Edinburgh residents challenged to crack riddles about the Capital in the search for Edinburgh’s best code breaker

Edinburgh residents are being urged to crack a ‘near impossible’ riddle about the city to earn the title of ‘Edinburgh’s Best Riddle Code Breaker’.

Riddle and code breaker enthusiast, Nathan Timblin, has created a series of mind-boggling riddles that together reveal the location of a secret destination in Edinburgh.

The first person to crack the code and submit the correct answer for the mystery location to Mr Timblin will be awarded the coveted title of ‘Edinburgh’s Best Riddle Code Breaker’, and the reward of a gift hamper.

Everyone who submits the correct destination will be entered into a nationwide ballot to win a one week stay at Cofton Holidays, the Edinburgh holiday park where Mr Timblin works. The one-week stay will be in a luxury dog-friendly lodge with a hot tub for up to four people (and two dogs) during peak summer season next year.

Meanwhile, the person who takes the best photo of themselves in the correct location and posts it on social media will also be given £250 to spend at Cofton Holidays.

The riddles were created by Mr Timblin earlier this year to mark the 110th anniversary of the birth of the late famous British mathematician, computer scientist and Nazi code breaker Alan Turing.

In total, there are five riddles to crack, the answers to which collectively reveal a secret location in Edinburgh. The first riddle has already been made public (below) and the four other riddles will be released on the Cofton Holidays website each Monday.

Edinburgh residents have been challenged to crack riddles about the Scottish Capital.

These are the five riddles about Edinburgh:

Riddle 1:

Pop me on a pizza but I cause a debate,

Appearing throughout history, I can be very ornate,

Bake me with ham, I'm in a popular drink.

I'm originally Brazilian, its easy if you think!

A sweet, a savoury, I’m as versatile as they come,

Pick me up with caution as I can prick your thumb!

What am I?

Riddle 2:

I am in romance but that's not really my history,

I've been written about at length, not all a mystery,

Calendars, concrete, newspapers and books,

Our armies were huge - they overtook!

Caesar is not anything like a salad,

Our inventions today are still as valid.

What am I?

Riddle 3:

My creator is female, horrifying in more than one way,

Completely nameless, my bolts are so grey,

In Germany I am real, but here I am a fake,

It could be that Konrad is my namesake.

I've stamped in the USA but only twice,

I came to life with a humungous device!

What am I?

Riddle 4:

I'm on your foot and I can make you feel restored,

I follow self practices which are widely adored,

I can come through the hands or even through voice,

But to come to me may not be a choice,

After an accident I am greatly in need.

Through process or therapy, your soul I can feed.

What am I?

Riddle 5:

If you are ill you hope to get me, a drink I will provide,

Take as much of my contents as you like, but I do live outside.

I'm above the ground but you will need to reach deep,

Your emotion could brew in me, to form tears to weep.

In this case though I'm magic and healing,

And my benefits were more than appealing,

What am I?

Mr Timblin is also urging fellow local code breakers to do Edinburgh proud by solving riddles about nine other areas of the county to compete for the national title of ‘Great Britain’s Best Riddle Breaker’. To secure this title, entrants must be the first to crack ‘near impossible’ riddles about Edinburgh, Cardiff, Devon, Bath, Manchester, Cornwall, Bristol, Liverpool, Birmingham and London.

He said: “My mates at Cofton call me the ‘Master Riddler’ as I’m always challenging them to solve riddles that I make up on my lunch break. We heard that it would have been Turing’s 110th birthday this summer had he still been with us, and as my colleagues are yet to successfully solve any of my riddles, they’ve challenged me to open it up to the public to see just how difficult they are to crack. My boss Chris bets that no one will be able to solve them, so he’s promised to give away a free week’s stay in our best lodge during peak season.”

To find out more and enter, visit https://www.coftonholidays.co.uk/cofton-summer-treasure-hunt/.