The Lowell Riddler: Riddle #9 of 2022 Solved

The Lowell Riddler is hiding medallions in and near the City of Lowell and offering area residents the chance to win a prize of local gift cards. Look for a new clue or riddle each Saturday!

Here’s what the winner said about finding the medallion:

My husband, Mark and I were pretty much stumped with the 1st set of clues. Thought it was dealing with a church or baseball field (ball diamond) and a bell.  The place with a rock in its name really threw us off.

The 2nd set of clues lead us to the Riverwalk area and we still came up empty. I kept going over the riddle and thought of the Farmers Market but again came up empty.

The 3rd set of clues I was thinking the Grand River soccer park area. As it has a field of boats like canoes, so I was all over this area, but again came up empty.

I went to work that night and I was talking to a Co-worker that doesn’t even live in Lowell. After I shared the clues, he mentioned canoes are made from Birch trees! I had an ah-ha moment (Burch Field).  The next morning (Thursday of this past week) I went to Burch Field and searched. I was also about the “2 dozen or so” was dealing with the Phelps memorial picnic park (number of Michael Phelps medal wins). I knew it had to be somewhere around Burch field and the Fair Grounds. I found myself looking around poles (according to polls) and light poles (day and night are the same).  We walked all around Burch Field but didn’t see or pay attention to the piles of foundation blocks, as I was still thinking that “rock” was literally in the name.  Additionally, thinking the wastewater treatment plant could be “shake and make the earthquake” was nearby.  I was convinced we were in the right area, but we were still coming up empty.

Mark and I got up early Saturday morning and headed to the fair grounds to try again before the 4th clue came out as we had remembered signs talking about foundations and we remembered the rock wall where the electrical panels were, but we still didn’t find anything.  Then, at 9 am the new clue was posted. We started heading back to the Burch Field since it stated, “Friday night lights” (football field). Other riddle players were there as well, and we were all searching around different piles of foundation blocks which were scattered across on the sides of the field along the river.  At first glance, walking around the middle pile I missed it, and so did my husband.  However, I took a second look after Mark Weaver (a Lowell riddling guru) walked around it with no luck. I had to look again so I started moving some weeds and there the rubber band was hanging out from between two blocks. I grabbed it and yelled I found it and was congratulated by Mark Weaver and all the other medallion seekers.

My family thinks I’m a bit obsessed with solving these riddles but I’m having fun and getting out of my house. The Lowell Riddler has given me something I can do that provides a great personal accomplishment reward. It’s going to be disappointing when the season comes to an end, but I’ll have something to look forward to next spring.

Thanks again Lowell Riddler for creating this fun summer activity that brings families and friends together and keeps our minds sharp!

Here’s what else The Lowell Riddler sent us when announcing the winner and the answers behind the riddle:

Congratulations

Peggy and Mark Brown from Saranac!

Their prize package contains Lowell Bucks sponsored by Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce, a Gift Certificate sponsored by Chimera Design, Lowell Bucks sponsored by Canfield Plumbing & Heating, a Gift Card sponsored by Flat River Grill, a Gift Card sponsored by Sweet Seasons, And an anonymous donation of a Gift Certificate for Keiser’s Kitchen!  

Peggy already qualified for the Riddler of the Year contest
– the final riddle of the year coming in mid-August!
Details on how to qualify for the Riddler of the Year contest can be viewed here.

---

The Clues and Answers

Clue #1

When day and night are the same
(The summer solstice)

Everyone’s glad they came
(People from all over gather in England)

You might hear a chant
(People come dressed as druids)

Or maybe you can’t
In a place with a rock in its name
(Stonehenge–a famous grouping of stones)

Clue #2

Think of the summer solstice
A symbol that’s known to most of us
(Stonehenge is the symbol)

Give it a shake
Make the earth quake
(The pile of stones where the medallion is hidden resembles a collapsed Stonehenge)

Visit the spirits coaching us
(On the Visitor’s side of the old football field)

 Clue #3

 A field of trees makes canoes
(Canoes were often made of birch–Burch Field)

Two dozen or so win or lose
(Actually 22 players on a football team–some win, some lose)

According to polls
(Football polls)

Many parts, more wholes
(The cement anchors have holes–for poles)

When we scored, where you’d find all the booze.
(The visiting team would boo when Lowell scored) 

Clue #4

Visit an irregular site
(Random piles of cement on the Visitor’s Side)

Under the lights Friday night
(High school football)

Across from the aisle
(Across from the isle/Island Park)

Making a pile
(The pile of cement blocks)

Cloaked in a shadowy night
(The medallion is hidden in the pile)

---

The Riddler of the Year

Contest Prize Package Contributions
Year-to Date
(Check weekly for updates)