Government Solves Puzzle Cache

[+ecanderson]

I just read the article and it sounded ever so much like a difficult puzzle cache (thanks only to the yearbook part - the rest should have been easier).

 

http://www.wired.com/magazine/2010/01/ff_hideandseek/

 

Of course, these buried caches all violated Groundspeak guidelines

[+Casting Crowns]

Article was long....only read first page. I was thinking this was a cache gone wrong at first. I guess I'll never be a good puzzle solver....[]

[+gpsfun]

Excellent article.

[+reedkickball]

I just read the article and it sounded ever so much like a difficult puzzle cache (thanks only to the yearbook part - the rest should have been easier).

 

http://www.wired.com/magazine/2010/01/ff_hideandseek/

 

Of course, these buried caches all violated Groundspeak guidelines

 

Thanks for posting this. Very good article. It gives me some ideas on maybe breaking some more puzzles in my area.

[+thedeadpirate]

Great article.

 

I'm not a big puzzle guy, but I found it very intriguing. I'm tempted to make my own puzzle cache now.

[EWSmith]

Thanks for sharing the article. It definitely lays out some very interesting options for puzzles. I'm impressed by all people involved, including Regan.

Edited February 8, 2010 by EWSmith

[+rob3k]

Fascinating story. I might create a puzzle cache using his methods of encryption and link to that article via the 'Related website link' by way of a hint. Been looking for inspiration for a new hide.

[+Jumpin' Jack Cache]

Interesting that more than a dozen people at NSA couldn't figure out a simple Caesar shift.

[+ecanderson]

What's scarier is that "Regan, who had been trained in cryptanalysis by the Air Force.." would have used it!

[oakenwood]

The investigators used a classic geocaching tip: ask the CO for a hint.

 

Some of the codes were way too hard for a puzzle cache, namely the book codes.

 

However, the rebus and the Caesar shift are not too hard to use in caching.

[+Jumpin' Jack Cache]

The investigators used a classic geocaching tip: ask the CO for a hint.

And, like some COs, he couldn't explain how it worked

 

Some of the codes were way too hard for a puzzle cache, namely the book codes.

 

However, the rebus and the Caesar shift are not is way too hard easy to use in caching.

 

I feel a puzzle or two coming up...

[+mountainman38]

I just read the article and it sounded ever so much like a difficult puzzle cache (thanks only to the yearbook part - the rest should have been easier).

 

http://www.wired.com/magazine/2010/01/ff_hideandseek/

 

Of course, these buried caches all violated Groundspeak guidelines

 

That story was excellent. Thanks for the good read!

[+GeoGeeBee]

Some of the codes were way too hard for a puzzle cache, namely the book codes.

 

 

I recently solved a puzzle that used a book code. It was a really difficult puzzle, but the book codes were not the hard part -- you had to decrypt something else, and the result was a set of numbers. Once you recognized that you were looking at a book code, the rest was pretty easy. The CO used books that were available online in public-domain pdf files, so the puzzle could be solved from one's desk.

[oakenwood]

Some of the codes were way too hard for a puzzle cache, namely the book codes.

I recently solved a puzzle that used a book code. It was a really difficult puzzle, but the book codes were not the hard part -- you had to decrypt something else, and the result was a set of numbers. Once you recognized that you were looking at a book code, the rest was pretty easy. The CO used books that were available online in public-domain pdf files, so the puzzle could be solved from one's desk.

If you don't know what book is being used, it's hopeless. Groundspeak might have to add a sixth star to the difficulty rating for caches like that.

 

Even if the book is known, it can still stump the best cryptologists, as the article shows. Of course, it's possible to "dumb down" the code to make it easier to solve.

[+slackpacker]

Very interesting article, I really enjoyed reading it - thanks for sharing -

[+larzanth]

I just read the article and it sounded ever so much like a difficult puzzle cache (thanks only to the yearbook part - the rest should have been easier).

 

http://www.wired.com/magazine/2010/01/ff_hideandseek/

 

Of course, these buried caches all violated Groundspeak guidelines

 

Thanks for sharing. For those interested in creating puzzle caches, there is an excellent website for creating some basic ciphers. http://www.purplehell.com/

 

Of course there are puzzle caches out there that just make you scratch your head when you see it, like my most recent FTF (GC23BZJ). This is the most difficult puzzle cache that I have solved to-date. And this was after I had cracked Wonderland which inspired me to create this cache - http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...4f-7e18c3e4ffa5

 

Always remember when creating a puzzle cache, sometimes the most obvious thing is the best choice, as people will usually assume the worst.

Edited February 10, 2010 by larzanth