How do you solve Mystery caches?

[+Stakmaster]

I've been geocaching for over a year and every mystery cache beyond the simple "add the dates in the graveyard" completely stump me. I understand how I am supposed to complete them in theory, but I read the description and get the information I need and I just hit a wall, like I have no idea where to begin. 

 

From people who hide mystery caches or those who have solved a lot of them, are there any common threads among them that could help me? How do most of them begin? I realize this is a very vague question but I have yet to solve a single mystery cache that isn't just a graveyard hunt and I feel like I'm missing out on a good chunk of caches. Is there any advice anyone could give me?

[+cerberus1]

Have you tried asking the CO for a hint ?   

 

Have you read Groundspeak's  Terms Of Use ?  

Specifically Restrictions : "Publish on our websites the solutions, hints, spoilers, or any hidden coordinates for any geocache without consent from the geocache owner".

[+Stakmaster]

6 minutes ago, cerberus1 said:

Have you tried asking the CO for a hint ?   

 

Have you read Groundspeak's  Terms Of Use ?  

Specifically Restrictions : "Publish on our websites the solutions, hints, spoilers, or any hidden coordinates for any geocache without consent from the geocache owner".

I suppose I could do that, though that sort of feels like cheating. I guess this is more of a "help me understand how to solve them on my own" sort of question, but each one is different so maybe it's useless. I just feel like I never know where to begin, like there's not enough information or direction, but that's the mystery part of it. 

[+Kenster99]

11 minutes ago, Stakmaster said:

I suppose I could do that, though that sort of feels like cheating. I guess this is more of a "help me understand how to solve them on my own" sort of question, but each one is different so maybe it's useless. I just feel like I never know where to begin, like there's not enough information or direction, but that's the mystery part of it. 

 

I have the same problem as well.  I read the descriptions and when I come to the end of the text I'm still completely lost as to where to begin.  I know some people are figuring them out based on the smiles, but I've only been able to figure out the most basic and simple ones so far.  I'm not sure when it will finally click for me.

Edited May 19, 2018 by Kenster99

[+niraD]

Here are some general puzzle tips (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.)

 

If you ask the cache owner for a hint, then be sure to mention the approaches you have tried so far, and the results those approaches have yielded. It can also be helpful to work together with others who are trying to solve the same puzzle. Geocaching events are a good place to meet other geocachers; ask around to see if anyone else is trying to solve the same puzzle(s) as you.

 

Other useful resources include:

• How to solve Mystery Caches (also known as Puzzle Caches) (blog post)
• Puzzle Solving 101 Series (bookmark list)
• Calgary Puzzle Solving 101 (bookmark list)
• Puzzle Shortcuts Series (bookmark list)
• Solving Puzzle Caches (online article)
• How Do I Solve All These &#$@! Puzzle Caches? (tutorial-style puzzle cache)
• Geocaching Toolbox ("All geocaching tools a geocacher needs in one box.")
• 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)
• LANAKI's Classical Cryptography Course
• How to Puzzle Cache (book)

 

[+arisoft]

7 hours ago, Stakmaster said:

I suppose I could do that, though that sort of feels like cheating. I guess this is more of a "help me understand how to solve them on my own" sort of question, but each one is different so maybe it's useless. I just feel like I never know where to begin, like there's not enough information or direction, but that's the mystery part of it. 

 

Asking from the CO is less cheating than asking coordinates from a friend who knows them but does not know how to solve the mystery. Most COs are willing to help and they probably knows the best how to help without spoiling. For example by telling how to not try to solve it. Anyway, asking from the CO happens not very often. I have about a hundred mystery caches and do get this kind of requests less than once per week.

 

8 hours ago, Stakmaster said:

I've been geocaching for over a year and every mystery cache beyond the simple "add the dates in the graveyard" completely stump me. I understand how I am supposed to complete them in theory, but I read the description and get the information I need and I just hit a wall, like I have no idea where to begin.

 

Some mystery caches contain full description how to solve them but in many cases, puzzles do not contain this kind of information. These puzzles are meant to be solved by reasoning how to get the information you need to solve it. Some of these mystery caches are "guess what I am thinking" type and the solving is supposed to happen solely by guessing the idea. From a large number of solvers, some will guess the idea fast and some won't ever guess it. Some mystery caches contain lots of hidden or visible hints that you are supposed to find before you try to solve the puzzle. Sometimes it is just the solution which is hidden for example in the comment field in the source code of the description. There are theoretically no rules how the puzzle works. In the most cases, you hit a wall, the reason is that  you either do not know the particular solving method or you forget to try it.

 

My advice is to try many mystery caches from a large area. Do not try too hard if you have no clue what to do, just skip over and try next. Ask from the CO if you find the idea but you can not find the correct solution for some reason.

Edited May 19, 2018 by arisoft