puzzles

[+va griz]

I've looked at a few puzzle cache listings but have no clue at all about where to start. One was just a list of states. Where do you go with that? Maybe my tin foil hat is blocking satellite reception, but I just don't have the magic. Help?

[+UncleJimbo]

I've looked at a few puzzle cache listings but have no clue at all about where to start. One was just a list of states. Where do you go with that? Maybe my tin foil hat is blocking satellite reception, but I just don't have the magic. Help?

Which puzzle cache is it?

 

I have done a few, and have attempted solving others (still working on a couple). I kind of like them.

[+9Key]

Ask the puzzle cache owner for a hint. Most will be more than happy to point you in the right direction.

[+ar_kayaker]

I've looked at a few puzzle cache listings but have no clue at all about where to start. One was just a list of states. Where do you go with that? Maybe my tin foil hat is blocking satellite reception, but I just don't have the magic. Help?

 

Without more information to go on it's hard to say, but my first thought would be to find out what order those states entered the union/became states and then see if I came out with 14 digits that looked familiar when compared with the lat and lon of the listed coordinates.

 

AK

[+va griz]

It's this one: GCYZ31

[+9Key]

Its generally considered bad form to ask for hints in the forum. Ask the cache owner for hints. I bet they'd like to help.

[+reedkickball]

I've looked at a few puzzle cache listings but have no clue at all about where to start. One was just a list of states. Where do you go with that? Maybe my tin foil hat is blocking satellite reception, but I just don't have the magic. Help?

 

I knew which one you were talking about especially when I saw that you were from Virginia. I've solved this one, just haven't driven far enough to get it yet.

 

The first thing you should know about puzzle caches, is that you're generally trying to get a Lat/Long out of it. So generally you look for a pattern which includes the first number of your Latitude, which is '3' your case. Look up the first state, and see if you find anything that has a '3' associated with the first state. Works in about 25% to 50% of the mystery caches depending on how mystery happy your area is.

[+steve p]

I just now figured out the final coordinates in about two minutes. Looks like the cache location is in a parking lot just up the street from the posted coordinates.

[+TexasGringo]

Start With Some Easy Puzzles....

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...7a-56cef592ae5c

[+otis89]

Start With Some Easy Puzzles....

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...7a-56cef592ae5c

 

LOL

 

I got impatient and didn't wait long enough the first time.

 

Now all I need to do is find an excuse to drive up to Wisconsin.

[+JohnTee]

Man, I love reading the forums for idea!

 

Cache On!

 

JohnTee

[+TexasGringo]

***LOL

I got impatient and didn't wait long enough the first time.

Now all I need to do is find an excuse to drive up to Wisconsin.***

 

If you had fun doing that...Here is a Clone of mine in Florida....

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...f4-c3da2d86df35

[+TexasGringo]

If you had fun doing that...Here is a Clone of mine in Oklahoma....

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?wp=GC18W6A

[+va griz]

That one is my kind of puzzle!! Believe it or not, I'll be going to Wisconsin this spring. Never been to Madison, but have driven past several times.

 

By the way, I wasn't looking for the answer, just a nudge toward a starting point. Thank's to Reedkickball for a good way to look at it.

 

Now, off to find my thinking cap.

[+Harry Dolphin]

Sometimes, silly is fun: Easy Mystery Cache

[+TexasGringo]

***Sometimes, silly is fun: Easy Mystery Cache***

 

That is a great one too...

[+KJcachers]

Not an easy one but it was fun for us and we made it our 150th find. PLUS it's in Virginia so go for it!

 

The Key

Edited February 12, 2008 by KJcachers

[+ar_kayaker]

The first thing you should know about puzzle caches, is that you're generally trying to get a Lat/Long out of it. So generally you look for a pattern which includes the first number of your Latitude, which is '3' your case. Look up the first state, and see if you find anything that has a '3' associated with the first state. Works in about 25% to 50% of the mystery caches depending on how mystery happy your area is.

 

That is definately a good way to look at puzzle caches. It doesn't really matter what crypto method is used, the end result is (almost) always going to start with either N, North, 3, three, or thirty- (or whatever latitude). When you have a known (or highly expected) result you are already half way to solving any encryption. Unless of course the hider uses your expectaions against you and reverses the sequence....

 

But since most cache hiders want their caches found eventually, they're not going to make the puzzle unsolvable.

 

AK

[+NYPaddleCacher]

The first thing you should know about puzzle caches, is that you're generally trying to get a Lat/Long out of it. So generally you look for a pattern which includes the first number of your Latitude, which is '3' your case. Look up the first state, and see if you find anything that has a '3' associated with the first state. Works in about 25% to 50% of the mystery caches depending on how mystery happy your area is.

 

That is definately a good way to look at puzzle caches. It doesn't really matter what crypto method is used, the end result is (almost) always going to start with either N, North, 3, three, or thirty- (or whatever latitude). When you have a known (or highly expected) result you are already half way to solving any encryption. Unless of course the hider uses your expectaions against you and reverses the sequence....

 

But since most cache hiders want their caches found eventually, they're not going to make the puzzle unsolvable.

 

AK

 

A puzzle may always be solvable but that doesn't necessarily mean it's going to be easy. It took me over a month to solve "Key to the Cryptonomicon" and I think I probably did it quicker than most.

 

Most of the puzzles that I have solved omit the "N" or "W" and many only require you to solve the seconds portion of the Lat/Lon. When a puzzle *does* require you to solve all of the digits, using the published coordinates will pretty much give you the first 2 or 3 digits of the latitude and longitude, which can be very helpful if the coordinates are resolved a digit at a time. There are many puzzles, however, that once you figure out the solution all of the coordinates are resolved at the same time. For example, a puzzle that requires text decryption will reveal all of the coordinates once you've figured out what encryption method was used.

 

For most puzzles more difficult than looking up a few theme based facts via a google search, solving the puzzle is usually a matter of detecting and understanding clues that are included in the cache listing (note: clues are not necessarily visible from a casual reading of the page listing).

 

I actually enjoy puzzle caches but really don't care for "puzzle" caches that require determining the coordinates while I'm actually out caching. The amount of time I have available to go out and search for caches is limited. I'd much rather spend that time searching for caches rather than solving puzzles.