The Pelican Cipher
Every cipher brings you closer to the truth. Whom will you trust?
A stolen painting, a pelican symbol and messages someone refuses to deliver in plain words. Become Commissioner Zofia Koziołek and take on an investigation full of ciphers and suspicious coincidences. In this case, you must read both coded letters and people’s behaviour carefully.
Time
1.5 h
Distance
2 km
Difficulty
Expert
Languages
PL / EN / DE
60,00 zł
For one code for the whole team
Your mission
A painting disappears from the National Museum. In its place, the culprit leaves a pelican symbol and an encrypted message. Commissioner Zofia Koziołek recognises the symbol, but the new case soon reveals that her earlier suspicions are only the beginning of a much larger puzzle.
Follow an investigation through central Poznań, among libraries, theatres and historic buildings. Someone is carefully choosing locations and leaving coded clues. You will tackle Atbash, Caesar, Vigenère and Playfair ciphers, as well as a cipher-machine task in the app. Remembering what you discover is just as important: a single number may only make sense later.
“The Pelican Cipher” is for teams who enjoy demanding puzzles and detective stories. Break the messages down, compare theories and check alibis. Someone is playing a carefully planned game with you. Can you work out its rules?
How to start?
Buy a code
Choose a game and buy a code. You will receive it by email after purchase.
Download the app
Download Zu-CityGames and enter the code in the app.
Head into the city
Go to the starting point. The app will lead you through tasks.
No booking required. No host. At your own pace.
Your adventure starts here
Check the location and plan your way to the starting point.
What to expect while playing?
Story
Discover new chapters and be part of a story in the city.
Tasks
Look around, find clues and look for answers together.
App
The story, tasks and hints wait in the Zu-CityGames app.
Hints
Stuck? Use the hints to continue.
They already played. See what they think
Zagraliśmy, bo znajomi nam polecili. Ogólnie spoko, ale jedna zagadka nas pokonała. I niby jak już jesteś pod tym czymś, czego szukasz, to to widać, ale długo się naszukaliśmy. Fajne są podpowiedzi.
Dużo szyfrów i zagadek, gdzie trzeba się chwilę zastanowić.
Before you head into the city
Can we manage if we’ve never played a city game before?
Of course! Our games are also designed for people who are just starting their adventure with city games. The app guides you through the entire story step by step, and if you get stuck, you can use the hint system.
Before purchasing, it’s worth checking the game’s difficulty level. If this is your first adventure, we recommend starting with one of the easier games.
💡 Pro tip: During the game, check the Story and Fun Facts sections. You can return to previous events and information at any time – they may sometimes come in handy when solving later puzzles!
Can we play one game on multiple phones?
Each purchased code activates the game on one phone. That doesn’t mean you have to play alone, though – many people enjoy the adventure as a couple, with family or with a group of friends, all using one device.
If you prefer each participant to have the game on their own phone, you’ll need a separate code for each device.
When can we start the game?
After purchasing, you’ll receive an access code. Enter it in the app or simply open the link in the email. You’ll then see a short tutorial showing you how to use the app.
You can start the game on any day and at any time — no reservation is required. Just head to the starting point and begin your adventure.
Do we have to use the code immediately after purchasing it?
No. The game code is not assigned to a specific date or time. You can buy it in advance and start the game whenever you like – for example, a week or even a month later.
The code is valid for 12 months from the date of purchase.
Can we take a break and continue later?
Yes. Your progress is saved, so you can pause the game and return to it whenever it suits you.
