The Magical Mystery Hunt, explained
In November 2021 the LEGO Group marked twenty years of LEGO Harry Potter sets with a treasure hunt. The story: the brick-built Ford Anglia had gone missing, and families were asked to follow clues to find where it was hidden.
This independent guide records what the hunt was, how it worked and where it took place, along with some background on the theme, the car and how to run a similar hunt at home.
Key facts
| When | Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 November 2021 |
|---|---|
| Where | London, Edinburgh and Cardiff, plus an online version open to anyone in the UK |
| Occasion | 20th anniversary of LEGO Harry Potter (the theme launched in 2001) |
| The mystery | Find the secret location of a brick-built Ford Anglia |
| Tickets | None needed; free to take part |
| Duration | Up to about 45 minutes in a city, about 20 minutes online |
How it worked
Each city had a gold statue of a character, about three feet tall, built as a giant minifigure: Harry Potter in Covent Garden in London, Hermione Granger in Edinburgh and Ron Weasley in Cardiff. Hunters scanned a QR code at the statue with a phone, which led them to virtual clue locations within roughly a mile of the statue. Solving the clues unlocked three secret words, and together they revealed where the Ford Anglia was hidden.
For anyone not near those cities, a digital map on the LEGO website ran the same hunt from home. A phone or tablet with internet access was the only equipment needed, though dressing up was encouraged.
Prizes
Hunters who found the car could enter a competition for tickets to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London and the Harry Potter Photographic Exhibition, plus a bundle of LEGO Harry Potter sets. At the physical locations, children could also build a small brick model to take home while stocks lasted.
After the weekend
The competition closed after the event. The LEGO page for the hunt stayed online and invited fans to keep solving the clues for bonus content. The treasure-hunt idea is easy to copy at home; see how to run your own brick hunt.