Search by GC code or cache name yields random results

[+Skeezix!]

Today I searched for GCZ988, and "Pound Sand", a cache that is located in Eugene, Oregon. The search for GCZ988 returned thousands of results, including ones in France that were stated to be within 1.2 km of my location. The search for Pound Sand did not return the same results (screenshot) but it was equally incorrect. None of the cache names in the "Pound Sand" search included "Pound" or "Sand", as far as I could see. Several days ago I changed my home location in my profile, but that doesn't explain the odd search results.

[+HHL]

You searched for caches around a location, named Pound Sand. You'll have to hit the button "Filter" and type Pound Sand into the Keyword text field.
The first text entry field is for GCcodes, coordinates and location names only (as clearly written in that field).

https://www.geocaching.com/play/search?ot=4&kw=Pound sand

Hans

Edited December 31, 2017 by HHL

[+Isonzo Karst]

GCZ988 

is an archived cache in France. When you enter a GC Code into Search, you're offered the option to see only that cache, by GC Code, or to see caches within 10 miles (Xkm). If you don't make any selection, and just hit the Search magnifying glass, you'll get caches within 10 miles  of that cache. When the cache is archived, it won't be shown.The distances displayed are NOT from your home coords, but from that GC Code.  What happened is exactly what was intended.

 

I suspect you're looking for GCZ9BB Mystery cache, Pound Sand Spaces, in Eugene Oregon. I found it by using filters, limiting search to Oregon USA, asking for Pound as Keyword

 

Edited January 2, 2018 by Isonzo Karst

[+NYPaddleCacher]

On 12/31/2017 at 3:31 PM, HHL said:

You searched for caches around a location, named Pound Sand. You'll have to hit the button "Filter" and type Pound Sand into the Keyword text field.
The first text entry field is for GCcodes, coordinates and location names only (as clearly written in that field).

To elaborate on this, the Search box is used to determine a region or a center point around which the search will return results.  It expects some sort of location (place name) which will be geocoded to a set of lat/long coordinate.  It's smart enough, however to recognize GC codes or explicit coordinates.  It also provides an "auto-suggest" feature such that it will suggest using the location as a region or as a city name.  For example, if I type Oregon into the search box it will suggest cities name Oregon in Ohio, Missouri, and Wisconsin as locations that it will geocode to a set of lat/long coordinates (and will default to searching for caches within 10 miles of that center point) or Oregon as a "regional search" and will return a list of caches within the state of Oregon.  It won't return caches which include "Oregon" in the title.  Once the center point or region is set, using the Filters to narrow down the results, including the ability to filter the list such that only caches within the region or within a specified proximity to a center point *and* include a specified string in the title are returned as results.

If you want a list of caches which include a specific string, don't enter anything into the search box (just click the Filters button) and it will basically set the world as the "region".  Then enter a string into the "Geocache name contains..." field and it will return all caches in the world which contain that string in the title.