How do I report an AL has two WPs where the object is now missing, and another WP has a problem?

[+Goldenwattle]

I don't feel that "Report this Adventure if it violates guidelines" is the correct way to go.

One WP can easily be worked out (start with putting 1 in and work up until it works), but the other WP can't be. I eventually found the answer by reading past logs. The WP with the problem is that many might be tempted to step on a tended garden to get closer to read the answer.

The owner should be well adware of this problem by now, as it's not new. This was their response back in January.

 Owner maintenance 08/Jan/2023

The cache is fine. We will update the Ad Lab once both green houses are open once again.

 

They haven't updated it.

I have put another NM on the bonus. It also needs a new log. If there is nothing else I can do I guess the next step in a month is a NA, and mention the AL problem too.

 

I though, am only a visitor to this country, and don't like doing this. The locals should have made NM/NA long ago.

 

 

Edited October 16, 2023 by Goldenwattle

[+baer2006]

There is an option in the AL app for each stage to report "Location cannot be completed". However, this is only possible as long as you have not completed the location. When you have actually completed it using different means (brute force, Google, past logs, PAF, whatever...), then the option is no longer available.

[+Goldenwattle]

19 minutes ago, baer2006 said:

There is an option in the AL app for each stage to report "Location cannot be completed". However, this is only possible as long as you have not completed the location. When you have actually completed it using different means (brute force, Google, past logs, PAF, whatever...), then the option is no longer available.

That's a defect in the programming then. I did leave the answer for the WP with the missing tree in both my AL log and the bonus log, to help future people, and so they don't waste as much time on this as I did. I wish many more had also done this, as it wouldn't have taken so much searching online. I gave the AL half a star. If everything had worked I would have given it 5 stars, as it was a wonderful place to visit, and I planned to visit it even without caching.

[+Max and 99]

I'm not sure anything will happen after the problem waypoint is reported as being unable to complete. The owner already is aware, for at least 9 months now.

[+JL_HSTRE]

On my recent vacation I came across an AL whose question involved a sign that had been removed. Rather than edit the question to ask something else or remove it entirely, the CO simply edited the question to read something like "Sign missing. Answer is 123."

[+TommyGator]

On 10/28/2023 at 2:12 PM, JL_HSTRE said:

Rather than edit the question to ask something else or remove it entirely, the CO simply edited the question to read something like "Sign missing. Answer is 123."

Be thankful for that---at least the CO did something to address the issue.

[+L0ne.R]

I have only done a handful of ALs but I've hit a couple of snags so far.

 

I did a public park AL about 2 weeks ago. The 3rd stage was a memorial bench with a plaque but the plaque was missing. There was a birth year on the plaque that I needed. So I brute-forced it by going through the years starting with 1930 and eventually hit the correct year. I reported the missing stage but the next finder won't know that there's a missing stage (unless they read my journal entry). I would love to see  the cache flagged on the map indicating a problem.

 

Today I drove 40 minutes to a little town with a little library. I really didn't want to have to ask the staff for help and spend extra time explaining about this game. It's a small library how hard is it going to be to find a reference book. First, the reference collection was in disarray so it meant I would need to scan the whole collection. I did. No call number that matched. I went to the catalogue but couldn't search by call number and the clue didn't provide a title. Went to the desk. Spent 5 minutes explaining the game. Showed them to call number. They were lovely and did their best to find this for me. We spent the next 15 minutes scouring the shelves. They couldn't find it in the catalogue. The telephoned someone for help. Finally they were certain that it was no longer in the system and might have been a dictionary. I couldn't do any of the other stages while I was there--no option. I just wanted a quiet and quick fun visit with out any fuss, but I got a long visit with a lot of fuss--but nice and very helpful staff.

 

I reported the problem to the AL owner but could do nothing else to inform others.

 

I should have checked the journal entries before driving over. It has been 6 months since anybody logged the find.

 

To summarize: In my limited experience it seems ALs have a negative similarity with caches -- many are created and then abandoned by their owners.   I wish there was a way to flag ALs on the map so finders don't end up wasting time and money going after ALs that can't be completed.

 

[+Goldenwattle]

On 10/29/2023 at 6:12 AM, JL_HSTRE said:

On my recent vacation I came across an AL whose question involved a sign that had been removed. Rather than edit the question to ask something else or remove it entirely, the CO simply edited the question to read something like "Sign missing. Answer is 123."

That's fine; I can accept that. It's when the CO does nothing that it's a problem.

[+Goldenwattle]

34 minutes ago, L0ne.R said:

There was a birth year on the plaque that I needed. So I brute-forced it by going through the years starting with 1930 and eventually hit the correct year. I reported the missing stage but the next finder won't know that there's a missing stage (unless they read my journal entry). I would love to see  the cache flagged on the map indicating a problem.

Did you give the answer in your AL log to help future people? That's what I did with the missing answer in the example I gave, to assist others following. I also put it in the bonus cache log too.

[+L0ne.R]

3 hours ago, Goldenwattle said:

Did you give the answer in your AL log to help future people? That's what I did with the missing answer in the example I gave, to assist others following. I also put it in the bonus cache log too.

 

I wasn't sure what the etiquette is for missing stages. So in my log I said that the plaque was missing so I started guessing at 1930 and quickly got the right answer (it was 1932). The owner is active so I hope he fixes it promptly. I don't know if I can check to see if he has made the fix. He never contacted me, and I have yet to be contacted by the library AL owner but it's only been a few hours since I posted the missing stage for the library AL. (I did check off the box that provided my email address with my missing report).

Edited November 18, 2023 by L0ne.R

[+Goldenwattle]

1 hour ago, L0ne.R said:

 

I wasn't sure what the etiquette is for missing stages. So in my log I said that the plaque was missing so I started guessing at 1930 and quickly got the right answer (it was 1932). The owner is active so I hope he fixes it promptly. I don't know if I can check to see if he has made the fix. He never contacted me, and I have yet to be contacted by the library AL owner but it's only been a few hours since I posted the missing stage for the library AL. (I did check off the box that provided my email address with my missing report).

The cache with two missing WPs, had one easy one to answer; I started at 1 and moved up. I think the answer was 5. I didn't bother with putting the answer to that one in my logs. The one I did include in my logs was the answer to the other WP. Name the tree species. The tree was gone. That took a ridiculous lot of searching online. Then was it the common name or the proper name?

[+Max and 99]

51 minutes ago, Goldenwattle said:

The cache with two missing WPs, had one easy one to answer; I started at 1 and moved up. I think the answer was 5. I didn't bother with putting the answer to that one in my logs. The one I did include in my logs was the answer to the other WP. Name the tree species. The tree was gone. That took a ridiculous lot of searching online. Then was it the common name or the proper name?

Same here. I did not find the QR code that was supposed to be at a location, at a tree. Looked for too long!  I've been googling and trying to figure out the answer ever since, and have even reached out to two previous geocachers who completed the AL and left a review. Several of the reviews mention trouble with this exact same location question.

I did report that I couldn't complete the location, which silly me had hoped would elicit a response from the CO.

 

[+CuriousJorje]

On 11/18/2023 at 12:20 AM, Max and 99 said:

I did report that I couldn't complete the location, which silly me had hoped would elicit a response from the CO.

I've been trying to figure out how to fix or report as well. It sucks to not be able to complete an AL because one stop is missing the answer.

In my case, the question said to add together the THREE numbers posted. Well, there were FOUR numbers posted. Perhaps I should just insert numbers until I hit it, too. I was able to find the bonus cache because the missing digits were easy. But I hate not being able to complete the AL itself!

Seems to be an oversight. I wonder if we could contact local reviewers... I don't know how you would even find one.

[+CuriousJorje]

Alright, I went back and submitted a "Owner attention required" log on the Bonus Cache. Maybe that will work.

[+Max and 99]

58 minutes ago, CuriousJorje said:

Alright, I went back and submitted a "Owner attention required" log on the Bonus Cache. Maybe that will work.

I don't think that CO is active anymore, and I got the notification for your log when you posted it. I've used the phone a friend feature for Adventure Labs more than any other cache type. But for that particular adventure lab, I can't help you at all. I completed it but afterwards every single location and coordinates and question and answer were changed. 

Have you asked the last person to leave a review about that questionable location? That would be something I would do, and often do!

[+fizzymagic]

On 11/17/2023 at 10:20 PM, Max and 99 said:

Same here. I did not find the QR code that was supposed to be at a location, at a tree.

 

If the QR code was placed by the owner, then the AL is not in compliance with the guidelines and should be reported and archived.  If the QR code was a pre-existing one at the location, and the owner does not respond to prompts, the AL should be reported and archived.  Looks like the choice either way is pretty clear.