A Little History

Gumshoe is slang for “detective.” It’s also the name of a walk that since 2006 has been challenging participants to solve their way through 30 clues and 5 kilometers of Seattle’s Phinney Ridge/Greenwood neighborhood, all for the chance to win prizes and raise funds for local non-profits.

HOW TO GUMSHOE

1) Click the “REGISTER” button anytime at the top of this page to purchase one or more forms online. If buying online isn’t your things, we’ll be selling forms outside of Greenwood Hardware on Saturday mornings 9-11am during the event.

2) If purchased online, you can pickup your entry form as soon as August 7th at Greenwood Hardware (7201 Greenwood Ave N, Seattle WA). Be prepared to show your registration confirmation email and a photo ID. We won’t be sticklers, but also want to raise money.

3) Then head to this year’s start/end point, PCC Greenlake, 7504 Aurora Ave N, and begin gumshoeing. Do the Gumshoe in one day or over several—you’ve got 17 days, including three week-ends—to solve your way through the walk. Experienced gumshoes say it takes about three hours of bipedal locomoting and scratching your head to complete.

4) When you finish, drop your completed form into one of the red lock boxes at PCC Greenlake. You’ve got until 6pm Sunday, August 23, if you want to be eligible for the prize drawings at 8.

5) If your entry form is drawn, you answer pre-selected clues correctly and the email address you print on your form is legible, our people will call your people to let you know you’ve won and how to get your gift card. We’ll also post winners online alongside the answers within 24-48 hours.

The Procrastishoe

Should you buy an entry form and find you haven't done the Gumshoe for whatever reason—you were lost at the first clue, your walking partner bugged out on you, etc.—you can salvage your investment by doing the Procrastishoe! Join other last-minute gumshoes at PCC Greenlake at 3 pm Sunday, August 23, to collectively do the walk with the man, the myth, the Gumshoe Answer Man (GAM), who’ll hint everybody through the walk as needed so you can you can turn in your entry form by the 6p deadline. He’ll also have forms for sale with cash or check.