Competitive Scavenger Hunt Items

Seekt Quick Guide: Hidden and Exclusive Items

Welcome to the Seekt Quick Guide series. In this episode, we are looking at two special item types that add competitive and discovery elements to your hunts: hidden items and exclusive items.

Hidden items are secret challenges that do not appear in the player's hunt list until they are unlocked. You create them like any other item, but you mark them as hidden and choose a trigger item. When a team completes the trigger item, the hidden item is revealed and added to their list.

Until it is unlocked, the hidden item shows as a blurred teaser. Players can see that something is there — the shape of the card, the point value obscured — but they cannot read the clue or submit anything. This creates anticipation. Players know there is more to discover, and completing items might unlock surprises.

You can chain these together. A photo item unlocks a quiz, which unlocks a bonus challenge. This creates a layered structure where the hunt gets deeper as teams progress.

Exclusive items work differently. An exclusive item can only be claimed by one team. The first team to submit a valid response earns the points, and the item is immediately locked out for everyone else. Other teams see it marked as "claimed" in their list.

This creates a race within the race. If players know an item is exclusive — and the item is tagged so they can see it — they have to decide whether to go after it immediately or focus on easier items first. High-value exclusive items become targets that teams sprint toward.

You can combine the two. A hidden item that is also exclusive means only the first team to unlock it and submit gets the points. This rewards both exploration and speed.

When setting up your hunt, use these sparingly for maximum impact. One or two hidden items and one or two exclusives in a hunt of ten to fifteen items creates the right balance of surprise and competition without making the hunt feel unpredictable.

That is "hidden and exclusive items" in Seekt. For more, visit the seekt.ca website.