ShortyBond

I too am a ChileHead and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your profile and sig! Just wanted to add that.

But that is who those most difficult puzzles were put out for. Those caches are intended to be a challenge for those that enjoy that sort of challenge. Sorry if I'm stating the obvious, but some of these posts make that appear to be necessary. Indeed. There is a thriving population of Puzzle fiends who relish pitting their wits against a new challenge, or even an old challenge with a new twist. Why deny them their opportunity to enjoy their niche? Can't stand that lone sticking out like a sore thumb in your beautiful field of smilies? I like solving puzzles, even those that I'll never get around to finding the cache itself. And no, there isn't a "thriving population of puzzle fiends." Judging from the number of finds on these things, most people feel as i do. At least in my area.

But that is who those most difficult puzzles were put out for. Those caches are intended to be a challenge for those that enjoy that sort of challenge. Sorry if I'm stating the obvious, but some of these posts make that appear to be necessary. Indeed. There is a thriving population of Puzzle fiends who relish pitting their wits against a new challenge, or even an old challenge with a new twist. Why deny them their opportunity to enjoy their niche? Can't stand that lone sticking out like a sore thumb in your beautiful field of smilies? *Sigh.* Never mind. This is why i hate the internet. No one ever TRULY gets what your saying, and instead decides to jump on you for just stating your opinion. Again, its just a game, people.

Yeah it's a game, so? Doesn't bother me. But apparently it bothers Frog HQ, if they've put pressure on cheating websites to be shut down for years, or banned cachers for posting puzzle solutions on facebook. Just reporting the facts, maam. Ok did I post the solution anywhere? Did I tell someone how to solve it. I just answered what I believed the ciphers to be. If the Frog wants to ban me for that so be it. Then I know what the game is really about. And it wont be about community. When you see your brother needs help you help him. I know what you're saying. I wish i could help you but i steer clear of these kinds of caches. Haha!! Just not interested.

But that is who those most difficult puzzles were put out for. Those caches are intended to be a challenge for those that enjoy that sort of challenge. Sorry if I'm stating the obvious, but some of these posts make that appear to be necessary. I'm just saying *i* hate caches like this and don't understand WHY you would want to put them out. As i stated before, my experience with these sort of caches is they will be out for 5 years and have two finds. It just doesn't make any sense to me. I put out caches wanting people to find them. Yes, i love putting out some challenges, just like a few i have out there with high difficulty levels and such. But i still keep them user friendly. Hey, if someone likes these kind, more power to them. But yuck... i sure don't.

Wish i lived near NY. Looks like a really cool cache!

One of my favorite cachers will go caching in the middle of the night for an FTF and drive 30 miles if necessary. I can always count on him beating me to caches published at night. LOL!

Actually, the point of the game is to find the kind of caches that YOU enjoy finding, just like the other side of the coin is to HIDE the kind of caches that you enjoy finding... That ensures that everyone gets what they want, and to a certain extent, deserve. That even goes for LPC's and super evil puzzles. Anything that spoils someones pleasure is, indeed, BAD FORM. Doug 7rxc See my response to the person above, please!

Is it difficult caches in general that you object to? Or just puzzle caches that are difficult because of the puzzle? Sometimes, the whole point is to accomplish something difficult, whether it's difficult because of the terrain, the camouflage, the puzzle, or something else. Just these types of puzzle caches that very few people want to decipher. These are the kind that have been around for 5 years and have 2 finds. I guess i just don't get it. I love challenging caches... but not those for only the genius elite. LOL!

Is it difficult caches in general that you object to? Or just puzzle caches that are difficult because of the puzzle? Sometimes, the whole point is to accomplish something difficult, whether it's difficult because of the terrain, the camouflage, the puzzle, or something else. Just these types of puzzle caches that very few people want to decipher. These are the kind that have been around for 5 years and have 2 finds. I guess i just don't get it. I love challenging caches... but not those for only the genius elite. LOL!

I'm very guilty of putting out film containers. Haha!! But if i put them in trees, i at least camo them. I don't mind them. I guess i have never really considered a cache container to be "bad" or "good." Unique, different or challenging, yes. But not "bad" or "good." Personally, i don't care what its in as long as i can sign a log!

Yeah it's a game, so? Doesn't bother me. But apparently it bothers Frog HQ, if they've put pressure on cheating websites to be shut down for years, or banned cachers for posting puzzle solutions on facebook. Just reporting the facts, maam. I wasn't responding to anyone in particular. I just think its a little silly when cachers take this game too seriously. I love it and its my favorite hobby, but it is just a game and i try to remember that rather than get offended at something. Although, i found your post informative. Sometimes i think perhaps HQ gets a little TOO involved. I like how in Letterboxing they let the owners have a LOT more freedom. I think that's what Geocaching is missing... freedom!

I think you have to have an account to sign a log, and a find only counts if you signed the log. Of course, i think the FTF call is totally up to the CO.

I hate puzzle caches like this. I don't understand why anyone would WANT to plant a cache like this. The whole point is to find caches... not confuse your fellow cachers. Frankly, i think putting caches like this out is bad form. Discussing it in forums such as this shouldn't be considered bad form. I wouldn't mind. Repeat this to yourselves... ITS JUST A GAME!

That's awesome.

Definitely my favorite cache ever! Cache

Da**it Jim, I'm a geocacher, not an artist. Haha!!! Love that! Thanks for this thread. I am about to start letterboxing (as soon as i have my signature stamp) and i can't wait!

I don't know much about letterboxing but I have always heard that if you want to be respected in that community you carve your own stamps. Ordered stamps are frowned upon. At least that was the way I heard it. I read that too, but that's mostly in Europe from what i understand. Either way, i am DEFINITELY not an artist. My carved stamp would end up looking something like a giant blob. I do both (letterboxing and geocaching and posting hides on both sites) and have done so for 8 years now. I've been a member of AtlasQuest.com since it's inception in 2004. If you are unfamiliar with it, have a look. It's grown by leaps and bounds in the 6 years and has many of the bells and whistles that we enjoy on geocaching.com. You'll learn a lot about letterboxing as it is played in North America (and in other parts of the world). The stamp is an important part of the fun. Yes commercial stamps (e.g. dollar store, Michaels) are frowned upon when hiding a letterbox because they do not make a letterbox unique - anyone can buy them. A handcarved stamp is a unique, one-of-a-kind find. Most letterboxers would prefer a blobby hand-carved stamp to a commercial stamp. The other type of stamp that people place in boxes are custom made stamps - you draw the stamp image, take it to a place that makes rubberstamps and have your drawing turned into a stamp. Those are rare, probably because a custom made stamp is going to cost about $25 to make (a handcarved stamp, about a dollar if you use a white eraser and an exacto knife #11 blade). But as a signature stamp - the stamp you use when you find a letterbox to stamp the letterbox's logbook - a commercial stamp is fine. It's important when hiding a letterbox to let finders know that the stamp stays in the box, it's not to be traded out. Put a business-size eye-catching note in the box. Laminate or stick it in a small baggie to protect it. It should say something about the stamp. My card looks like this: I ask people not to leave trinkets in the box because I don't want the stamp to get traded out. This has worked for me. Recently, I found a hybrid where the letterbox portion was in it's own little labelled lock n lock - stamp and logbook. Then the lock n lock was inside an ammo can. The ammo can had it's own logbook plus swag for cachers who don't carry a stamp and don't collect letterbox images (or for people like me who trade swag AND collect stamp images). I really like the idea and hope to find just the right spot for a dual purpose ammo-can / lock-n-lock hybrid. It looks like a safe way to keep the stamp from being traded out. One last thing, please see this forum post where I describe in more detail how important the stamp is when planting a letterbox.......Letterbox Hybrid Pet Peeve Thank you SO much!! My commercial stamp is my signature stamp as i haven't created a letterbox yet. I'm waiting to do a few at least before i put one out. But i did have it specially made with my user name on it. I'm excited about getting it in the mail, and it only cost me $10! I really appreciate the tips! Looking forward to doing this along with caching!!

It happens. I got to a cache only to find the pen had fallen out of my pocket. I took a travel bug (real hard to log a bug if you dont actually get it out of the cache) and also took a picture of the log with my cell phone. Did the cache owner complain and delete my log? No. Repeat after me....."It's just a game" Maybe the best forum post i've ever read. LOL!!

I've never had this exact situation, but i have had a couple of times when i couldn't reach the cache. (I'm extremely short which makes caching rough by myself sometimes, if its in a tree or something.) In that case, i generally take a picture of the cache to prove i found and explain that i simply couldn't reach the cache. Most CO's are very understanding. Don't see how they wouldn't be in this situation either.

I've never quite understood how people can submit a cache without first placing it? I always get the coordinates with my GPS (i know of no other way) and can't do that until i place the cache.

Phew, i imagine!! I can't imagine how they can do that without putting them in people's yards! Haha! I've been caching since Feb. and am still at only around 600. I would still be stuck in a ten mile radius of my house that way!

Mine only resulted in 100 caches, even. But i live in rural Texas. Haha!

I don't know much about letterboxing but I have always heard that if you want to be respected in that community you carve your own stamps. Ordered stamps are frowned upon. At least that was the way I heard it. I read that too, but that's mostly in Europe from what i understand. Either way, i am DEFINITELY not an artist. My carved stamp would end up looking something like a giant blob.

I just ordered a stamp to start letterboxing. It looks REALLY fun to me, and i figure if you're into caching, you will probably enjoy letterboxing too. Just curious... how many of you are into letterboxing? Have you placed a Letterbox cache? I want to eventually place a letterbox, but i want to make it a letterbox cache. Is there much success in this?? I ask because the only Letterbox cache i've ever found was missing the Letterbox stamp and log book. I just want to make sure cachers generally respect the letterbox part of it.