ABOUT THIS CHALLENGE
The Location... Cardiff is a compact city with a huge personality. First settled by Neolithic farmers around 6,000 years ago, it became a Roman fort, a medieval stronghold, and then the coal‑exporting engine of the industrial world. Its Victorian boom left many famous arcades, grand civic buildings, and a waterfront that later reinvented itself as a modern-day cultural hub. Today Cardiff is a lively city that feels effortlessly historic, modern, and full of surprises.
The Challenge... Your mission relates to the disappearance of a ball used when Wales beat the mighty New Zealand All Blacks in the controversial ‘Match of the Century’ at Cardiff Arms Park in 1905. Can you track down the location of this priceless relic by finding and solving 18 clues hidden across Cardiff City?
The Charity... 18 Clues proudly supports animal and environmental charities at home and abroad. Each time we add a new set of Challenges to our portfolio, we select an additional inspirational charity to donate to on a quarterly basis. In this instance we chose to add All Creatures Great and Small Animal Sanctuary to our list of charities. Founded in 1992 by Vivienne Harris, All Creatures Great and Small Animal Sanctuary rescues and cares for dogs, cats, small pets, and farm animals across South Wales. It focuses on offering vulnerable animals rehabilitation, and rehoming, plus lifelong refuge for those who are unable to be placed in homes.
USEFUL INFORMATION
The Walking version will provide you with a great overview of Cardiff's city centre - the old, the new and its very essence. It is around three miles long and will take up to two and a half hours to complete. Allow longer for refreshment stops, picnics, and/or taking in points of interest along the way. The Challenge is circular, with Clues 1 and 18 within a stone's throw of Cardiff Central Railway Station. As with all Challenges, you can start and finish at any clue, and may split it over two or more days if you wish. NOTE: The route is very flat.
Getting There... This Challenge is circular, so you can start anywhere. Train: Clue 1 is a 15-20 minute walk from the railway station, or Stagecoach offers requient services from the railway station to the city centre. Coach: National Express, Megabus and some other long-distance scheduled coach services arrive at Cardiff Coach Station on Wood Street, within a minute's walk of the first and last clues. Car: On-street parking is available in the city centre, but for stress-free parking, a car park is usuall the better choice. There are several to choose from within a two to six minute walk from Clue 1.
The Virtual version will take up to two hours to complete, although you can, of course, start and stop whenever you wish. You never know where you will pop up next to find and solve a clue!
Clues, facts and solutions for the two versions are completely different, so if you live near or are visiting Cardiff, we highly recommend purchasing both the Walking and Virtual versions. You’ll discover even more about the city, and you’ll be able to submit two judged entries to our skills‑based prize competition.