To ease UC San Diego from summer break to Fall Quarter, ArtPower at UC San Diego recently hosted “CLUE: A Walking Mystery” from Aug. 22 to Sept. 28. Described as “part scavenger hunt, part escape room,” “CLUE: A Walking Mystery” replicates the classic board game Clue on a walkable scale. Participants attempt to solve the killing of fictional magnate Boddy Black by collecting evidence — witness statements and physical clues — sometimes concealed behind different puzzles. After gathering all the clues, attendees narrowed down the possibilities for who killed Black, what weapon was used, and where the murder took place to solve the mystery.
Produced by Right Angle Entertainment — an entertainment experience firm that has hosted this program in other cities — UCSD’s version of “CLUE: A Walking Mystery” took participants through a 2.7-mile walking tour of campus. The investigation began at the Epstein Family Amphitheater, winding through Geisel Library’s Snake Path and along Ridge Walk before eventually ending at The Loft.
At the start line, sleuths were armed with a customized map punctuated with points of interest named after the rooms of Boddy Black’s mansion; the forensic scenes of Clue corresponded with real locations on campus. At each site, clues were stowed away in subtle corners or hidden in plain sight. To access the clues, attendees sometimes even had to solve ciphers and visual puzzles. For example, the Warren Bear was re-outfitted as the Conservatory and decked out with plastic shrubbery that hid the gardener’s testimony.
For some UCSD students, the event provided an opportunity to see the campus through an unconventional lens.
“It was a really unique experience — hands-on — and allows you to appreciate the campus more,” fourth-year Cathy Zhou said. Zhou added that the event led her to appreciate campus locations she hadn’t previously visited, such as the Conrad Prebys Music Center.
Third-year student Rachel Chan found the most fun in working with her friends to find the clues.
“It makes it a lot more interesting because you get to hear what they think about it and, like, what they notice that you didn’t notice,” Chan said. Even though Chan and her friends did not ultimately solve the murder, they found the journey itself to be rewarding enough.
The experience also included butlers to guide participants through the event, played by local performers. Aiden Meyndert and Leah Mitchell, both recent alumni of the UCSD theatre and dance department, auditioned after being tapped by an ArtPower producer.
“I just kind of jumped into it,” Mitchell said. “It’s a lot of improv, a lot of thinking on your toes, talking to kids, you know, knowing how to interact with people.”
Meyndert explained that this project gave him a special opportunity to share his artistry with others.
“What we’re doing is putting on a show for people in just a unique and different way that maybe they’re not used to,” he said. “It really branches out: What does it look like to be an artist in 2025?”
“CLUE: A Walking Mystery” brings new life not only to a classic board game, but also to UCSD’s ever-growing campus. ArtPower will be hosting more shows in its traditional venue at the Epstein Amphitheater in October, including fresh musical performances, dance, and theater.
