A spot too far

[+-CJ-]

I have one geocache with long history of logs that I wish to transfer from our local geocaching website to geocaching.com. The problem is the distance between coordinates of its start and the final point (container).

 

The cache is a chess problem (you're suggested to think and mate in two moves). The idea of this cache is that one has to walk in the forest while making moves. The chessboard is "made" with cuttings in this forest, one check is 1x1 km. So, it's a pretty long walk but doable in one day if you start early and make correct moves.

 

It isn't a multistep however because one is not given the exact coordinates for his moves. It's a puzzle cache. One has to go to the starting point using his GPSr, find a micro container there, get necessary hints to understand how the board is localized in this forest, think about where to move and walk there. If this move is correct the cacher will find the next microcache in new location with some hints for the second move. ... The end of this puzzle is a standard size container hidden in the same forest somewhere near this playing zone.

 

The problem is that the starting point (at the published coordinates) is too far from the container. This raises concerns about cache saturation and would probably prevent the cache from publishing.

 

One solution could be to publish coordinates of some part of the playing zone closer to the final point and add the starting point as a waypoint (reference point) to the description of the cache. I think this approach won't violate any rules. I've seen many puzzles with bogus coordinates in seas or in centres of wide lakes so putting such bogus coordinates in the forest (adding "don't go there, please") would be OK. (Am I right?) But, again, the problem is that the playing zone appears to be too large. With 1x1 km checks and the container placed "outside" the board I have to move bogus coordinates almost to the edge of the playing zone to comply with the rule of 2 miles. If I publish such coordinates there will be not so much fun: one would see the area where the container is located and may deduce that the final move must be done somewhere close to this area. So, it would be a kind of a spoiler and spoilers are no good for chess problems, you know.

 

Another way would be to physically move the final point deeper in this forest and closer to the centre of the playing zone. This would a) demand a whole day of re-construction for this geocache, ruin the route. Now it's a nice forest walk, you start at one side of the board and complete the puzzle at the other side. From the final point it's an easy and short walk to the bus stop (taxi parking). If I move the container somewhere to the centre of the board then geocachers will have to do circles and/or return using the same paths, not really nice. Moreover, after this long and exhaustive walk people will find themselves deep in the forest and have to walk 7-8 kilometers more to get out of there to some civiilization.

 

I would appreciate any ideas about how to solve this "distance problem". Just talking to reviewer with an attempt to explain everything and ask for some exclusion is certainly an option but I don't think this will work with our local reviewer.

[cezanne]

I would appreciate any ideas about how to solve this "distance problem". Just talking to reviewer with an attempt to explain everything and ask for some exclusion is certainly an option but I don't think this will work with our local reviewer.

 

I'd go for a multi cache with the fields puzzle attribute. Set the header coordinates to Stage 1 and mention in the cache description that a puzzle has to be solved along the way and that one should bring along sufficient time.

[+derektiffany]

I'd go for a multi cache with the fields puzzle attribute. Set the header coordinates to Stage 1 and mention in the cache description that a puzzle has to be solved along the way and that one should bring along sufficient time.

+1

 

If reviewer raises distance from Stage 1 to final as an issue ...

1) Place a new (final) container / stage w/in 2 miles of Stage 1 (listed coordinate)

2) Where the current / existing final stage is, put coordinates to new (final) container

 

This would:

1) Keep final w/in 2 miles of listed coordinates (meeting listing guidelines)

2) Keep integrity of puzzle as constructed

3) Only require adding (1) additional stage to (end) of puzzle

 

Edit:

Ooops. I see the the above won't work based on your desired intent (of not requiring seekers to loop back). Go with cezanne's suggestion and then work with reviewer if issues are raised.

Edited July 11, 2013 by derektiffany

[+Great Scott!]

The 2 mile distance is only a guideline and not a rule. Talk with your reviewer and explain your idea. You may get an exception to the guideline similar to one I had:

 

"Note: An exception has been granted by Groundspeak Inc. for the posted coordinates to be in excess of 2 miles from the actual cache coordinates. That does not actually mean the coordinates are more than 2 miles... just that they might be."

[+niraD]

I've seen puzzle caches where the final was further than 2 miles from the posted coordinates because there was a good "in puzzle" reason for the final to be further than 2 miles. Some of them have been puzzle multi-caches (listed as mystery/puzzle caches), and this one sounds like a puzzle multi-cache.

 

I'd list it without changes, with a Reviewer Note explaining exactly what you told us about the nature of the puzzle.

 

If the reviewer wouldn't publish it that way, then I'd send email to appeals.

[+-CJ-]

Thank you all for these thoughts. Cezanne proposed the solution that I will probably try first.

[+Mn-treker]

The 2 mile rule aplies to puzzle caches only. It does not apply to multy cache types.

I have one where stage one is 15 miles from the final. Total drive is 28 miles to do this five stage multy.

[Keystone]

It's a multi and no design changes are needed.