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Do you guys look at the hints?


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Hi I was wondering how many of you guys look at the hint that is provided? I would like to hear your opinions on this subject. Some people think that a hint they left is for you to read and some people think that it is cheating because some of the hints tell you exactly where to find the cache. So what do you guys do?

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Hi I was wondering how many of you guys look at the hint that is provided? I would like to hear your opinions on this subject. Some people think that a hint they left is for you to read and some people think that it is cheating because some of the hints tell you exactly where to find the cache. So what do you guys do?

 

I first try to find it without the hint, but then yes I will use it. Would not go out without it that's for sure.

 

Scubasonic

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When I give really explicit hints, I hope that people WILL look at them. It's not cheating at all to look at it, usually I give a good hint if I'm afraid there might be muggles who'd be suspicious of someone looking for a long time, or if I'm concerned that people might get frustrated with the search and possibly tear up the area.

 

Personally, when I'm hunting, I'll look at the hint after a few minutes of searching and not finding.

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We always look at the hint. If the CO didn't want you to have or use the inforamtion in the hint, he wouldn't have put it there, right?

 

Of course, there are times when the hint only seems to make things harder, especially if it is a vague one open to interpretation...in that case, the hint may actually hinder the search.

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Depends on a few things. Who the hider is, what size container, how tired I'm getting. If it's a micro, I've got no problem starting with the hint. But regular caches I'll usually last 5 minutes or so before I give in. If I know the hider is intentionally trying to stump me (as opposed to non-cachers) then the hint is read sooner than usual.

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They give hints to find caches? :laughing:

 

Rarely use 'em these days.

Like Lil Devil, if it's muggle central, and looking for too long may compromise the hide, I'll decrypt.

If I've looked for 20 to 30 minutes, decrypt.

 

If the cache is 'obviously' not in the right place, or found out in the open, I'll decrypt so I can put the cache back in the correct place.

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I try to avoid the hints until I've made a good effort to find the cache without them.

 

Unfortunately I have the bad habit of looking at the first page of cache info stored on my handheld, aiming to just see the short description but often it's so short that I inadvertently see something like:

 

H: base of cedar...

 

And then I feel a bit chagrined - I'm getting good at not letting on to the kids though that I have some extra info, which usually gets convereted into "hey, why don't you try looking around that cedar while I look over by this stump" :laughing:

 

For small/regular caches I usually don't need the hints but for micros I almost always wind up going to the hint (LPC's exceptec).

 

It's always interesting to see the different approaches to hints. I tend to prefer hints that are more engimatic than direct. "Think magnet" or "some roots run deep" are more fun than "in root ball at E end of log across trail" at least to me. Being told exactly where the cache is kind of kills the point of hunting.

 

rtreit

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Hi I was wondering how many of you guys look at the hint that is provided? I would like to hear your opinions on this subject. Some people think that a hint they left is for you to read and some people think that it is cheating because some of the hints tell you exactly where to find the cache. So what do you guys do?

 

I'm usually caching with an 8 and a 10 year old, so I at least take the hints along. But usually I give them to the kids to decode while we're driving to the cache ... makes them feel more involved. And we still may end up hunting around for awhile.

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Hi I was wondering how many of you guys look at the hint that is provided? I would like to hear your opinions on this subject. Some people think that a hint they left is for you to read and some people think that it is cheating because some of the hints tell you exactly where to find the cache. So what do you guys do?

 

Urban Micro = Read the hint before I even get out of the car.

Anything else I'll look until I'm stumped. Then read the hint.

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Hi I was wondering how many of you guys look at the hint that is provided? I would like to hear your opinions on this subject. Some people think that a hint they left is for you to read and some people think that it is cheating because some of the hints tell you exactly where to find the cache. So what do you guys do?

 

Urban Micro = Read the hint before I even get out of the car.

Anything else I'll look until I'm stumped. Then read the hint.

This is what I do too except I will give the urban micro 5 minutes.
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Hi I was wondering how many of you guys look at the hint that is provided? I would like to hear your opinions on this subject. Some people think that a hint they left is for you to read and some people think that it is cheating because some of the hints tell you exactly where to find the cache. So what do you guys do?

 

I first try to find it without the hint, but then yes I will use it. Would not go out without it that's for sure.

 

Scubasonic

 

Same as above.

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Hi I was wondering how many of you guys look at the hint that is provided? I would like to hear your opinions on this subject. Some people think that a hint they left is for you to read and some people think that it is cheating because some of the hints tell you exactly where to find the cache. So what do you guys do?

 

It all depends on the situation. When on the trail and in a remote area, my practice is to get to GZ and look for the cache. If I have no success, I'll double check the D/T rating and cache description. Still no luck, I'll read the hint. No go, I'll read the past logs for spoilers or possible problems.

 

Urban caches with no muggles, same MO.

 

If I do pull up in a high activity area when a single male lurking in the bushes or behind the big transformer box is likely to seem suspicious, I'll read the hint before getting out of the car. If it tells me to go lurk in the bushes, I'll hit the blinker, check the mirrors, and drive on to the next one.

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Hi I was wondering how many of you guys look at the hint that is provided? I would like to hear your opinions on this subject. Some people think that a hint they left is for you to read and some people think that it is cheating because some of the hints tell you exactly where to find the cache. So what do you guys do?

Typically, I try not to look at a hint unless I am out looking for the cache and feeling absolutely unable to find the cache. Use a PDA and/or Oregon unit...so, those hints that say "Email for a Hint" or "Yeah, right, like I am going to do that..." are absolutely useless...and usually offer up more frustration...

 

The hint doesn't not have to tell me right where to look...I actually prefer something that just gives a small hint...and still lets me do some thinking...just gives me a glimpse into how the owner might have been thinking at the time...

 

Of course, nothing is worse than "Under a Rock" amongst a field of rocks...

 

Every once and while, I will check a hint on a puzzle if I am stuck...to see if it would help solve the puzzle...many times it is about the hide location...so nothing really gained or lost...once in a while (if very familiar with an area) one can "brute force" a puzzle or multi with a location hint...but it has been rare in my own personal caching experience...However, it does not bother me if someone finds one of my caches that way...more power to them!!!

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It's the kids (age 6 and 10) job to find caches. If after some time they don't find anything I give them hints but when possible I break the hint up in smaller hints and just give them part of a hint.

 

For some of the smaller hints I print the decrypted hint and have them manually decode them.

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If it's anything urban or sketchy I look before I even attempt it. Same goes with a high terrain rating so I know what I'm getting myself into. If I'm in the woods doing something straight forward I generally don't have to look until I'm stumped or I suspect very bad coordinates or am getting a bad signal. There is no shame in looking at hints or reading logs and I wouldn't leave home without em. I have been disappointed by the spoilers a few times but I guess that just goes with the territory.

 

What irks me is when people provide no hint at all. While it may seem obvious for the CO (they know where and what it is!) it may not be that way for everyone else. Coordinates could be way off, bad GPS reception, nature takes over, etc. and without a hint it can make a cache impossible to find.

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We cache as a couple. One of us does the computer work and the other knows only what they are told. When i do the computer part of the caching day, I look at the hint but don't tell him and vice versa. We try to do it without the hints, but sometimes they really help when you're in the middle of a saw palmetto patch and the rain clouds are moving in. This method seems to work for us. Hope that answered your question!

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whet gets me is

 

1. Hints that only really make sense after you've found the cache: CO showing how clever s/he is

 

2. Hints that are (deliberately or not) misleading. I did one recently where the hint said "waist high" I spent 30 minutes looking waist high, only to find the cache on the ground under a BUSH that was waist high. I'm sure i would have found it sooner without the hint.

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