Previously, on America's favorite currently running puzzle solving/race reality game show... please rise for its anthem:

Oh say can you see
Those media whores from afar
They start in Alaska and Hawaii
For clues they will be receiving

Give them a laptop with ask.com
And a special Visa card
Don't forget that Motorola cell
For Laird's important greetings

From misadventures at Mt. Theodore
To following that drinking gourd
Three teams made it through
But not Kayte's, thank the Lord

Oh say you'd better catch those Treasure Hunters while it's still on air
Because its rating is .3, and so is its market share

(You may be seated)

The three remaining teams were resting at a bed & breakfast in Philadelphia. All three teams had one of their representatives say more or less the same thing - the money would be nice, but the real thrill is in finding the treasure first.

Then came the first of several interruptions from our favorite buttinsky, Laird. He told them to gather all those artifacts, because they're going to need them. And also, no more ask.com promos - er, laptops. Actually, the search engine we're programmed to love DID get a promo later on. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Laird ordered them to take their producer-provided Toyota Tundras to the Library of Congress.

Team Air Force had a nice review of the artifacts the teams have found so far. Let's take a look at it, since it was so helpful:

* Map
* Compass
* Box with a lighthouse on it
* Mediallion with a ship on it
* Key
* Cryptex

Somehow, the Southies made it to the Library first. Laird told them to search for one of three books:

1) Poltroons and Patriots
2) Official Histories
3) The American Flag: Of Stars and Stripes

This was much harder than it sounded, since the Library of Congress is the largest library in the world, with millions of volumes and miles of shelves. It also makes it harder when you have no clue how to find books inside a library, as none of the Southies seemed to.

The Geniuses arrived second and immediately started looking for an index of some kind. Not exactly something that took a high IQ, but I'll give them credit for it just the same.

Team Air Force arrived last and the Southies, after having no luck on their own, decided to follow them. The fly guys found the main card catalog and from there found their book's listing (the American Flag book, BTW) and from there found the book. The Southies seemed to have no clue as to how they did it. But the artifact wasn't in the book itself, but nearby, on the shelf. It was a special guide to "The Star Spangled Banner" with some blank spaces that would be suitable for an old printing press. You don't think the Library has an old printing press, do you? But of course! And that's where Air Force headed.

They got there, read the instructions for the press, put their artifacts in the proper places, and started prininting in the blank space in their guide using the map they got as artifact #1.

Meanwhile, the Geniuses blundered into the general section of "Poltroons and Patriots" and found the book and artifact that way.

A litte later, Air Force has a completed map. Their next destination was the Francis Scott Key Truce Ship at Fort McHenry in Baltimore.

While the Geniuses were off getting their map printed, the Southies finally made use of the card catalog and found their book.

On the way to the Fort, Air Force got kinda lost and stopped at a fire house for directions. Guess what search engine the guys used to find out about the place? Nope, sorry; you don't get a second guess.

The other two teams followed the signs in and the Geniuses were the first to arrive at the Ft. McHenry Docks. A small boat with captain was there to take them where they wanted to go.

Air Force arrived second. The Southies knew they were behind, but hoped they could make up ground somehow. Air Force figured they were about an hour behind the smart guys, and they hoped they could catch up to them.

The Geniuses found the ship. They thought the treasure was on board and was theirs for the taking! Not quite. They found a box with a medallion and another map. They also find instructions to head to Lazaretto Battery. They didn't quite know where it was.

But the nice thing about being part of the 500 people left watching this show is that the camera gives lots of hints. They showed a factory that said, "Key Industries" with a flag similar to what the teams were carrying. Hmmm, could that be where everyone is heading?

Air Force made it to the boat, found their clues, then seemed confused about where to go next.

The Southies, well behind, finally made it to the docks.

The bright boys figured out that what was the site of the Lazaretto Battery is where an old abandoned (looking) factory of Key Industries is. Once they got on the site, Laird told them to find the hidden chamber and, from there, find the key to their cryptex.

While Team Air Force hadn't figured things out yet, the Southies made it to the ship.

After some searching, the Geniuses found the secret chamber and took the stairs down.

Air Force finally made it to Key Industries while the Geniuses were arguing about whether to put the medallion they found on the ship in the slot of a door that seemed to be blocking their way. Eventually they did, and the door slid open. They entered what seems to be the final chamber and tried to figure out what was that silly word they needed for the cryptex.

One last clue from Genworth - "The Key is Free".

Outside, the Southies had just arrived, and Air Force was looking around without much success.

But the Geniuses hadn't figured it out yet, so we leave this show TO BE CONTINUED.

Next week, the hunt ends for everyone. Will the Geniuses figure it out in time? Will one of the other teams take the prize? And what IS the prize, anyway?

• RE: Treasure Hunters OFFICIAL episode summary #9 - "Oh Say Can You See" (part 1),Dakota, 08:13 PM, 08-15-06
• RE: Treasure Hunters OFFICIAL episode summary #9 - "Oh Say Can You See" (part 1),BlueLies, 02:42 PM, 08-16-06
  • RE: Treasure Hunters OFFICIAL episode summary #9 - "Oh Say Can You See" (part 1),tvgeek401, 03:36 PM, 08-16-06
    • RE: Treasure Hunters OFFICIAL episode summary #9 - "Oh Say Can You See" (part 1),coffeecoffeecoffee, 06:45 AM, 08-19-06

Good summary! Is it editing or did Air Firce actually figure out everything in the blink of an eye except how to find Key Industries and the secret chamber of doom? Southies have never been to a library is my guess, so they couldn't even copy Air Force. Finally, those three words we all dread: TO BE CONTINUED. The drama, the suspense.

Seems like the Geniuses were playing it up? Like they were stumped when they really weren't? ...and how about those side burns eh?

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