If I am creating a puzzle cache...

[+CacheMule]

Hi, I was wondering if when I publish a puzzle cache what type of a reference do I need to include? Can I reference a book or do I need to have only web page references? Can I name specific books found in the local library or in a book store? I'm assuming a bookstore would require payment for a book and therefore be against a geocacher code of conduct (even if you can sit there and obtain the information). Or do I need to even list references at all and leave it up to the geocacher to obtain the information themselves to add more of a challenge? Thank you so much...

 

CacheMule

[+WarNinjas]

It is a puzzle so however you think they need to figure it out should be fine. Just try and remember it should be fun. You know your local cachers better then I do. Do you think they would want to go threw all that to find it. In some areas I think they might in others not so much. If you think it is a fun idea and one you would want to do then make it. I know it would be down on my list of ones to find but that is just me. I would probably really enjoy it if I ever took the time to do it.

[+Touchstone]

I'm assuming a bookstore would require payment for a book and therefore be against a geocacher code of conduct (even if you can sit there and obtain the information).

 

It's also contrary to the spirit of the following portion of the Guidelines:

 

It suggests or requires that the finder go inside a business, interact with employees and/or purchase a product or service.

[Pup Patrol]

Hi, I was wondering if when I publish a puzzle cache what type of a reference do I need to include? Can I reference a book or do I need to have only web page references? Can I name specific books found in the local library or in a book store? I'm assuming a bookstore would require payment for a book and therefore be against a geocacher code of conduct (even if you can sit there and obtain the information). Or do I need to even list references at all and leave it up to the geocacher to obtain the information themselves to add more of a challenge? Thank you so much...

 

CacheMule

 

You can reference specific books. If they are easily available at a library, no problem.

 

I don't think there would be a compelling reason for someone to go buy the books. That would be silly.

 

Or you can not reference specific books.

 

It's a puzzle. You can make it as easy or as difficult as you like. It's up to folks to decide if they want to attempt it or not.

 

 

B.

[+Harry Dolphin]

Hi, I was wondering if when I publish a puzzle cache what type of a reference do I need to include? Can I reference a book or do I need to have only web page references? Can I name specific books found in the local library or in a book store? I'm assuming a bookstore would require payment for a book and therefore be against a geocacher code of conduct (even if you can sit there and obtain the information). Or do I need to even list references at all and leave it up to the geocacher to obtain the information themselves to add more of a challenge? Thank you so much...

 

CacheMule

 

You can reference specific books. If they are easily available at a library, no problem.

 

I don't think there would be a compelling reason for someone to go buy the books. That would be silly.

 

Or you can not reference specific books.

 

It's a puzzle. You can make it as easy or as difficult as you like. It's up to folks to decide if they want to attempt it or not.

 

 

B.

 

Be aware that, these days, reviewers will expect to know how the puzzle is to be solved. If the solution is too obtuse, they may ask if you really want to hide such an obtuse puzzle. I ran into that with a ROT1 puzzle. "No", said I, "I don't think that's too obtuse." If the solution is only available in a book, last copy of which is in the National Archives, then the reviewer has a valid concern. If it's a puzzle based on a strange form of Base Six, then there is no problem, as long as you explain to the reviewer.

And, I'm still contemplating music by twelve unidentified composers, and how to solve that puzzle. And displays in the Museum of Natural History. I play with them (and many others) when I'm bored.

[+irisisleuk]

We've even done caches where you needed to find a very specific book in a specific library, no problem. Although it can be very disappointing when you go the library and the book was just lent out to someone else (probably another cacher). We've some of them abroad and were lucky the books were there at the moment we visited the specific countries/cities.

 

So your puzzle is fine, some people might have the book, others might ask their friends or family for it and others might try to find it in a library to get the information to solve the puzzle. Some might go to a bookstore and find the answers by just browsing the book and some might be even intrigued by the puzzle and buy the book. And others don't care about puzzles but can't just simply ignore them and get the coordinates from another cacher so they won't have to do the puzzle.

 

As long as there is no need to go into a business or to buy something to find the cache itself it will be fine.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

We've even done caches where you needed to find a very specific book in a specific library, no problem. Although it can be very disappointing when you go the library and the book was just lent out to someone else (probably another cacher). We've some of them abroad and were lucky the books were there at the moment we visited the specific countries/cities.

 

I've done one where part of the puzzle required access to a specific edition of a specific book but it was clear from the listing which book and edition was needed. Although it wasn't required, actually reading the entire book provided additional background that helped with other aspects of the puzzle as the complex, multi-tiered puzzle was closely based on the book.