Choose a Difficulty Rating on a Puzzle Cache

[+AirmetTango]

I'm a relatively new cacher, and I'm contemplating my first hide. What is the general etiquette for choosing the difficulty rating on a puzzle cache? Should it be based solely on the difficulty of finding the hide once the puzzle is solved, just like any other cache? Or does the difficulty rating get bumped up because of the added difficulty imposed by having to solve a puzzle first?

 

In the case of my new cache, the hide itself is 1.5D at most - nothing extravagant. The puzzle is essentially a word problem (those are always fun, right?!) and should require some time and thought. I was thinking it would increase the cache to maybe 2.5D max, if difficulty is done that way. If so, I'll plan to mention that the puzzle is adding the extra difficulty star.

 

Thanks in advance for any thoughts!

[+SirDonB]

For a puzzle cache, I would say that the Terrain rating should reflect the terrain to where the cache is hidden and the Difficulty rating should reflect how difficult is it to solve the puzzle and get the final coords.

[+dadandluc]

http://support.Groundspeak.com/index.php?pg=kb.page&id=82 Edited January 30, 2014 by dadandluc

[+Kacher82]

I would say that what you are thinking is what I would do. I have one puzzle cache, which is basically a p&g for the actual find, but I set the rating a bit higher due to the puzzle. I also mentioned in the description that the difficulty rating is due to the puzzle. Other puzzle hiders in this area do it that way, too.

[+AirmetTango]

For a puzzle cache, I would say that the Terrain rating should reflect the terrain to where the cache is hidden and the Difficulty rating should reflect how difficult is it to solve the puzzle and get the final coords.

 

Thanks, SirBowen - this is what I suspected, but wanted some verification from the community to be sure.

 

http://support.Groundspeak.com/index.php?pg=kb.page&id=82

 

Thanks for the link dadandluc. Unfortunately, by answering the questions honestly on the auto-rating form, the easiest it suggested was 3D/3T! This cache is definitely not that hard, but it sure helps explain why one of the easiest caches I've found was rated 2.5/3

Edited January 30, 2014 by AirmetTango

[+niraD]

IMHO, the difficulty rating of puzzle caches should reflect the combined challenge of solving the puzzle and finding the container. Most of the time this is dominated by the challenge of solving the puzzle. If solving the puzzle takes "a good portion of an afternoon" (D3), and finding the container takes "less than 30 minutes" (D2), then the combined challenge takes "a good portion of an afternoon" and the cache should be rated D3.

 

Or vice versa. If solving the puzzle takes "less than 30 minutes" (D2), and finding the container takes "a good portion of an afternoon" (D3), then the combined challenge takes "a good portion of an afternoon" and the cache should be rated D3. Although situations like this are more rare.

[+Kacher82]

Thanks for the link dadandluc. Unfortunately, by answering the questions honestly on the auto-rating form, the easiest it suggested was 3D/3T! This cache is definitely not that hard, but it sure helps explain why one of the easiest caches I've found was rated 4/3

I use the form to get an approximate rating, then adjust it according to my personal judgement.

[+AirmetTango]

I would say that what you are thinking is what I would do. I have one puzzle cache, which is basically a p&g for the actual find, but I set the rating a bit higher due to the puzzle. I also mentioned in the description that the difficulty rating is due to the puzzle. Other puzzle hiders in this area do it that way, too.

 

Thanks for the input Kacher. I've noticed that several of the puzzle caches I've looked at or found will mention the increased difficulty due to the puzzle on the cache page. Probably far less than half mention it though. As a solver, I definitely appreciate that info - it gives me a better picture of what I'll be up against for both the puzzle and the hide.

[+AirmetTango]

IMHO, the difficulty rating of puzzle caches should reflect the combined challenge of solving the puzzle and finding the container. Most of the time this is dominated by the challenge of solving the puzzle. If solving the puzzle takes "a good portion of an afternoon" (D3), and finding the container takes "less than 30 minutes" (D2), then the combined challenge takes "a good portion of an afternoon" and the cache should be rated D3.

 

Or vice versa. If solving the puzzle takes "less than 30 minutes" (D2), and finding the container takes "a good portion of an afternoon" (D3), then the combined challenge takes "a good portion of an afternoon" and the cache should be rated D3. Although situations like this are more rare.

 

I use the form to get an approximate rating, then adjust it according to my personal judgement.

 

Great detail niraD, thanks. It looks like I'm on the right track then - and the form's star rating definitions will definitely help me stay in line with the finder's expectations. Thanks, everyone!

[+ngrrfan]

And you can always use the description area to give a rating for the puzzle, a rating for the hide and rating for terrain.

 

"The puzzle is an easy puzzle, shouldn't be harder than a 1.5. The hide is something else though, a true D5. You don't have to leave the sidewalk, thus T1. Have fun."

[+eigengott]

What is the general etiquette for choosing the difficulty rating on a puzzle cache?

 

I suggest using the rating system that Groundspeak provides: http://www.geocaching.com/hide/rate.aspx

 

For a puzzle cache this will be at least D=3 ("may use clues to location"). When the riddle is more complex, say you need skills you usually learn at high school, it's D=4 ("requires special ... knowledge"). If you need things taught at university it's D=5 ("requires very specialized knowledge").

[+K13]

For a puzzle cache, I would say that the Terrain rating should reflect the terrain to where the cache is hidden and the Difficulty rating should reflect how difficult is it to solve the puzzle and get the final coords.

 

Bzzzzzt!

Terrain Rating is just for the terrain. D rating is for the find aspect of the cache. These are independent of each other.