts)

I am often asked how I put together a treasure hunt and what I look out for when compiling one. Chichester is an ideal example of a place that almost dictates its own perfect route. I recently submitted a blog to Chichester Living, a newly launched online listings/newsletter/events and blog site for the city. Ideal for anyone visiting ....

By Tim Carter (Owner of Black Cat Treasure Hunts)

There are lots of articles on things to do in Brighton, although many of them will naturally focus on the `classic` attractions of the city. The Royal Pavilion, the beach, the Pier, The Lanes to name a few. As someone who takes a lot of time checking routes and questions for my treasure hunts, by walking across Brighton, here are so....

By Tim Carter (Owner of Black Cat Treasure Hunts)

Deciding on an activity and format for a Brighton team building day can be a challenge in itself. For a company on a workday, out of the office, it may be they are looking for an activity as a fun, stress relief for a part of the day. For a work group aiming to combine varied activities for dedicated team building only, it is j....

By Tim Carter (Owner of Black Cat Treasure Hunts)

I am often asked where I write personalised treasure hunts and what are some of the interesting features of places I have been to.  It is true that a lot of people have not visited or are not too familiar with the place they have chosen for their special treasure hunt. I think this adds to the fun but it`s always handy to have re-as....

By Tim Carter (Owner of Black Cat Treasure Hunts)

2025 is underway and todays blog looks at the future of treasure hunts. What are the treasure hunt trends and what can you expect from a Black Cat treasure hunt?
The first thing I have noticed recently is the willingness to try a treasure hunt later in the day. This was partly driven by having a team activity before the Christmas ....

Introduction by Tim Carter (Owner of Black Cat Treasure Hunts)

Last week I was happy to announce that I was writing my 200th blog. Almost as soon as I had released this joyful news, I realised that I had asked top author, Ian Hornett, to write some guest blogs for me in the past. Instead of celebrating my 198th blog I decided to ask him again. He will tell you more about the theme of th....

By Tim Carter (Owner of Black Cat Treasure Hunts)

This is Black Cat Treasure Hunt`s 200th blog since it came into existence in 2012! As such, Black Cat (that`s me...Tim), has decided it was an appropriate time for a Q&A on everything to do with treasure hunts in Brighton, hen party treasure hunts, London treasure hunts and ...well...anything to do with treasure hunts! He has put him....

By Tim Carter (Owner of Black Cat Treasure Hunts)

Right here..right now! The awards for Black Cat Treasure Hunts best treasure hunts have been fiercely contested in another wonderful year. I love writing them and, as ever, it has been extremely difficult to judge between them. A first trip to Cambridge and an intriguing treasure hunt in Marylebone, London were just two of the contenders....

By Tim Carter (Owner of Black Cat Treasure Hunts)

Black Cat has just got back from a five day break in Split, Croatia. Very nice it was too..thanks for asking. Before I bore you with all my holiday snaps though it became clear that there were some significant treasure hunt comparisons to be made with a Brighton treasure hunt. Would it be the same but just in a different language  C....

By Tim Carter (Owner of Black Cat Treasure Hunts)

Last week`s ratings of treasure hunts did not include The Brighton Heist Escape Treasure Hunt Challenge, the Cluedo treasure hunt or the Murder/Mystery treasure hunt. Why not, I hear you cry?! The main reason was that, although on the face of it they could be grouped together in a similar theme, once I thought about it more it became cle....

By Tim Carter (Owner of Black Cat Treasure Hunts)

When I am asked to give details of my different treasure hunts, I start off by giving the basic information. I will rattle through the timings, the format/content that would be included in a specific type of treasure hunt, such as a team building or hen party one, and then conclude with the costings and the possible next step. Feeling co....

By Tim Carter (Owner of Black Cat Treasure Hunts)

Maybe you are French or German? Maybe you like treasure hunts? Maybe you are coming to England in 2025 and would like to do a treasure hunt here? If you answered yes to all of those three questions, then I think I can help you.A Black Cat Treasure Hunts ` Language School treasure hunt can be personalised for your group. For those of you ....

By Tim Carter (Owner of Black Cat Treasure Hunts)

Over the last week I have had two enquiries for treasure hunts in 2025. The first one was for a team building treasure hunt in Worthing for a group who are remarkably familiar with the town, whilst the second one was for a video game themed, stag do treasure hunt in Westminster, London. It actually made me think about the different influ....

By Tim Carter (Owner of Black Cat Treasure Hunts)

It`s the murder/mystery treasure hunt in Brighton this weekend. I`m looking forward to it to see if the two teams will get all the references to the murder suspects (them!) and work out a fun and interesting backstory to the murder. This group are all coming dressed up as different characters. There are formula one drivers, an escapologi....

By Tim Carter (Owner of Black Cat Treasure Hunts)

New treasure hunt routes or treasure hunts away from Black Cat Treasure Hunts HQ in Brighton can be time consuming. It`s great fun writing a varied selection of treasure hunts but it can take you away from time spent on the website and social media. No bad thing you might think, but it`s important to stay connected with regular treasure ....

By Tim Carter (Owner of Black Cat Treasure Hunts)

A treasure hunt enquiry requesting a new theme is a thing of excitement at Black Cat Treasure Hunts HQ.  I love all enquiries, but when one is accompanied by a phrase like, "I don`t know whether you would be able to adapt the following theme into the treasure hunt?", then I am quite likely to focus on this email with laser like....