solving puzzles

[+ccsierra]

I did pretty well in all my math classes and I enjoy crossword and cryptic puzzles. But I'm darned if I can figure out what to do with a puzzle cache that lists a string of numbers. One in particular looked like binary code but there were far too many groups of numbers to plug in as the digits of coordinates. Can anyone give me a hint of how to approach them? Thank you.

[+Team Dennis]

I'm really bad at some puzzles because my brain is not wired to think laterally. I can do math and I can do (some) word puzzles but when you mix the two my mind usually can't bridge the gap.

 

That being said when I come across a puzzle I check it out and spend a few minutes on it. If nothing pops out at me I move along to the next one. Then I'll come back to it again a while later. Sometimes it helps me to forget what my thoughts were as they were probably wrong to begin with.

[+FolsomNatural]

SO glad you asked, CC, 'cause I haven't got a clue either. Many have no hints, no procedures, no logic to them.

 

I went through a dozen or so before I found one I could work out.

I'll be interested in seeing responses from

 

[+t4e]

there's some good tutorial out there, for the life of me i can't find the links but i'm sure someone that has them will come along soon

[Pup Patrol]

there's some good tutorial out there, for the life of me i can't find the links but i'm sure someone that has them will come along soon

 

The recent upgrade of the forums means that the search function now works.

 

I think you're thinking of niraD's standard reply to questions regarding puzzles. Here's a recent thread:

 

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=272433

[+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.)

 

Other useful resources include:

Puzzle Solving 101 Series (bookmark list)

Puzzle Shortcuts Series (bookmark list)

Solving Puzzle Caches (online article)

How Do I Solve All These $@! Puzzle Caches? (tutorial-style puzzle cache)

Puzzle FUNdamentals (archived event cache) and the Puzzle FUNdamentals resources on the GeocacheAlaska! education page

The GBA's Puzzle Cache FAQ (for puzzle designers, but useful for understanding how puzzle caches work)

[+t4e]

there's some good tutorial out there, for the life of me i can't find the links but i'm sure someone that has them will come along soon

 

The recent upgrade of the forums means that the search function now works.

 

I think you're thinking of niraD's standard reply to questions regarding puzzles. Here's a recent thread:

 

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=272433

 

i'm well aware of the search function working, however sifting through 29 pages of results for "puzzle" keyword its not my idea of fun

 

but i was right, someone knew it and you got it off the top of your head anyway and there's niraD with the proper answer just as i predicted

Edited May 17, 2011 by t4e

[+Spraginator]

One thing that really helps is to note that you know the first two digits of each coordinate, and usually have a pretty good guess on the next two. For me, its N42 xx.xxx W83 xx.xxx, so I try to figure out how to get the degrees to read 42 and 83, then apply that to the rest of the numbers.

 

The minutes will usually be the same, and 1 or 2 off if they're not

[+fuzziebear3]

If you are stuck on a particular one, post the link and maybe someone can nudge you in the right direction.

[+dfx]

... and maybe someone can nudge you in the right direction.

 

... but per PM please

[+CanadianRockies]

If you are stuck on a particular one, post the link and maybe someone can nudge you in the right direction.

Off-line, of course.

[Pup Patrol]

there's some good tutorial out there, for the life of me i can't find the links but i'm sure someone that has them will come along soon

 

The recent upgrade of the forums means that the search function now works.

 

I think you're thinking of niraD's standard reply to questions regarding puzzles. Here's a recent thread:

 

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=272433

 

i'm well aware of the search function working, however sifting through 29 pages of results for "puzzle" keyword its not my idea of fun

 

but i was right, someone knew it and you got it off the top of your head anyway and there's niraD with the proper answer just as i predicted

 

Well, try doing a search for "solving puzzles" and see how many results you get.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

I did pretty well in all my math classes and I enjoy crossword and cryptic puzzles. But I'm darned if I can figure out what to do with a puzzle cache that lists a string of numbers. One in particular looked like binary code but there were far too many groups of numbers to plug in as the digits of coordinates. Can anyone give me a hint of how to approach them? Thank you.

 

I have no idea if this will help for a specific puzzle, but ...

 

binary values can be transformed to digits (for example, the decimal value for 100 is a 4)

 

or

 

binary values can be transformed to ascii values (i.e. a=10 decimal, or 1010 in binary)

 

or

 

binary value could be transformed to some other code which has two states, for example morse code

[+Shrektrician]

Start with the one and two star puzzles and ask for help. There are a few puzzle snobs who refuse to help but there are more cachers out there that would gladly help you with a puzzle cache.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

Start with the one and two star puzzles and ask for help. There are a few puzzle snobs who refuse to help but there are more cachers out there that would gladly help you with a puzzle cache.

 

The problem isn't asking for or receiving help on puzzle caches. The problem is providing answers to puzzle caches in online searchable forums. Asking the cache owner for a hint should always be the first step. If the CO is unwilling to provide help, perhaps it's because the CO wants finders to solve the puzzle (and has rated it accordingly) to find the cache. That said, collaborating on a solution to a puzzle is fairly common and at the end of the day pretty much every cache owners wants you to find the their cache.

[+Team Dennis]

A while back, The Rat offered a puzzle-solving class as an event cache...

 

There is some very useful information to be had there. The problem (at least for me...at first) was that I had no clue how puzzle caches worked or what to be looking for so the info might has well have been written in Chinese. But after tackling some easier puzzles the fog began to lift. I still suck but I'm getting better.

 

Also, Google is your friend.

[+bflentje]

Start with the one and two star puzzles and ask for help. There are a few puzzle snobs who refuse to help but there are more cachers out there that would gladly help you with a puzzle cache.

 

The problem isn't asking for or receiving help on puzzle caches. The problem is providing answers to puzzle caches in online searchable forums. Asking the cache owner for a hint should always be the first step. If the CO is unwilling to provide help, perhaps it's because the CO wants finders to solve the puzzle (and has rated it accordingly) to find the cache. That said, collaborating on a solution to a puzzle is fairly common and at the end of the day pretty much every cache owners wants you to find the their cache.

 

Wow, we're getting better. This time it took up to 15 posts for someone to shoot off the "it is in poor taste"... blah blah. Next time, let's aim for 20 posts.

[+Lil Devil]

One in particular looked like binary code but there were far too many groups of numbers to plug in as the digits of coordinates.

It might have the coords spelled out as words like "north thirty seven..."

[+popokiiti]

I used to just ignore puzzles as I was always flummoxed by them. The first I "solved" in a fit of pique - held left button down and moved cursor around...and there were the coords. Now........say what you will about printing cache sheets - but in that case, even without the coords in view, printing revealed them.

Fast forward a couple of years, and I tried a couple more...and solved them. If math is involved, and I am told that upfront, my brain freezes. Total panic - left over from my schooldays! Other types of puzzle seem to intrigue me, and if I have an idea come to me quickly, I try going with it. If it is something I start to feel I'm slaving over....I forget about it and move on to the next.

[+Chrysalides]

Start with the one and two star puzzles and ask for help. There are a few puzzle snobs who refuse to help but there are more cachers out there that would gladly help you with a puzzle cache.

The problem isn't asking for or receiving help on puzzle caches. The problem is providing answers to puzzle caches in online searchable forums. Asking the cache owner for a hint should always be the first step. If the CO is unwilling to provide help, perhaps it's because the CO wants finders to solve the puzzle (and has rated it accordingly) to find the cache. That said, collaborating on a solution to a puzzle is fairly common and at the end of the day pretty much every cache owners wants you to find the their cache.

Wow, we're getting better. This time it took up to 15 posts for someone to shoot off the "it is in poor taste"... blah blah. Next time, let's aim for 20 posts.

First, it's "bad form", not "poor taste". Second, that was an informative post by NYPaddleCacher who didn't say anything about poor taste (so your post at #17 is the first instance where someone used that phrase, and we did make it to #20 before someone - me - used the words "bad form").

 

Your post, like mine, has no useful content for the OP, however. I'm merely posting, as a kneejerk reaction, to your kneejerk post to NYPaddleCacher's.

[+niraD]

Perhaps someone could simply mention that according to the Geocaching.com Site Terms of Use Agreement: "You agree not to: [...] (m) Publish, in any form of media, the solutions, hints, spoilers, or any hidden coordinates for any geocache without consent from the cache owner."

 

I don't think that counts as a reference to "bad form" or "poor taste"...