A good hiding spot is visible enough to be found and sheltered enough to survive a few showers. That sounds contradictory, but with a bit of practice you will see those spots everywhere. These seven work again and again, and there are three others you are better off skipping.
What makes a spot good
Three questions help. Do people pass by here who have a moment to look around? Is the stone at eye level or just below it, and not in the grass? And will it stay put when it is windy or rainy, or when a dog sniffs past? If the answer is yes three times, you have a good spot.
1. On a low wall or post
At eye level, where someone happens to glance. Rain runs off instead of pooling underneath, and leaves do not blow over it. Put the stone on a flat part, so it does not end up on the pavement at the first gust of wind.
2. By a bench
Under the edge or next to a leg: whoever sits down looks around and nearly always finds a stone there quickly. Benches at a viewpoint or by the water work best, because people sit there longer. Do not put it on the seat itself, someone will sit on it within the hour.
3. Among tree roots
A gap between the roots keeps a stone dry and slightly hidden, yet still within reach. Choose a tree along a path, not somewhere in the middle of the woods. A striking tree, such as a thick oak or a pollarded willow, makes it easy to write a good hint.
4. On an outdoor windowsill
At a library, a shop or a café, a stone on the windowsill stands out without anyone having to search. Feel free to ask permission first, most people love it. Sometimes you even get a regular spot, and suddenly you have a small exhibition.
5. At a playground
Children look everywhere, and they are the best finders there are. Put the stone at the edge, on a fence or by a bench for the parents, not in the middle of the sandpit. There it will vanish under a sandcastle within a day.
6. Along a walking route
A striking tree stump, a boundary stone or a waymarker along a popular path produces a find surprisingly often. Walkers have time and look around. And people who find a stone on a walk often take it to their next walk, far away. That is how a long journey begins.
7. At a bus stop
Waiting takes long enough to look around, and people who take the bus often travel a fair distance. Put the stone on a ledge or next to the timetable, not on the ground where people stand. Stones at bus stops nearly always get found within a few days.
And these three are best skipped
Buried, or tucked under a big rock: nobody will ever find it. Private property without permission, such as a front garden or business premises: that leads to frowns, and the finder may not even be allowed in. And protected nature, such as dunes, heathland and nature reserves: nothing belongs there that is not there naturally, and walkers stick to the path anyway.
Give the spot a name and a hint
When you tap “Place stone” in the app, you can give the spot a name and a hint for the finder. Searchers see them on the map. A good hint makes searching exciting without making it too easy: “have a look under the bench with the brass plaque” works better than “by the bench” or the exact spot down to the centimetre.
Not sure? Pick a spot where you would notice something by chance yourself, on a day when you are not thinking about stones.
