Idrotters

Idrotters is a term used across several contexts, without a single agreed-upon definition. In online puzzle subcultures and alternate reality game communities, idrotters describe participants who engage in large-scale, collaborative clue solving that blends digital and real-world elements. They design challenges, decode puzzles, map routes, and coordinate through forums, chat apps, and mobile platforms. Projects labeled as idrotters often emphasize time-bounded teamwork, transparent processes, and public sharing of progress and solutions.

In speculative fiction, idrotters may appear as a class of beings, organizations, or cultures linked to water or aquatic environments. Depending on the setting, idrotters may possess distinctive technologies, languages, or social structures that reflect an emphasis on navigation, hydrology, or environmental adaptation. Because there is no universal canon, the depiction of idrotters varies by work.

Origin and usage: The term is most commonly encountered in online communities and fan-created content from the 2010s onward. It is not an academically defined term, and usage can differ between communities, media, and authors.

Cultural reception: Some commentators view idrotters as a useful umbrella for collaborative problem-solving, while others criticize the term for ambiguity or for conflating very different practices under a single label.

See also: alternate reality game, puzzlehunt, geocaching, cross-media storytelling.