- I know, my dear Watson, that you share my love of all that is bizarre and outside the conventions and humdrum routine of everyday life.
- Sherlock Holmes, in Arthur Conan Doyle's The Reigate Puzzle
WA Detective Trails are self-guided puzzle walks around Perth city, Perth suburbs and the rest of Western Australia. Each trail comes with a fictitious crime to solve, a list of suspects, and lots of clues; each stop on the trail has you hunting high and low for the answers to cross off the innocent suspects. The last suspect on the list is the culprit!
The trails are designed for families, both locals wanting to get some fresh air and see their familiar haunts in a new light, and visitors wanting to sightsee while keeping their kids engaged. But you don’t need kids to enjoy a puzzle walk: walking groups, friends and teammates can enjoy a scenic stroll with a twist too, exercising mind and body in the beautiful WA sunshine.
The WA Detective Trails series is researched and written by Perth parent and author (and cryptic crossword fan) Wendy Palmer. She created the puzzle walk trails after trying to explore tourist areas with her son; he had zero interest in the historical or cultural attractions, but did enjoy spotting hidden things and solving puzzles. Now he likes helping trial the trails.
By adding a puzzle twist to traditional tours and scenic walks, everyone has something to enjoy, whether that’s history, fresh air and coffee, or clues, playgrounds and ice cream.
Have a question?
Frequently asked questions
Once you have purchased the desired trail, you will receive a link to a printable pdf booklet which includes both a map and written directions to each location on the trail…