Jump to content

Puzzle solving?


Recommended Posts

Puzzles and how to get the answers are the cache owners own thinking. Sometimes they are easy, Sometimes they are hard.

 

There is a Puzzle cache near me and I found that puzzle in many sites using a Google search. So, off I went with the answer, I marched through mud, vines, stickers, poison ivy...you name it...it was their. When I got to the cache, I enter that number into the Padlock and WHALA !!!! It Did Not Open.

 

Since I was already in the woods, I played with that Padlock for a good half hour+ without opening the lock....So, off I went...with out signing the log, and once again I marched through mud, vines, stickers, poison ivy...you name it...it was their...back to my car.

 

So, the Moral Of The Story...Don't Use The Web-Sites I Used.

Link to comment

Unfortunately Skelly, no. First you have to figure out what kind of puzzle it is, then maybe you can find a site to help you solve it.

 

00110101 00110010 00100000 00110011 00110010 00100000 00110011 00111001 00100000 00110111 00110110 00100000 00110101 01100001 00100000 00110100 00110011 00100000 00110100 00110010 00100000 00110111 00110011 00100000 00110110 00110100 00100000 00110101 00110111 00100000 00110100 01100101 00100000 00110111 00110010 00100000 00110100 00111001 00100000 00110100 00111000 00100000 00110100 01100101 00100000 00110111 00110110 00100000 00110110 00110010 00100000 00110100 00111000 00100000 00110101 01100001 00100000 00110111 00110000 00100000 00110110 00110010 00100000 00110110 01100100 00100000 00110110 00110011 00100000 00110110 00110111 00100000 00110110 00110100 00100000 00110100 00110111 00100000 00110110 00111000 00100000 00110111 00110000 00100000 00110110 00110011 00100000 00110111 00111001 00100000 00110011 00110100 00100000 00110011 01100100

Link to comment

Is there a place to go to learn to solve the puzzles?

 

I don't want the answers, just want to know how to solve the different kinds of puzzles

Try this!

 

That is a big help. Also, many cache hiders are more than willing to give you some kind of a hint on HOW to solve the puzzle if you message them. Ultimately, most hiders WANT people to find their cache so they do not mind helping a little here and there.

Edited by CLV3
Link to comment

Unfortunately Skelly, no. First you have to figure out what kind of puzzle it is, then maybe you can find a site to help you solve it.

 

00110101 00110010 00100000 00110011 00110010 00100000 00110011 00111001 00100000 00110111 00110110 00100000 00110101 01100001 00100000 00110100 00110011 00100000 00110100 00110010 00100000 00110111 00110011 00100000 00110110 00110100 00100000 00110101 00110111 00100000 00110100 01100101 00100000 00110111 00110010 00100000 00110100 00111001 00100000 00110100 00111000 00100000 00110100 01100101 00100000 00110111 00110110 00100000 00110110 00110010 00100000 00110100 00111000 00100000 00110101 01100001 00100000 00110111 00110000 00100000 00110110 00110010 00100000 00110110 01100100 00100000 00110110 00110011 00100000 00110110 00110111 00100000 00110110 00110100 00100000 00110100 00110111 00100000 00110110 00111000 00100000 00110111 00110000 00100000 00110110 00110011 00100000 00110111 00111001 00100000 00110011 00110100 00100000 00110011 01100100

 

HUH ? -> 52 32 39 76 5a 43 42 73 64 57 4e 72 49 48 4e 76 62 48 5a 70 62 6d 63 67 64 47 68 70 63 79 34 3d

Link to comment

Puzzle solving is like crosswords. The more you do the better you get.

 

Start easy and build up to the more complex ones.

 

There are a few obvious things to try before digging too deep.

 

(1) Hightlight the cache page (Ctrl - A) to see if there is any hidden text. Some puzzles have the answers in a white font that is only visible when you hightlight the page.

 

(2) Look for links to by running your cursor over the text and any pictures to see if there are links to additional information. You can also look at the html text (View/Show Source in Firefox)

 

(3) The cache name is often a clue on how to solve the puzzle.

 

(4) Look for 15 things as there are 15 digits in a lat/long. Or look for 6 or 10 things in case the puzzle only gives you the last digits of the lat/long

 

(5) If the cache has been found, ask the owner for a small hint to get you going. Don't do this if FTF is still up for grabs.

 

Enjoy

Link to comment

Try this!

 

That is a big help. Also, many cache hiders are more than willing to give you some kind of a hint on HOW to solve the puzzle if you message them. Ultimately, most hiders WANT people to find their cache so they do not mind helping a little here and there.

 

I agree. I used that series and learned a lot about puzzles and solved a difficult one soon after using the skills in there.

 

As a cache owner, I don't mind helping people find the answer. While we don't tell them right off, we help guide them in the right direction. The puzzle hunters around here don't want the answers, but just help :laughing:

Link to comment

Unfortunately Skelly, no. First you have to figure out what kind of puzzle it is, then maybe you can find a site to help you solve it.

 

00110101 00110010 00100000 00110011 00110010 00100000 00110011 00111001 00100000 00110111 00110110 00100000 00110101 01100001 00100000 00110100 00110011 00100000 00110100 00110010 00100000 00110111 00110011 00100000 00110110 00110100 00100000 00110101 00110111 00100000 00110100 01100101 00100000 00110111 00110010 00100000 00110100 00111001 00100000 00110100 00111000 00100000 00110100 01100101 00100000 00110111 00110110 00100000 00110110 00110010 00100000 00110100 00111000 00100000 00110101 01100001 00100000 00110111 00110000 00100000 00110110 00110010 00100000 00110110 01100100 00100000 00110110 00110011 00100000 00110110 00110111 00100000 00110110 00110100 00100000 00110100 00110111 00100000 00110110 00111000 00100000 00110111 00110000 00100000 00110110 00110011 00100000 00110111 00111001 00100000 00110011 00110100 00100000 00110011 01100100

 

HUH ? -> 52 32 39 76 5a 43 42 73 64 57 4e 72 49 48 4e 76 62 48 5a 70 62 6d 63 67 64 47 68 70 63 79 34 3d

 

None of the binary codes that translate to letters begin with 00. :laughing:

Link to comment

One thing I have found helpful when I email a puzzle cache owner for a nudge or hint is including my methodology in trying to find the solution so far. That way they know you are seriously trying to solve it, and not just wanting to take an easy way out.

 

I was working on a local puzzle where there is no evince provided - the means the only way to check the coords is to go search. Well, I had all but 2 of the 10 figured out (and those 2 were right beside each other in the coordinates). I emailed the owner and told them what I had done to get to where I was stuck. On one of them, I actually had the answer in front of me -- I was just over-thinking it. I included that part in my explanation, so he told me where I needed to stop thinking on that one. On the other answer, it was confirmed that I was thinking in the proper manner, I just hadn't gone to the right resource yet. He gave me a couple of resources to use, but even then it still took some time to make a determination.

 

I guess my point is ask nicely and explain your thinking -- that way they can confirm if you are on the right track, if you are over-thinking a simple solution, or if your logic is way off-course.

Link to comment

There is a group of cachers here in Wisconsin that occasionally gets together for adult beverages and share puzzle-solving strategies. These get-togethers are listed as "Event" caches, so anyone who wishes is welcome to participate (and get a "smilie!")

 

My guess is that there might be a few cachers in your area struggling with the same puzzles that you are -- two heads are better than one you know. If you have a local or state geocaching group, check their forums to see if there is interest.

 

If you do team up, be aware that some cache owners are going to be PO'd, especially if you behave unethically like post answers online (see "Share my outrage" by flask in the Groundspeak forums). Others just enjoy having people find there caches.

Link to comment

There is a group of cachers here in Wisconsin that occasionally gets together for adult beverages and share puzzle-solving strategies. These get-togethers are listed as "Event" caches, so anyone who wishes is welcome to participate (and get a "smilie!")

 

My guess is that there might be a few cachers in your area struggling with the same puzzles that you are -- two heads are better than one you know. If you have a local or state geocaching group, check their forums to see if there is interest.

 

If you do team up, be aware that some cache owners are going to be PO'd, especially if you behave unethically like post answers online (see "Share my outrage" by flask in the Groundspeak forums). Others just enjoy having people find there caches.

 

I don't recall it coming up in the "Share my outrage" thread but, IMHO, there is a pretty thick line between 2-3 caches working together toward a solution to a puzzle, and having one person solve it and then just provide the solution to someone else, or worse yet, publishing the solution online where anyone can look it up.

 

I've worked on numerous puzzle caches with others, and for many of them, they were for caches that I may never find because I'm just too far away. On the other hand, I've gotten to know a few other geocachers virtually, because we've worked on a puzzle by bouncing ideas of each other. Even in cases where I have worked on a puzzle with someone else, when one of us discovers something, rather than just provide the answer, we've provide a hint that might help the other find the answer.

Link to comment

As a fairly new cacher the big attraction for me (recently unemployed due to the economy, or lack there of) was getting out and looking for the caches. I bundled up if it was minus 10 degrees, who cared. I was getting out and getting some exercise. I have at least 4 friends who have become cachers for the same reason but what do I see lately, nothing but HARD puzzle caches.. Who wants to spend hours and hours in front of the computer so we can rush out to find a cache. Sorry, But I think it should be the opposite way. A puzzle should get you started then get you out looking for clues to lead to the cache. I worked in IT for years and really don't care about hex (most people don't) or solving tricky code (the majority seem to admit to needing help anyway) but really love an excuse to get outdoors. I have discovered all kinds of green space in my area (Oshawa - Whitby) that I never knew existed tanks to caching. . Geocaching should be an outdoor fresh air activity (IN my opinion anyway) more than an a sit in front of GOOGLE and get eyestrain activity.

 

I like to look at the map of my area and see nothing but smiley faces. That is my idea of computer time, planning the next days cache run. I had some ideas on where to hide caches but know I see some big ???? marks on the map.. Please help me from getting fat, give me a reason to get out and walk (or bike, etc), the older we get, a lot of us are, we need to move not stare at at a computer screen......Thanks

Link to comment

As a fairly new cacher the big attraction for me (recently unemployed due to the economy, or lack there of) was getting out and looking for the caches. I bundled up if it was minus 10 degrees, who cared. I was getting out and getting some exercise. I have at least 4 friends who have become cachers for the same reason but what do I see lately, nothing but HARD puzzle caches.. Who wants to spend hours and hours in front of the computer so we can rush out to find a cache. Sorry, But I think it should be the opposite way. A puzzle should get you started then get you out looking for clues to lead to the cache. I worked in IT for years and really don't care about hex (most people don't) or solving tricky code (the majority seem to admit to needing help anyway) but really love an excuse to get outdoors. I have discovered all kinds of green space in my area (Oshawa - Whitby) that I never knew existed tanks to caching. . Geocaching should be an outdoor fresh air activity (IN my opinion anyway) more than an a sit in front of GOOGLE and get eyestrain activity.

 

I like to look at the map of my area and see nothing but smiley faces. That is my idea of computer time, planning the next days cache run. I had some ideas on where to hide caches but know I see some big ???? marks on the map.. Please help me from getting fat, give me a reason to get out and walk (or bike, etc), the older we get, a lot of us are, we need to move not stare at at a computer screen......Thanks

 

I like a mixed bag... Sometimes it's nice to be able to puzzle one out on the computer if it's bad weather or night or something. IMO the puzzle caches extend geocaching time to when you couldn't be out poking around for clues.

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...