Welcome to the Legends of Leiden Treasure Hunt by Leiden Ludens!

This hunt is all about the world-renowned alumni of Leiden University. As you travel through town, you will encounter several QR codes like the one you just scanned. They each represent 1 of 7 puzzles related to Leiden legends. You can do the entire tour in one go, or do a puzzle every day – whichever way you prefer! (The QR codes aren’t going anywhere).

Puzzle #3

Johan Huizinga

 

Johan Huizinga (1872 – 1945) is a world-renowned cultural historian. His book Homo Ludens (1938), which poses that play is integral to all things human, remains a standard work in game theory to this day. His connection to Leiden University was as a professor of General History. The building in front of you is named after him. The puzzle you must complete here is tied to one of his most famous theories.

The rules for the puzzle below are simple. We will give you four riddles that each have a one-word solution. To complete the puzzle, you must string the answers together in order and place them correctly in the outermost (green) ring of the circle below, with one letter for each green square.
When done correctly, the letters emphasized by the purple rings will spell out a word. Shift the string of answers until the answer to the puzzle emerges!

  • The strive to win by defeating others.
  • These decide how a game is played.
  • The power of forming a mental image of something not present to the senses.
  • The limit of an area.

(Use this pdf to help you, or take an editable screenshot with your phone to fill out the circle).

 

What is the word that emerges from the circle below?

Type your answer behind the / in the URL. Example: pastatplay.com/youranswer.

All typed answers must consist of alphabetical symbols only (no spaces, numbers or punctuation marks).