Union Square — Tammany's Grip
Unravel Boss Tweed's corruption web at Tammany Hall. Decode clues across Union Square landmarks to expose the secret deals and bribes that gripped 19th-century New York politics.
📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes
In the shadowy heart of 19th-century New York, Tammany Hall wielded absolute power through Boss William Tweed's iron grip
Union Square — Tammany's Grip
You are a tenacious muckraking journalist, hot on the trail of Tammany Hall in 1871 New York City.
In the shadowy heart of 19th-century New York
« I never had any scruples about giving jobs to my political friends. Why shouldn't I? We are the men who govern the city. »— William M. Tweed, 1869
The Rise and Fall of the Boss
Founded in 1786 as a fraternal society, Tammany Hall, also known as the Society of St. Tammany or Columbian Order, quickly became New York City's dominant political engine in the 19th century. Over decades, it developed a formidable patronage system, exchanging social aid, jobs, and favors for the votes of newly arrived immigrants, particularly Irish and Italian. This grip on the populace allowed it to control local politics, influence elections, and place its men in key positions, transforming the city into its personal stronghold.
It was under the leadership of William M. Tweed, the undisputed "Boss," that Tammany Hall reached its peak and most blatant corruption. From 1860 to 1871, the "Tweed Ring" siphoned off colossal sums (estimated between 40 and 200 million dollars at the time) through inflated public contracts, bribes, and electoral fraud. The construction of the New York County Courthouse, since nicknamed the "Tweed Courthouse," is a striking symbol, its cost having scandalously skyrocketed. Ultimately, revelations by The New York Times and the scathing caricatures of Thomas Nast ended his reign, leading to his arrest and spectacular downfall in 1871.
A game, a guided tour and a heritage guide — all in one
You're not just buying an escape game. You're carrying a living guide — historical anecdotes, forgotten legends, key monuments, hidden architecture — unfolding as you go.
At each stop, places ordinary guides miss — secret façades, sculpted crests, alleys steeped in history.
Every riddle is rooted in a real historical fact or local legend. You leave with dozens of stories to tell.
Learn to read buildings — flamboyant Gothic, Baroque, Art Deco — like a real art historian, while having fun.
Walk through the city like a novel's character — every alley becomes a stage, every square a theatre.
A voice walks with you at every step, tells the story of each place, reads clues, adds a cinematic feel.
Keep access to the guide & game for 1 year. Come back any time, share it with friends.
« You will not leave this city the way you entered it. »
How does it work?
Explore the city on foot solving puzzles based on real historical facts. No locked room — the city is your playground.
No app to download. Play directly from your browser. Guided step by step, at your own pace.
One purchase per phone is enough. Play with family, friends or as a couple — everyone participates.
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears and speaks to you in your language. Golden letters magically write themselves on the wall to reveal the puzzle answer.
Stuck? Progressive personalised hints. The character repeats the puzzle on demand — at your own pace.
French, English, German, Spanish, Italian + 27 other languages auto-translated by AI.
Want to go deeper?
Places tied to your adventure — optional entries, totally up to you · per person
The Route
8 stages through the city
The gameplay: AR, camera, hidden clues
At each stop, open your phone camera: an augmented reality character appears on the façade and speaks your language. Hunt the clue — it materializes as golden letters on the real wall or floats in front of you. When you find it, the phone vibrates, an AR chest opens and reveals your answer fragment. 8 stops, 8 clues to find with the camera, 1 final code.
The stops on your route are a surprise. You'll discover them one by one, guided by your phone, starting from the meeting point.
How does it work with a group?
One phone = one team. Pick the number at checkout (1 to 10).
Solo, or a group sharing the screen. One team, one code.
Family, couple, or 2-3 teams competing. Each phone has its own code and its own score.
Friends, bachelor/bachelorette, small office outing — each their own code, each plays at their own pace. Tiered pricing then €6 flat per phone from the 6th.
- ✓All codes are independent — play at the same time OR separately, each team advances at its own pace.
- ✓Leaderboard between your teams + global game leaderboard — each score appears in the public ranking.
- ✓More than 10 phones or need a personalized quest? Discover custom tours.
Ready to live this adventure?
Get my code · 12€No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒 Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
Practical info
Why this route?
Historical Political Intrigue
Dive into the heart of 19th-century New York's political machinations, an era of unprecedented power and corruption.
Clandestine Urban Investigation
Explore the bustling streets of Lower Manhattan, once the scene of Tammany Hall's secret operations, to uncover the evidence.
The Power of the Free Press
Discover how investigative journalism and caricature played a key role in the downfall of Boss Tweed.
New York's corrupt past awaits exposure.
Untangle the threads of power and betrayal.
9 features nobody else has
OddballTrip combines gamified play, augmented reality and AI. All our competitors deliver 1 or 2 of these angles. We deliver all 5.
AR treasure chest
A golden chest floats in front of the monument. Tap → opening animation → reveals a secret message.
AR narrator character
Point your phone at the façade: a knight, witch, monk, sailor, detective or ghost appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language with their dedicated ElevenLabs voice (each character has their own unique voice) — your living guide.
Magic golden letters
At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's the puzzle answer. An unforgettable visual effect.
Written + audio narration
Every puzzle available as text AND voice-over: read at your own pace or listen eyes-free while walking. Great in groups and for accessibility.
360° radar + vibration
A mini-radar shows the target even behind you, and the phone vibrates when you aim in the right direction.
Heritage storytelling
Every puzzle weaves in real historical facts (architecture, era, anecdotes). You learn by playing — like a gamified audioguide.
Progressive AI hints
3 levels of AI-generated help: vibe → where to look → answer format. You're never stuck.
AR selfie memento
At the end of the game, capture a selfie with OddballTrip banner + mascot, shareable on Instagram, TikTok.
Zero app to install
PWA technology: open the link, it plays in your browser. Same quality as an app, no App Store hassle.
Frequently asked questions
Q01Do I need to download an app?
No, never. You get a link, you click, it plays in your browser. That's the point of a PWA: same as an app, without the hassle.
Q02Does it work offline?
GPS yes (handled by your phone). Maps yes (tiles cached). AI and hints need an intermittent 4G connection.
Q03How long does a game take?
1 h 30 to 2 h 30 depending on your pace. The timer runs but only for the leaderboard — you play at your own tempo.
Q04What happens if I'm stuck?
You get 3 levels of hints per puzzle (increasing penalty). If truly stuck, you can skip the step (45-min penalty but you keep going).
Q05What's the age range?
From 12 without an adult, from 6 with an adult reading puzzles. Works for families, couples, friend groups, companies.
Q06What if my city isn't in the catalogue?
Pre-register or contact us — we'll email you as soon as your city is live.
Q07What is augmented reality exactly?
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language. At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's your answer. After each puzzle solved, a treasure chest floats in front of you. Seeing is believing.
Avis des aventuriers
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Your turn to play
Uncover the buried secrets of Tammany Hall and expose the full extent of Boss Tweed's corruption. Your insight alone can reveal the truth and bring justice to the city. Are you ready to confront the shadow that ruled New York?
1 purchase = 1 phone. Play several on the same device.
No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
🪙+24 TripCoins granted with your booking
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