Posting False Coordinates To Puzzle Caches

[+Birdsong-n-Bud]

If I post a puzzle cache, and give it false coordinates to start...how will these coordinates apply to how the page is searched?

 

For example, if the cache is actually down the street from you, but the false coordinates place it in the next state, what will you see when they punch in your zip code? Will it be listed under the place where the false coordinates are? Will it be posted as near to you?

 

Am I making any sense? lol

[+beejay&esskay]

The false coordinates will control where the cache is shown. The people in the other state will be annoyed.

 

The norm is to make the false coordinates close to where the cache is. Since you've listed it as a puzzle, people won't think a cache is there, but people outside the area won't see when they look in their local area.

[CoyoteRed]

A couple of the accepted conventions of posting false coords to a puzzle cache:

 

Make sure it near the hunt area. "Near" is generally a mile or two, but it depends on the coverage of your puzzle. It's generally within or just ourside the coverage of the trip the hunter will have to take. Plus, beejay&esskay had a very valid reason to not place the coords so far away. How would you feel if someone posted coords near you for a cache 100's of miles away?

 

Make the coords point to a middle of a nearby lake or pond, the middle of an empty parking lot (with no lamp posts if possible), or some other area that will make someone look at the cache discription. If your coords point to the middle of someone's garden, I think you can imagine how upset they would be if someone who wasn't paying attention did a "scorched earth hunt" for a cache that wasn't there.

 

If you are looking to present a true mystery cache that doesn't show up near anyone, post coords to the middle of the ocean. It'd be harder to find that it's even listed AND it will screw with TB mileage, but that's the fault of the site, not the concept. That's not to mention I don't care for the fact that we allow TB mileage to limit creativity. Some folks will frown on this practice, so be careful how you implement this if you do.

[Keystone]

The "one to two miles from the actual location" rule of thumb is actually written right into the listing guidelines for mystery/unknown caches. So, a new cache of this type with coordinates hundreds of miles away ought not be listed unless the owner modifies it.

 

You may see some older caches set up this way, or caches where the owner has edited the coordinates to put them in the middle of the ocean, thus throwing off the records of everyone who found the cache. That is no longer possible.

[CoyoteRed]

That is no longer possible.

...and that is too bad.

 

I like the letterboxing concept of "mystery box" where it's not a mystery of what kind of box it is, it is a mystery of where the dag burn thing is! You can have world wide mystery boxes where you have to figure out what continent it is on and work it from there.

 

In geocaching, you are limited to a one to two mile radius for your "mystery."

[Jeremy]

That is no longer possible.

...and that is too bad.

This is obviously a GPS related game/sport/hobby. I don't think we really want to make puzzle caches drop off the map completely (like locationless caches).

[CoyoteRed]

Yeah, I understand you have to draw the line somewhere.

[+Birdsong-n-Bud]

Make sure it near the hunt area. "Near" is generally a mile or two, but it depends on the coverage of your puzzle.

 

Thanks so much for the clear replies. This helped me tremendously. I'll know to make the puzzle coordinates relatively close now. Thanks.

[+RJFerret]

B&B, in our area the most common solution is to make the false coords the parking coords--that way it's useful as well.

 

The first line of the cache description is usually, "WARNING: The above coords are for parking, NOT the cache. This is a puzzle/multi/whatever cache..."

 

Enjoy,

 

Randy

[+Birdsong-n-Bud]

B&B, in our area the most common solution is to make the false coords the parking coords--that way it's useful as well.

 

That's an awesome idea, RJFerret. That's exactly what we'll do. Thanks for the suggestion!

[+geognerd]

Sorry about dredging up this old thread. My question is about the 528ft minimum distance between caches. When I submitted my puzzle cache, the posted coordinates were for the parking. Of course, I put the final coordinates in the notes to the reviewer. So if someone were to place another cache in that park, would the minimum distance requirement be in effect for the posted coordinates or the final coordinates for the actual cache? Also, do the reviewers take the final coordinates and log those somehow?

[+BlueDeuce]

Yeah, I understand you have to draw the line somewhere.

If the cache is posted 1000 miles away it won't show up on my go-find-it list.

 

I guess if it doesn't it would really be a mystery cache!

Edited August 6, 2005 by BlueDeuce

[+Moose Mob]

Yeah, I understand you have to draw the line somewhere.

If the cache is posted 1000 miles away it won't show up on my go-find-it list.

 

I guess if it doesn't it would really be a mystery cache!

Of course, if the actual cache were in Finland and they picked random coordinates that happened to be in your backyard... Well, let's just say I hope you enjoy guests at your BBQ

[Jeremy]

Sorry about dredging up this old thread. My question is about the 528ft minimum distance between caches. When I submitted my puzzle cache, the posted coordinates were for the parking. Of course, I put the final coordinates in the notes to the reviewer. So if someone were to place another cache in that park, would the minimum distance requirement be in effect for the posted coordinates or the final coordinates for the actual cache? Also, do the reviewers take the final coordinates and log those somehow?

Final coordinates. And no, there are no current formal ways of storing those coordinates though some reviewers keep tabs of them. However we are working towards this goal.

[+KKTH3]

B&B, in our area the most common solution is to make the false coords the parking coords--that way it's useful as well.

 

The first line of the cache description is usually, "WARNING: The above coords are for parking, NOT the cache. This is a puzzle/multi/whatever cache..."

 

Enjoy,

 

Randy

I agree this is a nice way to handle puzzle caches. I did this on my FIRST puzzle cache. On my second I didn't quite do this do to the open area I wanted to be available. Instead I picked some nice round numbers that still fit in the 1-2 mile radius department and were not likely coordinates due to their proximity to one of the busiest intersections in the entire state! Anyway, Heart Of Gold has been solved on the puzzle side - I expect it to end its reign of being "impossible" to find by the end of this weekend.

[4wheelin_fool]

I am planning a puzzle cache - at the posted coords will be a 35mm film canister with a note saying "This is a puzzle cache. Go back and do the puzzle DOH !" Just in case someone downloads a bunch of waypoints in a hurry without paying attention.(something I would do)

[twjolson & Kay]

What I was wondering, if you post false coordinates for your puzzle, does that count for the .1 mile limit too? Or can you place a couple of them close, if not right on top of each other.

[+The Leprechauns]

What I was wondering, if you post false coordinates for your puzzle, does that count for the .1 mile limit too? Or can you place a couple of them close, if not right on top of each other.

Totally random coordinates don't count for the .1 mile guideline. But if they have some meaning/relevance to the puzzle/mystery cache, then they do. If you get a clue of some sort at the posted coordinates, then the .1 mile guideline applies.