An awesome team experience! It's cerebral, collaborative, informative and an overall exciting adventure in the greatest city! I've done the GCC for two years in a row and plan on making it an annual tradition. You will rack up a lot of steps, work your brain and learn a lot about the rich history of New York City. Some of the challenges are hard, some of them are extremely hard (binary code and interpreting braille) and most are fun. There's even delicious treats that are added in the mix. I highly recommend participating in this amazing challenge and using the services of GCC for any of your team building needs. read more

I recently did their main scavenger hunt last weekend, but had previously done a shorter one and a few virtual events. A common theme was they were all incredibly well organized, and challenging without being unbeatable, and a lot of fun for me and my friends. Can't wait to do their next one! read more

SO. MUCH. FUN. If you like room escapes and think you can take it outdoors, this is for you. We did the Great Gotham Challenge for Industry City in Brooklyn, their first one there. My four-person team and I didn't know what to expect because we were all GGC first-timers, but there were so many fun and interactive challenges and puzzles that had us running all around the complex. We exhausted all of our brainpower and brawn-power, and I felt like I was in an episode of The Amazing Race. It was also a cool way to learn about Industry City and all the different businesses that are there. Googling is a must, and next time I'll be sure to bring a notebook and pen, not to mention lots of water. Unfortunately there was at least one team that cheated and tried to block people from advancing faster. Boooo. Apparently GGC hadn't had any problems with that in four years of running, so it sucks that the no-cheating streak was broken, especially during our first time playing. We most definitely weren't in the top three teams, but we had such a fun time with the intricate, unique challenges and working as a team that the reward didn't really matter for us. Plus we got a drink token at the end and we got to keep a souvenir from one of the challenges! Apparently GGC does two events a year throughout NYC, so I'll definitely do another one. What a blast. read more

The Great Gotham Challenge - Team WART with Cluemaster (and co-founder) Seale! - Challenge Courses Near Me - New York, New York

Our group of four adults and two older elementary-aged kids had a great time doing the Central Park version of the Great Gotham Challenge. The puzzles were challenging for adults but the game also involved searching for physical clues such that the kids could participate in as well. The game boundaries enabled us to experience Central Park but it was not so much walking that the kids couldn't keep up. The picnic at the end was generous portions and a very nice touch. Great Gotham Challenge is a great way for tourists like us--even with little specific knowledge of NYC--to interact with the city in a way that's fun and off the beaten path. Highly recommend! read more

Our family had a great time doing the Central Park challenge. It was fun, not too hard, not too easy, we learned a bit about the park and the features referenced as clues. The hosts were on time and clever. I recommend it for a family outing for a few hours outside or a team building activity. read more

Great activity for weekend! Nice combination of entertaining and challenging. Would recommend to a friend!

The most fun scavenger/puzzle hunt ever. I recommend everyone do this because it's the most fun you will have in NYC

We went because our boss brought us, and we had a super fun time. Thank you to Cluemaster Seal for giving us a way to collaborate and explore Central Park! Loved using many different talents among our team. Looking foward to doing this with friends in the future! read more

It helps that my team won, but still - a great virtual puzzling experience. I've done one or two similar experiences while in lockdown and this was easily the best. Clues that were challenging, taking us to places on the web that you know, but haven't used in this way before. Definitely a brain-teaser but I loved the results. Because we won. ;) read more

Just did the High Line event yesterday... It was a good experience, but at the end I can't help but feel a bit disappointed. Perhaps my expectation had been set too high after reading the other yelp reviews...? For me the best part about GGC is how it incorporates location-based history into the hunt: You'd solve a puzzle, enter the answer, and if correct, you'll get some historical trivia, a bit of Googling (or if you're really good, repertoire of historical knowledge) will reveal a (hopefully) nearby location, which is where you must go to find your next puzzle. As a result we got a nice 4-hour tour around the East/West Villages while learning a bit more about the artsy history of the city. (Though to be honest, this best part was lost on me... as I was too focused on finding the puzzles and solving them. But nonetheless I commend GGC for their effort). The puzzles themselves however were a let down. I would say the difficulty/interestingness is about that of your average escape room. We spent 75% of the time moving from puzzle to puzzle (we weren't keen on racing so we took leisurely walks...), 15% of the time trying to find the puzzles (as some were incorporated into the environment and could be hard to identify -- an aspect that I did not like), and then 10% of the time on actually solving the puzzles. Conclusion: If your interest in GGC is for the puzzles and you're a veteran of escape rooms and puzzle hunts, you'd probably be a bit disappointed like me. But if you're doing it for the experience of touring the city with friends, learning some trivia about the different places at the same time, then this is something out of the ordinary that's worth trying at least once. read more

We did their virtual puzzle challenge which was really engaging and fun and involved all sorts of tools like Spotify, email, text, google maps, etc. Really fun experience! read more

My work team did this online during Covid and it worked surprisingly well and was a lot of fun. The puzzles were clever and rewarding, not overly hard or random. read more

AMAZING. I would give it six stars if I could. It's like the excitement of an escape room times 10. I've gone to their flagship events a few times now, and it always blows my mind. Everyone I've brought with me has gotten hooked too, even people who aren't necessarily into puzzles. The first time I went, I wasn't totally sure what to expect. I knew there would be puzzles and that we'd be running around the city solving them. What I wasn't prepared for was how cleverly everything is hidden in plain sight. "How could this sign be a clue? It looks like a sign that's always been here. And that guy selling comedy tickets can't be in on it, right?" And then you realize how genius the cluemasters are and the lengths they went to in preparing everything. It takes the city you know so well and makes anything possible in it again. My company has done a couple scavenger hunts before, and people seemed to enjoy them, but I'm hoping to get us to do a GGC event one day. It's one of the best ways I can think of to make people feel challenged, experience a little bit of magic, and of course, have a lot of fun together. read more

Absolutely incredible. Our team did the GGC as part of our holiday party and we had a blast. The clues were so meticulously thought out and just challenging enough to keep everyone on their toes. The amount of thought and detail that GGC puts into their events is truly outstanding. The clue boxes that were sent to our homes beforehand kept everyone buzzing about what they were about to get themselves into and truly, GGC did not disappoint. 10/10 would recommend to any company looking to do a fun virtual event with their team. read more

Absolutely incredible challenges! It's a super fun thing to do with friends and these guys put them together so thoughtfully and cleverly. I am always looking forward to the next challenge they put out! Highly recommend! read more

Just completed my second Great Gotham Challenge and had an absolutely blast! As an avid puzzler, I'm a huge fan of escape rooms, Puzzled Pint and DASH, but GGC takes my top spot for the puzzle event I love the most. It's not for the faint of heart, puzzles are challenging and if you want to place, there's going to be some running involved but for my team those two things are what make it our favorite event. read more

Awesome experience! I was a part of the GGC challenge online through an event organized by my employer and had a lot of fun. It was the first time I had done something like this and I can say that I my expectations were GREATLY exceeded. The challenges were very crafty and all the items that they sent us to solve them were super original and of high-quality. 10/10 would do again. read more

I participated in the GGC: Winter Edition at the Met, and I have to say, it was a great challenge, one I'd highly recommend to others (and already have!). The game makers put so much effort and thought into each clue that you're given that you feel like Sherlock on the hunt. Whether it's decoding hieroglyphics, using a black light for a hidden message, or even spotting special coins in a fountain with a key phrase -- nothing was held back. I've participated in two other challenges before, and this one was the hardest yet. Testing my vocabulary, my knowledge of art history, and ultimately my teamwork. If you're looking for a fun and incredibly affordable way to learn about Great Gotham, this is for you. If you don't like pushing some boundaries, or feeling covert, then stay away. But I think you'll be sorry if you do! P.S. If you're a corporate company looking for a team outing, THIS IS IT. Team building and adventure outside the office is to be had, and I can't wait to recommend it to my employer. read more

I honestly had no idea what to expect when I entered the Great Gotham Challenge. I guess in the back of my head, I thought it would be your standard scavenger hunt/team building activity, but it's actually SO MUCH MORE. While you're sleuthing all over New York City, you're learning really insightful facts about the city's history. Hands down one of my top 3 highlights of this summer! read more

Played Ctrl/Alt/Decode at RECON and had an absolute blast -- one of the best online puzzlehunts I've done, with a huge variety of clues and very fair puzzles, with lots of a-ha moments. Thanks so much for bringing it to the conference! read more

Are you ready to dive into one of the most integrated, challenging, and well orchestrated adventures you'll ever participate in? Your answer should be, "Hell, yes." This is not for the faint of heart and that's a good thing. The Cluemasters led my team down the rabbit hole and back, all the while, giving a whirlwind tour of the city. Race against other teams to crack the codes and get to the next clue. If you want a real life, large scale scavenger hunt, this is your game. Don't say I didn't warn you. read more

Totally exceeded expectations. The creativity is remarkable, and I will remember this event and some of the more intricate clues forever. Well done, so impressive -- and inspiring! read more

I just did Great Gotham for the first time this past month and it blew my expectations out of the water. The puzzles were fun and challenging and the places it took us were unexpected and delightful. I didn't want the experience to end and can't wait for the next one! read more

If you've ever wanted to play Indiana Jones in New York City, look no further. The Great Gotham Challenge is the most engaging, immersive experience I've discovered since Sleep No More. Crack cyphers, explore the city's secret history, and race to finish first as you sleuth around sprawling libraries, shadowy bars, and cobblestone streets. It's a one-of-a-kind adventure that will keep you on your toes mentally and physically, all while stoking a friendly competitive spirit! read more

ABSURDLY AWESOME. Hands down one of NYC's best experiences. This is not just a scavenger hunt. There is rich, compelling storytelling. There are side characters, mysterious artifacts, coded messages, maps, secrets hidden in plain sight, covert phone calls, mad dashes... So many incredibly epic moments. I would drop everything and become a professional Great Gotham Challenge player if only it happened more often. read more

Great Gotham Challenge is an absolute blast. It's like a scavenger hunt on crack. The first time we did it we actually brought my son in the stroller, while it wasn't ideal, we weren't there to win and more to just have a good time and didn't want to get a baby sitter, I don't regret it at all as we made it through about half of the clues and still had a blast. The second time we left my son home so as to try to really COMPETE. I feel like I've learned so much more about new york city doing these challenges as it takes you to places I honestly may never go without this. I am so excited to see how this grows. To be honest I think this would also make a great bachelor/bachelorette day, or a fun birthday party event. Even for like middle or high school students I could see them really enjoying it. Also an excellent team building activity for a group or company. read more

The Great Gotham Challenge was a fantastic experience! My team was composed of 3 friends, one of whom was new to New York and visiting for the summer, while the rest of us had lived here between 5 and 10 years. We all agreed that it was something we'd like to do again. The challenge contains a really great balance of brain-work and activity. The questions aren't overly simple, but neither are they impossible. It leads you on a fun trip around the city without feeling exhausting, and you learn a lot of interesting facts about New York history while you're at it! You can be as competitive or relaxed about it as you please, so I think it caters to any personality type, and it is fun to meet up with the other teams after the event. To sum up, if you've never tried it, DO! You won't regret it =) The Great Gotham Challenge is an amazing way to get to know the city better, whether you are visiting for the first time or whether you've lived here for years! read more

This was straight up the most fun I have ever had. THE MOST FUN I HAVE EVER HAD. It's a race, it's a hunt, it's a series of codes, riddles and challenges, it's a deep dive into New York City's people, places, history, and secrets. Get in there. read more

I participated in the July 2015 Great Gotham Challenge and holy wow I did not know I got myself into! Great Gotham Challenge is an "amazing race" style challenge around NYC that focuses on overlooked pieces of history that are brought to life in the most unique ways. The challenge uses a combination of physical clues, staged events and technology (through a special app) to help you unlock clues to move you forward in the challenge - all while competing against other teams. Teams could be 2 to 4 each and its important to pick team members that each bring something unique to the table. Like someone who knows NYC so well they don't need a map but also someone who is great at riddles. I loved making it to the end and seeing the awards given out to the top placing teams and hearing stories about where other teams were either help up or how they solved something in a unique way. This will be definitely be something I look forward to doing again! read more

I participated in the Great Gotham Challenge: Winter Edition this weekend, and I have to say there were a couple of huge red flags that I must caution everyone who plans to participate in future events about . The first is that the original event of this was held during the record-breaking snowstorm this past January. They chose not to postpone the event, except in the unlikely scenario that the *entire* MTA shut down. The issue with this, of course, is that while the MTA did not officially shut down its above-ground lines until 4pm, trains were going offline as early as 12:30, including my own 7 train. Had I chosen to go to the event, I would have been stranded in Manhattan *during an historic blizzard* with no place to stay aside from an expensive hotel, had I been lucky enough to find one. As opposed to addressing my concerns about refunding my ticket because an act of God had made me unable to participate, they chose to be dismissive over e-mail for several days before finally acquiescing to the requests of what I assume are several teams who were similarly stranded and hold the event again at a later date. The second red flag is more unforgivable than bad customer service. The challenge took place entirely inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art (this itself is wonderful, I love the Met and it is one of two museums I hold membership to -- I feel bad for teams that don't have memberships and had to pay the admission fee on top of the cost of the Gotham Challenge to get in, I'm sure more than a few people would have liked the advance warning to get their tickets beforehand!). However, one of the clues required overlaying a sheet of paper with holes cut in it onto a Byzantine stone tablet that was mounted, uncovered, about 7 feet off the ground. I observed *several* of the participating teams look around guiltily before overlaying this paper on the stone tablet to get the clue and move on through the challenge. When we asked the cluemaster about this, he dismissively told us "you don't have to touch the tablet to figure out the clue." When we reported to the cluemaster that several teams had indeed touched the tablet, he said, "We are sorry you're upset over the actions of other teams." This brazen disregard not only for the priceless, thousand-year-old artifact, but for the explicit rules of the very institution hosting the event, was inexcusable. What would their response been if a security guard had thrown out one of the teams for touching the tablet? "Sorry you got caught, no refunds!"? This was not the only instance where completing a challenge required tactile interaction with museum pieces. Another clue required participants to pull special coins from a fountain installation in the Greco-Roman art wing. Whether or not they had gotten permission from the museum was not evident, but reaching into the fountains and taking coins is bad form for visitors and should absolutely not have been encouraged by GGC. Outside of these two problematic challenges, there were two others that simply couldn't be completed because the museum closed off wings within the first hour of the challenge. We had to have our hint penalties taken away TWICE and explicitly given these clues by the organizers to continue the game. This, of course, after floundering for 15+ minutes trying to figure out why we couldn't get the clue with the resources available to us. (One clue mentioned a "Tiffany Grandfather Clock" of which there are several in the museum, all but one were inside a wing that had closed). In conclusion, I will say I simply cannot recommend the Great Gotham Challenge to anyone considering participating. The organizers are rude, and have complete disregard for the safety of their patrons as well as a total lack of respect for one of the most prestigious and important art museums on Earth. There are many scavenger-hunt type events out there that are better run. read more

These guys somehow make you forget that you're not the love child of Sherlock Holmes and Indiana Jones. Be ready to feel the thrill of the chase as you race against other teams through a series of plot twists and eureka moments while learning historical facts about New York you would likely never come across otherwise. Actors and/or really slick props and custom printed materials planted along the way make the experience incredibly engaging. It isn't just in the city, it is integrated. I've done every challenge so far, and the writers are still just as engaged as the first time out. You want to see the city with friends? Skip the pub crawl and kick it up a notch. read more

This was so fun!!! I went to the April 2017 event and had such a great time. The length was just right, the puzzles were challenging but not impossible, and we saw some great spots and noticed things we never had before. Can't wait for the next one! read more

As the event planner for a group of approx. 30 employees & significant others, The Great Gotham Challenge was chosen as our team building event and it was absolutely phenomenal! We had high expectations and they were far exceeded. The challenges were difficult, extremely creative, and completely customized to our group. Part of the fun for us as well was, we couldn't find any hints or details to any of the challenges online, so we won't mention anything either. Suffice it to say our group couldn't have possibly had more fun. Thank you!!!! Looking forward to your expansion across the country to the west coast! read more

This was absolutely a blast - I am literally making a Yelp account for the sole purpose of raving about Great Gotham Challenge. Our company participated in GGC as a team building exercise, and it was one of the most challenging and fun experiences I've ever had! Each challenge was clever and intelligently designed, definitely no easy answers here. As someone who has not spent a great deal of time in NY, I definitely thought this was a great way to be introduced to the city, and to have a ton of fun with my coworkers! read more