Being a Noob, I have a different view of the stituation. I'm sure that some day once I get more experienced I will perhaps understand the way the Veterans of the community feel.
First off this community comes across as intimidating and highly critical. I have 3 young children and the simple hints or give away hints to a small child can still be difficult. I suppose if this community doesn't want the next generation to get hooked becuase hints are too difficult or don't make sense due to either age or lack of experience than I am sadden. To my girls the main fun is rooting around inside the cache, and less on getting there. Now the do enjoy the search but mostly its "whats inside" is what the trophie is for them at the moment. So if the clue is too difficult and we can't find it, than they don't get their prize which is the cache itself.
When I first started and still to this day, I like having the obvious hints....... I will hunt and hunt and if I just CANT find it than why would I want a hint that is just going to cause me to hunt and hunt and hunt more. I want something specific.
I have come across some caches that were so easy that a blind person could have found it... ok that is a bit of an exaggeration but still what I take from those caches the journey getting there, either the hike or if it was a drive.
Perhaps what the real problem is the rating system, if it has a high difficultly rating with a give away hint than perhaps the rating should be set to one star. THere for no one can complain when the hint is obvious.
And in closing to those that are new to the outdoors..... a spruce is a pine tree, flame me if you will but I couldn't tell you a spruce from a pine to a fur. They all have needles and at the time of this posting I have alot of other things to learn about the outdoors and hiking than identifing coniferus trees.
And yes I do see the irony of my post...... being critical about the community being critical... BUT hey I'm a nood and we get to do things like this
Cheers and happy hunting