A Webpage Of Cache Puzzle Solutions

[+reveritt]

...Like setting a match to my pantleg or taking a poop in my kitchen. Those sorts of things can ruin my good time really quickly....

Oh, well--there goes that idea!

[+Renegade Knight]

I wonder if you can make a puzzle that uses their site as the solution. It would be even better if each solution required updating their site. It would be better still if it was a virtual puzzle so anyone could log the cache if they updated the guys site. Can someone PM me the link? My google skills on this one failed.

[SCP-173]

I wonder if you can make a puzzle that uses their site as the solution. It would be even better if each solution required updating their site. It would be better still if it was a virtual puzzle so anyone could log the cache if they updated the guys site. Can someone PM me the link? My google skills on this one failed.

Oh man, what a hilarious idea. What do you say admins, wanna make an exception on the virtual rules for this one?

[+AuntieWeasel]

Give it a go, Auntie, and get yourself another icon!

Aauuuuuugggghhh!!! Sweet flaming howler monkeys, Reveritt!! One look at the cache description made the sweat bead along my hairline.

 

See, in addition to being a disability, innumeracy is also a phobia. I've worked my way up to "keeping a running grocery tally in my head." Let's not tamper with a partial success.

 

Anyhow, I have three puzzle caches in my stats: one was a funny container and two were assists. And by "assist" I mean "tagging along and trying not to get in anybody's way."

[+Cow Spots]

The site does present an opportunity for some vicious red herrings (cross-bred with piranhas perhaps). Anyone can post a 'hint,' including the puzzle's creator.

 

For every measure, there's a countermeasure, and a counter-countermeasure, ad infinitum.

I thought about that very tactic... poisoning the well, so to speak... but found that it wasn't worth my time.

[+reveritt]

Give it a go, Auntie, and get yourself another icon!

Aauuuuuugggghhh!!! Sweet flaming howler monkeys, Reveritt!! One look at the cache description made the sweat bead along my hairline.

 

See, in addition to being a disability, innumeracy is also a phobia. I've worked my way up to "keeping a running grocery tally in my head." Let's not tamper with a partial success.

 

Anyhow, I have three puzzle caches in my stats: one was a funny container and two were assists. And by "assist" I mean "tagging along and trying not to get in anybody's way."

Team up with Cool Librarian to tackle it. It really is not as bad as you think, once you start looking into it. There is one bit of challenging math, but I'm a pushover for hints.

[+Miragee]

Give it a go, Auntie, and get yourself another icon!

Aauuuuuugggghhh!!! Sweet flaming howler monkeys, Reveritt!! One look at the cache description made the sweat bead along my hairline.

 

See, in addition to being a disability, innumeracy is also a phobia. . . .

Oh . . . I'm so glad to now know I am not alone.

 

I did look at that cache page and I got an instant headache . . .

 

For people who can do, or create, puzzle caches, it seems simple. For me, it is stress-inducing and nigh impossible . . .

[+reveritt]

OK, puzzlephobes--give this one a try. There is no math involved--the challenge is in finding the information at each stop, but nobody has failed to solve it yet.

[ju66l3r]

And by "assist" I mean "tagging along and trying not to get in anybody's way."

Oh no, she's a witch...

 

Burn her!

[+AuntieWeasel]

OK, puzzlephobes--give this one a try.  There is no math involved--the challenge is in finding the information at each stop, but nobody has failed to solve it yet.

Okay, now you're just being mean.

[+Miragee]

OK, puzzlephobes--give this one a try.  There is no math involved--the challenge is in finding the information at each stop, but nobody has failed to solve it yet.

Actually, this one is more my speed . . .

[+reveritt]

...

Okay, now you're just being mean.

No, it's fun--really--everyone has liked it--just read the logs. You'll learn a nice bit of local history, too.

[Keystone]

Alrighty... confession time. I will never forget when I reviewed Bunches of 0's for publication on the website. I looked at the cache page quickly, saw that there was a number puzzle to solve with some questions to answer, and immediately got that "scared as Auntie Weasel" look on my face. I wrote to the hider and sternly reminded him of his obligation to provide the actual coordinates for the solution to his puzzle cache, so that I could verify whether the true location met the site's listing requirements.

 

The other reviewers laugh at me about puzzle caches. A lot. Especially that one.

 

Maybe I should submit a cheater hint for it?

 

P.S., I was "first to find" that cache under my player account. Feel free to start another thread to rant about my use of inside information to cheat on a puzzle cache!

Edited December 1, 2005 by Keystone

[+reveritt]

... Feel free to start another thread to rant about my use of inside information to cheat on a puzzle cache!

Heck, no! We're gonna rant in this thread, 'cause we've got rants in our pants.

 

Funny story...thanx for sharing.

[+treasure_hunter]

Do we have any hackers in the forums?? Maybe someone should give the website a little puzzle of its own. Give em' a taste of their own medicine!

[SCP-173]

For people who can do, or create, puzzle caches, it seems simple. For me, it is stress-inducing and nigh impossible . . .

That's not always true. I have a lot of puzzles people have called "evil" (I was once even called the "evil bas***d son of the devil"), but I'm no good at solving other puzzles. All of mine are pretty untraditional as far as puzzles go. It's the common math/crypto/etc puzzles that throw me for a loop.

[peetz]

Who gives a fat rats you know what ...if you dont like it...just dont go there.It's just like doing a crossword puzzle in a book. The answers are in the back of it . And i know for sure that everyone of you has looked in the back for a word that you did not know ...no difference....chill out .its only a game

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6

[+AuntieWeasel]

And i know for sure that everyone of you has looked in the back for a word that you did not know

No, you don't. I suck at crosswords, so I plain don't do them. I take no pleasure in playing a game I'm so bad at I have to cheat to reach average.

[+Miragee]

I don't do crossword puzzles either . . . too. much. stress.

 

[+flask]

Who gives a fat rats you know what ...if you dont like it...just dont go there.It's just like doing a crossword puzzle in a book. The answers are in the back of it . And i know for sure that everyone of you has looked in the back for a word that you did not know ...no difference....chill out .its only a game

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6

first of all, thou rude pup, one might be more circumspect with reference to the hind quarters of rats, none of whom to my knowledge has ever given away the answers to one of my puzzle caches.

 

rats are sweet and genteel and they know who fills the food dish.

 

secondly, unimaginative whelp, we are sufficiently "chilled out" as you so amusingly put it in what i'm sure is the vernacular among your little school friends, that we are obliged to drink antifreeze just to keep pliable, even on a july afternoon.

 

what we are getting at is a concept i'm certain beyond your small sphere of understanding; the idea that games should be played fairly and according to generally accepted standards.

 

if one were to use an all terrrain vehicle to advance that dreadful pointy-ball toward the goalposts in that horrid spectacle of american football, a case might be made that all those who think it unsporting ought not watch.

 

the team against whom this tactic is employed might feel the game was not being played in the proper spirit.

[+wavector]

There are whole segments of the game industry built around walking people through the hardest games...yet they still make new games!!

 

I have created a cache series which contains a few caches, some that are quite difficult, I think. The puzzle cache in the series is this one Goldfish . I checked and I think almost all the puzzle caches are on the site, both of mine are. I wanted to make Goldfish difficult with the express intention of creating another cache, the final in the series, that essentially "walks you through" all the other caches, even the very difficult ones. I suppose that is an owners perogative but I don't think it is a bad idea. People want to be able to complete these difficult adventures. Fish and Goldfish were a lot of work, there is a lot of manhours and no small amount of joy therein, the person who created that spoilers site is right about one thing, I made those caches to be found. In a timely fashion I will introduce the final cache in the series and it will make those difficult fours and threes into ones. For the people who are seeking for these caches as I place them, I am sure they are having fun.

 

I like finding a chink in the puzzle armour and then worrying my way in, here is a hint for my puzzle cache Goldfish, the word "accurate" is one I wouldn't use lightly, despite evidence to the contrary.

[peetz]

what we are getting at is a concept i'm certain beyond your small sphere of understanding; the idea that games should be played fairly and according to generally accepted standards

 

And who makes these standards ...... oh ya i forgot , the Toadies do

[+AuntieWeasel]

And who makes these standards ...... oh ya i forgot , the Toadies do

Ah, namecalling. Sure sign of a rock-solid persuasive argument.

[+reveritt]

And who makes these standards ...... oh ya i forgot , the Toadies do

Ah, namecalling. Sure sign of a rock-solid persuasive argument.

I know...we may need to fall back on the "nanny-nanny-boo-boo defense".

[CoyoteRed]

...the person who created that spoilers site is right about one thing, I made those caches to be found.

Certainly. Caches are placed to be found.

 

But let's look at the mental challenges the same as the physical ones. There are caches that require some pretty extraordinary resources to simply get in the vicinity of the cache. The one in Antarctica is one. Gokyo Ri is fairly remote and getting there, while as difficult as the Antarctic one, is still well beyond many folks. I read the log of the gentleman who went after one of the radio stations mega caches. Something like a very long drive off road then an overnight hike. I understand there is one where you have to not only be SCUBA certified, but deep water certified. What about the one where you have to rent a submarine?

 

In short there are plenty of caches that are well beyond 99.9% of cachers means or abilities to visit. Getting there is the challenge.

 

Why can't there be the same degree of mental challenge?

 

The problem with the site in question is it takes a difficult mental challenge and completely removes any challenge at all. While you could rent a helicopter to fly you to a remote location, that is still harder than simply being handed the solution to a puzzle.

 

So, while caches are placed to be found. Some caches will allow only a few to claim bragging rights. Cheaters who claim hard caches cheapen value of legitimate finds. Not the experience, but the rights to the exclusivity club. I think that's why some folks would rather archive their caches than allow cheaters to claim finds.

[+Vinny & Sue Team]

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...

I much agree with the sentiments stated above. While I feel personally that games should be played fairly and according to "the rules", I realize that not everyone agrees with my way of doing things, and that is fine with me. I have known about the "solution" site in question for some time (stumbled across it during a Google search while searching the web for clues for the next step of a very nasty puzzle cache -- no, there were no hints for the cache we were working on!), but the reality is that:

• while almost all puzzle caches are listed, only about 0.2% or fewer of listings have any "cheater" (spoiler) entries
  of the few caches listed which display cheater entries, most hints or cheats seem inaccurate or misleading
  

In fact, I could argue that such sites actually are simply a natural and normal part of the fanbase of any really popular puzzle cache. It is really up to individual cache hunters how they wish to play the game, and I never lose any sleep over the possibility that a few folks might choose to use answers found on the site. In any case, even in the absence of a cheater site which might provide shortcuts or final answers, cache hunters can always call a friend and ask for a tip or even for location of the final site -- it happens all the time, and this method does not involve any cheater websites at all. So, to me, a cheater site is merely an interesting phenomenon, and nothing to get upset about; I feel that the impact is very tiny, it any. If such sites really tick you off, go place some false leads about your puzzle cache on each of the cheater websites; that will slow them down!

 

Let me give you an example from the non-geocaching world of what I am saying about the relative non-impact of such cheater sites: In Europe (and also in certain circles in the Americas, Asia and elsewhere as well, I am sure) there is a very sizeable and fierce bunch of folks -- self-styled 20-something intelligentsia, if you will -- who make a hobby out of solving impossibly difficult riddles which are revealed on the web on riddle websites. And, in keeping with the times, many of these extreme riddles are not only found on the web, but many of their steps involve decoding which website you must find next in order to get the next clue.

 

Of this web-riddle genre -- whiich is VERY BIG in some circles -- the most famed web riddle in the world (according to my jaded young hip Euro friends who are into such things), is the Zest Riddle, to be found on a website called Zest Puzzle -- the riddle was placed by a pair of twenty-somethings from Poland and is widely considered to be diabolical and EXTREMELY difficult. BTW, the website address is Zest Riddle Site

As noted above, it is largely a riddle game where you have to find the next URL and then the next, each of which give you a hint.. The clues may be hidden in text, in an image, in source code or in html headers, or somewhere else in or on the webpage.

Due to the incredible popularity of this riddle in Europe, a number of fan sites have popped up which are devoted to solving this riddle; many offer blog commentaries on progress in solving the riddle. However, there are among these fan sites several sites founded by successful past seeekers which -- yes, you guessed it -- provide deatiled hints for solving each stage, including the final stage. One prime example of such a breaker site is Zest Blog and Riddle Solution DO NOT SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THE LINKED PAGE UNLESS YOU WISH T READ THE SPOILERS! Everyone in the riddle community in Europe seems to know about these cheater/breaker sites, and few folks -- if any -- seem to get upset about them. They just see them as part of the game, ultimately increasing the popularity and fame, and the saga, of the Zest Riddle.

Edited December 2, 2005 by Vinny & Sue Team

[+reveritt]

Gosh, I guess if hip, jaded Europeans tolerate cheating in their esoteric hobby, we should too.

 

I get your point. What it really comes down to is--nothing we can do about it.

[CoyoteRed]

They just see them as part of the game, ultimately increasing the popularity and fame, and the saga, of the Zest Riddle.

The activities you describe is closer to simply doing the crosswords. Sissy used to see if she could complete the Sunday crossword puzzle before her favorite cheater site could get their solution up.

 

However, with geocaching it's not that you complete a puzzle or not, it's about the all important smilie. The smilie tells others you've completed that cache. Smilies equate to status. The problem with cheaters is they still get to claim they completed that cache and the smilie tells the world it must be so. In reality, they were handed the solution and did nothing but sign the log. The smilie validates the claim when, in fact, they did nothing to earn it.

 

I'm sure if the Zest Riddle had similar forms of validation and status there would be a similar disgust with unearned credit.

[+Vinny & Sue Team]

However, with geocaching it's not that you complete a puzzle or not, it's about the all important smilie. The smilie tells others you've completed that cache. Smilies equate to status. The problem with cheaters is they still get to claim they completed that cache and the smilie tells the world it must be so. In reality, they were handed the solution and did nothing but sign the log. The smilie validates the claim when, in fact, they did nothing to earn it.

 

I'm sure if the Zest Riddle had similar forms of validation and status there would be a similar disgust with unearned credit.

There is actually some parallel. From the little which I have been told about the Euro riddle community, successful solvers almost always DO log their "finds" (successful solutions), and usually via several popular blogs or ezines devoted to riddles. Again, I am not trying to justify the cheater sites, but rather suggesting that it may not be worth getting all hot and bothered about them; they may just be part of the normal landscape.

[markandlynn]

It interesting reading through this thread again......

 

As one of the minority who have a supposed solution posted on this site i agree it was probably inevitable, however i believed that people would contact previous finders for hints and clues or even myself.

The solution in question may or may not be wrong as i pass tyhe cache site every day however the physical cache site also involves solving more puzzles to find the cache as will ALL my future puzzle caches to prevent these sites being of any use.

 

I am not happy with the site but know the information on it is about as usefull for solving this cache as a chocolate fireguard.

[ju66l3r]

Vinny&Sue (and anyone else of like mind), you might just want to let these people light their torches and ramble around without any real aim or ability to do anything and not get in their way.

 

While dialogue is usually useful, even if it doesn't enlighten anyone to one point of view or another, it appears that this conversation is like spitting into the wind. One view is based on a "who cares" attitude while the other is fueled by an ire that can't be quelched.

 

There will be puzzle people who will rail at the sky because they've been forced to realize that their best laid plans of men with mice (surfing the internet) have gone awry. They'll weep for the status lost of people who complete their puzzles (yet, those people won't even know it's happening as they remember the puzzles they've done). They'll decry those that would skip the puzzle to have the solution (yet, those people won't even care it's happening as they bypass the puzzles they've not done).

 

Suddenly, the cache log isn't the exclusivity bible and it angers the puzzle makers. Too bad the people who truly enjoy the puzzles and couldn't care less about others and their actions won't be able to complete the puzzles that end up archived in a selfish attempt to define what it means to be 'exclusive'.

[+Vinny & Sue Team]

Vinny&Sue (and anyone else of like mind), you might just want to let these people light their torches and ramble around without any real aim or ability to do anything and not get in their way.

 

While dialogue is usually useful, even if it doesn't enlighten anyone to one point of view or another, it appears that this conversation is like spitting into the wind.  One view is based on a "who cares" attitude while the other is fueled by an ire that can't be quelched.

 

There will be puzzle people who will rail at the sky because they've been forced to realize that their best laid plans of men with mice (surfing the internet) have gone awry.  They'll weep for the status lost of people who complete their puzzles (yet, those people won't even know it's happening as they remember the puzzles they've done).  They'll decry those that would skip the puzzle to have the solution (yet, those people won't even care it's happening as they bypass the puzzles they've not done).

 

Suddenly, the cache log isn't the exclusivity bible and it angers the puzzle makers.  Too bad the people who truly enjoy the puzzles and couldn't care less about others and their actions won't be able to complete the puzzles that end up archived in a selfish attempt to define what it means to be 'exclusive'.

Thank for your note. I have a funny story to share with you which may shed a tiny bit of humor on the matter of the sanctity of puzzles and fanaticism about the purity of puzzles. My wife Sue recently placed her first "Sue's Puzzle Cache", listing as the waypoint coordinates the approximate coordinates of a nearby parking lot for the park in which the cache was located. To my recollection, a couple of folks found the cache by solving the puzzle. However, one rather famous local cacher (whom we consider a friend) dislikes puzzles and did not want to have to tackle the puzzle. So, he simply parked near the park and found the cache by brute force, by searching every possible hiding spot within 200 feet, then within 500 feet, etcetera, gradually widening his search field until he managed to find the cache. Sue enjoyed his "brute force" log entry and his find "smilie" just as much as she had enjoyed the log entries from the folks who had solved the puzzle via wit, and we both got a very good smile and laugh out of the vision of this respected cacher literally searching an area of several acres to find the cache! To us, his find was every bit as valid as the others!

Edited December 2, 2005 by Vinny & Sue Team

[+reveritt]

...

While dialogue is usually useful, even if it doesn't enlighten anyone to one point of view or another, it appears that this conversation is like spitting into the wind. One view is based on a "who cares" attitude while the other is fueled by an ire that can't be quelched....

I don't think my position falls into either of the categories you have described, and I find your post to be somewhat snide and condescending.

 

Some of us put a lot of effort into our puzzle caches, and it is perfectly reasonable for us to be miffed if someone is publishing the solutions. That said, if it happens to me, I am not about to archive my caches over it, nor am I even looking for the site to find out if my caches are listed. If it happens, it happens.

[+nfa]

2 of my caches are up on the website, but no solutions...

 

I figure there's not much I could do if there were...I'm not going to archive my caches to foil the cheaters...I'm not going to engage with the website owner...I'm not going to move my caches...

 

Everybody plays the game their own way, as they should, but it makes a bit of a difference to me when I'm supplying the "board"...

 

After the 1st finder, I'm happy to give out hints to anyone who asks (although my hints fall short of the website's "go to N44 22.332, W074 11.798"), so I guess my resentment comes from somebody taking the power away from me...shame on me.

 

jamie

Edited December 2, 2005 by NFA

[CoyoteRed]

To us, his find was every bit as valid as the others!

Sure, it was.

 

We're talking about logs that basically are, "Didn't bother with puzzle. Got final coords off cheater site. Signed log."

[CoyoteRed]

Another thought. If cheater sites catch on and become acceptible, will there be any need to even place a puzzle considering only the first one or two finds will likely be valid?

 

If it's purely for the puzzle then why place the cache at all? Simply create the puzzle and let folks email you their results. Why bother with the hassle of placing the physical cache?

 

No, I and others like me, want to hold the line against these cheaters because to do otherwise we might as well kiss puzzles goodbye.

[+Moose Mob]

The hostility in this thread, whether real or percieved, seems to be increasing at a higher rate than reaching any solution or consensus.

 

If we can't keep this civil, then this thread will have to be closed.

 

Thanks

M M

Edited December 2, 2005 by Moose Mob

[+Googling Hrpty Hrrs]

Smilies equate to status.

 

I diagree with this notion. For myself, smilies and frownies are just record-keeping tools for my use. I don't think that this is (or should be) a status oriented game.

 

My next statement will be unpopular, but I believe it's acurate...

 

I believe hiding caches are somewhat a service to the caching community. I don't hide caches for my own enjoyment- I do it for the enjoyment I hope it brings for the finders. (Not saying hiding them ain't fun, but finding them is certainly more challenging- I don't know where they are!)

You'll notice that it's not the puzzle cache FINDERS complaining here. For the most part they're saying, "Doesn't really matter. I like to solve the puzzles myself anyway."

It's cache OWNERS making the complaints. For me, as long as people are enjoying themselves finding my caches, I'm happy. Quite frankly, my caches are NOT for my enjoyment, they are for the pleasure of others. I didn't hide them for me. Doesn't matter to me exactly HOW they come to that enjoyment. I'm more concerned about THEIR experience with my cache than MY experience with their finding of it.

I've been very proud to find some difficult caches. If I read later logs and found out that they were told exactly how to find the cache from someone else, it would not bother me a lick. It doesn't cheapen my experience with the cache.

 

Focus on the FUN.

[+sept1c_tank]

Smilies equate to status.

 

I disagree with this notion. For myself, smilies and frownies are just record-keeping tools for my use. I don't think that this is (or should be) a status oriented game....You'll notice that it's not the puzzle cache FINDERS complaining here. For the most part they're saying, "Doesn't really matter. I like to solve the puzzles myself anyway."

It's cache OWNERS making the complaints....

I have only recently become interested in seeking puzzle caches (as yet, I own none). The reason I'm interested is because of the challenge they might provide. Because of that, why would I want to cheat? (Oh boy, I didn't solve another puzzle.)

 

I disagree that smilies are representative of status.

 

Because the great majority of cachers will never know about this supposed cheat site, and because the site, itself, is incomplete and not at all helpful for the majority of caches, all this fuss is moot.

 

And to those puzzle cache owners who feel they have been violated, relax. Perhaps in your perception you have been, but in the perception of almost everyone else (simply because they are not aware of this cheater site fiasco), your puzzles are intact and virgin.

[+Metaphor]

Smilies equate to status.

 

In some people's minds. In mine, the caches I've done give me status-- with me. I haven't used any clues other than those provided by the owner, I've found what I said I've found, cached wher e I've said I've cached, and been honest in my trades and transfers. I don't necessarily trust anyone's else statistics because their profile says so. Too many people cut corners to look good in others' eyes; after all, isn't bigger, better? I'm not worried that someone might demean me finding (or not finding) your puzzle cache because they used a cheater's page, so please, don't archive it out of spite. You'll be hurting me, the cacher who will try to find it on his own -- literally, as 99% of my finds have been solo ones.

 

The angst here is for naught, if you trust that most cachers will not use the cheats, and of those that do, well, it just gives me another person to look down my nose at from my lofty persch of self-gratified superiority.

[+Vinny & Sue Team]

Smilies equate to status.

 

I diagree with this notion. For myself, smilies and frownies are just record-keeping tools for my use. I don't think that this is (or should be) a status oriented game.

 

My next statement will be unpopular, but I believe it's acurate...

 

I believe hiding caches are somewhat a service to the caching community. I don't hide caches for my own enjoyment- I do it for the enjoyment I hope it brings for the finders. (Not saying hiding them ain't fun, but finding them is certainly more challenging- I don't know where they are!)

You'll notice that it's not the puzzle cache FINDERS complaining here. For the most part they're saying, "Doesn't really matter. I like to solve the puzzles myself anyway."

It's cache OWNERS making the complaints. For me, as long as people are enjoying themselves finding my caches, I'm happy. Quite frankly, my caches are NOT for my enjoyment, they are for the pleasure of others. I didn't hide them for me. Doesn't matter to me exactly HOW they come to that enjoyment. I'm more concerned about THEIR experience with my cache than MY experience with their finding of it.

I've been very proud to find some difficult caches. If I read later logs and found out that they were told exactly how to find the cache from someone else, it would not bother me a lick. It doesn't cheapen my experience with the cache.

 

Focus on the FUN.

Thanks for your post! I agree with these observations! Smilies need not equal status nor an exclusive inner circle of achievement, and for us, the primary reason why we place caches is as a service to the geocaching community. Yes, we get some enjoyment out of it as well, but that is secondary.

[+Tharagleb]

OK, puzzlephobes--give this one a try.  There is no math involved--the challenge is in finding the information at each stop, but nobody has failed to solve it yet.

Actually, this one is more my speed . . .

I was gonna do a puzzle cache where you added .001 to the given N and W coords. People who filtered out puzzle caches on principle would be out of luck.

 

/BTW I liked yours Miragee.

Edited December 2, 2005 by Tharagleb

[+reveritt]

...

I was gonna do a puzzle cache where you added .001 to the given N and W coords. People who filtered out puzzle caches on principle would be out of luck. ...

That would be an offset cache, which is technically a type of puzzle cache (question mark icon).

[+Miragee]

OK, puzzlephobes--give this one a try.  There is no math involved--the challenge is in finding the information at each stop, but nobody has failed to solve it yet.

Actually, this one is more my speed . . .

I was gonna do a puzzle cache where you added .001 to the given N and W coords. People who filtered out puzzle caches on principle would be out of luck.

 

/BTW I liked yours Miragee.

I don't filter them out "on principle." I filter them out because the local cachers create really devious, impossible-for-me-to-solve puzzles.

 

If there was some way I could filter for "possible-for-me-to-solve" like this one, that would be wonderful.

[+Moose Mob]

...

I was gonna do a puzzle cache where you added .001 to the given N and W coords. People who filtered out puzzle caches on principle would be out of luck.  ...

That would be an offset cache, which is technically a type of puzzle cache (question mark icon).

Actually, offset caches are a type of multi cache.

 

But.. if they had to do the math, such as "add the difference between .006 and .005" to the latitude", then it becomes a puzzle.

[CoyoteRed]

I disagree that smilies are representative of status.

There is an absolute disconnect with this statement and the rest of the forums.

 

"Who has the most finds?"

"Who has found the most in 24 hours?"

"Should I give a smilie to someone if they were there and the cache was not?"

"Should I let someone have a smilie for (fill in the blank)?"

"Why should I hunt your cache if I don't get a smilie?"

 

On and on, ad nauseum.

 

If smilies weren't status, if they weren't tossed around like curency, why would there be these sorts of questions?

 

Folks might not like that smilies create status, I'm one of them, but to say they don't, at least in a subset of cachers, is absurd.

[ju66l3r]

If the question were "Who has the most finds, I must worship at their altar", then it's a matter of status.

 

I wonder who has the most in my area occasionally. It's more of a trivia or "because we keep track" thing than a status symbol.

 

In fact, in most of those threads you use as example, someone invariably says "well, they have the most, but it's a team..." or "i wouldn't give them a smilie, but it doesn't matter if you do...". And the original poster says something like "yeah, true, just curious" or "just wondering what other people do, I know it doesn't matter really".

 

In fact, the only people who use those threads to defend the "status" provided by smilies are the same people that I think worry too much about whether their puzzle has spoilers available on the web. Then again, maybe the forum provides the right kind of place/atmosphere for self-selecting the type of person that gets set-off by issues like this...and in turn, they also ask questions like "how can I see who's pedestal is the highest".

 

I bet more users are like Metaphor or myself in thinking it petty that you'd deprive us (via archival) of trying out an interesting puzzle that you created just because you're hoping to preserve some derived "status" of exclusivity that comes with putting out a puzzle cache and safeguarding the smilies from users of spoilers the only way you can be absolutely certain.

 

Security through obscurity has never been failsafe.

[+Miragee]

How do you puzzle cache owners feel about people who cache with others who have figured out the puzzle?

 

Would you delete the find of someone who accompanied the other person on the hike to the cache location?

 

Just wondering . . .

[+reveritt]

It's a game. Scoring points confers status as perceived by many players. There are rules. Most people follow them, but a few people cheat. Cheating is looked down on--especially by those who score points legitimately. What's so hard to understand?

 

YOU may not think that a find count confers status, but other players do.

[+tozainamboku]

CR -

 

The problem is you imply that the status of one more smilie is enough for someone to decide to cheat at a puzzle. There may be some people who get more satisfaction of their find count going up by one then they would get from solving the puzzle legitimately. There are some people who would rather find a bunch of 1/1 micros in Walmart parking lots rather than find one 4/1 micro in a unique and interesting place. If the smilie is the only thing that drives a person to do a cache so be it. Other people will do a particular cache becauses its fun or its challenging.

I suspect if someone came up with a way to take the peanuts out of rocky road, a lot of people who don't like peanuts would eat rocky road ice cream and the rocky road manufacturers would complain that if they wanted you to eat rocky road without peanuts they would of made it that way in the first place.