+cobrac Posted September 9, 2010 Share Posted September 9, 2010 Is there any guidance on how helpful a hint should be? I've found a few times that after the effort and time of getting to GZ, having a good search around-sometimes you need a slight nudge in the right direction...so you check the 'hint'....but quite often the hint will tell you inch for inch exactly where the cache is. I find this kind of hint is a bit annoying...more of an 'answer' than a 'hint'. I've tried searching for this in the forum but no luck. Any thoughts on this? Quote Link to comment
+BlueDeuce Posted September 9, 2010 Share Posted September 9, 2010 I have a cache that I give detailed information in the hint, but I explain that in the description. Quote Link to comment
+kunarion Posted September 9, 2010 Share Posted September 9, 2010 (edited) I find this kind of hint is a bit annoying...more of an 'answer' than a 'hint'.One of my caches has a rather cryptic hint. Some cachers seem to find it no more helpful than the description. That one's rated somewhat high in difficulty. I'll open my cache GC274MB for discussion: Is that more like what the OP is asking for? My first cache had a very non-helpful hint, which I've changed over time, until it's about as specific as I can get without a flashing neon arrow (soon to be installed ). It's rated rather easy, and my intention was that it would be an easy find for cachers, yet difficult for muggles. The balance is just about right. If I include a hint, the idea is to give away the hide. It's the last resort in the field before cachers will Phone-A-Friend, who'll tell them exactly where it is anyway. But I like Blue Deuce's plan of telling you what to expect from the hint before you read it. Edited September 9, 2010 by kunarion Quote Link to comment
+briansnat Posted September 9, 2010 Share Posted September 9, 2010 My hints are usually dead giveaways. I don't want people tearing up the area around the cache, so I try to make it as specific as possible. I've seen people use graduated hints, a gentle nudge, then a slap on the head and finally a dead giveaway. This worked much better before the days of paperless caching when people would manually decrypt the hint. Now with so many people going paperless and seeing already decrypted hints it wouldn't work so well. Quote Link to comment
+t4e Posted September 9, 2010 Share Posted September 9, 2010 Is there any guidance on how helpful a hint should be? I've found a few times that after the effort and time of getting to GZ, having a good search around-sometimes you need a slight nudge in the right direction...so you check the 'hint'....but quite often the hint will tell you inch for inch exactly where the cache is. I find this kind of hint is a bit annoying...more of an 'answer' than a 'hint'. I've tried searching for this in the forum but no luck. Any thoughts on this? i'll take a detailed hint over "no hint needed" or "no hint" is beyond me why don't people get it that leaving the Hint field empty implies that is no hint that is extremely annoying especially if you manually decrypt it in the field Quote Link to comment
hoosier guy Posted September 9, 2010 Share Posted September 9, 2010 I have a cache that I give detailed information in the hint, but I explain that in the description. That's the way to handle it. I think if the CO knows what the site is like and for whatever reason feels the hint needs to be specific, fine. But adding that into the description (e.g. "hint is a spoiler") is a great courtesy for those who don't need/want such a hint. Quote Link to comment
GOF and Bacall Posted September 9, 2010 Share Posted September 9, 2010 Is there any guidance on how helpful a hint should be? I've found a few times that after the effort and time of getting to GZ, having a good search around-sometimes you need a slight nudge in the right direction...so you check the 'hint'....but quite often the hint will tell you inch for inch exactly where the cache is. I find this kind of hint is a bit annoying...more of an 'answer' than a 'hint'. I've tried searching for this in the forum but no luck. Any thoughts on this? i'll take a detailed hint over "no hint needed" or "no hint" is beyond me why don't people get it that leaving the Hint field empty implies that is no hint that is extremely annoying especially if you manually decrypt it in the field Agreed. If you have no hint to give just leave the field empty. Please! Quote Link to comment
+StarBrand Posted September 9, 2010 Share Posted September 9, 2010 Some hints are a gentle nudge. Others are dead giveaways. Others only tell you the obvious - that you are in the right area. Some hints are not helpful in any fashion whatsoever. It is the cache owners right to disclose as much or as little as they want. My hints are usually a little vague but if you think for a moment - they give things away pretty well. Quote Link to comment
+narcissa Posted September 9, 2010 Share Posted September 9, 2010 Owner's discretion, get over it. Quote Link to comment
Mr.Yuck Posted September 9, 2010 Share Posted September 9, 2010 Is there any guidance on how helpful a hint should be? I've found a few times that after the effort and time of getting to GZ, having a good search around-sometimes you need a slight nudge in the right direction...so you check the 'hint'....but quite often the hint will tell you inch for inch exactly where the cache is. I find this kind of hint is a bit annoying...more of an 'answer' than a 'hint'. I've tried searching for this in the forum but no luck. Any thoughts on this? i'll take a detailed hint over "no hint needed" or "no hint" is beyond me why don't people get it that leaving the Hint field empty implies that is no hint that is extremely annoying especially if you manually decrypt it in the field See this CobraC ?^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ This is what all other hint threads in the history of this forum have been about, useless hints (all while the field says if you don't have one, leave it blank). So that's why your search came up empty. You are actually the first one to start a thread about dead giveaway hints. Quote Link to comment
Mr.Yuck Posted September 9, 2010 Share Posted September 9, 2010 (edited) Double post Edited September 9, 2010 by Mr.Yuck Quote Link to comment
Clan Riffster Posted September 9, 2010 Share Posted September 9, 2010 I don't want people tearing up the area around the cache, so I try to make it as specific as possible. That. If you are at ground zero, and you are having trouble, reading my hint will let you leave with a smiley. Quote Link to comment
Andronicus Posted September 9, 2010 Share Posted September 9, 2010 (edited) ... I've found a few times that after the effort and time of getting to GZ, ... My 3 caches that require a significant hike, the hint is truly a spoiler. I realy don't want people hiking for 1, 4, or 12 hours, just to log a DNF. The one super spoiler I made sure to mention that fact in the description (http://coord.info/GC1NPJV). I had a few DNFs on that one, and was sad that people had made the hike, and were unable to bag the cache, so increased the spoiler-ness of the hint. My caches that are not so much of a hike, I have more vagg hints Edited September 9, 2010 by Andronicus Quote Link to comment
Skippermark Posted September 9, 2010 Share Posted September 9, 2010 (edited) i'll take a detailed hint over "no hint needed" or "no hint" I don't like those either. (Editing to clarify that I meant, I prefer a detailed hint over a "no hint needed" type hint). I also don't like the ones that say, "If you're stuck, email me at...and I'll give you a hint." What if you're only in the area for a short while or on vacation and won't be going back there? Another thing I find kind of funny is that on some real challenging caches, the owner says he'll post a hint after the FTF. So the FTF goes out there and finally finds it after a long (or multiple visit) search. A couple days later, a hint appears on the cache page, "bison tube drilled into a 6 foot log on the east side of the rock pile and covered with bark." So the poor FTFer has to struggle to find it but then future finders pretty much have a "gimme." Edited September 10, 2010 by Skippermark Quote Link to comment
+buttaskotch Posted September 9, 2010 Share Posted September 9, 2010 Better a detailed hint than tearing up a flower bed! Quote Link to comment
+Chokecherry Posted September 9, 2010 Share Posted September 9, 2010 I love detailed hints. Sometimes the pieces just don't fall into place and need the slap on the head nudge. I don't like vague/cryptic hints because I don't liek to put as much as effort into figuring out the meaning of the hint as I do finding the cache. Quote Link to comment
GOF and Bacall Posted September 9, 2010 Share Posted September 9, 2010 I always like the hints that don't make sense unless you are standing right there. Quote Link to comment
sdarken Posted September 9, 2010 Share Posted September 9, 2010 (edited) Someone in local regional forums suggested that the best hints were the ones that told you where the cache isn't hidden eg: "not in the rocks" "not in the bushes" "not on the ground. " Those kind of hints can greatly reduce the search area while not being a complete spoiler. Edited September 9, 2010 by sdarken Quote Link to comment
LLWSUncleRick Posted September 9, 2010 Share Posted September 9, 2010 ... I've found a few times that after the effort and time of getting to GZ, ... My 3 caches that require a significant hike, the hint is truly a spoiler. I realy don't want people hiking for 1, 4, or 12 hours, just to log a DNF. The one super spoiler I made sure to mention that fact in the description (http://coord.info/GC1NPJV). I had a few DNFs on that one, and was sad that people had made the hike, and were unable to bag the cache, so increased the spoiler-ness of the hint. My caches that are not so much of a hike, I have more vagg hints I agree, Quote Link to comment
+Merchant Adventurers Posted September 9, 2010 Share Posted September 9, 2010 (edited) Someone in local regional forums suggested that the best hints were the ones that told you where the cache isn't hidden eg: "not in the rocks" "not in the bushes" "not on the ground. " Those kind of hints can greatly reduce the search area while not being a complete spoiler. There's one cache we did where I wish I'd taken the time to decode "Not in the thorns" before I went barreling on through the blackberry hedge... Serves me right. Edited September 10, 2010 by Merchant Adventurers Quote Link to comment
+Highland Horde Posted September 10, 2010 Share Posted September 10, 2010 I prefer a hint that is a hint not a dead giveaway, but there are times that I am great full for the giveaway. what really bugs me is a vague description and no hint. so I am in the woods with poor accuracy no hint no idea where the "regular" should be. (or when the cache is winter friendly, in the middle of the woods and the hint is "hanging" !? Really? you think? LOL ) Quote Link to comment
+DanOCan Posted September 10, 2010 Share Posted September 10, 2010 I love good hints, even if they are spoilers. If I took the time to get to the cache I'd really like to find the dadgum thing. Quote Link to comment
+ngrrfan Posted September 10, 2010 Share Posted September 10, 2010 IMHO.... All hiders really want their caches to be found, regardless of how difficult it may be to get to GZ. So a good hint is written in such a manner so as to shove you in the right direction without totally giving the hide away. It may take you a bit to wrap your brain around how the hider was thinking, but eventually you'll get it, in a few minutes. Quote Link to comment
+NYPaddleCacher Posted September 10, 2010 Share Posted September 10, 2010 While caching in other countries I've often seen hints posted as photos rather than in the hint text. They're clearly labeled "Spoiler" so I can choose whether or not I want to see it, and if I do, it clearly shows the location. Quote Link to comment
+addisonbr Posted September 10, 2010 Share Posted September 10, 2010 I realy don't want people hiking for 1, 4, or 12 hours, just to log a DNF. I feel the same way about my puzzles. I tend to hint them more aggressively, often in the cache description. I really don't want someone from New Jersey solving a puzzle, coming all the way into the city to log it and then not being able to come up with the container. Quote Link to comment
+power69 Posted September 11, 2010 Share Posted September 11, 2010 Is there any guidance on how helpful a hint should be? I've found a few times that after the effort and time of getting to GZ, having a good search around-sometimes you need a slight nudge in the right direction...so you check the 'hint'....but quite often the hint will tell you inch for inch exactly where the cache is. I find this kind of hint is a bit annoying...more of an 'answer' than a 'hint'. I've tried searching for this in the forum but no luck. Any thoughts on this? i'll take a detailed hint over "no hint needed" or "no hint" is beyond me why don't people get it that leaving the Hint field empty implies that is no hint that is extremely annoying especially if you manually decrypt it in the field dont forget "email me for a hint" Quote Link to comment
+e5c4p3artist Posted September 11, 2010 Share Posted September 11, 2010 It's called a "hint" not "detailed instructions of exactly where the cache is placed." Quote Link to comment
+MR57 Posted September 11, 2010 Share Posted September 11, 2010 Is there any guidance on how helpful a hint should be? I've found a few times that after the effort and time of getting to GZ, having a good search around-sometimes you need a slight nudge in the right direction...so you check the 'hint'....but quite often the hint will tell you inch for inch exactly where the cache is. I find this kind of hint is a bit annoying...more of an 'answer' than a 'hint'. I've tried searching for this in the forum but no luck. Any thoughts on this? I don't give hints anymore. The people in my area are so good at finding my stuff. A hint would make it to easy. Quote Link to comment
+Coldgears Posted September 12, 2010 Share Posted September 12, 2010 http://coord.info/GC1YK4J That was the absolute WORSE hint ever. The hint is "title" and the title was "Poecile atricapillus". I was 20 miles from my house with NO intention of going back there. Even a google search later tells me it's some sort of bird... How does that help me? Thanks for nothing... I couldn't find it. Quote Link to comment
+power69 Posted September 12, 2010 Share Posted September 12, 2010 http://coord.info/GC1YK4J That was the absolute WORSE hint ever. The hint is "title" and the title was "Poecile atricapillus". I was 20 miles from my house with NO intention of going back there. Even a google search later tells me it's some sort of bird... How does that help me? Thanks for nothing... I couldn't find it. fake bird or bird house? Quote Link to comment
+Me and my dad Posted September 12, 2010 Share Posted September 12, 2010 How 'bout this for a hint? "The biggest hint is to be careful parking. If you don't have a big truck or four wheeler, check the driveway, it gets washed out often. With the difficulty this high-no hints." This was for a 4.5/3 multi. So, I'm at the final and need a hint. I decrypt the hint and get no help, but find out that I need a tow truck to get my car out of the parking area. As this was a state highway where parking on the road is prohibited, the only parking choice was the obvious area accessable by a, not wsahed out, steep gravel path. This turned out to be impossible to drive out of due to the combination of steep and loose. Thanks to the cache owner for the heads up after I'm in trouble. Quote Link to comment
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