Hint Question

[+4 Mountain Pirates]

I'm new to Geocaching and have started out by not using the hints or trying to use them as a last resort. However, I've discovered that some hints hold crucial information (i.e. one said the coordinates may be off a bit). When I want to create and hide my own new cache, should I include crucial information in a hint, or do most people avoid decrypting them?

[+shoeblade]

Vital info should NEVER be in a hint,

A hint should be used to give a push in the right direction or to describe the exact location

 

A hint should also be short to allow easy decoding in the field

 

Exanple:

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...&decrypt=y&log=

 

Disc:

Although well camouflaged, this is an easy find

Cache is a Gladware Tupperware container that is 5” x 5” x 2”, The lid may be hard to get back on but just put it on the ground and push it closed.

Please make sure you cover it back up well, as I saw muggles in the area.

 

Hint:

Where one tree becomes two

Edited April 17, 2004 by >^>

[+New England n00b]

I take the hints with me and decrpt in the field if I am having trouble...

 

But vital info should not be encrypted, asthe above poster has said.

[+woof n lulu]

If it is crucial HINT, I would at least encrypt them.

Some people will only use the encrypted hint only as a last resort or out of frustration.

 

If the coordinates are off, the owner of the cache should have adjusted them on the page, and not put it as a hint.

[+Gizmo & Brazin]

I decode the hints on the computer before we go. Then as soon as it comes off the printer I fold the bottom up and staple it, so the hint is hidden. This way, we don't have to try and decode in the field if we need to use it. But it's not visable to us unless we need it. Since the hint always prints at the bottom of the page when you select 'printer friendly' version, this has worked great for us.

[+Cache Viking]

I have been printing the decrypted hints with the cache sheet and placing it in the car. So far I have only needed to retrieve one cache page to get some help. Generally go by coords in GPS and alot of hunting.

[+TeamK-9]

I agree with the previous posters,

 

If the information in absolutely crucial to finding the cache, like information on where to park, then put it in the description. But hints should be hints. They should be something that, one the person is at the coordinates, they can read it if they're stumped.

[bug and snake]

A hint is a hint is a hint.....

It's what the word means. Having to decrypt something to make the cache findable means it never was a hint to start with and that is simply wrong. A hint is aiding, not crucial information.

[+4 Mountain Pirates]

Thanks for your response and the great advise!

[+Stem]

I agree with the rest of the posters on this. I will add that if you put a hint on a cache page, make it useful. Some cachers have put hints like, look harder, or reread the descr., no hint needed. These are very frustrating if someone attempts to decrypt it in the field. Encrypted hints should be helpful to someone having a problem with the find.

[+cache_us_if_you_can]

When I post a hint I like to make it where it sounds useless until you're in the area of the cache, then it's "duh, that's what they mean!" I never encrypt vital information. Here is an example. It sounds really useless, but when you're there...

 

Edit: Typo

Edited April 18, 2004 by cache_us_if_you_can

[+briansnat]

I agree that it's silly to include critical (or even useless) info in a hint. I do sometimes include parking info, but I label it as such, so it looks like this:

 

[Parking] sbhe1 bugjb gjbfvksbhe, frira4 gjb-bu, frira bar sbhe

[Cache]Nzbat ebpxf npebff sebz snyyf. Haqre fyno.

 

I once was looking for a cache that turned out to be about 50 feet inside a mine. Pitch black inside. I decrypted the hint and it said "bring a flashlight". Gee thanks! Had to walk a mike RT back to the car to get one. There is a good thread on this subject here.

 

And here is my nomination for the all time worst hint. Imagine decrypting this thing in the field (specifics have been changed to protect the guilty):

When you get to Nxx 58.999 W0xx 54.723 ..look for a dead tree on the right side of the trail,Its kmow more then 20 feet tall.ITs still standing but its top is cutoff. The cache is in the tree.Please cover it up well when you find it,From the tree,you can see a yellow exit sign oN the parkway......MORE INFO...sinse I put this cache out,,,things have changed,,,here is a note from (name witheld)...WHO FOUND THIS CACHE,,,Hey(name witheld), Your (cache name deleted) cache was found by me and another cacher today. But in a fallen 20 foot tree. You might want to amend the description a bit. We placed it back in the stump that is left of the same tree. Had to poke around for a while to find it. Was quite funny, cuz we knew our GPS's were guiding us to that spot but there was no standing 20 dead tree. ...ok SEEMS MY TREE CAME DOWN...TY  (name witheld)

Edited April 18, 2004 by briansnat