A Webpage Of Cache Puzzle Solutions

1.2k · November 30, 2005

I recently recieved an email from someone working on a puzzle cache of mine that included the URL for a website that has a huge list of puzzle caches along with final coordinates and step by step details on how to solve them. And I do mean huge, all the famous puzzles are on there, as well as plenty of lesser known ones. Thankfully none of mine are on there... but what the heck is this about. I don't want to link to it, for obvious reasons. Does anyone know who runs it? Has anyone else seen this site before (aside from the one forum regular I saw posting there )? I think someone needs to nuke that site.

Puzzle owners of the world, now is the time to revolt.

November 30, 2005

I hate to admit it...If I had the link, I would prolly use it.

I am THAT bad at puzzles.

November 30, 2005

Booo..that's no good. Cheating is bad.

Although it would save me a few emails per puzzle for verification that I solved it right and/or desperate pleas for an additional clue. (I'm looking at you GCNYAB )

4.7k · November 30, 2005

can you send me the link?

if my puzzle caches are on it, i'm archiving them.

do you hear me, disgusting webpage operator? i am not supporting your garbage. i would rather not set puzzles than allow you to corrupt them.

4.8k · November 30, 2005

I put a note on one of my puzzles requesting that it be removed from the site and stating that if a spoiler is posted I will archive the puzzle and delete any finds that lead to the spolier post or used the spoiler.

I'm not really worried it will happen though. Plus last time I looked at it, there was a bogus hint already posted on it (not posted by me).

I suspect that useless or fake hints could become normal on it and I would guess that some owners will simply delete finds that provide info to the site. That will make it rather ineffective.

Of course other owners might not care. But I suspect that most would find it all rather distasteful.

Edited November 30, 2005 by carleenp

2.1k · November 30, 2005

can you send me the link also, I don't want my puzzle caches, that people work hard at, given away to anyone with a computer...

jamie

November 30, 2005

While it's in severe poor taste, they have the right to put whatever they want on their site.

To post solutions in these forums would be a different matter.

In the long run, they are not cheating the other honest cache finders- they solved the puzzle for their OWN enjoyment. It only cheats the cheater.

I wouldn't give it another thought. I really don't care if people phone a friend on my caches. If they're having fun, and I'm having fun, that's all that matters. I won't call the cache police on them. Shame some people have fun at cheating, but hey, doesn't affect my enjoyment.

I officially resign as devil's advocate now...

7.2k · November 30, 2005

I knew it would only be a matter of time...

I think exposure, and thus the communal-based backlash, would be a good place to start in getting this shut down. Additionally, knowing a cache is on the list will allow the owner to archive or adjust the cache before it is spoiled for future hunters.

And, no, I don't consider the log based on using a cheater site as legitimate. It will be deleted and that person just screwed himself out of being able to log that cache online.

7.2k · November 30, 2005

It only cheats the cheater.

Negative.

While "phone-a-friend" is one thing, outright circumvention of the cache as placed is another. If the cache owner wanted folks to simply go to the final he'd have made it a traditional.

Let's not try to elevate this form of cheating and undeserved finds to the same level of getting lucky, figuring out ways to skip stages, "phone-a-friend," much less actually figuring out the dadgum thing.

No, something like this is completely different.

November 30, 2005

If this is the same site I became aware of a few months ago, please don't post a link to it. I've seen it, and I don't ever want to see it again.

1.4k · November 30, 2005

hook a brother up - send me the link. I have 1 and I want to see if it is there - I can easily change the code on my hide. Thanks

4.7k · November 30, 2005

cheater-site scumbag, are you reading this?

November 30, 2005

It didn't take me long to google up such a site. It may or may not be the same site though as I saw a few descrepencies with earlier posts in this thread. First, there were puzzle caches by Varg in the database. Second, both of carleenp's puzzle caches were on the list, and while one in particular had a ton of hits - there were no posted comments on it - including the message she said she had posted on her own cache and the bogus hint she claims she saw on it.

Other observations: one of my caches was on the list, but it had no hits on it and certainly no posted solution for it. Also about 99.9% of the caches on the site had no solutions posted for them - most did not even have any hits. Finally, I am not sure where the database for this came from as only one of my puzzle caches is listed - my other one was described as a mystery cache was not and neither were any of my multi-caches that require puzzle solving like skills. I also checked on a few friends that have multiple puzzle caches and found that not all puzzle caches are in the database - several notable ones were left out. Since the site seems to be more about visitors contributing to find the answers, the answers are only going to show up if someone wants to broadcast spoilers. Most folks trying to solve a certain puzzle are going to just see a blank sheet under whatever puzzle they are looking up.

At least so far that is how it appears - over time this can certianly get out of hand.

3.5k · November 30, 2005

A few years ago someone started a yahoogroup for people to post the final coordinates for multis and puzzles. It flopped really fast. With as many puzzles and multis that are out there, how useful would a list like that really be? Talk about hit and miss, it's more like miss and miss.

As for this website, eh...who's really going to use it? Who's going to promote it? I can just see someone mentioning it at an event cache and getting strung up by the other cachers there. Or posting a link in a local forum or email list....that person would get fried alive.

I still believe the honest people outnumber the dishonest...maybe even outweigh. Ignore it, it'll go away.

Bret

November 30, 2005

IF you have puzzle caches, and IF they are on this page, the best revenge would be to slightly change your puzzle so that the data on the page is worthless. Hehehehe.....the cheaters would be going to the wrong place!

And wasting their time........

I SUCK at geopuzzles for some reason. I used to do a LOT of puzzles and cryptograms....but I think my brain has melted as I got older. Not sure why I have such a brainlock on most of them. I have a few solved, and verified with the puzzle owners that they are correct, but haven't searched for them yet.

TCHC

1.6k · November 30, 2005

I'd ask for the link but I doubt any of our caches are listed there.

They aren't are they?

Wulf

1.5k · November 30, 2005

Same as KKTH3, if I found the correct site, it looks like only about 1% of the caches on there have solutions posted. Some of my older caches are on there, but there have been no comments posted to them and therefore, no answers. Hopefully the site will die from lack of use or will get so clogged up with bogus entries that it will be useless.

5.3k · November 30, 2005

I'd ask for the link but I doubt any of our caches are listed there.
They aren't are they?

Wulf

The site that I found via google has your Six Degrees of Frustration and Pot of Gold listed, but no hints given.

2.5k · November 30, 2005

Look Here

1.2k · November 30, 2005

I'm torn between what to do here. I don't want to post the URL, but then again puzzle owners have a right to know. Maybe the admins have some suggestions? Now if anyone out there could somehow hack/nuke the site I'll send you the URL.

Yes, I'm serious.

21.9k · November 30, 2005

Groundspeak and its volunteer team have been aware of this site for quite some time. Pending further developments, I would like to ask everyone not to post links to this website -- no need to give it further publicity. As others have stated, there are very few puzzles that actually have solutions posted.

I would like to thank Vargseld for his sensitivity in raising this issue.

1.2k · November 30, 2005

I was going to check caches for those of you who've posted concerns, but the site seems to be down now. Coincidence? I hope not.

4.7k · November 30, 2005

hey, vargseld, i went to one of your caches this weekend! it's nice to catch up with the well-known cachers.

and as for that blasted site, if you do see one of mine on it, i would appreciate the link because i'd like to send a note to the guy letting him know that he's the reason i'm archiving the caches.

2.2k · November 30, 2005

and as for that blasted site, if you do see one of mine on it, i would appreciate the link because i'd like to send a note to the guy letting him know that he's the reason i'm archiving the caches.

flask,

A quick check of the site did not reveal any of your caches. They were listed, but had no "cheats" posted.

Edited November 30, 2005 by Quiggle

4.7k · November 30, 2005

thanks.

not surprising, really. most of my local cachers are people of integrity.

2.6k · November 30, 2005

I am THAT bad at puzzles.

I have never successfully solved a puzzle cache by myself in my whole miserable life. The only reason I don't filter them out of pocket queries is that sometimes the question mark isn't really a puzzle but, like, a funny container or something. That's so seldom, though, I think I'll start filtering them.

7.2k · November 30, 2005

Groundspeak and its volunteer team have been aware of this site for quite some time. Pending further developments, I would like to ask everyone not to post links to this website -- no need to give it further publicity. As others have stated, there are very few puzzles that actually have solutions posted.

I would like to thank Vargseld for his sensitivity in raising this issue.

So, what would be those "further developments?"

I would think at the very least the owners of caches with unauthorized hints and spoilers be told of this. This is the first I've ever heard of it, but thankfully none of our caches are even listed. Some of our favorite puzzles are listed, but with no hints.

I know I'd want to be told. Is there any reason way I shouldn't pass this link around?

4.8k · November 30, 2005

It didn't take me long to google up such a site. It may or may not be the same site though as I saw a few descrepencies with earlier posts in this thread. First, there were puzzle caches by Varg in the database. Second, both of carleenp's puzzle caches were on the list, and while one in particular had a ton of hits - there were no posted comments on it - including the message she said she had posted on her own cache and the bogus hint she claims she saw on it.

Other observations: one of my caches was on the list, but it had no hits on it and certainly no posted solution for it. Also about 99.9% of the caches on the site had no solutions posted for them - most did not even have any hits. Finally, I am not sure where the database for this came from as only one of my puzzle caches is listed - my other one was described as a mystery cache was not and neither were any of my multi-caches that require puzzle solving like skills. I also checked on a few friends that have multiple puzzle caches and found that not all puzzle caches are in the database - several notable ones were left out. Since the site seems to be more about visitors contributing to find the answers, the answers are only going to show up if someone wants to broadcast spoilers. Most folks trying to solve a certain puzzle are going to just see a blank sheet under whatever puzzle they are looking up.

At least so far that is how it appears - over time this can certianly get out of hand.

Yeah. I checked there awhile ago and noticed that my comment and the bogus hint were gone. Odd. I guess I will repost my comment and also add something to the cache pages if the comment doesn't stay.

Edited November 30, 2005 by carleenp

November 30, 2005

With the discrepancies among the various notes in this thread (the site I found through Google is still up and running, yet the one Vargseld is working on isn't, per his note), I would wonder if there are two (or more) spoiler sites that need to be defended against.

Vargseld, you might want to send the site you discovered to Keystone by PM (since no one wants to give these sites more attention by naming them publicly) to see if it's the same one that "Groundspeak and its volunteer team have been aware of ... for quite some time".

9.4k · November 30, 2005

and as for that blasted site, if you do see one of mine on it, i would appreciate the link because i'd like to send a note to the guy letting him know that he's the reason i'm archiving the caches.

flask,

A quick check of the site did not reveal any of your caches. They were listed, but had no "cheats" posted.

Quiggle, would you mind checking for mine too please? Thanks

1.2k · November 30, 2005

hey, vargseld, i went to one of your caches this weekend! it's nice to catch up with the well-known cachers.

and as for that blasted site, if you do see one of mine on it, i would appreciate the link because i'd like to send a note to the guy letting him know that he's the reason i'm archiving the caches.

I didn't know I was well-known lol. Which cache was it? I never got a notification from you logging one of them.

Sadly the site I know of is working again. It must have just been my connection earlier. Oh, and the website also doesn't have any contact information that would give away who's running the site on it, which really isn't suprising. I'm also not going to give out the URL as per Keystone's request. Sorry, everyone. I'd still like to see it shut down, though...

Edited November 30, 2005 by Vargseld? ™

2.6k · November 30, 2005

I'd still like to see it shut down, though...

Uh, how? Really, really caustic sarcasm?

There will be contact info in the domain registration, if you do a whois. If the info isn't good, the registration isn't legal. That's about the only hook I can think of, though.

November 30, 2005

I'd still like to see it shut down, though...

Uh, how? Really, really caustic sarcasm?

There will be contact info in the domain registration, if you do a whois. If the info isn't good, the registration isn't legal. That's about the only hook I can think of, though.

The whois for the domain in question does not show contact information. The domain was registered by a third party registrar and the hosting site is listed as all the contacts.

Edit: clarification

Edited November 30, 2005 by NoLemon

7.2k · November 30, 2005

Oh, and the website also doesn't have any contact information on it, which really isn't suprising.

Then there must be two as the one I'm looking at does have contact information.

Look at the very bottom line of text, last sentence. It's not a link, but written out.

Never mind. The above statements are no longer valid.

Edited November 30, 2005 by CoyoteRed

1.2k · November 30, 2005

Oh, and the website also doesn't have any contact information on it, which really isn't suprising.

Then there must be two as the one I'm looking at does have contact information.

Look at the very bottom line of text, last sentence. It's not a link, but written out.

Yeah, I had to edit my post because of that.

Oh, and the website also doesn't have any contact information that would give away who's running the site on it, which really isn't suprising.

The one on there isn't very helpful unless you want to help add to the site...

8.4k · November 30, 2005

I can't figure out the right google phrase to find the site for some reason.

Are any of my puzzles on there? Quantum Leap perhaps?

Because I don't care. If anyone wants to hunt one of my puzzle caches like it's a regular cache, all they hafta do is email me and I'll give them the coords. That's IF the cache ISN'T new. If the answer to a NEW puzzle of mine was on there, I'd be a bit ticked, but then, I haven't placed a new puzzle cache in quite some time.

November 30, 2005

My 2 cents as someone just starting to attempt puzzle caches:

I'm sure I'll be totally stumped by most puzzles. And probably very frustrated. If a helping hand is offered by the puzzle owner, I may take them up on it. But it's just not right for someone other than the puzzle creator to give away the answers. The creator worked hard to make the puzzle; giving away the answer is taking away their fun and their reason for doing it in the first place.

Posting answers, hints & spoilers that are not authorized by the puzzle creator is low class. It shows poor sportsmanship, arrogance and immaturity.

Posting purposely misleading hints is a justifiable reaction, but probably not the best approach. Brings to mind the old "two wrongs don't make a right" saying. Or, as someone very wise once told me..... "Never get into a pissing contest with a skunk. You'll end up smelling just like him."

I agree with Crazy H -- Better approach is to change the puzzle. Maybe best approach is to PLAN to change your puzzle on a regular basis. A small change should be all that's necessary, in most cases, to throw the whole thing off. If I ever create any puzzle caches, that's what I'll do.

7.2k · November 30, 2005

Yeah, I had to edit my post because of that.

Okie dokie

7.2k · November 30, 2005

I can't figure out the right google phrase to find the site for some reason.

Are any of my puzzles on there? Quantum Leap perhaps?

I never could find the right Google phrase either. I ended up looking through some other fora.

Yes, you have caches on there. No, there are no hints given.

1.5k · November 30, 2005

All my puzzles are posted on this site and one person has hit it or whatever it means but nothing was posted. I know some puzzles are harder then others and a lot of people use programs to solve it, but this site is just sad and takes all the fun out of it.

Snoogans--you got mail from GC.com from me

Edited November 30, 2005 by geoholic28

4.8k · November 30, 2005

I agree with Crazy H -- Better approach is to change the puzzle. Maybe best approach is to PLAN to change your puzzle on a regular basis. A small change should be all that's necessary, in most cases, to throw the whole thing off. If I ever create any puzzle caches, that's what I'll do.

Changing the puzzle will work with some but not all. In many cases the challenge is figuring out how to go about the solve. The solution itself can change but the method remains, and that is where a spoiler is really harmful.

I reposted the warnings on mine and when I get a chance I will add something to my cache pages. I really don't forsee anyone who has solved my puzzles posting spoilers, but I figure the warning it is a decent precaution. I don't know why someone who worked hard to solve a difficult puzzle would risk having their log deleted in order to post a spoiler on such a site.

November 30, 2005

Snoogans = 6 listings, no cheats

GPSax = 1 listing, no cheats

2.1k · November 30, 2005

any of mine on the site?

8.4k · November 30, 2005

IF you have puzzle caches, and IF they are on this page, the best revenge would be to slightly change your puzzle so that the data on the page is worthless. Hehehehe.....the cheaters would be going to the wrong place!

And wasting their time........

I like this attitude better than the "Torches & Pitchforks" attitude that some folks tend to get over any tiny detail that doesn't fit their idea of what's right.

There are plenty of geocachers on these forums that like nothing more than something to get good and mad about.

9.3k · November 30, 2005

I have never successfully solved a puzzle cache by myself

Aunti, when you got some spare time, check out my series of simpleton puzzle caches.

I designed them so that someone as dense as me could figure them out.

Back on topic: For me, the enjoyment of a puzzle cache is in the deduction. I wouldn't be particularly bothered to find my caches there, nor would I consider archiving them if the solutions were present. I'm not going to allow that site's owner to determine the future of my caches. While I'm certain there are folks out there who would utilize that website as a puzzle solving resource, I know that most of the caching community has sufficient integrity to avoid it.

4.7k · November 30, 2005

I didn't know I was well-known lol. Which cache was it? I never got a notification from you logging one of them.

don't look for the log for a couple of weeks.

i'm kind of behind in my logs. if you've read them, you know why.

5.2k · November 30, 2005

I am THAT bad at puzzles.

I have never successfully solved a puzzle cache by myself in my whole miserable life. The only reason I don't filter them out of pocket queries is that sometimes the question mark isn't really a puzzle but, like, a funny container or something. That's so seldom, though, I think I'll start filtering them.

Too bad you're not in Northern California, otherwise this cache might interest you.

6.7k · November 30, 2005

Beat 'em at their own game - log in and write total fabrications for every cache - the site 's readers would soon find that every solution published is wrong and will abandon the site!

November 30, 2005

There are plenty of geocachers on these forums that like nothing more than something to get good and mad about. rolleyes.gif

and

While I'm certain there are folks out there who would utilize that website as a puzzle solving resource, I know that most of the caching community has sufficient integrity to avoid it.

That's all I was trying to say. As long as these idiots aren't posting solutions in public areas (i.e. direct e-mail or forums) legit cachers won't be looking for the site. Even if they cheat they are NOT affecting me, because I can still figure the puzzle out myself. Of course, cache owners have the right to delete logs if they want, but it's just not that big a deal to me. Sign the log, get a smile. I will lose no sleep about smilies.

And I still hold to the fact it is very much like phone-a-friend. What is the difference between someone telling you exactly how to find the brilliantly camo'd cache, and someone giving you the the solution to the puzzle? Both is depending on someone else to tell you where a cache is.

November 30, 2005

I can't figure out the right google phrase to find the site for some reason.

me either....

I suppose I should be drug out back and shot, for being the only person here who admitted they'd use it if given the chance? Liek I said...many many of my closest unfound are puzzles. I am just terrible at them...

Heck, I have enough trouble finding them given straight out co-ordinates....

A Webpage Of Cache Puzzle Solutions

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