TheSecretPodcast

01/05/2024

New episodes have been released.

Sup everyone! This video is a companion to our San Francisco podcast episode. It is meant to give some visual examples as well as show the scale of the area ...

03/07/2023

My favorite story about Sean Kelly, is when he and a friend created and coached a little league team. It was made up of their kids, as well as all the kids in Brooklyn that other teams in the league didn’t want.
Lest you think otherwise, the name was chosen because Sean’s child was working on a year long project focused on beavers. It would be slander of the highest order to suggest the teams name referred to anything other than the beloved semi-aquatic rodents that happen to be the state animal of New York. Even though their motto was "We aint licked yet!"

I decided to design a T-shirt based on that team. Send a shirt to the team's co-captain, sell the shirt, and donate all funds to St. Jude in Sean's honor.

I felt like the inclusion of this shirt in my store required an explanation so here it is.

https://12treasures.com/product/brooklyn-beavers-100-of-proceeds-donated-to-st-jude/

28/04/2023

May is mental health awareness month and in this first of two part series devoted to mental health in the treasure hunting community, George and Rachel talk to a Therapist who specializes in addiction and addiction behaviors. We talk about some of the things we have seen and experienced, in a session which ultimately turns into a therapy session for George. Enjoy.

May is mental health awareness month and in this first of two part series devoted to mental health in the treasure hunting community, George and Rachel talk ...

10/04/2023

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmA5QqonwBY

The Secret Treasure Hunt has a Cruise, and Brian Mills needs a bunkmate! Also we talk about the upcoming documentary, and Jason Krupat finally talking!Join t...

09/03/2023

TheSecretPodcast has been asked by Jenny Kile and mysteriouswritings.com to contribute a mini hunt to their yearly Masquerade Tribute of Hunts for Charity!
This yearly collection of hunts and mini hunts are created to support the St. Jude's Childrens Hospital. To find out more visit
https://mysteriouswritings.com

07/02/2023

A new episode in the Secret Podcast's Cipher Series has released.
In 1657 a man named Ben Ezra Aseph wrote a book in cipher form, it's contents unknown to the world until now.
Kat Mueller and Rian Hagebeuk set out to decrypt the contents of this book, and with the help of Tony Gaffney and The British Library, found out that basically everything we knew about the mysterious text was a lie.

In 1657 a man named Ben Ezra Aseph wrote a book in cipher form, it's contents unknown to the world until now. Kat Mueller and Rian Hagebeuk set out to decryp...

04/02/2023

George has been bored out of his mind, so he has begun remastering the old episodes of the podcast and fixing the audio quality where he can.
He does not have all of the original audio, so he cant fix everything... but you should notice a dramatic improvement.

19/01/2023

Copies of Origins signed by John Jude Palencar are back in stock at 12treasures.
There are currently 11 available.

John Jude Palencar is a rarity among modern artists, mixing meticulous technique reminiscent of the old masters with a soaring, darkly surreal imagination. There are touches of Bosch and Da Vinci in his visual allegories of netherworld landscapes and doomed characters. His painted book covers and il...

02/01/2023

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yeAQxnXdKY

Lack of knowledge of older treasure hunts and puzzles is hindering people who are new to the puzzle and treasure hunting hobby. This series will attempt to e...

29/11/2022

https://youtu.be/bay_fhl1npQ

Forty years ago a book titled The Golden Apple tale was released. Sold only by order forms in the back of magazines, only one physical copy is known to exist...

27/11/2022

01/11/2022

Happy Anniversary.

27/10/2022

We join our community in mourning the loss of Arthur Scheijde.
He was a tremendous force, and well loved voice within the Secret community. His contributions and conversations will be missed.
Rest well Arthur.

30/09/2022

Hello everyone,
You all know that recently someone sent my son a insulting message. What you may not know is that those messages never stopped.
Messages have been sent to my father, my son, my step daughter, my fiancée, my address and phone numbers have been posted online, and today and email about my 'online activity' was sent to my employer.
MY relationship with the Secret has always been positive. I loved the message of unity, and the warning of what anger, power, and sneaky behavior could bring to a harmonious group of people.
I have met a lot of great friends, and had some amazing experiences because of this silly little book.
But today my relationship with the Secret ends.
I will not put my personal life, or the security of my family in jeopardy because a couple of childish sh*theads can't get their way. Because they can't earn the attention they so desperately seek.
They feel like I am the worst thing to happen to the Secret, they are the only ones who can save it... by getting rid of me.
Now they have their chance.
I have taken down 12treasures, the podcast feed, and the youtube account. I have walked away.
Let's see if they are right.
People often wonder what the legacy of the Secret will be. I posit it will be this.
The legacy of the Secret will be a great and helpful group of people torn down by crybabies, because they are too ignorant to build the community up.
Pay attention to them. Love them. Respect them. Or they may send messages to your son too.
Party on, or don't.
But whatever you do, don't send me a message about the Secret. Because I'm out.
Later.

23/09/2022

This is Brian Zinn's step-daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter.
Jorge went into kidney failure emergently last week. He is now in End Stage Renal Disease.

The life of Jorge Delfin, a 32 year-old hardworking and beloved father, husband, son, and brother h… Brian Sirmans needs your support for Jorge’s Kidney Fund

21/09/2022

The photo below was recently sent to my 12 year old son.
It's ok to have a problem with me. But why involve childeren? This is not something adults do.
This hunt is supposed to fill us with joy, with wonder, with compassion for our fellow man. But sometimes, it fills a small number of hunters with rage. With hate. With bile.
Hunters who stop focusing on the Secret, and start focusing on each other.
Some of those hunters place blame on me. They call me a g*tekeeper. They say that I can ban people from working on the Secret. That I control this puzzle.
It's true. I am a g*tekeeper.
But not to the Seccret.
The Secret is just a book. Anyone is free to buy the book and work on this puzzle however they see fit.

I am a g*te keeper to a series of tools, a Facebook group, a Subreddit, and a Discord channel.
To use those tools you have to follow one very specific rule.
Be kind to one another.
Those who are not kind lose access to those tools.

The fact that those people feel our tools are the most integral part of the Secret as a whole, is a great testiment to what this community has created together.

I have always made myself an umbrella for attacks. Which is one of the many reason so much of the community has stuck by me.
If someone is harrassing other members, that person gets banned, and no mention of the specifics of the harassment will ever occure. The person banned will attack me for banning them and I will never offer a specific explination publically. I do not throw the harassed members under the bus. I take the heat.
If a mod has to ban or silence someone from a group, they say I did it. It's one of our official mod rules. I take the heat. Always have, always will.
This allows others to enjoy the time they spend working on the Secret, without worrying about trolls trying to ruin their time.

Lately a small number of banned users have decided to organize. Shortly before this message was sent to my son, another one sent a message to my step daughter.
I can't imagine that was a coincidence.
Thankfully she is wise enough to block private messages from creepy old men.

I'm bringing all this to light to let the community know whats going on, and place some responsibility in your hands.
The Secret is at a crossroads which will determine its legacy. Will it be remembered as a community of people working together to solve what might be the greatest puzzle of all time?
Or will it be remembered as the puzzle a couple of people burnt to the ground with drama and bu****it?

The choice is yours.

I'm posting this message publically so that you all will get a taste of what I deal with.
Once my oblig*tions are complete, I am going to take a nice long vacation from this hunt. Certain people have sucked any ammount of joy I had for this hunt away from me.

I've alwas tried my best to give free and unlimited access to as much as I could, to everyone who enjoys this hunt.
I know most of you appreciate that. Please know that I appreciate all of the time I have spent working with all of you.
I did not make this community, you did.

Now it's up to you to create it's future.

07/09/2022

Cole May has officially taken over the TheSecretPodcast facebook, email, and phone account. Any messages, emails, or text messages sent to the podcast will be read by and replied to by Cole. If you need to reach one of the other members, Cole will forward your message along.
[email protected]
This message has been brought to you by the letter U, and the number ‪(904) 325-6631‬

Thanks Cole!

25/08/2022

Have you heard about THE SECRET? Join TheSecretPodcast, partnered with the St. Augustine Historical Society, for a one of a kind event: The Art of the Secret, an exhibit that runs September 1-30 at the Oldest House Museum Complex, 14 Saint Francis Street, in St. Augustine, Florida.

The exhibition of artwork and artifacts is created by collaborators of The Secret, including John Jude Palencar, JoEllen Trilling, Ben Asen, Alex Jay, and Byron Preiss.

Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week. Learn more at staughs.com

15/08/2022

George joined Robert several months ago to record an episode of Live From the Codebar about Reddit puzzles. Much like George's soul, the episode was lost, but now it's found!

Check it out on apple podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

24/07/2022

'The St. Augustine One'
John Jude Palencar - 1982

14/07/2022

Sean Charles Kelly 1940-2022
Sean Kelly was a Canadian author, writer, humorist, voice actor and teacher originally from Montreal. Kelly was an editor of the National Lampoon magazine from 1971 to 1977. He and Fred Graver served as co-Editors in Chief of National Lampoon under the pseudonym L. Dennis Plunkett. For 15 years he taught in the Humanities and Media Studies department of the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York. He was fired for (allegedly) sexually harassing a hunchback. Kelly spent the last few years of his life fervently engaging in battle with the editors of Wikipedia.

Kelly did a considerable amount of writing for children's television. He wrote for The Magic School Bus, the live action/computer animated series Ace Lightning, CBS Young People's Concerts, the FOX series Goosebumps and the PBS series Shining Time Station. In 2004 he received an Emmy Award for the PBS early literacy series, Between the Lions.

Kelly authored and coauthored numerous books. Most (but not all) of the books are humorous, and one of them was translated into Japanese.

We ask that the privacy of Mr. Kelly's family is respected at this time.

05/06/2022

Do you want to own a piece of Secret history?
TheSecretPodcast has partnered with John Jude Palencar to bring you a one of a kind SIGNED museum quality print of the Boston painting. This is an in-progress print of the Secret cover art. This particular print is a one-of one. While other “Secret” prints may appear in the future this specific “in-progress” promotional image of the cover art will only be the only one of its kind signed by the artist.
George controls the media used to make the print, and he has agreed to never make another print.
This is it. It's the only one which will ever be made available
A GoFund me has been se up to raise money for the Byron Preiss Children’s Fund. A fund set up by Byron's family which strives to enhance children’s lives with educational services in New York and around the world. Byron understood that through education, children develop a sense of cultural identity and self-esteem. This fund enables Byron's vision to live on, long after he has gone.
Every dollar you donate to the fund over the next 30 days will earn you one chance to win this unique print. If you donate $100, you g*t 100 chances. Easy Peasy.
Please consider donating to Byron's fund. Byron has given each of us so much... let's give a little something back.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/the-byron-preiss-childrens-fundd

The Byron Preiss Children’s Fund, an initiative of UJA-Federation’s Publishing Division,… George Ward needs your support for THE BYRON PREISS CHILDREN’S FUND

25/05/2022

With heavy hearts we need to let you know that one of our members contracted a brain eating amoeba. He's taken a lot of exotic trips recently, and we assume thats where he got it from.
So that's the bad news.
The good news is that it was George, and the brain eating amoeba starved to death.

28/04/2022

According the the GPR... There is something in the park. It's right under home plate. Is it a casque? It would make sense.
Join to podcast as we talk to Alex Sweeny about a trip he recently took with George to Roanoke. They were sure they would come home with a casque, but they didn't... now its your turn to try.
Part 2 coming shortly.

https://youtu.be/U6imHk-eIac

According the the GPR... There is something in the park. It's right under home plate. Is it a casque? It would make sense.Join to podcast as we talk to Alex ...

02/04/2022

A puzzlers dilemma.