Scav Hunt 2006 commenced in silence late Wednesday night at the Regenstein Library, where judges presented teams with a fake course syllabus that, when deciphered using real library call numbers, revealed the location of this year’s coveted List. Just like any formidable U of C assignment, the teams were up to the challenge.

This year’s list spans 17 pages, consisting of 302 tasks and 13 rules, including such unusual prompts as Item 4’s “All props must still be mad props.” And with all 11 teams racing toward Sunday’s final ruling, even the most peculiar list items have only enhanced the flavor of the competition.

Snell-Hitchcock, which tied for first place last year, has high hopes of a repeat.

“I think we’re going to win, we have a lot of the same awesome people even though they graduated,” said fourth-year Ryan Rubin.

The competition took a turn this year as many teams have decided to merge. MacPierce is the result of Pierce Hall’s altruistic outreach to Maclean, which has never had a team of its own, and is sponsored by Quizno’s and the Biological Sciences Learning Center.

The Vegan Society’s team now officially includes a Mac Lab and Hyde Park Co-Op affiliation.

The independent FIST team, meanwhile, is attracting more outsiders than ever.

“We have a lot of the same core members and a lot of new people,” said fourth-year Amy Steelman.

The official name, which is expanded each year, is now in its sixth incarnation: “Lush Puppies Mark Six, The Federation of Independent ScavHunt Teams Part Cinq, Deleuzean Potato Refried, Billmire’s Scrod Re-Does Stony Island Again, Even Less ___ Even More Umlaut, Rosebud.”

With the start of the hunt on Wednesday, participants wasted no time enlisting the help of fellow students. Shoreland’s “Housing Sold Me Out” team posted requests to its listhost in the twilight hours of Thursday morning, outlining its “need” list.

“[I need] one of the ‘Free Frances Bean’ shirts that the band Tool distributed during the 90s,” wrote first-year David Masad. Later that day came an e-mail calling for performers to choreograph a dance routine based on the prom scene in the movie “She’s All That,” thereby fulfilling item 64 on the List.

And as this year marks the twentieth anniversary of the world’s largest scavenger hunt, the challenges ahead are all too familiar for seasoned hunt veterans.

“As captain last year I didn’t sleep for at least 72 hours,” said second-year Robert Guth of the Broadview team.

“It’s a very long process,” said fourth-year judge Lisa Feiertag.

Despite having three sleepless days and nights ahead of them, Scav hunt participants are simply eager to partake in the festivities.

“We’re here to have fun,” FIST’s Steelman said.