Playing detectives with KrimiSpass

I do not what your children are like, but our eldest really loves the detective book series for children (Die Drei ??? aka the Three Investigators, Tiger-Team etc.). My husband and I enjoy watching detective series of all kinds on TV. That’s why I couldn´t wait to try an interactive outdoor game with a criminal plot that I had read in the local newspaper about. In this interactive game, you have the chance to t slip into the role of a commissioner of the Bernese cantonal police and have the chance to try to solve a fictitious murder case.

What is KrimiSpass Swiss

David Baumgartner, a big fan of crime and geocaching, is behind the Krimispass project. He came up with the idea of an interactive thriller game that can be played all year round. After the success of his outdoor crimes, Krimi in the Box and Murder on Lake Thun came up with another idea: Krimispass.ch. This with the aim of supporting the promotion of rural areas of Switzerland. *

Starting in 2017, Krimispass can be played in four places in Switzerland: Laupen, Münsingen, Spiez and Utzenstorf. Three more places have been added since 2018: Trubschachen, Bivio, and Savognin.

How it works

Participation in the game is free of charge. Before you go, you need to visit the krimispass.ch website and choose where you want to play the game. Here you enter your name and email address, and you will receive a mail with GPS coordinates of eleven posts. Here you will find information signs to help you solve the case.

Then you just set off to the place! But don´t forget your fully charged smartphone with an internet connection (even better with a QR code reader) and also recommend taking a note and a pencil.

KrimiSpass in Utzenstorf and the case of Pierre S.

The game starts in Utzenstorf near the train station. However, you must pass through the subway to the other side to the track No. 2 and continue to the small wooden building to find the first inconspicuous sign. At this location you will learn the beginning of the case: One day, a passerby finds in Utzenstorf the corpse of a successful and famous plastic surgeon Pierre Salzmann. At first sight, it is clear that he has been the victim of a violent crime. But who murdered him? Five suspects who had a motive for murder now come to mind.

The route then leads the players through an idyllic countryside landscape to the Landshut castle.

Here we spent some time. We weren´t able to find the post No.5 “Wirtschaft Schloss Landshut”. Even though we had a GPS, we did not find it. But at least, we visited the Wildlife Rescue Station.

From here, the route goes back to Utzenstorf. As you can see, each sign has its own number and URL, where you can find the help you need to solve the case – suspicion’s statements or information from a forensic doctor (the written texts are in German, the spoken word in bärndütsch!). Those who have a phone with a QR code reader, just scan the code.

Case solved?

If you think you have solved the case and you know who the murderer is, then you can enter the suspect’s name directly at the last station online. You will receive an email with a resolution of the case. So, have you solved the case correctly?

Our impressions and recommendations

The entire route is about four kilometers long, it’s doable with a stroller. We decided to bike. At first, we had a little trouble finding the first post (the signs are really unobtrusive). Perhaps it would be better to have a map of the whole route instead of the GPS coordinates of the individual stations so that one knows where to go.

Overall, we spent about 2 hours on the route solving the case. And have we solved the case? Hmmm … the answer is no 🙁 I could use many excuses here: the children didn´t let us think, we didn´t understand everything well and also didn´t find the 5th post. But it was just our stupidity: we were lazy to pull the notepad and the pen from the backpack, and make notes. That´s it! A big mistake! There was really a lot of information to process.

If you want Krimispass to have an entertainment for a Sunday afternoon, I recommend you set off early so you can have snacks in cafés on the route. On Sunday, the café at the castle is open only till 5 pm, the same for Confiserie Flury in Utzenstorf, where it is the last post. Here you can have a delicious ice cream as a reward for a successfully solved case (or as a consolation in case you didn´t succeed in solving the case 🙂 ).

Anyway, I strongly recommend the game. Apart from engaging your brain threads, one will discover interesting corners and new places that he might not have time to explore.

I hope you enjoyed my article about our first experience with the outdoor game. If you don´t want to miss any of my recent posts please sign up for my blog in the top right-hand corner of this page. Thank you. Be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram. And of course, I look forward to reading all your comments.

*Source: http://krimispass.ch/swiss/about/