Puzzle Cache HELP!

[+Scoopitup]

I am stumped by a puzzle cache that says "all the info you need is on this page". I don't see anything on that page that may help. Any advice? Thanks.

[+Malpas Wanderer]

Sometimes they are frustrating.

 

Read everything very carefully.

[+Harry Dolphin]

Sometimes, you have to think outside the box. Sometimes things are very well hidden. People accuse me of hiding 'where's the puzzle?'puzzles. (I need to work on this more!) Sometimes you have to think like a demented dolphin!

[Dinoprophet]

If that's all it says, and there is nothing suspicious about the name (please don't post it here), I'd start by looking though the HTML source for the page.

[+wimseyguy]

I'd email the cache owner directly and ask for a nudge in the right direction.

It's generally considered bad form to ask for puzzle solution help in the forums.

[+niraD]

A while back, The Rat offered a puzzle-solving class as an event cache. His slides are available here:

http://thegba.net/resources/general_information.php

 

Among the tips he offered:

 

Identify the theme. Check the cache title, the hint, the HTML source, the graphics (including names/URLs), any links (including URLs), whatever is at the posted coordinates, etc. If you can figure out the theme, then you should look for numbering systems that are associated with that theme (zip codes, area codes, telephone keypads, episode numbers, etc.).

 

Around here, coordinates will have 15 digits, and will look like "N 37° xx.xxx W 122° xx.xxx". So when I'm solving a nearby puzzle, I look for a group of 15 things, and then I look for ways to get the digits 37xxxxx122xxxxx from them. In general, I look for ways to get the number 37 (or the digits 3 and 7) from something near the beginning of the puzzle, and the number 122 (or the digits 1, 2, and 2) from something near the middle of the puzzle. (Of course, you'll need to adjust this for the coordinates near you.)

 

Another useful resource is the Puzzle Solving 101 Series

http://www.geocaching.com/bookmarks/view.a...ef-901807ba9c98

[+hydnsek]

In addition to what's already been mentioned:

 

Empty white space on the page can hide stuff, too. Try highlighting any blank areas in the description or hint.

If there are photos, info could be hidden in them.

Attributes have been used to code puzzle coords.

In short, there are many ways to include the info to solve the puzzle 'on the page.'

[+slowdownracer]

Take a look at the webpage for the geocache with waypoint GC1VF25.

 

When you print or just print preview the page, a set of coordinates appear that aren't there on the normal webpage view.

 

Never seen anything like that before. Must be something in the html code.

[Dinoprophet]

I'd email the cache owner directly and ask for a nudge in the right direction.

It's generally considered bad form to ask for puzzle solution help in the forums.

 

General puzzle help is okay. He didn't mention the name or the GC number. That would be frowned upon. The reason is, people can come to the forums, search for those items, and have the answer handed to them.

 

Take a look at the webpage for the geocache with waypoint *******.

 

When you print or just print preview the page, a set of coordinates appear that aren't there on the normal webpage view.

 

Never seen anything like that before. Must be something in the html code.

 

Emphasis mine. Please see above.

 

It's a pretty common method for puzzle caches, really. It is in the HTML, but it's nothing fancy, and it can be seen without printing or looking at the code.

Edited December 10, 2009 by Dinoprophet

[+GeePa]

Take a look at the webpage for the geocache with waypoint GC1VF25.

 

When you print or just print preview the page, a set of coordinates appear that aren't there on the normal webpage view.

 

Never seen anything like that before. Must be something in the html code.

 

We have one just like this in Illinois (GC1BRV1). Funny thing is that I found it not even understanding what the mystery was. The reason is that I had downloaded the cache description text to my phone. This removed all formatting on the text so on the phone the coordinates were just sitting there in the description.

 

As was mentioned above, these can be solved by selecting the text of the description with a drag of the mouse or by looking at the HTML source for the cache page.