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The 2009 South Wales Geocachers Cointest!

Eclectic Penguin

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Eclectic Penguin

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In order to celebrate the recent launch of the 2009 South Wales Geocachers Geocoin (see separate thread for where you can find them), I have devised a combined mystery cache and cointest.

 

The directions for this (hopefully) short cointest are simple. Solving it is (probably) going to be hard – for most.

 

All that’s required for you to do in this cointest is for you to send me the exact coordinates of a mystery cache. The mystery cache itself has its own coordinate checker to confirm whether you’ve retrieved the coordinates correctly.

 

First have a look at the cache’s instructions (GC1PAZ1). The cache itself is a puzzle cache, set in South Wales, United Kingdom and if you don’t live anywhere near the coordinate provided as the suggested motorway exit for the cache, then you’re qualified to enter this cointest! (see below for a more specific description of the contest’s proximity rule).

 

The only difference between the cache and the cointest is that the first two independently derived correct coordinates to arrive in my mail box as competition entries will be awarded either a 2009 South Wales Geocachers coin or a Limited Edition Gold Eclectic Penguin (your choice).

 

If you think you’ve found the coordinates, please send them to me through my GC profile and not through this forum! If you want any further hints, sorry – as with the Mystery Cache itself, all those in on the methodology have been asked to keep it secret, at least until a few have made successful finds. You will be expected to give a brief description of the method you used to obtain the coordinates (again only via my GC profile so as not to spoil for others).

 

The cointest is open to anyone who lives or regularly caches over 100 miles (160km) from the cache listed above, mainly because if you regularly cache in the area, the prizes within the cache are equally, if not more lucrative and this also gives people from further a field a chance to try this, which I believe to be a unique way of hiding coordinates for a mystery cache.

 

Also, to be fair, all people I’ve explained the techniques for this and for the Leaping Lemurs geocache (also in South Wales which uses a different but parallel technique), or who have been given them indirectly are excluded, sorry (and since I’m the only one to date to solve Leaping Lemurs without help whose logged a find, you know who you are…).

 

The cointest will be open until 2 people independently solve it or for the duration of the life of the mystery cache (whichever is shorter).

 

Good luck! Once you've read the instructions, you can see how this is well and truly a cointest, in more ways than one!

Edited by Eclectic Penguin
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Li-Z

+Li-Z

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E-mail sent and hoping that I'm still one of first to solve this mystery :laughing:

 

Thanks for this fantastic cointest! I love mysterycaches and multicaches with puzzles and problems on the way (well, only if I'm able to solve them in the end of course...... otherwise it can be very frustrating ;-).

 

I like the way you hid the coordinates. I can't remember seeing a similar mystery cache in the Netherlands, but I've only done 82 caches till now, so that doesn't say much :o

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Eclectic Penguin

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E-mail sent and hoping that I'm still one of first to solve this mystery :laughing:

 

Thanks for this fantastic cointest! I love mysterycaches and multicaches with puzzles and problems on the way (well, only if I'm able to solve them in the end of course...... otherwise it can be very frustrating ;-).

 

I like the way you hid the coordinates. I can't remember seeing a similar mystery cache in the Netherlands, but I've only done 82 caches till now, so that doesn't say much :o

 

I can confirm that we have a winner! Both correct coordinates and a valid method of obtaining the coordinates have been provided.

 

I have asked Li-Z to let me know which prize she wants and also to send me a delivery address for said prize!

 

I also ask that she please keep the method a secret please for now - this is also a valid Geocache and it could be a while before the locals work it out based on the colorful language coming at me in mailbox tonight...

 

I may be wrong but I think this one's unique in how the coordinates are actually hidden for a mystery cache.

 

Also - the second prize of either a SWG Geocoin / Gold Eclectic Penguin is still up for grabs!

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Eclectic Penguin

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i tried to do it as soon as you posted. no success. oh well

will you please tell us the method after you have two winners, so i can learn how to do it?

 

I quote my original post...

 

"The directions for this (hopefully) short cointest are simple. Solving it is (probably) going to be hard – for most."

 

As this is an actual MysteryPuzzle Geocache based in my local area that was also launched tonight (an area full of intelligent people who can calculate cyphers and hidden codes almost instantly, despite what I may have inferred earlier :o (sorry preseli - don't send the thugs around just yet to kick my teeth in... :laughing: ) - as well as this cointest, because of this, I'm afraid I won't be revealing any methodology for quite some time.

 

All I suggest is that you try to learn how to hide information inside images from information readily available on the web - a technique called "stenography". From there, try to figure out how to use new ways to hide basic data into images.

 

I've thought out of the box for ways to hide coordinates for this one in several directions - so I was pleasantly pleased tonight that there are others who can come to conclusions and solutions as quickly as I can almost think of them :rolleyes:

 

Well - Li-Z one other E.U. resident at the moment at least... :anibad:

Edited by Eclectic Penguin
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GATOULIS

+GATOULIS

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Oh boy! I am trying too but... :unsure:

 

The coin is beautiful! I love Wales flag! It so pretty!!!

On the coin there is a different language.. Is this in the local language? WOW!

 

Hmm... can I ask something out of geocaching and this cointest? Please!!! :)

 

I have seen a photo of a strange looking note or voucher... that according to what it was written in the site, it was a banknote from Wales?? You have your own currency? I thought...

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Eclectic Penguin

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Oh boy! I am trying too but... :unsure:

 

The coin is beautiful! I love Wales flag! It so pretty!!!

On the coin there is a different language.. Is this in the local language? WOW!

 

Hmm... can I ask something out of geocaching and this cointest? Please!!! :)

 

I have seen a photo of a strange looking note or voucher... that according to what it was written in the site, it was a banknote from Wales?? You have your own currency? I thought...

 

Yes, the writing on the coin is in English and Welsh and I'm a fluent speaker of both languages. If you look at the text on the coin's proof coin's description, (TB2N0MP), there's a little background about how we came up with the word Geogelcwyr (Geocachers).

 

There are no longer any Welsh banknotes in circulation - but there were once. The last one was withdrawn from circulation in 1908. Until the middle of the 19th century, privately owned banks were allowed to issue their onw banknotes- but this is no longer the case.

 

An attempt was made in 1969 by a Welsh banker to revive Welsh banknotes, but the venture was short-lived and the notes did not enter general circulation, surviving today only as a collectors' curiosity.

 

A couple of banks in Scotland and Northern Ireland retain the right to print their own notes - and some do, but contrary to popular beleif, they're not legal tender - not even in Scotland and Northern Ireland. They are however promisary notes and bear exactly the same value as sterling notes when presented to the issueing bank. Each note these days has to be backed by the bank holding the equivalent in sterling money.

 

They're not popular outside their counrty of origin since, being unfamiliar, they're prone to forgery and many banks in England and Wales no longer accept them let alone retailers!

Edited by Eclectic Penguin
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GATOULIS

+GATOULIS

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WOW!!!!! Even if Welsh sound difficult they are amazing!!!! I like them! :unsure:

 

Of course if I was in Wales, I wouldn't understand a thing! :)

Hmm... not even English men! :D

 

the sound reminds me movie languages.... you know form old times... Welsh language is probably quite old!!

 

Oh! the Sotish and N. Ireland notes are not legal tender?? I didn't know that!!!

 

Thank you my friend for all the info!!!! :lol:

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millieballon

+millieballon

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Wooohoooo :):D:lol: First cointest that I won!! And I love the design of the South Wales 2009 coin, Thanks Eclectic penguin :unsure:

 

I will keep my methods a secret and wish everyone still busy with solving this mystery cache good luck!

 

No way, being your aunt you have to tell me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Congratulations on your win! I know that you liked the coin so you are a good winner!

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Eclectic Penguin

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It's come to my attention that some people are trying to solve this with Microsoft Paint. Suffice to say you need something a little more robust to extract the coordinates... not much more complicated to be honest - but MS Paint doesnt cut the mustard, I'm afraid...

 

There's still a coin up for grabs for second place...

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Li-Z

+Li-Z

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Wooohoooo :D:lol:B) First cointest that I won!! And I love the design of the South Wales 2009 coin, Thanks Eclectic penguin :)

 

I will keep my methods a secret and wish everyone still busy with solving this mystery cache good luck!

 

No way, being your aunt you have to tell me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Congratulations on your win! I know that you liked the coin so you are a good winner!

 

Haha :unsure: I don't think you need that. Just read the cache page and you'll be able to solve it yourself!!

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Li-Z

+Li-Z

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Liz!!!! Your avantar was quite familiar to me, :laughing: and I searched a little.... WOW!

 

Happy birthday!!! My best wishes my friend!!!!

 

Sorry for the deleted wishes my friend!

 

WOW! You have birthday a day after mine, ...but I am 3 years older! :laughing:

 

Thanks and happy birthday to you too! :laughing:

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GATOULIS

+GATOULIS

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Liz!!!! Your avantar was quite familiar to me, :laughing: and I searched a little.... WOW!

 

Happy birthday!!! My best wishes my friend!!!!

 

Sorry for the deleted wishes my friend!

 

WOW! You have birthday a day after mine, ...but I am 3 years older! :laughing:

 

Thanks and happy birthday to you too! :laughing:

 

:D Thank you!!!! :D

 

cutie_aries.jpg

Cat.gif

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Eclectic Penguin

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Yesterday I mentioned NOT to use MS Paint. I don't think it's unfair to recommend packages that WILL allow you to access the information required.

 

Photoshop WILL present the valid information - but you may have to dig through some menus to find the necessary method of finding it.

 

Paintshop Pro WILL allow you to see the coordinates.

 

These are both expensive packages but PSP has a 30 day free trial IIRC.

 

And finally, I can also recommend Gimp - a free multi featured image manipulation package that has many features - this may well be overwhelming to some beginners but it's free and WILL allow you to read the coordinates.

 

How you get the graphic from the web page to your hard drive IS important - there are certain ways which WILL destroy or corrupt the image in a way that may not be visible to the naked eye - but nonetheless the image is subtly different to the original as found on the Geocaching web site and loses the coordinates. Probably the safest way is to save the image using the browser rather than cut and paste.

 

None of these are pointers to how the coordinate is hidden but may help you from wasting time in trying to extract nonexistant data

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Eclectic Penguin

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No one else trying to solve this cointest??!! :D

i think many of us are trying, just not succeeding. i am not good enough with all of the programs to do it. i'll learn some time. maybe :laughing::laughing:

 

I realize a lot of you are trying - it's not published as a difficulty 4 cache for nothing. I've even had several local cachers mention they'd be using a blunt spoon to extract the information from me the next time they see me :laughing::D

 

You DO have to do some lateral thinking to get this - I've never seen information hidden in quite this way before in an image, though the basic technique is well known and has even been used to hide cache locations before too.

 

It's because it's hard and sneaky that I actually didn't expect anyone to crack this for a week or so, so I'm quite impressed that it's been cracked by 5 people already (4 cache finders, 2 of which braved a long trek in a forest in pitch darkness and one cointest winner).

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teamhaynes

+teamhaynes

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No one else trying to solve this cointest??!! :laughing:

i think many of us are trying, just not succeeding. i am not good enough with all of the programs to do it. i'll learn some time. maybe :laughing::laughing:

 

That would be me... On spring break, and have spent several hours trying to get this. At least I have learned a lot more about digital imagery :D

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Eclectic Penguin

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It seems like you would have to be some kind of computer whiz to solve this puzzle. I, unfortunately am not, and I can't spend all day reading "GIMP for Dummies" trying to figure out how to save, open, modify, and extract data from a 32x32 pixel icon....

 

Not really - most of the people I know who have solved this so far aren't computer experts, but have a basic knowledge of how images are stored in files and a keen eye for something out of the ordinary.

 

In fact, it's the computer experts who try to read more into this than there actually is...

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Li-Z

+Li-Z

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even if i don't ever figure this out...i have learned how to many computer things on this forum.

 

i'll keep trying.

 

I definitely agree about that. I am thinking that once I find out how this is done I could place a decent puzzle cache :laughing:

 

I totally agree too. Since I've been geocaching and solving mysteries or multicaches with puzzles in it I've learned a lot about hiding messages (or coordinates) in images, in text or in codes, cracking codes.... And before I started geocaching I never even tried a sudoku before :laughing:

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Eclectic Penguin

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We have our second winner!

 

E&Cplus3 has just contacted me with the correct coordinates and from previous communication, was definitely looking in the right place, but had some settings set up incorrectly (one of the hazards of using some of the more complex packages like Photoshop, which can make incorrect assumptions on your behalf!).

 

Am awaiting to see choice of coins...

 

For others who are attempting this challenge, please by all means still attempt it - and let us know if you've cracked it (and I'm still willing to verify your methodology).

Edited by Eclectic Penguin
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ECplus3

+ECplus3

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We have our second winner!

 

E&Cplus3 has just contacted me with the correct coordinates and from previous communication, was definitely looking in the right place, but had some settings set up incorrectly (one of the hazards of using some of the more complex packages like Photoshop, which can make incorrect assumptions on your behalf!).

 

Am awaiting to see choice of coins...

 

For others who are attempting this challenge, please by all means still attempt it - and let us know if you've cracked it (and I'm still willing to verify your methodology).

 

Wahoo! Finally put this one to rest! I won't lie and say it wasn't bugging me :lol:

 

I'll gladly accept one of your personal coins (I already purchased both finishes of the South Wales coin anyway).

 

That was a fiendishly clever puzzle!

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Eclectic Penguin

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Congratulations to the winners! I will solve this, some time, some how, some day...maybe on the same day as when I figure out my Rubik's Cube.

 

Edited to say "Thank you" to Eclectic Penguin for sponsoring a cointest that stimulates our minds!

 

Congratulations to Li-Z and E&Cplus3 for winning the First and Second prizes! This puzzle has definitely had the desired effect of trying to get people to dip into the world of stenography (the hiding of information in images). It's not a conventional stenographic technique so a quick google search wouldn't bring the answer - you really had to think about what you were looking at and use the right tools.

 

It was frustrating for me too - it was obvious that E&Cplus3 had guessedthe technique based on what he'd included in an email sent yesterday and I pretty much guessed what had gone wrong, but couldn't really give too much away because this is a contest.

 

For those who've asked for the methodology, for now it must remain a secret because this is actually an ongoing mystary cache that's actually causing quite a stir in my local area at the moment as many of the FTF hounds are beating their heads in frustration not being able to log it as a find...

 

As this has been quite a challenge and there are still people working on it, and as I'd set aside 2 South Wales coins for prizes, with E&cplus3 opting for the golden penguin coin, the third person to provide me with the correct coordinates and explain their methodology will also win a South Wales Geocacher's coin.

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Ezitis

+Ezitis

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Wow! I didn't know this was going on here. Sniffadogz pointed me towards the cache last week (thanks!), and I solved it almost immediately -- perhaps because it's not entirely dissimilar from Leaping Lemurs! ;) I repaid Sniffadogz for the heads up by returning a small hint. :laughing:

Edited by Ezitis
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Eclectic Penguin

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Wow! I didn't know this was going on here. Sniffadogz pointed me towards the cache last week (thanks!), and I solved it almost immediately -- perhaps because it's not entirely dissimilar from Leaping Lemurs! :laughing: I repaid Sniffadogz for the heads up by returning a small hint. :unsure:

 

Well, as you know already, Ezitis you're my mentor for this idea and thanks for the puzzle and help!

 

The 2009 South Wales Geocachers Cointest is similar idea but a different way of using a method of hiding the coordinates and I know you've solved it within minutes as it was similar to Leaping Lemurs in most of the methodology! Thanks for not claiming this as a cointest win but you're welcome to find the cache whenever you're around (and I do know you'll be finding it soon!) - and that still has coins to win there at the moment!

 

Local chit-chat aside...

 

The third person who provides me with the coordinates and methodology gets a 2009 South Wales Coin.

 

Anyone who wants a similar challenge... GC1CXM Leaping Lemurs ;):blink: (the geography nearly gave me a heart attack though once I tried to get to the actual cache location)

Edited by Eclectic Penguin
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Li-Z

+Li-Z

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When I got home from holiday, I found an envelopppe with the 2009 South Wales coin!

 

What a beautiful coin, I love the design of this one :blink::huh:

 

feef1eff-daf6-4b4b-9f63-9daf9f47134c.jpg

 

55bebb3c-ec62-4bc1-8d94-4da9713f8a5d.jpg

 

Thanks again eclectic penguin for organizing this fun cointest!

 

Li-Z

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