Get a Clue: Teams of CluedUpp Crime Solvers Swarmed Downtown Last Weekend

Last Saturday afternoon there were CSI teams and gaggles of tan trench coats roving the streets of downtown Dallas. Groups of people, most dressed similarly, would hustle to a corner, point to a building and take off again. Some wore Hawaiian shirts. Others had "CSI" stamped on the back of their shirts. Kids lagged behind anxious parents. One group all wore big green dinosaur tails (or maybe that was a bachelorette party). Was PokemonGo re-released?

Turns out the groups were playing an app-based game, CluedUpp, which provides “immersive outdoor experiences that bring families, friends and colleagues together in unique and innovative ways.”

The game was born in 2016 in the UK, with paper packets that led teams on crime-solving adventures. There were 30 teams in the first experience. It soon jumped to an app-based geo-gaming platform and is now played in 80 countries. More than 1,000 teams usually participate in each event.

The basic gist is that teams of up to six race to solve challenges, like murders, in a specific area based on different clues provided on the app. Teams play against other teams and whoever solves the challenge the fastest wins. The games are kid-friendly but are not designed to be played solely by children. This is more of a family bonding event. Or an opportunity to argue, if that’s how y’all roll.
Taylor Harrison from Dallas was playing with her family in downtown last weekend. They stopped just long enough to take a photo and answer a few questions but were clearly anxious to get back to the timed investigation.

The game starts at a designated point. Teams select a captain who controls the app and clues, while team members follow along on their phones but, apparently, those roles can randomly change at any time.

Virtual witnesses to the crime are tracked down. Then teams have to answer questions or solve challenges, some of which are tailored to specific locations, to get a statement from the witness, who sometimes run away, requiring a bit of a chase. Wrong answers to questions can result in a time penalty, which is perhaps why some of the teams were sitting on benches, sipping iced coffees. Teams aren't all at the same spots at once, rather scattered blocks and blocks apart.

It cost $80 for a group of six to play but looks like there's a standard 50% coupon for first-timers.

Jessica Middleton, Catherine Burrows and Lauren Gillit are all from Dallas and were all donning the trademark of a true crime-solver; a mustache and tan trench coat.

Looks like the next CluedUpp event in Dallas has an Alice in Wonderland theme on Nov. 19. Alice is trapped in Wonderland and teams will need to follow her down the rabbit hole to save her. Oh imagine the costumes; you should start working on yours now. There will also be a game in Plano on Oct. 29 and in Fort Worth on Nov. 5.