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Puzzle Caches


hobo dude

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How many puzzle caches do you have in your different areas?? It just about seems that 1 in 5 new caches set in my area is a puzzle that nearly requires a degree to solve. If you don't have a computer or cryptology background or experience they just take too much time and suck all the joy out of the game/sport. This seems to be prevelant in my area as many others that I have cached in do not go to this extreme. What are the thoughts by others out there??

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Around 10 percent of the caches in my area are puzzles. I'll never be able to solve many of them, so I just skip them. The high-difficulty ones I can put on my "ignore" list, or filter them out when working with my local pocket query. There's still that other 90 percent to find.

 

When I am out of town, I don't have time for difficult caches so I filter out everything that's four stars for difficulty or higher. That tends to weed out the evil puzzles. I don't have any problem filling up a pocket query with 500 non-puzzle caches.

 

I know that a lot of other people really like these, so I won't begrudge them their fun just because I suck at math and science.

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I just got back from a trip to Tampa and I didn't notice very many puzzle caches there. So it does vary from place to place.

 

The NoVA area does seem to have a higher concentration of puzzle caches. I think it is due to the concentration of technology companies and cache density. Seems like most cachers around here (at least the ones that love puzzles) have an engineering, science or software-developer background. Plus, with the cache density increasing rapidly, many hiders want to make their caches stand out and appeal to the hardcore cachers. I like a good crypto puzzle every now and then myself, but lately I've added quite a few to my ignore list.

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Well, duh B) ! We just have two of the master puzzlers in the area putting them out there. With Ekitt10 and TT at work, our first page of "caches to be found" has 11 puzzles to do. Some are fun and some are just toooooo out there for us.

 

We work on the ones that make some sense and the others we look at now and then and wonder what they're really all about. :)

 

Trowel32 seems to be one of the best puzzle solvers we've noticed. Maybe we can get her to tutor us in puzzle solving.

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We have a few puzzle caches here, but I'd like to see more. I love them! I can only do so many bison tubes in pine trees (don't get me started) before I'm in the mood for something different that required more than 10 seconds combined to both plan and hide.

 

My hides are mostly puzzles that get great compliments, but you just need some smarts to solve them, and not a degree in calculus or a member of the CIA codebreaking team. It is possible to make a puzzle cache that doesn't require codebreaking skills...

 

It's definitely regional though. If you don't like them, don't do them. Easy enough.

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How many puzzle caches do you have in your different areas?? It just about seems that 1 in 5 new caches set in my area is a puzzle that nearly requires a degree to solve. If you don't have a computer or cryptology background or experience they just take too much time and suck all the joy out of the game/sport. This seems to be prevelant in my area as many others that I have cached in do not go to this extreme. What are the thoughts by others out there??

 

There are some puzzle caches in my area, a few of which I've placed. They're a part of the game, just like hydro caches and caches with long hikes associated with them...most people won't seek them.

 

I like to try all sorts of caches out, but mainly seek traditional caches when I go geocaching. I place all sorts of caches because I want to attract cachers of all sort to my area to play the game the way that they like to play (when I started caching, there were almost no caches or cachers up here in the ADKs).

 

When I'm caching from my home territory, I just ignore the caches I don't feel like seeking. When I travel and cache, I set up a PQ that will just deliver the types of caches I feel like finding.

 

With my puzzle caches, I give out hints to anyone who asks for them, particularly after FTF.

 

Jamie

Edited by NFA
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I like what this cacher in Vermont did. He posted a bookmark list with solutions to all his puzzle caches. He said he wanted people who didn't like puzzles to do his caches. After all, it is about getting *out* there and having fun, not solving puzzles.

 

Spoilers to Puzzle caches

 

Well that's stupid! :)

 

BTW, it worked, people who never did my caches flocked to do them.

Edited by Tharagleb
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Thank you Theragleb! We've solved some very difficult cyphers and found some tricky hides. We've also hidden a "puzzle" cache that requires some very specific knowledge. It just seems a good compromise to have an alternative for folks that just like to find caches. That seems the best of both worlds -- let those that like to solve puzzles have their fun, but don't deprive the "find" for those that just like to get out there. We'll work on making that possible for the Physics cache we placed. Thanks

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I like what this cacher in Vermont did. He posted a bookmark list with solutions to all his puzzle caches. He said he wanted people who didn't like puzzles to do his caches. ...

 

...

BTW, it worked, people who never did my caches flocked to do them.

 

Frodo_Underhill in SJ opened up his caches to a wider audience by putting a link to walk-trough on his cache pages. Quick Brown Fox. While the cache's 'tudes are not spoiled, there are clear instructions on how to solve the puzzle.

 

I love this idea. I'm now in the process of completing something similar.

In the next week or so, you'll be able to find hints, nudges and solutions in some of my "longer walk" caches or those that require a little dedication .

 

NatureBoy44 changed his cipher puzzle caches to point right to the cache, so solving the cipher is no longer required. Oddly enough, this hasn't resulted significantly more visits to these caches.

Edited by ekitt10
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Sorry Hobo Dude, but my next cache is going to be a puzzle. But for this one I am going to be placing a solution card into another cache. Additionally as with all my puzzles, since this game is “supposed” to be fun all you have to do is ask and I can help.

 

I tend to lean towards puzzles, because of the fun I have creating and solving them.

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Sorry Hobo Dude, but my next cache is going to be a puzzle. But for this one I am going to be placing a solution card into another cache. Additionally as with all my puzzles, since this game is “supposed” to be fun all you have to do is ask and I can help.

 

I tend to lean towards puzzles, because of the fun I have creating and solving them.

 

Me too, I hope to have my puzzle cache placed over this weekend. The puzzle seems simple to me, but probably not to everyone.

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While puzzles do offer some variety and a welcomed change of pace for those who have the time and inclination to attempt a solution, the overall fun factor starts to go down when they become the predominant type of hide in a given area. I have to go along with Sea Dog in that geocaching is all about getting out there...for me that translates into visiting as many different places as possible in the limited time I can devote to this activity. Personally, I'd like to see more creative hides rather than a bunch of puzzles. :blink:

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I love the puzzle caches. When it's 10 degrees outside and a foot of snow on the ground, I choose not to search for the cache in the woods that will end up being a small and nearly impossible. Instead I choose to either plan or solve a couple puzzles. I enjoy the ones I can do from home at my desk, at least in the winter. When its nice out I enjoy the ones that are field solvable. I have placed 1 of each style so far. White Noise is a good one for making you think and is solved at home while Toddler Toon Trivia is field solvable and is easier the younger the kids are. It's funny watching 40 somethings DNF a cache that 4 year olds solve in seconds. Both have gotten good reviews from the people who have attempted them.

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I'd have to say that Puzzle density depends solely on the active cachers in the area, and their love/hate for the puzzle cache. Personally, I really enjoy the puzzle caches and enjoy making them for others. It's true that they are not everyone's cup of tea, but they serve a niche. Just as long hike caches, hellacious urban micros, paddle only caches, or the cache-and-dash power trails serve for others.

 

When I first started getting into caching big time, I had just moved to San Diego. Surprisingly for as active a geo-community as SD is, there weren't a lot of puzzles. There were about 15 or 20 puzzle icons total in that metro area out of about 1200 total caches. Myself and a few other puzzle geeks then started placing a few more and it took off like wildfire. Now in the SD Metro Area there are about 250 puzzle caches!! Including the whole of SD county there are about 400!

 

New Jersey (where I now live) has just over 125 for the whole state. Not nearly as active a puzzle community as other areas I've been to. For a true puzzle Mecca, just take a trip to the South Bay (San Jose, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara) out in California, or around Seattle. These two places tend to be some of the larger puzzle dense cache areas that I've seen.

 

The other upshot of the puzzle is that for most you can try to solve them remotely before going hunting. I enjoy taking a look at the other parts of the nation and trying to solve puzzles from all over. It gives good insight into how others design puzzles and what is popular to design these days. (Please for the love of God no more Su Doku puzzles!!!) :anibad:

 

Anyone know of any other puzzle dense areas across the nation?

 

Keep on puzzlin'!!!

 

--TT--

Edited by TucsonThompsen
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Don't skip them. Most cache owners will gladly help you through a puzzle that has been found already. If I can't finish one I will ask for help. Typically the owner teaches you the way and is useful for other caches.

 

I think the worst thing here in Pittsburgh is a cacher who trades away the answers to puzzles in exchange for the answer to other puzzles. He even offered me two White Jeep Travel Bugs for the answer to a puzzle!

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I would rather skip the puzzle than to cheat *myself* on completing the challenge of solving it. I know that others trade information, including hints on my own caches, and I don't let that bother me because they are playing the game the way they want to. In contrast, I've been laughed at for *not* resorting to the phone-a-friend option. Perhaps that is why I have so many DNF's! Anyways, I think that my way of doing things ought to be respected as well.

 

I can only recall using the phone-a-friend option on one cache. It was my 1000th find, and I was up against some time constraints. The park was closing at dusk (we wound up getting locked in, and had to call the county sheriff). I was about to hand over custody of my daughter to her mom the next day, and we wanted to hit the milestone together. And an event cache had already been scheduled for that weekend by an out-of-town friend, to celebrate the milestone with the traditional gold ammo box! Out of desperation, I called the cache owner a few times and got some hints. I still feel bad for having done that. So, I won't do it again.

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How many puzzle caches do you have in your different areas?? It just about seems that 1 in 5 new caches set in my area is a puzzle that nearly requires a degree to solve. If you don't have a computer or cryptology background or experience they just take too much time and suck all the joy out of the game/sport. This seems to be prevelant in my area as many others that I have cached in do not go to this extreme. What are the thoughts by others out there??

 

I think we have about that here. I don't know about a DEGREE in computers or cryptology, but many of them take quite an effort to solve. I find most of them fairly satisfying. I suppose the feeling is on par with what others feel when they actual find a cache, only about 10x more because you've managed to solve something else in addition. My wife doesn't find the extreme puzzles all that gratifying because she can't touch most of them, but she did manage to solve one based on a logic problem (you might have seen books containing those). I was pleased that she was able to solve it and she was ecstatic. But you know, we solve quite a few of these (I usually take the hard ones) and then wait weeks or even months to pick up the final cache. So I can't agree that the puzzles suck all the joy out of the game. We still pick up regular cache's, but for us most of those just feel like bumping up our stats. I can't say I know what it is like to have found your 1000th cache, or even your 100th yet, but somehow I think it will be less satisfying for us than solving a puzzle. And I can't argue with the people that "just want to get out there" but "yet another lamppost or dead log" don't give me any excitment.

 

Now I must agree that after banging my head on a puzzle for a while and *NOT* solving it I do get frustrated. So sometimes I wonder at the number of level 4 difficulties that pop up. But I never lose the joy because of it. I usually just put it to the back of my mind until I can work on it again with a fresh perspective. But I can't say too much about difficulty because The Beholder's Eye is set to a level 4. I'm sure that a number of people have that one off their lists because of its difficulty though.

 

I did see some of the other posts, particularly on creative hiding. Before I get bombed with replies about "creative hides" and so forth though for my above remarks, let me say that creative hiding takes *ALOT* of work and I can understand why people choose dead logs and lamp posts. A good hide needs a good deal of planning and choosing the right location. I've wanted to set up a pulley system in a tree for quite a while, but probably won't ever do it because its difficult enough getting me on a ladder (when I mean pulley system, I'm talking about something to take the cacher to the hide, not the other way round [:anibad:]) and I don't think I'll ever find the right tree unless I'm in the Redwood Forest somewhere.

 

My final thought is that I saw Gaiterman posting here somewhere and I've got to say that the post seemed a little strange given that he posted the "Photo Finish" cache [B)], which I have yet to work out (still working it though).

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