Solving Puzzles--types Of Puzzles

[+amytincan]

I really suck at puzzles, in fact, I had no idea there are a great variety of them.

 

Can you guys list the different general types of puzzles you've solved, so when I see one, I would know how to work on solving it?

[+amytincan]

and I'm already planning a puzzle of my own, payback is a *you know what*

[+JavaDuck]

Hi!

 

I love puzzle caches. I have seen puzzles based on cryptograms, simple to challenging. These appear to be the most common. Figure out the key and you can solve it. Finding the key is often the challenge.

 

I have also seen puzzles based on trivia, answer the questions and use the information to get the coordinates.

 

I have also seen puzzles where the coordinates are hidden somewhere on the page.

 

I have a puzzle cache based on dice (A Dicey Hunt). I, like many other cachers, will give you a hint in helping you solve the coordinates and will confirm if you have the right answer.

 

I am also in the process of developing a multi puzzle cache.

[+spearfox]

You asked for it.

Elementary My Dear Watson by Darkmoon GCD7EA

Capture the Flag V - Stars & Stripes by OKDoke GCK7WE

The Dance Of The Solids by Darkmoon GCHCNH

Twiganomatree by Volodia GCK72A

Buried Bunny Cache by tomLmiller GCK6D6

Who's on First by OkDoke GCGD92

Hey Where's The Key? by Darkmoon GCE35A

The Chess Game by Darkmoon GCHEMX

Seven Signs on SE 29th by majicman GC58D3

Ladies Night Out by Darkmoon GCKXFV

Bridge Creek Twister/Terrorist Monuments by OKThumper GCKCGD

Around The World Puzzle Cache by calamitykane GCH1T2

The Hare & The Tortoise Cache by calamitykane GCH1TN

Picture This by Geo Sooner & Wulfpig GCKY5K

OKGeocacher's GeoRally GCJY9A

A Puzzling Situation GCHM4M

President's Day Sail by calamitykane GCH8DM

El Viejo's Brain Buster by calamitykane GCGXWA

Birtschi II by Team Madog GCKDCZ

The Dancing Men by Team Madog GCK0BP

M15 Puzzle Cache - Is This Fair? Forum thread with some other puzzle links

 

Not all were strictly puzzles, but they give you ideas. Good luck.

[+CompuCash]

there are too many kinds of puzzles to list them all -

there are a few above.

 

some puzzles are based on the terain - like the numbers found on a light pole or some such.

[+Thot]

As long as we are on this subject, there are some puzzle caches in my area I don't understand. They are far enough away I haven't gone to see one for myself.

 

They are classified as puzzles. They post coordinates and do not say the cache is not at the coordinates. They present no apparent puzzle. The cache description just says things like it being a nice park and a friend walks their dog there and the closing time, where to find parking, etc. I wrote the owner of one of these and asked what was to be solved, or would that be obvious when I get there. I got no reply but it sure isn’t clear how something will be obvious if there is no discussion whatever of doing something when you get there.

 

Right now I can't find the one I email the owner about which was the best example because there were absolutely no words about the cache or any kind of odd words or puzzle in it at all. It was named something like Cache Addict and only said it was a park and grab at a popular park with nearby parking. That's it.

 

Here's a similar one. Except, in this case the "Hint" seems to give explicit instructions for finding the cache which I don't think is what makes it a puzzle.

[+fauxSteve]

Here's a similar one.  Except, in this case the "Hint" seems to give explicit instructions for finding the cache which I don't think is what makes it a puzzle.

The last one Thot mentions seems to be classified wrong. My opinion is that if you go to the coordinates listed and there is no cache or waypoint, virtual or real, it should be listed as a mystery or unknown cache. Otherwise, it's a traditional or multi-cache.

 

Here are a few puzzles that I've enjoyed:

Queen Anne Quandry 3 - straightforward, but not necessarily well-known information.

Small Town Connection - Tricky puzzle for which the owner needed to give out a few hints before it was found. The hider also has several other good puzzles worth looking at.

Best Leave It Unsolved, Really - puzzle based on watching the movie Spinal Tap. This is a members-only cache.

Minimalism - perhaps my favorite puzzle! A simple one for a tiny micro.

Mission: Impossible - Flight to Cachistan - a lot of work went into this one. It's not a brain teaser, just a blast to complete. Read the logs if you don't believe me.

 

Those are just a few of the noteworthy ones, and I'm always looking for the latest. I didn't mention all of the cryptographic ones, or those requiring specialized computer programming knowledge (a lot of those are near Redmond, Washington ).

 

- Steve

 

Edited to note that the Spinal Tap cache is member's only.

Edited November 26, 2004 by fauxSteve

[+Thot]

This is, by a longshot, the most elaborate puzzle I've seen. It must have taken the guy many hours to create it.

[+ReyTheBear]

i stumbled upon this topic while looking for any info that might help me solve some of the impossible puzzles near me. i am clueless as to what i am supposed to look for in cache descriptions. when a cache says :the cache is no at the above corrdinates and then tells a story or poem, i know i have to decipher the description to find the coords but i dont know how. any hints on what to look for in these types of caches would be greatly appreciated!

 

reythebear

[+Wacka]

Could be the # of letters in the first word of the sentences, could be in the source code, or a number of other things. i've seen these and much harder ones.

[+Team GPSaxophone]

Some puzzles are so easy, anyone could do them.

 

 

Some aren't

 

[+Tim&Bets]

Here are a couple of my favorite puzzle caches, both of which were placed by the same guy, an aeronautical engineer at the local university who takes pride in finding and placing uber-difficult caches:

 

Prescott's Finest

 

and

 

S...what...land

 

The first takes a lot of math which can only be accomplished by getting numbers found in the first area the cache takes you to. The second makes you answer really really tough questions about Switzerland. Both took me quite a while to finish (and I never actually did reach the final location of the Prescott's Finest chain), but they were a ton of fun.

[+diverhank]

Here's one of my favorites. You can take a look of my profile and look for mystery caches that I've found (I only did a few but they were good ones).

Six Days Cache

 

This kind of cache contains a puzzle with hints for you to solve. The solution is the coordinates to the real cache. This one was of particular challenge for me. Took me quite a while to figure out. Now that I've solved it, it seemed so outrageously simple The reward is often a FTF (I was first to solve and find --that was really sweet ).

[+WARedBear]

You can check out my caches to see a few examples of easier puzzle caches.

 

Spearfox...I had the opportunity to go after a few of Darkmoons caches when we were in OKC...they were my favorite ones. I have duplicated a couple of his here in Spokane. He is dark and devious......

[+spearfox]

Thanks WARedBear, Darkmoon will appreciate hearing that. Many of us hear have a fondness for his caches.

I like puzzle caches also and try to solve any in my immediate area.

The thing that really bothers me is a puzzle cache that has been setup that has a flaw in the solution. A cacher cannot get the correct answer without duplicating the error. I know of a recent one near the OU campus in Norman, Oklahoma that used a lot of calculus. Our best puzzle solvers were coming up with incorrect answers even after getting the help of engineers and other high level math heads. It was solved and the correct coordinates were posted on the cache page by one of the finders/solvers.

 

Just a word of caution to anyone, make sure the puzzle is correct .

[+Kit Fox]

Here is a list that I have dealt with.

Pigpen cipher

Semaphore Alphabet

Caesar Cipher

Octal

Resistor Color

Binary

Steganography

Photo Enhancement

Vigenere Cipher

Enigma Cipher

Music Intervals

[jhwjohn]

As long as we are on this subject, there are some puzzle caches in my area I don't understand. They are far enough away I haven't gone to see one for myself.

 

They are classified as puzzles. They post coordinates and do not say the cache is not at the coordinates. They present no apparent puzzle. The cache description just says things like it being a nice park and a friend walks their dog there and the closing time, where to find parking, etc. I wrote the owner of one of these and asked what was to be solved, or would that be obvious when I get there. I got no reply but it sure isn’t clear how something will be obvious if there is no discussion whatever of doing something when you get there.

I must agree with u there!