If you've got a fancypants phone and the itch to explore, you should probably download the Secrets and Treasures in Muswell Hill app. Work your way around the north London suburb solving clues and learning some history at the same time. It's totally free, and you could win a diamond worth a grand if you get everything right.
We're lazy bastards, so we attempted to cheat by using Street View. We were thwarted at the first turn. "W Martyn has been a family grocer in Muswell Hill since 1897," we learn. Here it is in Street View. This is going to be easy. "Visit the counter to find the 'True Weight System' and name the town you find there." Ah, looks like we're not going to be able to win that diamond without getting our arse to N10.
Thirty such questions are dotted around the area, with five each relating to history, food & drink, local business, environment, people and miscellaneous. It's not all quiz questions. The occasional poll, such as whether a light railway should be built along the Parkland Walk, is also included.
The game was commissioned by Muswell Hill Traders Group, who hope it will increase the footfall in some of the independent shops of the area. The app is supported by the Mayor of London's Outer London Fund, with puzzle know-how from the fiendish minds at Treasure Trails. The diamond competition is open until 28 May, but the app will still work after the competition closes.
Secrets and Treasures in Muswell Hill is available now for iPhone and Android phones. We're off to win a diamond.
