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Cache Puzzles


buddy5582

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Where do I start on learning to solve geocache puzzles? For example, this cache requires solving a puzzle but there is no instructions on how to solve it. Is there a standard puzzle used for geocaching?

 

Thank you for any info!

Stand about 20 feet from a brick wall and bend over. Run as fast as you can. When you wake up you will see the answer printed on the inside of your eye lids :laughing: No really this is how I solve them.............

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Is there a standard puzzle used for geocaching?

 

No, there's no standard. Geocaching allows people to express their creativity in all sort sof ways, and puzzles are one of them. I've seen puzzles that are based on Sudoku, and others that were solved using software being developed for defense systems. It could be just about anything. Some require math skills, others require you to adjust the brightness or contrast on the provided picture. Like I said, it could be just about anything.

 

With that said, if you're REALLY stuck, or have just reached a point of frustration, it may help to write the cache owner for a hint. Or you could phone-a-friend who has already logged the find. Sometimes the cache owners are very proud of their puzzles and feel like giving hints cheapens the experience. Others are happy to help you along.

 

If it just looks like the whole experience is going to be an exercise in total frustration, pass it up. I have all sorts of puzzle caches in my area that I just ignore...

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If it just looks like the whole experience is going to be an exercise in total frustration, pass it up. I have all sorts of puzzle caches in my area that I just ignore...

 

:laughing: ...Snicker... :laughing:

 

I'm with you......

 

Most puzzle makers want them to be solved and you can email them and just ask for hints/clues and move forward.

We have one puzzle maker here that just gets a sick kick out of it. Sorta like me and my EVIL HIDE kick.

 

Had a buddy send me his latest puzzle cache, 2 weeks ago and I still haven't solved it yet.

Did I mention, I hate PUZZLE CACHES..LOL

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If there were instruction on how to solve a particular cache page puzzle then the hider of that cache would have gotten the same effect by making it a Traditional cache. There's a reason people hide puzzles, they want you to figure out what it is or how to do it. And most get very pissed if someone finds a puzzle by getting a hint, spoiler or tag-along with someone else.

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If there were instruction on how to solve a particular cache page puzzle then the hider of that cache would have gotten the same effect by making it a Traditional cache. There's a reason people hide puzzles, they want you to figure out what it is or how to do it. And most get very pissed if someone finds a puzzle by getting a hint, spoiler or tag-along with someone else.

I disagree with your last statement, at least for the Puzzle Cachers in this area, and there are many brilliant ones who create Puzzles I don't have a prayer of figuring out. :D

 

These Puzzle Cache owners don't care if you tag along with someone who has figured out the Puzzle, or have to ask for hints. Our Puzzle Cachers are very generous that way. :D

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in terms of practical advice, puzzles come in a number of varieties. many of the common ones include

 

simple ciphers

multiple substitution ciphers

logic puzzles

mathematical puzzles

graphic puzzles

sound file puzzles

physical puzzles

quizzes/searches

 

your first step should be to figure out what kind of puzzle you're looking at. it will help for you to figure out about how many units you seem to be solving for. for example, if you only have to figure out six items, you're only solving for the decimal portion of the minutes. likewise ten units usually means you're looking for the entire minutes portion.

 

you're actually on better footing if it looks like the degrees are included in the puzzle, because one of the best ways to test your theories about how the puzzle works is to look for combinations or characters that could represent known elements.

if the puzzle appears to represent a whole block of text it's probably a cipher and can be broken often by "dragging a crib", or testing out a known portion of the text against the cipher to yield clues.

 

on quiz/search puzzles the trick (for the well-designed ones) is figureing out what exactly the hider wants you to search for. once you get that, it's just a matter of doing the research.

 

a graphic puzzle will usually contain some kind of clue hidden in the images on the cache page itself.

 

for physical puzzles the hider will bring you out to a first stage and then have you manipulate some items in order to get your coordinates.

 

there are some good mathematics help pages designed for helping math students that will help you solve mathematical puzzles.

 

sometimes there's more than one layer of a puzzle. for instance recently i did one where the first step was to solve the anagrams and then figure out what those words have in common and how they might be transformed into numbers.

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...3c-0f383181c345

 

often there are hints in the cache page or the cache title.

 

 

 

if you get a puzzle where you have to identify the hider's mother and favorite restaurant and rent his favorite movie to pick up arcane clues, you may wish to skip it.

 

unfortunately there are too many hiders who don't realize that just because you can translate any string of things into numbers doesn't mean you should.

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Often the name of the cache or an odd turn of phrase in the description may give you a key to solving the puzzle.

 

In your case, "Chat Amongst Yourselves" obviously points to only one thing - "chat" is the French word for cat.

 

"French cat" might be an allusion to the love interest in the Warner Brothers Pepe Lepeu cartoons:

 

forscent.jpg

 

Which can only mean one thing....

 

You're skunked.

 

 

Or the title might have something to do with methods people use to chat. Try googling phrases having to do with decoding and what you think the theme of the puzzle might be. You can find decoders for just about anything on the interwebs.

 

If the puzzle looks like a cipher, try to figure out whether the cipher represents words or the coordinates themselves. If there are two groupings, it's probably the latitude and longitude. If the number of "words" or smaller groupings in the message correspond to the number of digits in coordinates for your part of the world, go from there.

 

Look for patterns or repetition in the cipher. I see some in the "Chat Amongst Yourselves" text. Fours, sevens, and sixes are oft-repeated for a reason. Compare the chunks in the puzzle cipher to actual words in real paragraphs. Why are there no really short words or really long ones in that puzzle?

 

Good luck.

Edited by CacheNCarryMA
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If there were instruction on how to solve a particular cache page puzzle then the hider of that cache would have gotten the same effect by making it a Traditional cache. There's a reason people hide puzzles, they want you to figure out what it is or how to do it. And most get very pissed if someone finds a puzzle by getting a hint, spoiler or tag-along with someone else.

I have never had a cacher "get very pissed" when I ask for a hint or got help to find a puzzle cache. I find it just the opposite in my area. Maybe cachers are just more friendly in my area.

Edited by lacomo
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Yah ... that puzzle is pretty easy. A slight twist on a common method -- actually the opposite almost. Really, it's a matter of being able to think outside the box, look for subtle clues in the writeup and/or title of the cache, and then trying a few ideas -- knowing you goal is usually to come up with something resembling coordinates.

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