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puzzle encryption help!


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I have been working on a puzzle cache for 3 months now and I still can't figure it out, I will leave out the cache name as to not ruin it. I hope this isn't considered cheating--if so I will delete this post. I wasn't sure who else to ask because I haven't found anyone who understands the puzzle and I have tried everything I could think of to solve it.

 

There are three hints near the cache site but they are all encrypted and I don't understand the encryption either. Apparently one is a coordinate. Can you decode the encryption on any of these hints?

 

[puzzle content removed by moderator]

Edited by Keystone
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According to section 4 of the geocaching.com terms of use, "You agree not to: [...] (m) Publish, on any Groundspeak owned web property, the solutions, hints, spoilers, or any hidden coordinates for any geocache without consent from the cache owner." However, here are some general puzzle tips (based in part on a puzzle-solving class event presented by The Rat a while ago):

 

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, athletes’ jersey numbers, episode numbers, product codes, 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)

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According to section 4 of the geocaching.com terms of use, "You agree not to: [...]

 

Sigh - too many wanna-be lawyers and nannies around here.

 

To the original poster, how about mentioning which cache it is. Context usually helps.

 

The advice is sound. Ignore niraD if you like. But if you publish a spoiler using Groundspeak's tools, you are subject to having your account banned.

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alright how do I delete this thread?

 

Geez - are you guys all wanna be clue police or something ?

 

Lets rephrase the question.

How about "can somebody please give me a hand with how to approach this puzzle" ?

 

Again - please follow up with which cache you're referring to so others can try to help. SOME of us actually try to help on occasion.

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It also shows an amazing disrespect to the cache owners who spend a great deal of time constructing these types of caches. Here's a perspective from the other side of the issue:

 

I would appreciate if this information was removed immediately...

 

Beat me to it.

 

alright how do I delete this thread?

 

You can't delete threads on this forum.

 

From the Forum Guidelines:

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?app=forums&module=extras&section=boardrules

11. Any messages you post in these discussion forums will remain available to the public for as long as this discussion board is online. Once you have posted your message, it will stay online. Please post carefully and with due consideration to the content of your post. We will not edit the content you wrote unless it does not conform to the forum guidelines. In the unlikely event that we do edit your post and you do not like the changes, we can delete the message at your request.

 

What you can do is click the "report" button on your original post and ask a Moderator to lock the thread.

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alright how do I delete this thread?

 

Geez - are you guys all wanna be clue police or something ?

 

Lets rephrase the question.

How about "can somebody please give me a hand with how to approach this puzzle" ?

 

Again - please follow up with which cache you're referring to so others can try to help. SOME of us actually try to help on occasion.

 

Perhaps the cache owner might be the person to ask.

 

The underlined text in the post quoted below is a link. Please click it:

 

It also shows an amazing disrespect to the cache owners who spend a great deal of time constructing these types of caches. Here's a perspective from the other side of the issue:

 

I would appreciate if this information was removed immediately...

Edited by Pup Patrol
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Lets rephrase the question.

How about "can somebody please give me a hand with how to approach this puzzle" ?

Sure, go ahead and collaborate on puzzle caches, or offer help on how to approach a specific puzzle. Just don't do it in a public forum like this, where the hints/spoilers remain online and searchable for the life of the cache.
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Lets rephrase the question.

How about "can somebody please give me a hand with how to approach this puzzle" ?

 

Again - please follow up with which cache you're referring to so others can try to help. SOME of us actually try to help on occasion.

 

That is precisely what niraD offered; generalized help that anyone can use no matter what puzzle they may be tackling.

 

Giving a specific GC code would only lead to more specific help being offered which could lead to a spoiler TOU violation.

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