The hunt is an opportunity to see San Francisco with a new found sense of wonder and inquisitiveness, to notice the hidden treasures most people commonly overlook in their destination-focused travels. It's a chance to re-configure the urban landscape by seeing it afresh, by noticing the forgotten landmarks, obscure byways and anonymous works of art, and the vestiges of the area's rich history which give San Francisco its unique character. Proceeds from the treasure hunt benefit Hamilton Family Center, the largest provider of housing for homeless families in San Francisco. Treasure hunting teams have four hours to solve sixteen clues. Familiarity with San Francisco geography is useful, but is not required for solving clues.
Many clues relate to general knowledge, current events, science, the arts and popular culture.
Each clue leads to a specific site in the one square mile playing area, where teams search for a secret item which proves they correctly solved that clue. Teams solving the most clues in the shortest time each receive prizes, and earn the right to gloat.