A puzzling affair

Ask Steve Lang how much he wants to raise for the gifted-and-talented program in the Carson City School District, and he'll give you an honest, albeit tongue-in-cheek, answer.

"Two to three million."

It will probably be much less that Lang, who has two young children, will raise to donate from his 12-piece puzzle called "Puzzle Me Carson City," but his intention is to help however he can.

"A lot of times with fundraising we forget about the gifted-and-talented program and think 'They're smart' and 'They can handle it,'" he said. "The next Einstein is going to come out of a gifted and talented program somewhere. Why not Carson City?"

Inspiring him were his innate love of treasure hunts and Michael Stadther's "A Treasure's Trove" and Dan Brown's "The DaVinci Code."

"The game will probably give (people) a better sense of the history of Carson City -- that can be a clue," he said. "I think it will enable people to branch out in their thought processes. And that's what I want people to do - think outside of the box."

Lang hopes at least 100 people will register at $15 a piece. The first person to solve Part A of each individual puzzle receives a $20 cash prize. The overall winner will receive a grand prize of $1,000 minimum.

"Someone has to solve all 12 puzzles and solve all Part A's to get to all Part B's to get the $1,000," he said.

Back in October, Lang started creating the puzzles, which will be available when the contest starts June 1. Each puzzle contains two parts.

"The puzzles are a little different from each other," he said.

The first part is an intellectual puzzle that can be done in the home. When solved it will give clues to part B, which sends seekers to a Carson City destination. Lang estimates someone will complete all the puzzles and the solution within two weeks to a month.

"Unless someone really sharp comes along," he said.

Lang, 43, an IT manager in the legal division of the Legislative Counsel Bureau, says he missed out on gifted-and-talented programs growing up. Although he was a member of MENSA, a group of people with high IQs, his Colorado school had no gifted programs, which disappointed him.

More than 600 students in the Carson City School District, just over 7 percent, are in its gifted-and-talented program or advanced classes. Starting in third grade, gifted-and-talented students are clustered together in regular classrooms. In middle school they are guided into honors and advanced classes and in high school into advanced placement.

Lang's children, Spencer, 6, and Mikaela, 4, helped devise the locations in the treasure hunt.

"The kids find things looking out the windows at the car," he said. "They spot things I never see when I'm driving."

He will give out clues to puzzles if people become stuck, but he's clear about one thing he won't do.

"I don't take bribes," he said.

• Contact reporter Maggie O'Neill at moneill@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1219.