How do you work out the check sum

[+joeylovestreasure]

I have recently been attempting puzzle caches and excitedly headed of to find GZ sometimes frustratingly using the wrong coordinates.

 

Can anyone help with advice on how to work out the check sum please?

 

It would also be great to know of some great puzzle examples that others have found.

[+Bear and Ragged]

Usually it's something simple like add the numbers up to equal the checksum.

 

eg Add your found numbers = 8

Find A Find B checksum A+B = 8

 

However... This does not mean you have the correct numbers!

 

As

A=1 and B=7

A=2 and B=6

A=3 and B=5 etc., will all give you the 'correct' checksum of 8

[+Walts Hunting]

I don't think checksum involves letters. Add all the individual numbers of the coords. I.e. 43 34.345 123 24.678 checksum = 59

[+Bear and Ragged]

I don't think checksum involves letters. Add all the individual numbers of the coords. I.e. 43 34.345 123 24.678 checksum = 59

 

Depends on what you find locally!

 

Multi-cache, find the dates to substitute the letters = 18A4 and 199B

[+niraD]

Some puzzle caches use all the digits in the checksum. For example:

 

N 37° 25.502 W 122° 06.834 => 3 + 7 + 2 + 5 + 5 + 0 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 2 + 0 + 6 + 8 + 3 + 4 = 50

 

Some puzzle caches use only the digits that you need to solve in the checksum. For example:

 

N 37° 25.ABC W 122° 06.DEF => A=5, B=0, C=2, D=8, E=3, F=4 => 5 + 0 + 2 + 8 + 3 + 4 = 22

 

The puzzle cache should say which it's using, but if it doesn't, then go ahead and try both ways.

 

In the meantime, here are some puzzle tips that I've posted before (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)

 

If you’re interested in extremely challenging puzzles, then consider the online discussions of Venona’s ACTIVITIES in the GBA forums. The puzzles for this annual event are very challenging, intended to be solved by multiple people working together online. (You'll need to register on the GBA site to view these forum threads.)

Overview: Venona's 2011 ACTIVITIES

Overview: Venona's 2012 ACTIVITIES