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Here are some examples from previous Tombstone Trails:
Cemetery Questions
These questions were all answered at cemeteries:
- Who's buried nearest the flagpole?
Though it's in plain sight, this headstone is almost completely overgrown and easy to overlook. Imagine trying to find it at night. About half the contestants missed this one.
- How many swings are there by the school?
This should be easy, right? Just don't forget to check for a second playground behind the school! Sometimes it's easy to accept the obvious answer and move on. But experienced contestants always take another look around, just to be sure.
- What is Tara's hobby?
The amateur radio call sign gives it away. Notice that on the Tombstone Trail we assume that someone without a burial date is still alive.
By the way, "XYL" means "former young lady".
- How old was Elmer Rice?
This was our favorite trick question that backfired. Elmer's tombstone showed that he lived 6 years. But, if you were paying attention, you'd go a few feet farther and notice on the family marker that Elmer only lived 5 years and 8 months. The correct answer was 5 years, not 6.
Now, the reason this backfired is that every team who answered this question got it wrong! So, if you took the time to go to this cemetery, you got penalized. Sorry, folks.
- When was Georgie born?
Most contestants walked right past this tombstone (see it behind the sign post?) without seeing it. One contestant parked with his headlights pointing into the cemetery and didn't notice it. Some people even missed it a second time while leaving the cemetery.
Hiding things in plain sight is one of our favorite Tombstone Trail tricks.
- What was Joseph Heywood's middle name?
Just a historical tidbit we threw in for fun. Hewwood was the banker killed by the Jesse James gang during their infamous raid on Northfield in 1876. Heywood's tombstone portrays his status as the town banker quite well, though it is limestone and is hard to read after a century.
In 1994 we used the man who was killed in the same gunfight ("A Swedish immigrant shot by robbers" is the inscription on the tombstone). Unfortunately for those too clever or too lazy to actually go to the cemetery, poor Mr. Gustafsan lived 4 days after being shot, so using the date of the raid gave you a wrong answer.
- What was Tiger's last name?
How about a cat named Tiger Wood in a pet cemetery? Pet cemeteries can be interesting because they aren't always well maintained and the markers can be hard to read. Besides, the pets always have interesting names. Unfortunately, the pet cemetery where this picture was taken is no longer much fun to use. The veterinary clinic has been razed and a new church has been erected on the site. The pet cemetery has been plowed under. - Who is the female buried closest to the southeast
corner?
This was a trick question. There were a husband and wife buried in the southeast corner, but if you looked carefully, you noticed that the daughter was buried with the father, the closest to the corner.
- When did Barbra Ann die?
This marker is in plain sight, smack in the middle of a medium-small cemetery. The metal is engraved like you'd see on a plaque (you can't see it in this picture). We were hanging out at this cemetery and watching countless people come up, look directly at it, and walk away. Some never did find Barbra Ann.
- Who were "staunch lifelong Republicans"?
An interesting quote from a tombstone.
- What was James Jones's nickname?
What else could it be?
- Who donated the new pine trees on the east side?
Sometimes we ask questions that can be answered without even going into the cemetery.
- What kind of parking do you find north of the church?
No kidding.
We don't make this stuff up.
- Who was the first person buried here?
If you noticed the little brass plaque on the sign, you got this one right away. But if you walked past that into the cemetery, you might have spent hours trying to find the oldest tombstone.
- What time is Sunday School?
Sometimes we use a cemetery near a church. To avoid interfering with church services, weddings, etc., we usually just find a question you can answer without going into the cemetery.
- What color is the fence?
This cemetery, though clearly visible, is well off the road and protected by an electric fence. It contains only one stone. You can imagine how difficult it was to find at night.
Special Questions
These questions could be answered anywhere. Contestants kept their eyes open to find the answers. They were also allowed to look them up in phone books, ask the locals, or use whatever other means they could come up with.
- What is the phone number for Arnie's Stained Glass?
It wasn't in the book, you had to find it.
- The Buffalo Creek Corn Maze
We've sent people into the maze to find stuff at night. Fun, huh? Actually, it is, especially since they "haunt" the maze before Halloween. You never know who or what is going to jump out and grab you from behind.
The corn maze was a lot of fun in the daytime, too. Unfortunately, they don't do it anymore at this farm. There are others you can find, though. - What time does Mill Park close in Dundas?
Easy, if you can find the park.
- What is the size limit for muskellunge taken from Eagle Lake?
Eagle Lake is so small that guppies have to use turn signals to turn around. It's hard to imagine 40" muskies in it. One enterprising contestant got a copy of the state fishing regulations from a bait shop, but the Eagle Lake listed in it was from the wrong county, and they got the wrong answer.
- What kind of beverage is sold in Wang?
It was some kid's orange juice stand.
- Who is the pastor of the St. Lawrence Catholic
church?
You just have to figure out which town the church is in.
Costumes
Some of the great costumes we've had in the past:
- The Cat in the Hat
- Frankenstein
- A priest, with a CPR dummy dressed as an altar boy.
- Honeymoon zombies, with "Just Buried" painted on the car.
- The California Raisins
- Nerds
- Witches
- A chain gang
- The Three Stooges (costumes weren't that great, but the attitudes were)
And we've had some groaners, too:
- Tombstones (I thought they were joggers)
- OJ's Bronco