National Park Mystery Spot 21: Alas, Poor Hillside Homes

Submitted by Bob Janiskee on February 9, 2011 - 3:59am

Award-winning actress Jane Seymour was TV's Dr. Quinn. Photo by Tabercil via Wikipedia.

Can you identify mystery spot 21 using just these clues?

The warm, dry winds fan fearsome fires that turn hillside homes into flaming pyres.

The largest spread in the second-largest state.

Antonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón

Supremely important.

Gunfight at the OK Corral + Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman = clue

Bonus hint, no extra charge: Samoa gets no cigar.

The answer will be embargoed until tomorrow. Be sure to check the February 10, 2011 edition of Traveler for the answer, an explanation of the clues, and Quizmeister Kudos (names or cyberhandles of the winner and runners-up).

Comments

Submitted by Bob Janiskee on February 9, 2011 - 8:17am.

Rangertoo has nailed this one. (What took you so long, my friend?) The answer will be embargoed to let other Traveler readers try to work it out.

Rangertoo, while the rest of the Traveler Tribe works on this puzzle, here's a bonus puzzler for you. Take a look at the photo accompanying this quiz and tell me what you notice. Hint: one doesn't match the other.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on February 9, 2011 - 8:46am.

2nd Largest State?? Are you sure it isn't the third largest state?

[Yup, second-largest. You would have to cut Alaska in half to make the referenced state the third-largest. Ed.]

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on February 9, 2011 - 10:46am.

Big Bend National Park. Her eyes are different colors.

[Big Bend, no. Heterochromia, yes. Jane Seymour's right eye is hazel and her left one is green. Ed.]

Submitted by Lachlan Bebout (not verified) on February 9, 2011 - 2:22pm.

Palo Alto Battlefield? Its in Texas,the second largest state, and Santa Anna fought in the Mexican-American War

Submitted by Bob Janiskee on February 9, 2011 - 2:36pm.

Not Palo Alto Battlefield.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on February 9, 2011 - 2:57pm.

Big Thicket National Preseve

Submitted by Chip (not verified) on February 9, 2011 - 2:59pm.

I'm thinking San Antonio Missions NHP.

Submitted by Bob Janiskee on February 9, 2011 - 3:01pm.

Not Big Thicket and not San Antonio Missions. In fact, not in the second-largest state at all.

Submitted by tomp2 on February 9, 2011 - 5:31pm.

Many of y'all are hung up on a misinterpretation of clue #2. The answer is not in Texas.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on February 9, 2011 - 5:48pm.

I'm thinking that "largest spread" is reffering to a desert. Carlsbad Caverns National Park? Its near the border with Texas and is in the chihuahuan desert.

Submitted by Cornell on February 9, 2011 - 9:37pm.

RE:" The largest spread in the second-largest state."
Texas is the second-largest state, with only Alaska being larger. The largest spread in Texas, if you mean ranch, is the King Ranch. However, while King Ranch has been designated as a National Historic Landmark, it is not part of the National park system.

RE: "The warm, dry winds fan fearsome fires that turn hillside homes into flaming pyres." Dr. Quinn was filmed in California; however, California is not the second largest state.

Are you sure about your clues?

[Yes; I'm sure about the clues. Ed.]

Submitted by Bob Janiskee on February 10, 2011 - 4:48am.

Congratulations to Rangertoo, who was the first to ID Mystery Spot 21. Others who correctly identified it included Rangertoo, Tomp2, Anon 11:46, Badge529, Jim O, and Greg G. See the February 10, 2011 edition of Traveler for the answer and an explanation of the clues.

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