+DrAwKwArD Posted July 26, 2008 Share Posted July 26, 2008 I've got a couple puzzle caches that have been in circulation for 3 years now. They're right in town and take only a few minutes to solve from home. The first couple years they were getting a dozen or more finds per year. This year is half over and I'm looking at 1 find per cache. I guess the new breed of geocacher doesn't fancy the puzzle aspect of the game. Maybe it's time to close 'em down. Thoughts? Quote Link to comment
+wapahani Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 I've got a couple puzzle caches that have been in circulation for 3 years now. They're right in town and take only a few minutes to solve from home. The first couple years they were getting a dozen or more finds per year. This year is half over and I'm looking at 1 find per cache. I guess the new breed of geocacher doesn't fancy the puzzle aspect of the game. Maybe it's time to close 'em down. Thoughts? Well there are only so many cachers that are really interested in puzzle caches. I work on them as time permits and right now I have 2 solved waiting for the chance to go grab them when I can. I have 3 more that the wife and I are working on. Was talking with a fellow cacher yesterday as he is a "prolific puzzle maker" and even he stated he was thinking about archiving a few of his puzzle caches because a couple have gone close to a year now without being found. I don't think its a sign of things, I just believe there are a select or small group that go after them in each area. Once you have found them, you slow down the amount of people that come for them. Or exactly what you are seeing. My opinion. Quote Link to comment
+Juicepig Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 archive it and make up a new puzzle at the same coords, hehehe Quote Link to comment
+benh57 Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 Please leave them up. I love puzzle caches. Puzzle caches in far-away areas that i'm just visiting are even more satisfying. Generally, most caches get found by all the 'locals' within the first few months, then the finds trickle in slowly after that. Due to the puzzle aspect yours may have taken longer to get found by the locals, and you're now in the trickle stage. Quote Link to comment
+chuckwagon101 Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 I am one of those geocachers that really LOVES a puzzle cache!!........with reservations. Good puzzle caches for me and the grandkids have to contain 3 basic elements....... * A BIG field. * A BIG tree. * A BIG pile of sticks. Anything more is just icing on the cake!! Quote Link to comment
ertyu Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 I certainly find that puzzles and multis get far fewer finds than traditionals. With so many caches to choose from many just seem skip these, which is too bad. I try to solve all the puzzles before traveling to an area, but time doesn't always permit doing that or finding them all. At home my home radius is nearly always empty so I'm on top of any new cache and quick to jump on puzzles. I'm weary of hiding new puzzles or replacing muggled puzzles based on the minimal number of finders though. Quote Link to comment
+chuckwagon101 Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 I certainly find that puzzles and multis get far fewer finds than traditionals. With so many caches to choose from many just seem skip these, which is too bad. I try to solve all the puzzles before traveling to an area, but time doesn't always permit doing that or finding them all. At home my home radius is nearly always empty so I'm on top of any new cache and quick to jump on puzzles. I'm weary of hiding new puzzles or replacing muggled puzzles based on the minimal number of finders though. That is a GREAT tongue twister......"Muggled Puzzles"!! Say it three times...real fast! muggled puzzles, muggles pugle..... musggled puzzles, muglesss....... I can't even TYPE it!! Quote Link to comment
jholly Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 I've got a couple puzzle caches that have been in circulation for 3 years now. They're right in town and take only a few minutes to solve from home. The first couple years they were getting a dozen or more finds per year. This year is half over and I'm looking at 1 find per cache. I guess the new breed of geocacher doesn't fancy the puzzle aspect of the game. Maybe it's time to close 'em down. Thoughts? Probably the local population has found them, now you need folks from far away to come and find them. When I'm traveling, some times a couple hundreds of miles a day a puzzle cache does not fit the agenda. Maybe if I can work it all out ahead of time, but if there are question to answer parts I don't put it on the list. Also if I'm only traveling 30-50 miles I tend to stick to traditional caches. Things tend to be a bit more predictable. Jim Quote Link to comment
+WebChimp Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 I guess the new breed of geocacher doesn't fancy the puzzle aspect of the game. Maybe it's time to close 'em down. Thoughts? Puzzle caches will always have fewer finders than traditional caches. We have a relatively small group of puzzle cache fans in our area, and I probably enjoy writing the cache listing as much as they enjoy solving the puzzle. There is a trade-off to writing a really hard puzzle cache listing. On the one hand, you'll have a limited number of actual finders. On the other hand, puzzle cache fans email the link to each other, and it gets solved by some folks who would never otherwise look at one of your listings. Keeping the puzzle caches out there also provides a change of pace for cachers who occassionally get tired of just following the GPS, and would like a bit more of a challenge. Quote Link to comment
+DanOCan Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 I'm certainly not in favor of getting rid of puzzles, but I have found that my own personal interest in puzzle caches has waned lately. It seems if I don't come up with some ideas in the first ten minutes I put them away and don't look at them again. It is now a very rare puzzle that comes along and grabs my attention. Quote Link to comment
+Prime Suspect Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 I've got a couple puzzle caches that have been in circulation for 3 years now. They're right in town and take only a few minutes to solve from home. The first couple years they were getting a dozen or more finds per year. This year is half over and I'm looking at 1 find per cache. I guess the new breed of geocacher doesn't fancy the puzzle aspect of the game. Maybe it's time to close 'em down. Thoughts? Move to Ft Worth. I think half the caches there are puzzles. Quote Link to comment
+gof1 Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 Not a real big fan of puzzle caches. For a while here we had a spate of one upsmanship with each sucsesive new puzzle attempting to be more of a challenge than the next. Me, I'd rather spend the time walking in the woods. You have chosen to place a type of cache that has a limited fan base. No surprise that few people are looking. But those few people who like 'em appreciate them. Perhaps creating a new puzzle to a new cache in nearly the same place would give those fans something new to solve and a smile and a smillie. Quote Link to comment
+TeamThom Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 I solve the puzzles during the winter months then find them in the spring. I have a couple of member only puzzles that never get visited. I won't be making any more of them. Quote Link to comment
+TheAlabamaRambler Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 Leave them up. You're playing to a niche, those who like and have time for puzzles. That will always be a small percentage of all cachers. By leaving them out new players get a chance to see if they like puzzles, and maybe some locals who haven't had time might one day devote themselves to solving it. We have one local cacher, Frodo13, who makes seriously hard puzzles... they are rarely found, one never has been, but those who do them seem to enjoy the experience. His puzzles make my brain hurt, so I ignore them! Quote Link to comment
+DrAwKwArD Posted July 27, 2008 Author Share Posted July 27, 2008 I solve the puzzles during the winter months then find them in the spring. I have a couple of member only puzzles that never get visited. I won't be making any more of them. Never is a bit of an exaggeration! Now, I do have 5 caches that have NEVER been found, but none of them are puzzles. Quote Link to comment
+DrAwKwArD Posted July 27, 2008 Author Share Posted July 27, 2008 I'm weary of hiding new puzzles or replacing muggled puzzles based on the minimal number of finders though. Yes, you raise a valid point. I get very antsy when the cache hasn't been found for several months. My fears were confirmed once this spring when the puzzle cache went missing. I replaced it right away and it's been found only one time since. Quote Link to comment
+softball29 Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 I've got a couple puzzle caches that have been in circulation for 3 years now. They're right in town and take only a few minutes to solve from home. The first couple years they were getting a dozen or more finds per year. This year is half over and I'm looking at 1 find per cache. I guess the new breed of geocacher doesn't fancy the puzzle aspect of the game. Maybe it's time to close 'em down. Thoughts? I love puzzle caches. I just love them more if I actually have to do the work in the field and not do the work on the computer. I usually skip puzzle caches like that, which is why I don't have a ton of puzzle cache finds. Quote Link to comment
+niraD Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 I'm also a fan of puzzle caches, but I find them mostly by clearing out my "nearest to home" list. When I'm traveling, it's more work to find puzzle caches. First, I identify several puzzles in a 2-mile radius of where I'm going to be. Then I solve some of them. Then I identify which of the solved caches are actually near where I'm going to be. (This assumes that geocaching will be a brief diversion from whatever brought me there, which is usually the case.) Quote Link to comment
+succotash Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 We also like puzzle caches and when visiting a new area we actually search for puzzle caches. We'll look for a few that we can solve from home and if we are successful it's exciting to be able to hunt for them while on travel. We'll also look for ones that require solving on the spot if the location looks interesting. On one trip earlier this year, we stopped and logged a puzzle cache that was rarely found. The owner emailed us after our find that he had been thinking of archiving the cache due to lack of interest. We let him know that solving and finding it was a highlight of our trip! We hope you leave your puzzle caches in place for visitors and new cachers. Quote Link to comment
+Crid Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 I solve the puzzles during the winter months then find them in the spring. I came here to say the same thing. There aren't many puzzle caches near me, so I've been tackling the 'X' Marks The Spot caches in Surrey, which is over an hour's drive away from me. But those caches require a fair amount of internet research beforehand to figure out what places you will have to visit (and where they are). In the case of XMTS2, 3, 4 and 5 the cache owner has provided links to the other caches (and the original XMTS) because they are quite similar in structure, but with a different subject for each one. Having solved one, that encouraged me to try the other ones. I've recently placed my own puzzle cache, loosely based on the XMTS formula. That one had nine logged visits in the first week and a half (mostly locals) and no more since July 8th. I fully realise that it will only occasionally get visited, but hopefully those cachers who find it will get a suitable buzz from solving the puzzle. I know I've got a buzz out of finding the XMTS caches (not that I've found them all yet). Quote Link to comment
+with.a.twist Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 Speaking from a newbie perspective. I'm still learning about this. There are a few puzzles near my home coordinates, but heck, I still don't have a "cacher's sense" to find even the regular / small traditional caches. I'm interested in puzzle caches, but I wouldn't attempt them with my current experience / skills at the game. (Still too much of a grasshopper). Please continue to maint. your puzzles for the guys like me. Quote Link to comment
+NYPaddleCacher Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 I've got a couple puzzle caches that have been in circulation for 3 years now. They're right in town and take only a few minutes to solve from home. The first couple years they were getting a dozen or more finds per year. This year is half over and I'm looking at 1 find per cache. I guess the new breed of geocacher doesn't fancy the puzzle aspect of the game. Maybe it's time to close 'em down. Thoughts? I love puzzle caches. I just love them more if I actually have to do the work in the field and not do the work on the computer. I usually skip puzzle caches like that, which is why I don't have a ton of puzzle cache finds. I'm just the opposite. I enjoy solving puzzle caches but considering I have far more time available to me when I can sit in front of a computer than I do to actually go out and find caches I would prefer when I do get the opportunity to get out and look for caches that I actually spend that time searching for caches rather than solving puzzles. As an owner of several puzzle caches, many of which I adopted, and in an area where there are a couple of other prolific puzzle cache creators I've definitely noticed that the puzzle caches get far fewer finds than traditionals. That's unfortunate, because for the most part, creating a puzzle cache, by definition requires a n additional amount of creativity than a cache for which the published coordintes are the location of the cache. Those that categorically ignore puzzle caches may be excluding the more interesting caches in the area just because they don't want to spend a little more time looking over the listing. Quote Link to comment
+Tequila Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 I've got a couple puzzle caches that have been in circulation for 3 years now. They're right in town and take only a few minutes to solve from home. The first couple years they were getting a dozen or more finds per year. This year is half over and I'm looking at 1 find per cache. I guess the new breed of geocacher doesn't fancy the puzzle aspect of the game. Maybe it's time to close 'em down. Thoughts? I think it is a good reason to create more puzzles. Along the same vein, we had four caches published nearby this week. Three are quick drive ups and the fourth is a beautifully crafted 5 stage multi along nice paths in a park. The drive ups have several finds each and the multi has two finds. People are just fixated with quick finds. Quote Link to comment
+briansnat Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 I'm an old breed of cacher and never was a big fan of puzzle caches. Some people love them though, so I'd hesitate to start shutting them down. Quote Link to comment
+nikcap Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 I wouldn't agree that what you're seeing on your caches indicate the slow death of puzzle caches. Every cache see fewer visitors over time. Puzzle caches get a fraction of visits of the easy caches, so while 1 or 2 visits might fit the trend, you'll noticed this more when compared to other traditional caches. Puzzle caches are unique in that there is a passionate group that seeks them out, solves and find them within weeks they come out. If you see that people are still enjoying the puzzle and the hunt leave the cache. Number or frequency of finds in no way indicated the level of enjoyment that seeks have. Quote Link to comment
+TexasGringo Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 If you are in the Dallas, TX Area...Try This On, I'm sure you can figure it out. http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...ba-966914bf53f1 GC1BWE6 Quote Link to comment
+TeamThom Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 ... I have a couple of member only puzzles that never get visited. ... Never is a bit of an exaggeration! You are right, neither has been out very long but, they are very near civilization. But still, one has been visited once and the other twice. Once the FTF race is resolved there seems to be no interest. Personally, I think that both are easy to solve. Check them out if you like: GC1CGMW - Mountain Mix and GC1D625 - Fieldata Spoken Here. For Mountain Mix you cut and tape, Fieldata Spoken Here is a simple google away. Quote Link to comment
+uxorious Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 It does seem like there are two camps when it comes to puzzle caches. Those that like them and those that ignore them. There are many different puzzles, from giveaway easy, to puzzles no one has solved. If a new one comes up, I will read the cache page and see if it is one I would like to try, or even could try. I haven't done many but have enjoyed those I have done. Seems to me, a person has to decide what they want their cache to do, before they decide what kind of cache to make it. Want to give people a fun puzzle to solve or a long hike? Or do you want to put out a cache that will get a lot of finds? Maybe something in between? They are all good and someone will love each kind. Just don't be disappointed when you put out a hard puzzle or long trek, and get few finds. Nor when you put out a P/G, and have high maintenance issues. By the way, I looked at your puzzles, and even though I'm not a puzzle fan, there are a couple of them I would try if they were in my area. (Or if I was to visit your area.) And like most puzzles there are more of them I would skip. (nothing against your caches just not big on puzzles.) Quote Link to comment
+TexasNick Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 I enjoy puzzle caches so long as they can be solved and verified before I leave the house. I will not go after puzzle caches where you must find successive redirectors to discover the next leg in a puzzle. I do not have a computer with me in the field and do not enjoy running home to my computer to solve the next leg in a puzzle or having a friend standing by a computer that I can call. If there are puzzles that must be solved in successive caches, the cacher should let it be known on the cache page the information required to solve the puzzle in the field. (EX. Navy signal flag codes, morse codes, military insignia, birthdates of president etc.) In this way, I can choose whether to go after it or not and if so be equpped with all the information I need to solve the puzzle without having to call a friend or run home to my computer. My opinion. Quote Link to comment
+Trucker Lee Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 Unless you need the area for a newer and better cache, leave them up for now. I just haven't gotten that far yet! Quote Link to comment
+007 Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 I've got a couple puzzle caches that have been in circulation for 3 years now. They're right in town and take only a few minutes to solve from home. The first couple years they were getting a dozen or more finds per year. This year is half over and I'm looking at 1 find per cache. I guess the new breed of geocacher doesn't fancy the puzzle aspect of the game. Maybe it's time to close 'em down. Thoughts? One situation that leads to people ignoring puzzles is travel. When I am traveling to other towns/states/cities, I like to grab a few caches if I can find time. When you only have a day/couple of hours or so to "have fun" you don't have time to solve puzzles. Even multi's tend to drain time when you don't have much to spend. So that leaves puzzles for the locals. Once those who take time to solve puzzles nearby to where they live log the find, it leaves the puzzles without any new takers. Quote Link to comment
+Parabola Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 I'd say leave the stand. I'm not really a big puzzle fan but I can say the only time I can really get my wife involved is when we work on a puzzle together. So it's some great bonding time for us. Plus then I get bonding time when my son and I go look for them. So this game does have something to offer everyone. I've put out two puzzle caches this year. And have had some great feedback from some on them. They don't get found very much, in fact one of them has only been found I think three times. But that one is a bear to do. But I've gotten a thank you e-mail from every person that has finished that one too. So for me that makes it worth it. I wonder how long have your puzzles been out and have most of the locals already found them. Maybe that might be why they have hardly been found this year. I also find that when the weather is bad, we can work on puzzles instead of watching TV or something. I do have a bunch of puzzles solved but haven't had the time to go and see if I can make the find. But I say let them stand!!!! Quote Link to comment
+IBcrashen Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 After a couple of years I put on the cache page that I will tell how to solve my puzzle and also give the coords if cachers want them. Quote Link to comment
+Snoogans Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 Maybe it's time to close 'em down. Thoughts? HECK NO! Less visits means LESS maintainence. I hide non-puzzle caches in neat places and THEN I totally over clock the terrain and difficulty to get less visits from casual cachers. Same difference. I've got caches out that I honestly wouldn't need to check on for several more years if I didn't already frequent the areas where they are hidden. Quote Link to comment
Bluestonecrew Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 (edited) Maybe it's time to close 'em down. Thoughts? HECK NO! Less visits means LESS maintainence. So when you get down to no visits we should just archive it and let someone else place a cache in that area? Cause I have to tell ya there are some caches in my area which clearly have not been visited by there owners in a year or more. I am all for "unless your terrain rating is a five; no visits in a year means adios to your cache". Edited July 28, 2008 by Bluestonecrew Quote Link to comment
+Snoogans Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 Maybe it's time to close 'em down. Thoughts? HECK NO! Less visits means LESS maintainence. So when you get down to no visits we should just archive it and let someone else place a cache in that area? Cause I have to tell ya there are some caches in my area which clearly have not been visited by there owners in a year or more. I am all for "unless your terrain rating is a five; no visits in a year means adios to your cache". Okayyy, ya lost me. Quote Link to comment
Bluestonecrew Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 Maybe it's time to close 'em down. Thoughts? HECK NO! Less visits means LESS maintainence. So when you get down to no visits we should just archive it and let someone else place a cache in that area? Cause I have to tell ya there are some caches in my area which clearly have not been visited by there owners in a year or more. I am all for "unless your terrain rating is a five; no visits in a year means adios to your cache". Okayyy, ya lost me. How is that not clear? Quote Link to comment
+Snoogans Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 Maybe it's time to close 'em down. Thoughts? HECK NO! Less visits means LESS maintainence. So when you get down to no visits we should just archive it and let someone else place a cache in that area? Cause I have to tell ya there are some caches in my area which clearly have not been visited by there owners in a year or more. I am all for "unless your terrain rating is a five; no visits in a year means adios to your cache". Okayyy, ya lost me. How is that not clear? I've had caches of my own and seen other caches go well over a year with no finds and no maintenance issues...... Ya lost me. How is that not clear? Quote Link to comment
Bluestonecrew Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 (edited) Maybe it's time to close 'em down. Thoughts? HECK NO! Less visits means LESS maintainence. So when you get down to no visits we should just archive it and let someone else place a cache in that area? Cause I have to tell ya there are some caches in my area which clearly have not been visited by there owners in a year or more. I am all for "unless your terrain rating is a five; no visits in a year means adios to your cache". Okayyy, ya lost me. How is that not clear? I've had caches of my own and seen other caches go well over a year with no finds and no maintenance issues...... Ya lost me. How is that not clear? Okay caches which are clearly designed to last more then a year are exempted. Ammo cans and things like that. But these tiny caches which require a rubber O ring that friggin dry rots within a year and clearly the owner does not care even after multiple attempts to contact him / her should be archived. grrr Edited July 28, 2008 by Bluestonecrew Quote Link to comment
+Crid Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 (edited) Okay caches which are clearly designed to last more then a year are exempted. Ammo cans and things like that. But these tiny caches which require a rubber O ring that friggin dry rots within a year and clearly the owner does not care even after multiple attempts to contact him / her should be archived. grrr I agree with you there. There's a cache I visited last October that I logged a "needs maintenance" for because the logbook was nearly full. It's still marked as needing maintenance and a more recent log also noted that the logbook needs replacing. It's hardly a big job for a cache owner to replace a logbook. I agree with the earlier poster about puzzle caches needing less maintenance visits (because they receive less traffic). I'd also add that they probably stand less chance of being muggled or targeted by cache vandals/thieves. The extra work involved in getting the coordinates (and it's probably true for multis too) is both a blessing and a curse at the same time. Edited July 28, 2008 by Crid Quote Link to comment
+The Leprechauns Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 Out of more than 3500 cache hunts, I've only found 55 mystery/unknown/puzzle caches. Of those, just five are true puzzles where you have to do work at home before heading out to find the cache. They're simply not my bag. I spend too many hours in front of the computer for my job and my volunteer work. When I go geocaching, I want to go find caches, not solve puzzles. I exclude this cache type from my pocket queries except for my immediate local area. Others exclude micros or terrain 5 caches from their pocket queries. To each their own. I won't argue for a ban on puzzle caches simply because I personally don't like them. I know that others derive great enjoyment from them, and that makes me happy. Quote Link to comment
+Konnarock Kid & Marge Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 I've got a couple puzzle caches that have been in circulation for 3 years now. They're right in town and take only a few minutes to solve from home. The first couple years they were getting a dozen or more finds per year. This year is half over and I'm looking at 1 find per cache. I guess the new breed of geocacher doesn't fancy the puzzle aspect of the game. Maybe it's time to close 'em down. Thoughts? Speaking personally, I like puzzle caches but around here they only lead to the same old guard rails or lamp posts. It's not worth the effort. If there was a promise of finding a nice hide with something to see, I would solve more of them. Just an opinion, and in general, I don't have anything against micros either, it's just we have become over-run with them. Thanks. Quote Link to comment
CoyoteRed Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 I guess the new breed of geocacher doesn't fancy the puzzle aspect of the game. Maybe it's time to close 'em down. Thoughts? I don't think it's puzzle caches per se. It could be this "new breed" doesn't like to walk far enough to break a sweat, can't handle anything heavier than .25 oz., has a hard time distinguishing objects so only wants a logbookscroll in the cache, and measures "quality time" by the number of logs he gets to write when he gets home. I say leave the cache. Don't fall in the same trap of measuring by how many find your cache. Measure by the types of logs it is getting. If folks are logging more than "Thanks for the smilie" then you're golden. Our puzzles go months between finds. Some of our favorite finds the caches go years between finds. Quote Link to comment
+tozainamboku Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 Maybe it's time to close 'em down. Thoughts? HECK NO! Less visits means LESS maintainence. So when you get down to no visits we should just archive it and let someone else place a cache in that area? Cause I have to tell ya there are some caches in my area which clearly have not been visited by there owners in a year or more. I am all for "unless your terrain rating is a five; no visits in a year means adios to your cache". Okayyy, ya lost me. How is that not clear? I've had caches of my own and seen other caches go well over a year with no finds and no maintenance issues...... Ya lost me. How is that not clear? Okay caches which are clearly designed to last more then a year are exempted. Ammo cans and things like that. But these tiny caches which require a rubber O ring that friggin dry rots within a year and clearly the owner does not care even after multiple attempts to contact him / her should be archived. grrr How did the thread on automatically expiration of caches get move to a discussion of puzzle caches? Quote Link to comment
+The Cooker Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 (edited) I love the puzzle cache! It adds some meat to the sport. Is it really a challenge to find 10 caches and 8 of them are lamp post micros? I have created 8 puzzle caches since April of this year here are the stats: 0 finds for (4/1.5) 26 Jul 08 new! Logic by The Cooker (GC1EGGX) 0 finds for (3.5/1.5) 26 Jul 08 new! Basic by The Cooker (GC1EGGK) 2 finds for (2.5/1.5) 21 Jul 08 Word Search by The Cooker (GC1DQ46) 8 finds for (3/1.5) 28 Jun 08 Stereogram by The Cooker (GC1DHKV) 7 finds for (2/1.5) 28 Jun 08 Scrambled by The Cooker (GC1CQG8) 8 finds for (3/2) 28 Apr 08 Tri-Color Puzzle by The Cooker (GC1AY6N) 19 finds for (3/1.5) 20 Apr 08 HAIGTGTOOT by The Cooker (GC1B1M0) 11 finds for (4/1.5) 5 Apr 08 Under Lock and Key by The Cooker (GC151EH) If you don't count the two that were released yesterday... There is an average of 9.1 finds on an average of 2 months released. And all but one of them are member only caches. Cachers in my area seem to like them. I hope they are kept around! I also should give props to my favorite puzzle cache, it took quite a while to figure it out. "Good Luck" GC1AHH4 The Cooker Edited July 28, 2008 by The Cooker Quote Link to comment
+fox-and-the-hound Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 (edited) After attending GeoBash '07 and listening to some advice from master puzzle-setters like TikiBirds we decided we just had to add a few. They're still being hit steadily, but the difference for us is that we encourage people to solve the puzzle first and email for confirmation of the correct coords before going on the hunt. We've had great success I think because people only have so much time (and gas money) to invest in caching so they like to hedge their bets on finding a few instead of wandering in circles or parked on the side of the road for hours trying to decipher a puzzle. By providing the coord confirmation before they head out, they're assured of a reasonable chance to find it without passing on a bunch of other nearby caches due to time constraints. edit to add: much less muggle/maggot problems as well! Edited July 28, 2008 by fox-and-the-hound Quote Link to comment
+Renegade Knight Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 ...Thoughts? It's in the math. More caches means less time for any one cache by any one cacher. Or: More caches means less likely to run out of traditional caches before you need to tackle the puzzles. If you want people to find your puzzles you have to make them worth solving. Or be like Apple and generate hype like it's going out of style. Quote Link to comment
Skippermark Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 It's a niche thing and they won't get found as much as a traditional cache, but I wouldn't archive them. On the same token, long, hard multis aren't found as often as lamp post caches, but I'd hate to see the harder caches get archived just because people find easier ones more often. That said, if you do archive them, it's a good idea to post a note on the page letting people know your plans 3 months or so beforehand. Puzzle cachers often solve them months in advance and then make a "puzzle run" to find them and a bunch of others once they've built up enough to make the trip worthwhile. Quote Link to comment
+NYPaddleCacher Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 If you are in the Dallas, TX Area...Try This On, I'm sure you can figure it out. http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...ba-966914bf53f1 GC1BWE6 You might like this one too. Quote Link to comment
+hikemeister Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 This is the best puzzle cache I have found. If you ever are in north-central Florida, give it a try. Very few have been able to figure it out. Great Circle The low point was finding it -- after several weeks of messing around and three people working on it, when we finally found the cache it was a 35 mm film container at the base of a street sign! Not only that but I thought at the time it was my 1,000 find and it actually was just number 998. Quote Link to comment
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