Hint field on cache listings: a suggestion

[+CacheDrone]

The following is just offered as a suggestion but based on the instructions found when creating a new listing.

 

The hint field on a cache page is intended to offer vague to specific help for players that cannot find the cache in the field, or how to get started on a puzzle. The listing instructions state that if you do not have a hint, then the hint area should be left blank.

 

However, it is fine to want to give a hint after FTF. When doing so it is best to enclose such a statement within [brackets] like [hint will be given after FTF].

 

Nonsense hints are not recommended. Adding hints like "This will not help you", "You don't need a hint", and even "After FTF this will be added" only adds more frustration to players that have been trying to find the cache and need a nudge.

 

Sometimes reviewers will actually wipe out non-hint hints as a part of customer service but if you plan to give a hint after FTF it is best done in decrypted mode using [hint goes here]

 

Excerpt from the listing creation page:

Hints/Spoiler Info

Enter any hints or spoiler information below. This information will be encrypted on the site until a geocacher clicks on a link to unencrypt it, or decodes it on the trail. Text within brackets [like this] will not be encrypted. Please keep your hints short, so decoding it on the trail is easier. If you don't have a hint, leave it blank.

[+Adventure.AS]

V nterr.

 

[i Agree.]

Edited May 7, 2008 by Nonsuch30

[+TrimblesTrek]

I agree also.

 

Nothing irks me more than the "you don't need a hint" variety. (Well actually there are plenty of things that irk me more, but this is definitely a caching irk.)

 

On par with this is the "in a fallen tree" hint, when the entire are is covered in fallen trees.

Or the "flim canister hanging in a tree" when there are nothing but trees in every direction.

 

If I need a hint, it's because I can't find the cache. IMHO caching is about FINDING the cache, NOT about hiding the cache in such a manner that it's near impossible to locate it. So the hints should be specific enough to lead me right to it. Lot's of cachers have the right idea and provide step by step instructions for those of us that need to be led by the hand. The cache hiders that get some kind of perverted satisfaction by seeing the frowny face only server to tick me off, and I avoid their hides.

 

My opinion. Your mileage may vary.

 

TT

[+WCoaster]

My caches don't require much of a hint, but I always thought that if they were needed a level of clues would be kinda nice.

 

That is, say create clues "[1.]","[2.]","[3.]" with each clue getting more and more specific about the cache location. For me I try my best not to use the clue and if I do need it then a little hint at first would be great. Then if I am still blind, Hey "Any given day" right?!, a more descriptive clue would be great.

 

When I create clues I find I put a lot of thought into them. I want the person to find the cache but I do not like to say "Third post from left under the rock" type of clue either. I think there is a bit of an art to creating a good, valid, helpful clue and still maintain the thrill of the find for the hunter.

 

MTC

Edited May 7, 2008 by WCoaster

[+Juicepig]

When I create clues I find I put a lot of thought into them. I want the person to find the cache but I do not like to say "Third post from left under the rock" type of clue either. I think there is a bit of an art to creating a good, valid, helpful clue and still maintain the thrill of the find for the hunter.

 

If they really wanted a thrill - they wouldn't use the hint

 

I don't use the hint until I am stuck with something, and that is how I write my hints too - VERY specific. If someone can't find it, i schedule a maintenance visit because it likely isn't where i put it any more. hints are handy!

 

What I dislike is when you need specific equipment to reach the cache, but arent told that until you get there like "You need a #6 Hex wrench to unscrew the container" ... needless to say I read the hint when THAT cacher places a cache before I even read the cache description now...

[+Maingray]

[left hand side of the trail]

[+TrimblesTrek]

That is, say create clues "[1.]","[2.]","[3.]" with each clue getting more and more specific about the cache location.

I think that's a great system and have used it with some of my own caches.

 

"Third post from left under the rock"

But when the area is peppered with posts and rocks, this kind of a "final clue" is exactly what I like to see...instead of "next to the post"

 

If sort of think that the detail of the hints should be in direct proportion to the effort to get to the cache area. If I've spent a half hour walking to the cache locale, I think I should be rewarded with a pretty much guaranteed cache find.

 

TT

[+res2100]

If I need a hint, it's because I can't find the cache. IMHO caching is about FINDING the cache, NOT about hiding the cache in such a manner that it's near impossible to locate it. So the hints should be specific enough to lead me right to it. Lot's of cachers have the right idea and provide step by step instructions for those of us that need to be led by the hand.

I agree with you totally. I don't see a point of hiding a cache if people can't find it. No sense in destroying an area either to find a cache, and we all know it happens and have seen the results. Caches are meant to be found and that is why I almost always include a very specific hint. If someone wants to spoil their cache hunting experience by reading the hint before hand, then that is their choice. Hint are meant to be used when you are having problems in finding a cache.

 

The only time I usually read the hint before hand is if it is an area with a lot of muggles and I don't want to look suspicious, or if I am in a graveyard. I hate when the coords take me to a gravestone and there are hiding spot under the gravestone perfect for a cache, but common sense tells me the coords are off and it's elsewhere nearby.

[+2happy2gether]

My personal favourites are...

 

"The hint is in the title" - what's the point of having a hint then?

 

"Parking is at such and such..." - It's a hint, parking descriptions and details on which routes to take should be in the description or as waypoints!!!

 

I'm done venting now.

[+Red90]

I personally agree.............But............

 

Why can't we just let people play the game THEY want to play it. If THEY want to create a useless hint on THERI cache page, then that should be their perogative.

[+Juicepig]

I personally agree.............But............

 

Why can't we just let people play the game THEY want to play it. If THEY want to create a useless hint on THERI cache page, then that should be their perogative.

 

Thats why it was offered as a suggestion - not a "crackdown" on "guideline ignoring wackos" (see commercial /social agenda threads)

[+Red90]

Thats why it was offered as a suggestion - not a "crackdown" on "guideline ignoring wackos" (see commercial /social agenda threads)

 

The reason I posted was this......

 

Sometimes reviewers will actually wipe out non-hint hints as a part of customer service but if you plan to give a hint after FTF it is best done in decrypted mode using [hint goes here]

 

As I said I agree, but I also believe that people should be free to play the game their own way within the rules.

[+dragonflys]

This is a huge pet peeve of mine. Recently I could find a cache and the hint was morse code. One time a couple of years ago the weather was miserable and I wasn't doing paperless at the time, the clue was "I really like cheese". Which is nice for him I guess but made me a little preturbed

[+Red90]

The only "bad" hint is what I call the "anti-hint". A hint that makes you look in the wrong place.

[+Fish Below The Ice]

Nonsense hints are not recommended. Adding hints like "This will not help you", "You don't need a hint", and even "After FTF this will be added" only adds more frustration to players that have been trying to find the cache and need a nudge.

I'll second (third?) that. No hint is better than a bad hint. I'll also second the comments about giving you parking suggestions in the hint, or telling you that general vicinity that you're already standing in.

 

Another thing to remember is that Magellan GPSs will truncate the hint at 50 characters. So long detailed hints won't be of any use because the meaty bits will be chopped off. Even worse than "You don't need a hint" is something like "To find the cache you must carefully search in the". So if you're going to write a long hint, please put the most detailed part at the *front*.

 

Similarly, for puzzle caches the hint for the cache should come first, so it's the hint for the puzzle that gets truncated. I've run into too many cases with hints in the field that look like "[PUZZLE] Vigenere cipher [CACHE] Hidden inside the".

 

dave

[+DanOCan]

Nothing irks me more than the "you don't need a hint" variety. (Well actually there are plenty of things that irk me more, but this is definitely a caching irk.)

 

On par with this is the "in a fallen tree" hint, when the entire are is covered in fallen trees.

Or the "flim canister hanging in a tree" when there are nothing but trees in every direction.

 

If I need a hint, it's because I can't find the cache. IMHO caching is about FINDING the cache, NOT about hiding the cache in such a manner that it's near impossible to locate it. So the hints should be specific enough to lead me right to it. Lot's of cachers have the right idea and provide step by step instructions for those of us that need to be led by the hand. The cache hiders that get some kind of perverted satisfaction by seeing the frowny face only server to tick me off, and I avoid their hides.

 

My opinion. Your mileage may vary.

 

Normally I try not to quote everything, but I pretty much would have ended up writing the exact same thing. You and I are pretty much on the same page with our opinions on this topic.

 

I remember reading a post once where someone said "There are only two types of caches: those which are designed to be hidden from the public and those which are designed to be hidden from other cachers." While I think that is overly simplified, there are times when you are hunting for a cache and you swear the cache owner is sitting at home in front of the computer just waiting to derive some perverse pleasure from watching yet another DNF roll in. These caches are often teamed up with what Red90 described as the "anti-hint".

 

Good example of an anti-hint: A sign with some bushes and trees behind it. Hint says "green" -- makes you think you should look in the bush, right? Well, after a few seekers pretty much destroy the bush looking in the green area someone finally discovers the cache in the sign...only thing "green" about the cache was the container which, since you have already found the cache, is pretty useless. THAT'S the sort of owner that drives me nuts.

[+ibycus]

Another thing to remember is that Magellan GPSs will truncate the hint at 50 characters. So long detailed hints won't be of any use because the meaty bits will be chopped off. Even worse than "You don't need a hint" is something like "To find the cache you must carefully search in the". So if you're going to write a long hint, please put the most detailed part at the *front*.

 

Its not just magellans that do that, many Garmins do it to (I know my 60CS does this all the time)

[Mr.Yuck]

The only "bad" hint is what I call the "anti-hint". A hint that makes you look in the wrong place.

 

This only happened to me once, in a hilly area with heavy tree cover, on a cache that was kicking my butt. Boy, did that anti-hint tick me off!!

 

Thanks to Cache Drone for bringing this up though, I've seen this hundreds of times, hints such as "none needed" or "not at this time". (I almost always look at hints while logging the caches, use them in the field when necessary).

 

Why would anyone even do this? The hint field is not mandatory when creating a cache page. If none is needed, then, umm, leave it blank.

 

Well, at least I long ago memorized the fact that "none" is "abar" when encrypted.

[+Red90]

Why would anyone even do this? The hint field is not mandatory when creating a cache page. If none is needed, then, umm, leave it blank.

 

Well, at least I long ago memorized the fact that "none" is "abar" when encrypted.

 

They are trying to be humorous

[+M3J]

I personally also like hints that say something like "bridge" or something similar that could mean anywhere on a structure (in this case). If the bridge is 100 feet long, I doubt that vague of a hint will help. Even a Magellan can get me that close!

[Mr.Yuck]

Why would anyone even do this? The hint field is not mandatory when creating a cache page. If none is needed, then, umm, leave it blank.

 

Well, at least I long ago memorized the fact that "none" is "abar" when encrypted.

 

They are trying to be humorous

 

I disagree, I think in almost every case I've seen a "none needed" or "not at this time" hint, there is absolutely no intention of humor. Just an apparently overwhelming desire to type something in an empty field on a form. Yeah buddy, maybe you don't need a hint, you're the one who put it there.

[+CacheDrone]

Let's call this "Hints 2.0"

 

During review I've seen all kinds of strange hints and most are fine. Many are helpful, either sincerely or with a taste of humour, both they do help. That is after all what providing a hint does.

 

However, there is a portion of the cache hiding community that does not seem to understand the purpose of a hint. Hints are there to do several things all at the same time. Please consider these factors when creating your hint, or should you need to write to someone after you cannot locate their cache.

 

A hint should:

• aid in locating the cache's true hiding spot
  
• verify that the location searched in the correct one
  
• not taunt or otherwise frustrate someone that cannot find the cache
  
• give guidance in solving a puzzle if applicable
  
• be as brief as possible, yet specific.
  

Here's why. Most often people will decode/read the hint when they cannot find the cache. They do so for two reasons. Primarily they are checking to see if they missed a possible search location and need a nudge in the right direction. But sometimes the cache is actually missing, and they check the hint to make sure that they are checking the right spot before reporting an issue.

 

Caches are intended to be found. Yes, sometimes you might hide one to challenge people's ability to search, please do not confuse this with the point that I am making. What we are talking about here is the hint that does absolutely nothing to reduce frustration or verify that everything is actually okay with the cache.

 

This is equally important in the urban game and the rural/forest game. If your cache has gone missing, an effective hint will reduce many negative impacts and in turn you will receive better feedback about the condition of your cache. The other facet is that there are those that do not mind returning to look for your cache again and again and they consider this part of the game. These people often refuse to use hints, and that is fine. At the same time there are those that will search once, then read a poorly written hint and will become very annoyed. Since it is presumed that you placed your cache for others to enjoy, there is no reason to not have a hint that facilitates success. Those that need it will use it, and those that refuse to read it will not be affected by it. Win-Win!

 

If your hint does not help find the cache and/or verify the location... ask yourself "How would you feel if you were looking for the cache?", then adjust as need be.

 

CD

Edited June 21, 2009 by CacheDrone

[aniyn]

My 2 favorite "hints" so far have been:

"Well hidden"

and

"Look close"

 

Real facepalm moments. Thanks tons guys