Hints - should be just for... hints?!?

[+captainmath]

It seems that more and more caches end up getting posted with hints like, "no hints" or "no hints available" or "none at this time". One even has the following "helpful advice"... "There are no hints available, but in lieu of a hint, we want to remind everyone to PLEASE cover the cache up as best as you can...one has been muggled and we don't want to lose another!"

 

The hint field should be reserved for real, valid hints. If a hider doesn't want to provide a hint, then why not just LEAVE IT BLANK? It's awfully frustrating to be on a hunt, decide to decode the hint and find out that the hint is no hint at all. After having this happen so many times, a cacher is led to look at the hint at home just to avoid wasting time decoding a message that is no help at all.

 

Does anybody else actually save the decoding of the hint until you need it? Maybe it's just that so many people peek at hints without trying the cache first that they don't even think about people who would use the hint as just that... a hint.

 

Perhaps reviewers could catch and correct this when someone posts a cache with text in the hint field that doesn't belong there. Maybe we could all reserve the hint field for hints only.

Edited February 15, 2007 by captainmath

[Dinoprophet]

The worst is when vital information is in the hint, such as hours or where to park. I'm hesitant to put more on the reviewers, but it would be nice if, when they see info like that in the hint, they suggest to the hider that it be moved to the description.

[+Crow T Robot]

The worst is when vital information is in the hint, such as hours or where to park. I'm hesitant to put more on the reviewers, but it would be nice if, when they see info like that in the hint, they suggest to the hider that it be moved to the description.

 

Rest assured that we do make comments to the cache hiders, but it is up to them to implement this type of change to the cache listing.

[+geckoboy49]

<<The hint field should be reserved for real, valid hints. If a hider doesn't want to provide a hint, then why not just LEAVE IT BLANK? It's awfully frustrating to be on a hunt, decide to decode the hint and find out that the hint is no hint at all. After having this happen so many times, a cacher is led to look at the hint at home just to avoid wasting time decoding a message that is no help at all.

 

Does anybody else actually save the decoding of the hint until you need it? Maybe it's just that so many people peek at hints without trying the cache first that they don't even think about people who would use the hint as just that... a hint.>>

 

YES! Couldn't agree more! I, personally, don't look at the hint initially, but consult it only if I've looked without success for a while. Nothing is more irritating than to hike in several miles in the middle of nowhere, check the hint and find some smart alec notation such as "experienced cachers shouldn't need one" or "too easy", etc. etc. The other situation where a good hint is nice to have is urban micros in busy muggle-intensive zones where hanging around someplace you're not supposed to be attracts a lot of unwanted attention. I think every cache should have a hint, but if you don't want to do that, just leave the hint field blank.

[+Blue Man]

I usually make note of these "useful" hints in my cache log. I find that the rate of change to the hint is directly proportional to the amount of sarcasm used in the log. And that rate is further increased proportionally to the number of other cachers that follow suit.

[+Kit Fox]

You might be on to something, here is a thread with nine pages of Useless Hints.

Edited February 15, 2007 by Kit Fox

[+rush-2112]

We agree... if you use the hint feature... it SHOULD BE AN ACTUAL USABLE HINT!!! but thats just my opinion, and we all know about opinions....everyone has one, and ain't afraid to show it!

[+Totem Clan]

Owww owww owww

 

[waves have hand in air frantically]

 

That's one of my pet peeves.

 

I agree just leave it blank. If it's not a hint but it's important enough that it needs to be on the page, put it in the cache description.

 

But like I've said before, I'd still hunt for it.

[+swaninwa]

I completely agree. We try to never use the hint except as a last resort, so I find it VERY annoying when I'm out on a trail or what not -- and decipher a hint -- only to find it's no help at all. I've learned the hard way to decipher the hint at home when:

 

#1) The hint is a couple of hundred words long!! I wish there was a word limit built into the software which would stop people from getting overly wordy in the hint section. I've seen them on other websites, so I know they exist.

 

and

 

#2) We have some local cachers who enjoy adding hints like "Stop looking for clues and go find the cache!" as their hints. Now if I see a cache is theirs I decode the hint right away so I'm not annoyed with them later. I'm at the point where I'm sort of leaning towards ignoring their caches all together.

 

A hint should be a useful clue, or should be left blank.

[knowschad]

I also wholeheartedly agree, and we, too, are seeing a lot of these in our area.

 

If a cacher really wants to say something like that in the hint area, they can/should "reverse encrypt it" by replacing the hint in the cache edit page with the encrypted version. That way a finder at least doesn't need to decode it to learn that it is useless information.

[+briansnat]

One of the more annoying practices is to put something like "too easy for a hint" or "no need for a hint" in the hint. Hey Bozo! If I'm taking the time to decrypt the hint, apparently I need it.

[+Renegade Knight]

"If you need help email me"

 

Normally at a cache knee deep in mud while it's raining but I'm dry because the ticks are so thick, and I have an itch in that one spot that I can't reach, probably from a tick that got under my clothes.

 

Yeah, I got your email right here buddy.

[+Harry Dolphin]

Okay. I admit it. When I print out the cache page, I decrypt the hints first. But, you're putting the cart before the horse. I do it because so many hints are worthless. "Yes, thanks for encrypting the suggested parking coordinates in the hint section!"

You are right. The hint section should be for useful hints (even if it's the trite "stumped?")

[+captainmath]

I'm glad that so many are speaking out in favor of this!

 

For what it's worth (not like I'm the guru on the topic), here's a link to my post on another thread, the Golden Rules of Hint-Writing.

[+bccruiser]

All the more reason to go paperless. We don't usually decode the hints unless we can't find the cache and then all it takes is a simple click on the palm and the hint is decoded. Then if the hint is useless, at least we didn't have to waste 5 or so minutes decoding the hint.

 

Bccruiser

[+The Jester]

I also wholeheartedly agree, and we, too, are seeing a lot of these in our area.

 

If a cacher really wants to say something like that in the hint area, they can/should "reverse encrypt it" by replacing the hint in the cache edit page with the encrypted version. That way a finder at least doesn't need to decode it to learn that it is useless information.

An easier way is to surround it with square brackets - [anything in here won't be encrypted]. I use this a lot for different types of hints - [nudge] or [hint] or

.

[+The Jester]

"If you need help email me"

 

Normally at a cache knee deep in mud while it's raining but I'm dry because the ticks are so thick, and I have an itch in that one spot that I can't reach, probably from a tick that got under my clothes.

 

Yeah, I got your email right here buddy.

Preach it, Brother! The worst of those I found was on an Island with a $20 ferry ride. Was he going to send me the $20 so I could return?

[+Kryten]

I scroll the page until the "decrypt" button is just visible but the hint itself is off the bottom of the screen, click print and fold without reading. Don't read it unless you need it, but yes it is still extremely irritiating to discover that it doesn't actually contain anything helpful.

[Clan Riffster]

This used to be an issue for us prior to going paperless, but now that I can decrypt with just a touch of my stylus, it's less of a bother. If I spent 5 minutes decrypting, standing up to my knees in a swamp fighting off all manner of impolite critters, to find something like, "Sorry, to easy for a hint", I'd probably mutter a few expletives.

[+Markwell]

Or how about "If you park at the lot just to the north of the cache, you will be towed."

[+swaninwa]

All the more reason to go paperless. We don't usually decode the hints unless we can't find the cache and then all it takes is a simple click on the palm and the hint is decoded. Then if the hint is useless, at least we didn't have to waste 5 or so minutes decoding the hint.

 

Bccruiser

 

Yes, it does help! I got a Palm from Santa and the instant hint decoding is quite nice!! Still, even with one click, I expect a hint to be a decent clue.

[+Renegade Knight]

This used to be an issue for us prior to going paperless, but now that I can decrypt with just a touch of my stylus, it's less of a bother. If I spent 5 minutes decrypting, standing up to my knees in a swamp fighting off all manner of impolite critters, to find something like, "Sorry, to easy for a hint", I'd probably mutter a few expletives.

 

Did I mention scraping the mud off the PDA so I could see the screen to read the hint?

 

Why not say "Call me for the hint" and then give me a phone number?

[+Bad_CRC]

doesn't apply to me (in fact I'm quite opposite, I want to know exactly where the best place to park is before I go) but I've seen several people here say that they enjoy trying to find valid parking almost as much as finding the cache... I'm guessing that for them putting a hint of where to park is perfectly legitimate.

 

different strokes.

[+Markwell]

doesn't apply to me (in fact I'm quite opposite, I want to know exactly where the best place to park is before I go) but I've seen several people here say that they enjoy trying to find valid parking almost as much as finding the cache... I'm guessing that for them putting a hint of where to park is perfectly legitimate.

 

different strokes.

 

Parking coords in the hint - meh.

 

But here's the scenario I'm talking about. Park at a logical spot and hike 0.75 miles south to the cache coordinates. Darn - can't find it. Last few logs says it was difficult to find. I guess I'll break down and decrypt the hint:

Vs lbh cnex ng gur ybg whfg gb gur abegu bs gur pnpur, lbh jvyy or gbjrq

 

My first reaction would be "How fast can I run 0.75 miles?"

 

BTW - I actually saw a cache with that in the encrypted hint once. Owner has since changed it to the main description.

[+FunkyRes]

We agree... if you use the hint feature... it SHOULD BE AN ACTUAL USABLE HINT!!! but thats just my opinion, and we all know about opinions....everyone has one, and ain't afraid to show it!

 

And My opinion is that Rush is the best band ever, barely edging out Led Zepp - and 2112 is their best album.

 

But that's a bit OT ... (still had to be said)

[Clan Riffster]

Led Zeppelin: The Song Remains The Same. Ain't much better than the live version of Dazed & Confused.

 

Oh...uh....back on topic: Don't give bad hints, cuz giving bad hints is bad, hmmkay?

[+whistler & co.]

I think good hint is the hider's cell phone number!!!!!