A Webpage Of Cache Puzzle Solutions

[+4leafclover]

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.

I LOVE THAT!

 

 

NORM

Edited November 30, 2005 by 4leafclover

[Mushtang]

I've got a puzzle cache that I'm pretty proud of. Can someone check and see if my Puzzle Of The Century is on the site?

[+NoLemon]

I've got a puzzle cache that I'm pretty proud of. Can someone check and see if my Puzzle Of The Century is on the site?

It is not.

[Mushtang]

I've got a puzzle cache that I'm pretty proud of.  Can someone check and see if my Puzzle Of The Century is on the site?

It is not.

Thanks for checking.

[+tozainamboku]

If its so hard to find the site by googling for it then perhaps its easier to just do the puzzle

 

By the way, it took a bit of time but I was able to get to the site. My two hardest and newest puzzles are not listed. Three others are but have no hits. It seems this site hasn't been discovered by too many cachers in my area yet or that they are honest and no one is posting hints.

[+Team Perks]

I tried googling the site and couldn't find it. I'm with Toz on this one; it's probably easier just to do the dadgum puzzle.

 

Personally, I don't care if the solutions to my puzzle caches are on there or not. None of them are difficult ones anyhow. If you wanna cheat to find the solutions, go for it. One way or another, you still found the cache and your name is in the log book. Beyond that, you're only cheating yourself.

 

Would I use the site, even if I knew where it was, and even if it had ALL of the solutions? No way. I've pretty much abandoned looking for puzzle caches; if I want puzzles, I'll buy a crossword book. There are more than enough other caches to keep me busy for years to come.

[+Metaphor]

How is this any different from collecting icons for coins and tb's you've never touched?

 

(just poking the hornet's nest with a stick...I'll run away now. Personally, I wouldn't even bother to look at the site, let alone use any information from it to help me find a cache.)

[+AuntieWeasel]

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.

No, you don't understand. It doesn't have anything to do with how hard or easy the puzzle is. Well, it does in that I could never in a zillionty-jillion years do a hard one. But I can't do the easy ones, either. I mean, yes, that was very funny, but just because something's a trick question doesn't mean I'll get the joke. I'd be all "wait, was the thing about the stamps B or C? Hang on, I punched that in already, didn't I? That thing about the month having 28 days, did it mean how many have only that many or how many have at least that many? Wait, is that something shiny by my foot? Where was I? Are there two twos or did I just mess up? Have I finished the top row? Do you smell something? Can I have a puppy?"

 

My brain is not my friend.

[+4leafclover]

How is this any different from collecting icons for coins and tb's you've never touched?

 

(just poking the hornet's nest with a stick...I'll run away now. Personally, I wouldn't even bother to look at the site, let alone use any information from it to help me find a cache.)

I believe it has to do with playing YOUR game...your OWN way.

[+flask]

How is this any different from collecting icons for coins and tb's you've never touched?

 

ack, ack! don't even get me STARTED on that distasteful practice.

 

hey, we have a local geocacher whom we know has done this to get a german geocoin icon.

 

we (my pals) just happen to have a REAL german geocoin circulating among us. we have made a pact never to let this guy lay hands on it.

 

and ok, icon whores! why not just claim you were at an APE cache, too? you know the coordinates. just pretend you were there.

 

/derailment

[+the hermit crabs]

My brain is not my friend.

 

Okay, Auntie, here's one for you.

 

I have no idea why this was even made a "puzzle cache".

 

Even if it's a bit far to drive, you can just say "Oh, yeah, it's on my solved-but-unfound list" and make it sound like you solve cache puzzles all the time just for fun.

[+treasure_hunter]

OMG someone just notified me that my cache is on there. I cant believe that my cache is on there if someone has to cheat to find my cache I feel really sorry for them.

[+Lil Devil]

The site claims "There are 9273 Reviews in the database." Obviously no one entered that many by hand. They probably ran some PQs or screen scraped to get the cache names and links, which is all that is listed initially. The site is depending on visitors to add the actual "spoilers." As has already been pointed out in this thread, 99.9% have no spoiler information at all. The 4 I've seen that have anything, only have hints to push you in the right direction. No outright solutions (that I've seen). I wouldn't really worry about it.

[+Renegade Knight]

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.

Most of our locals ones are funny containers. Go figure.

[+ParrotRobAndCeCe]

How is this any different from collecting icons for coins and tb's you've never touched?

 

ack, ack! don't even get me STARTED on that distasteful practice.

 

hey, we have a local geocacher whom we know has done this to get a german geocoin icon.

 

we (my pals) just happen to have a REAL german geocoin circulating among us. we have made a pact never to let this guy lay hands on it.

 

and ok, icon whores! why not just claim you were at an APE cache, too? you know the coordinates. just pretend you were there.

 

/derailment

There's an entire cache somewhere near here whose entire purpose is apparently to allow you to collect icons. Inside the cache is a list of numbers you can use to log coins. The coins themselves are in the possession of the cache owner, but if you find his cache you can get the numbers out of it. Go figure. To each, his own, I guess?

[+S Keillan]

Just found the site. Three of my four are in the list, but no solutions yet. I did see where one cacher that I've met has posted comments saying that he'll archive a cache if it has a solution posted. It's a shame that it's coming down to what is essentually nuclear brinksmanship.

[+S Keillan]

Also, just ran a WHOIS database search on that particular site. Whoever is running it is hiding behind a bulk domain registration. To whoever is running the site, I dare you to reveal yourself. In fact, I DOUBLE dare you!

[+DocDiTTo]

Two of mine are there. I posted the following in the comments section for each:

 

"This page is monitored on a regular basis. If a solution is posted here, this cache will be archived and all recent find logs will be deleted."

 

In reality I'll probably never bother looking at the site again, but it's the threat that counts.

 

Looks like most of the "solutions" are cache owners complaining about the site.

[+NotThePainter]

On the other hand...

 

I'm a puzzle hider and I found 2 of my puzzles on the site. For both of them I posted a the following note:

 

Great puzzle. Just read the logs and you'll see how much the solvers have enjoyed it. NotThePainter is very helpful with clues, just ask him.

 

Essentially I'm telling the cheaters that they are missing out on a fun time and to just ask for help. I've had finders find it without guidance, I've had finders only need a subtle push, and I've had more than a dozen emails with some finders. The point is to enjoy yourself. If you enjoy puzzles, do them, if you don't, well, don't I guess.

 

I don't want to archive my puzzles, some of them were a lot of work. My most recent took about a year of on and off again calendar time to place. Two of them have interesting containers which can't be changed. 2 of the puzzles can't be changed.

 

I guess if somebody logs a false find I'll let it sit. They are just cheating themselves and I don't want to take the fun away from others.

[Mustcache]

Would someone please either check to see if my puzzle caches are listed or kindly email me the link?

 

Thanks.

[+NetworkCacher]

I do puzzle caches occassionally. I have to admit I sympathize with the cache creators that have had the solutions posted somewhere without their knowledge. Given the hard work that goes into creating good puzzle caches I wouldn't want that sabotaged.

 

Still I know that there are some cache owners who are not helpful and have gone to great lengths to make their puzzle caches as diabolical and frustrating as possible. I would be sorely tempted to peak at the hints or solutions for these types.

 

my $.02

[+the hermit crabs]

Would someone please either check to see if my puzzle caches are listed or kindly email me the link?

 

Thanks.

Four of your six puzzle caches are there, but all of them have zero hits.

[+Quiggle]

Would someone please either check to see if my puzzle caches are listed or kindly email me the link?

 

Thanks.

 

Mustcache,

 

As Lil Devil pointed out above, probably 99.9% of the caches do not have any spoiler information. Even some newer (past 4-6 months) caches are not listed at all. There are quite a few caches listed, but the majority have no information at all, including yours. The ones that do, at least that I saw, had something posted but would not be of much, if any, help. The site relies on others to post the clues, but I don't see many people willing to give up freely the answers that they worked hard on to solve the puzzle on their own.

 

Quiggle

[markandlynn]

Found the site found a solution to one of my caches, my inbox at home has some emails re the solution to this cache from an individual in another country.....

Hmmm i wonder

[Zoptrop]

Please help me understand all the "gnashing of teeth" over this...

 

Is it because

 

A. Someone *other* than the cache hider has posted solutions

B. The fact that a page exists with solutions *at all*

 

After all, you would have to "seek out" this page and it's solutions - it's not like someone posted them into the logs.

 

Would it be acceptable if it were "voluntary" for cache hiders to have solutions posted, or would that still be considered blasphemy?

 

Has anyone played any of the Myst computer games? Has anyone used a third-party hint book or walk through? Is that any different?

 

(I've used the hint books for all of the Myst and Dark Side of the Moon games- only after hacking around by myself for several months and thoroughly enjoyed the "trip").

 

Note: I'm honestly asking these questions, because until now I wouldn't have had an opinion either way, and I'm not sure that I do (have an opinion) at this point. My only cache puzzle is deliberately "simple" so I don't think I'd be offended if the solution was posted, but if I spent an inordinate amount of time coming up with some evil cache then I might see things the other way. Hmm... I don't know what to think.

[+carleenp]

Would it be acceptable if it were "voluntary" for cache hiders to have solutions posted, or would that still be considered blasphemy?

 

I think that would be fine. If a cache owner doesn't mind, then there really is little issue outside the fact that others who solved without the use of cheats might find it annoying. But the amount of hints on a cache is up to the owner.

 

In this case though, it is not voluntary and requests by owners to remove their caches from the site have been ignored.

[+Mule Ears]

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.

[Zoptrop]

Interestingly my puzzle cache is listed on that site, but no comments or solutions or anything that I could tell. Mine has only been around for a couple of months and has been found less than 20 times or so.

 

Now... in the same vein, I listed a cache where I was deliberately vague on the description and attempted to list the coordinates for the trail with "the cache is somewhere nearby within 50 feet" because I wanted people to explore the area and "discover" the cache on their own (and in an attempt to make it a little harder to find). Needless to say, that totally backfired so I switched doing a puzzle cache for my next one.

[4wheelin_fool]

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.

Yes, what would happen if someone posted the wrong solutions to the puzzles?

[CoyoteRed]

Is it because

 

A. Someone *other* than the cache hider has posted solutions

Yes.

 

The cache owner should have full control over how the cache is presented.

 

I don't know how it is in other places, but around here "phone-a friend" and other life-lines won't get you an outright solution. Extra hints, nudges, and vague confirmations are it. Some queries will get you a stern "it's supposed to be hard, figure it out."

 

The problem with keeping this list secret is cache owners who might have had solutions to their caches listed may not be aware of it while the seekers are. This I find disturbing.

 

No one has yet given me a good reason to not distribute this URL to all puzzle cache owners I know. I think every owner of a cache listed should know about it. Anyone care to give good reason why not?

[+Polgara]

You learn nothing and miss the point if you use that site, not to mention demoralizing....can't people solve puzzles on their own? You need someone to spell it out for you? C'mon.

[+olbluesguy]

My suggestion would be to change the puzzle slightly so that legit.seekers would still enjoy the hunt, but with a new final destination.

While leaving the cheaters a note at the old cache site saying something like...

In order to claim a find on this cache you must use the word on the bottom of the container in a sentence when logging a find on the cache page.

[CoyoteRed]

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.

Yes, what would happen if someone posted the wrong solutions to the puzzles?

This is, in fact, a way to directly attack the usefulness of this site. Be aware, though, that IPs are easily tracked and whole blocks of reviews could be removed in one fell swoop.

 

The trick is to use anonymous proxy servers so the the site sees a different IP for every entry, or every few entries. There are programs that will collect lists of these servers and change them automatically for you.

 

Then use misdirection;

• Post hints on how to solve a puzzle which are complete bogus and gets the puzzlee nowhere, or...
  
• Post solutions which are in a different park or several hundred feet off. Anything to frustrate users of coordinates taken directly from the cheat.
  

In short, make it so the cheater has to somehow confirm the information is coorect or bog them down in wild goose chases. Pretty soon they would abandon the site, I'd think.

 

The best avenue though IMHO is to simply let every owner of a listed cache to know of the existance of this site so they can monitor any cheats and take appropriate actions as they see fit.

[SCP-173]

I wouldn't really worry about it.

Speak for yourself. I have a cache on there that has a very good "hint". Much more of a hint than I would ever give.

 

Yes, what would happen if someone posted the wrong solutions to the puzzles?

I did that and in my case they were deleted.

[markandlynn]

Wont help anyone with ours you have to know how to solve the last puzzle to solve the puzzle on the box.

Or enter 9999 numbers on the combination lock

I see a whole raft of offset puzzle caches appearing

[+olbluesguy]

I say lets fill it up with Bogus entries.I have noticed it getting a lot of harsh comments

 

Taken from a regional geo site.

 

Current Registrar: DIRECT INFORMATION PVT. LTD., DBA DIRECTI.COM

IP Address: 70.84.56.4 (ARIN & RIPE IP search)

IP Location: US(UNITED STATES)-TEXAS-DALLAS

Record Type: Domain Name

Server Type: Apache

Lock Status: ACTIVE

Web Site Status: Active

DMOZ no listings

Y! Directory: see listings

Web Site Title: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx :: Caches are meant to be found

Meta Description: Caches are meant to be found

Secure: No

E-commerce: No

Traffic Ranking: Not available

Data as of: 14-Jun-2005

[+Allen_L]

Now everyone should be able to pick out the needed phrase to feed Google.

[ju66l3r]

Heh, all additions to the website must be e-mailed to them now.

 

I honestly wouldn't care if people used spoilers or not. It's their loss in my opinion.

 

I put out a fun game, but in the end, it's still just a box in the woods to be found.

 

In the end, you can't easily fight this any better than you can fight someone who signs their friend's name in the book for them "because he woulda been out here if he didn't have to work" or whatever else have you.

 

People who want smilies no matter how they get them will get what they want. It's amazing how many control freaks seem to be attracted to this game.

[+AuntieWeasel]

It's amazing how many control freaks seem to be attracted to this game.

Control freaks are attracted to all games. It's the nature of games: people who like a game and want to do well at it prefer it if the rules are clearly dilineated.

[ju66l3r]

It's amazing how many control freaks seem to be attracted to this game.

Control freaks are attracted to all games. It's the nature of games: people who like a game and want to do well at it prefer it if the rules are clearly dilineated.

Here's where it gets interesting though...unlike the 528' argument or something in the guidelines, there is no rule that says "you can't give away the ending to the puzzle"...yet, everyone's acting like it's there and the spoilers are against the rules.

 

If video game makers acted the same way people in here are doing, they'd have a heart attack if they ever saw http://www.gamefaqs.com (run by a big company no less!). There are whole segments of the game industry built around walking people through the hardest games...yet they still make new games!!

 

To hear talk around here, they should close shop and go home..no more video games for you!

 

What about the opposite tactic? Put out more puzzles with even more devious tricks. Make it nigh impossible for a site like that to keep up with the latest puzzles (especially if they're going to continue to require e-mailed submissions) and it is suddenly only good for people who want to do the previous year's hits.

 

It works for the video game industry and everybody wins. Puzzle doers get new puzzles to bend brain over, spoilers get written for yesterday's news and the lazy/greedy get another smilie months late, and puzzle makers get pride in creating more puzzles rather than taking their ball and going home.

 

Heck, put out your own spoilers (similar to snoogans' comments) with even more pizazz than that other site (include pictures and history of the cache, etc)...and you might even get to charge a quarter per booklet sold (ala Cheat Book Manufacturers).

[Mustcache]

 

If video game makers acted the same way people in here are doing, they'd have a heart attack if they ever saw...

Of course. Those cheat sites help the sale of the videos and that's money! Are we in it for the money? No, so there goes your analogy.

 

I create puzzle caches to give a person a challenge. How about this analogy:

 

You have a 5-star cache. I will carry anyone to the cache. They can snooze or watch a video on their iPod, while I do all the work. We get to the cache, they sign the log. I carry them back. Was that your intent when you created the cache? No. You wanted to offer a challenge to the people to find your cache.

[+Brian - Team A.I.]

Is Fundamental Flaw listed? I'd love to see how someone put together a valid cheat for it, considering the number of cachers with finds on in over the last 2 years.

[ju66l3r]

 

If video game makers acted the same way people in here are doing, they'd have a heart attack if they ever saw...

Of course. Those cheat sites help the sale of the videos and that's money! Are we in it for the money? No, so there goes your analogy.

 

I create puzzle caches to give a person a challenge. How about this analogy:

 

You have a 5-star cache. I will carry anyone to the cache. They can snooze or watch a video on their iPod, while I do all the work. We get to the cache, they sign the log. I carry them back. Was that your intent when you created the cache? No. You wanted to offer a challenge to the people to find your cache.

That's why it's an analogy and not an identity.

 

So according to you, their money is equivalent to what? Your satisfaction? I hope you know that most people aren't finding geocaches just to boost the satisfaction of the hider...just like people don't spend money on video games because of some desire to feed the video game makers.

 

People play games for the fun they get out of it...same as geocache finders find geocaches for the fun they get out of it. If some people get their fun by doing what the book tells them, so be it.

 

It's the "control freak" aspect of requiring each finder's experience to be some pattern you've derived in your head ("yes, yes, they'll do stage 1 then stage 2...and on to the final stage!") that has most of you mixed up. Get your satisfaction from putting out a good puzzle and knowing that some people will really get a kick out of doing it "your way" rather than from the continual flow of every single finder.

 

If someone wants to be carried to the top of a mountain to find a 5-star terrain cache, more power to them (maybe more importantly the person carrying them). If someone figures out how to parachute to the location and avoid the entire hike completely, more power to them too. Hey, if they just happen to live next door and can use their private access road to drive to the top, even better. What do I care how they got there, since there are plenty of people having fun hiking there too? Besides, I'm too busy figuring out my next satisfaction-deriving 5-star terrain cache to care about the guy(s) being rickshawed to the top of a mountain I put a cache on months ago.

 

Why would you let someone else's actions ruin your good time (especially since in this game you make your own good times!)? That's the crazy part.

[ju66l3r]

Is Fundamental Flaw listed? I'd love to see how someone put together a valid cheat for it, considering the number of cachers with finds on in over the last 2 years.

I dunno, but without trying very hard to search around much, it appears that there are about 9000+ puzzles claimed to be listed in the database and probably no more than 20-40 have what even comes close to a full solution.

[+Lil Devil]

it appears that there are about 9000+ puzzles claimed to be listed in the database and probably no more than 20-40 have what even comes close to a full solution.

What a great observation!

[Mustcache]

Why would you let someone else's actions ruin your good time (especially since in this game you make your own good times!)? That's the crazy part.

Let's say that I created a challenging puzzle cache and that someone took the time to solve and find it. Then when they logged it, they included the coords. I'd be a little PO'd. I would immediately delete the log entry. Why? I'd like the next person to have the same opportunity to start from scratch.

I'd be more PO'd if I couldn't delete the log and that's essentially what would happen if the solve was published on that website.

 

I still had fun creating the puzzle, but I can't continue to enjoy seeing cachers try to solve it.

 

That's all.

[+flask]

ah. well, if you skip one of my stages on one of my puzzle caches due to your own cleverness, good for you. if the puzzles are being circumvented completely by a cheat site, i'll archive the cache.

 

i can put another puzzle in another place.

 

if i wanted my caches to be walkovers, i'd make them that way. if they become walkovers, it's time to redo them. and if you have to redo it, you may as well start from scratch and let the finders of the original have a whack at the new one.

 

teh interesting thing to me is that apparently the scum-sucking bottom-feeding loser running the site is monitoring this conversation, probably with some glee.

 

"oh, good!", s/he says. "i love getting caches archived! i will be famous and people will adore me. more people will come to my site and look for solutions."

 

..."oh. and then there will be no puzzles left."

 

it's probably some disgruntled pea-brain with an axe to grind over the puzzles s/he can't solve.

 

"caches are meant to be found. i'll just make the answers available to everyone."

 

 

well, i'm meant to be rich. i'm coming over to your house to take your stuff.

 

giggle away, slime-sucker. you have probably posted TO this thread. truth will out. they found the pirates. they found the cache maggots. they'll find you. i won't be responsible for what they'll do to you or your caches. you may wish you carry rubber gloves with you.

 

me, i will wait quietly for news of your demise. or at least your public ridicule.

 

no, wait. i've recently had a "shift of focus". i'm going to hope you wake up and decide to be a better person than you are.

[+AuntieWeasel]

Why would you let someone else's actions ruin your good time (especially since in this game you make your own good times!)?  That's the crazy part.

What a peculiar thing to say. I'm sure that didn't come out the way you meant it to. "Someone else's actions" covers a lot of territory. 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.

 

I'll assume you meant "why would you let actions that don't directly or physically affect you ruin your good time?" But I'd still consider it a pretty autistic approach to a social activity. You can't hide and seek your own caches -- it takes two to play the game, minimum. Like it or not, there's a social component to caching.

 

People who hide caches -- particularly those twisted, cruel people who hide puzzle caches -- have expended effort to craft an experience for the seeker. Wishing it to go a certain way isn't selfish of them, it's intended to be a gift. And people who seek caches, like people who play any game, are going to be interested in the way other people play. You don't have to play against a cheater to be entitled to look down on one.

[+The Leprechauns]

Back-to-back posts from flask and Auntie Weasel, two of my favorite writers. I want a framed copy of this thread.

[+reveritt]

I am THAT bad at puzzles.

I have never successfully solved a puzzle cache by myself in my whole miserable life. ...

Anybody who can use Google can solve this puzzle cache.

 

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