Arranging an Easter egg hunt is a fun seasonal activity that combines creativity, a good knowledge of your home and the determination to find chocolate at all costs — so why leave the task to a machine?
While you know your own home and garden better than anyone, suggesting places to hide goodies is a job that a chatbot can seemingly handle — as we discovered.
Typing the prompt of: “Which five places can I hide an Easter egg for a hunt?” into Claude, ChatGPT, Grok and WhatsApp’s AI tools, we received some interesting answers.
We then asked Google Gemini, which we chose as an impartial referee, which was the best suggestion.
We wouldn’t necessarily recommend sapping the fun out of an Easter trail by following AI instructions.
However, if you’re wondering which setup creates the best hunt... here’s what we found.
Where to hide Easter eggs - according to AI
All of the suggestions have been pasted verbatim.
ChatGPT’s suggestions
- Inside a shoe – Tuck a small egg into the toe of a shoe on the shoe rack or in someone’s closet. It's sneaky but not too hard to find.
- In a potted plant (but not buried!) – Nestle an egg among the leaves or on top of the soil where it’s visible, just camouflaged a bit.
- In the fridge – Place an egg inside an egg carton, a cup, or a snack container. It’s a fun surprise in an unexpected spot.
- Under a couch cushion – Classic and effective. Just lift up a cushion and there it is!
- In a bookshelf between books – Slide an egg between some standing books or behind a photo frame.
Some straight-up suggestions there, but was that a pun about Nestle? Probably not.
Claude’s suggestions
- Inside a potted plant or flower arrangement, nestled among the foliage.
- In a mailbox (if it's your own) - unexpected but accessible for kids.
- Tucked inside a shoe or boot in an entryway or closet.
- Behind books on a bookshelf, with just a bit of colour peeking out.
- Inside an empty tissue box with the top egg slightly visible.
A very similar list from Claude — did it sneakily ask ChatGPT for help? Putting an egg through someone else’s postbox is quite amusing.
Grok’s suggestions
- Inside a hollowed-out book on a shelf.
- Under a loose floorboard or rug.
- Behind a picture frame or mirror.
- Inside a kitchen canister among dry goods.
- Tucked in a potted plant's soil.
We’re not sure how you would tuck an Easter egg behind a mirror — and the hollowed-out book would take a lot of work. Maybe Elon Musk’s budget was factored in.
Does WhatsApp’s AI have any good ideas?
1. Behind a couch cushion or pillow.
2. On a high shelf or bookcase.
3. Inside a planter or flower pot.
4. Under a bed or chair.
5. Behind a curtain or drapes.
One takeaway from all these ideas is that AI tends to think inside the box, assembling very similar concepts.
Here’s how Google Gemini found the eggs we had “hidden”.
And… what does Google Gemini think of the suggestions?
To put all these suggestions to the test, we asked Google Gemini (formerly Bard) which 20 places it would check if it were searching for an Easter egg hidden around a home.
We’ll crown the winning chatbot as the one with the most unique suggestions that Google didn’t conceive.
Here is where Google Gemini said it would look:
- Under cushions on the sofa or chairs.
- Inside shoes or boots in the hallway or by the door.
- Behind curtains or blinds.
- On a bookshelf, tucked between books.
- Inside empty cereal boxes or other food containers in the pantry.
- Underneath a table or coffee table.
- Inside a plant pot (not buried, just resting on the soil).
- In coat pockets hanging in a closet or on a rack.
- Inside drawers (ensure they are easy to open and safe).
- On top of appliances (like the microwave or toaster, if safe and accessible).
- Inside a toy bin or basket.
- Hanging from a doorknob.
- Inside a mailbox (if easily accessible and clean).
- Underneath a rug (a small, easily lifted one).
- Inside a washing machine or dryer (ensure it's empty and will not be used).
- Tucked into a rolled-up towel in the bathroom.
- Inside a lunch bag or backpack.
- On a window sill.
- Inside a puzzle box or board game box.
- Behind a door (when it's open).
So, how did Google Gemini get on?
It found four out of the five ChatGPT suggestions, missing only the fridge. The same happened with Claude, which missed the tissue box, and WhatsApp, with Google finding all the eggs except one under the bed (a small oversight from Bard!). The clear winner, however, was Grok, as Google didn’t suggest looking in a hollowed-out book, under a floorboard, or behind a mirror.
Grok’s prize? The imaginary chocolate which it found.
When we asked if it would enjoy it, the response was: 'I'm just a digital entity, so I can't munch on chocolate or enjoy its taste. But if I could, I'd probably savour a rich, dark chocolate with a hint of sea salt — bet it'd be divine!”
