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What Is The Purpose Of Worthless Encrypted Hints?


GrnXnham

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When caching, we always look for a while 1st. Then if we can't find it, my wife sits down and deciphers the hint while I keep looking. This is more fun that simply decrypting the hint using the computer at home and then printing out the cache page to take with us. Some of the hints are give-aways, so reading them ahead of time takes away from the fun of looking for the cache.

 

But what I don't understand, is what the purpose is to a worthless hint?

 

Here are three examples of hints we have decrypted recently:

 

1) You don't need a hint to find this cache.

2) This cache is very easy. Keep looking. I know that you can find it if you just give it some time.

3) I'm not going to make this that easy for you. I said that this was going to be hard.

 

My wife's reaction to each of these hints was something like, "Well THAT'S stupid!"

 

So instead of her helping me look, she has spent several minutes wasting her time decrypting nothing.

 

My question is for the people who leave hints like this:

 

What is the purpose in having people spend time decrypting a worthless non-hint when they could be spending that time looking for the cache? Why not just leave NO hint? There is nothing wrong with that. There is no rule saying that you have to leave a hint.

 

My wife and I can't figure out why so many other cachers leave hints like this. And these worthless hints are VERY common in our area. We probably see at least one hint like this every time we cache.

 

I'm not looking for a solution. Of course I could just print out the hint ahead of time. I just, for the life of me, can't figure out why cachers would have hints like this and why they are so common?

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Thanks for the reply. I saw the other discussion. It's basically become a long list of stupid hints. But it doesn't answer WHY people do this?

 

When my wife decrypts a hint like this, she wants to find the cache owner and strangle them. Other people we have cached with react the same way. Why would a cache owner want cachers to dislike them and their cache due to a stupid hint? It makes no sense. Are they trying to be funny? I've never seen anyone laugh.

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I've seen a trend where the hiders of lame micros are also the most likely to provide a worthless hint. If they put two nano-seconds worth of thought into the hide, they put the same amount of thought into the hint.

 

That said, there are a lot of cachers who argue that every cache is a good cache. Therefore, every hint must be a good hint. :P

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After wasting my time decrypting useless hints on about 20% of my early finds, now I decrypt them all before heading out. If I need them they are there but I try not to look unless I really need it. Hints like:

"This one is easy"

"No Hint necessary"

"Don't park at the logical spot .2 miles away - it is private property - park 3 miles west"

 

I also contacted some of these thoughtless cache owners and discovered that most found the idea of some poor schmuck out on the trail wasting time to be somehow funny. Not funny to me - however, at least 1 owner changed his after the contact.

 

Maybe the approvers should point out such clues to owners and "try" to make hints a bit more realistic.

 

Since I started carrying the PDA with Sonar - it has saved me the trouble all the way around.

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Perhaps some people don't think its a problem.

 

I used to cache by printing out the cache pages and dragging them into the woods. I would then decrypt the hint manually if I needed it.

 

I got sick of doing it that way, so I started printing the sheets with the hint decrypted. I would try to only look at it if I needed it.

 

Eventually, I went paperless. Now if I need the hint, I just press a button.

 

What if someone never used my first step. He always either printed the pages with the hint decrypted or used a pda, allowing instead decryption. This person may not see it as a pain to give useless hints.

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Maybe the approvers should point out such clues to owners and "try" to make hints a bit more realistic.

I've tried this. It's very easy for the cache owner to restore a deleted worthless hint after their cache has been listed. Others take offense at my deleting their hint and flame me for tampering with their cache page.

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While I have been disappointed by hints that really aren't hints, I am even more frustated by hints that are so cryptic that I can't understand them. I don't have any examples off the top of my head, But I'm sure we've all read,"The clue didn't seem to help." (Usually on the DNF logs B) )

 

Anyway if you didn't appreciate the encrypted non-hint, just note it in your log with something like, "We were having trouble finding the cache and we decided to manually decrypt the clue. We were really disappointed to find that it wasn't really a clue at all."

 

You may want to encrypt that part of the log entry (ironic, huh?) so that you aren't accused of logging a "spoiler". :P

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Maybe the approvers should point out such clues to owners and "try" to make hints a bit more realistic.

I've tried this. It's very easy for the cache owner to restore a deleted worthless hint after their cache has been listed. Others take offense at my deleting their hint and flame me for tampering with their cache page.

I appreciate you at least "trying"!!! :P

 

Using a PDA has virtually eliminated this problem for me - that and always dcrypting before printing.

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Maybe the approvers should point out such clues to owners and "try" to make hints a bit more realistic.

I've tried this. It's very easy for the cache owner to restore a deleted worthless hint after their cache has been listed. Others take offense at my deleting their hint and flame me for tampering with their cache page.

It says:

 

Please keep your hints short, so decoding it on the trail is easier. If you don't have a hint, leave it blank.

 

on the "Report a Cache" page.

 

I think cache owners should be held to this statement. If they don't like it, tough.

 

My nearest unfound cache is about 60 cromes. It's almost 90 driving miles. I typically plan to hunt for at least 10 caches to make it worth my money to drive this far to hunt.

 

It is infuriating to get out there, THINK you have a clue, need the clue - and find out that it's either useless or blatantly mocking me.

 

I've seen this same topic come up on 3 state organization forums in the last month. Everybody was of the same opinion - that if there isnt' a useful hint, there should be no hint.

 

If there's no hint - you can prepare accordingly.

 

southdeltan

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It's not a discussion, but rather a suppository.

 

Seeing as a place to store things is a repository and a suppository is something you can stick up your ah...rectum, Jamie may have the right word choice after all!

 

Certainly when I can't find something and the hint says "You don't need a hint, this one is easy" I want to suggest that the owner make a suppository of it!

 

So many of us travel to places we may rarely or never return to that including a helpful hint is only kind and friendly...but a cruel, unhelpful, cryptic or insulting hint is never OK!

 

Ed

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Gurer vf ab checbfr! Fpheil eng sernxf chg va fbzr fvyyl "abguvat arrqvat uvag urer" sbe hf gb chyy bhe unve bhg naq qrpbqr juvyr ba gur genvy! Teeeeee.....

 

THERE IS NO PURPOSE, save causing frustration for hapless cachers on the trail decoding something like "what moron needs a hint for an easy micro cache in 100 acres of forrest!"

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Maybe the approvers should point out such clues to owners and "try" to make hints a bit more realistic.

I've tried this. It's very easy for the cache owner to restore a deleted worthless hint after their cache has been listed. Others take offense at my deleting their hint and flame me for tampering with their cache page.

 

It is NOT nice to fool with your Cache Approver -

 

or should I say Diss-approver?

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People told me the hints I provided for this cache brimfield tranquilitywere worthless but I wouldn't have provided them unless they were necessary . So to put a hint in it should be for the express purpose of helping you find the cache not for a tease.

 

There seem to be two schools of thought as to what a hint should be -

 

..... some think it should be a spoiler aka give-away (behind the rock next to the tree)

 

..... some think it should be a HINT - make you think a little a little

..... I subscribe to this type of hint and have been told they are useless also

 

So maybe you subscribe to the same hint as I do and those who are saying they are usless are looking for the give-aways.

 

But I have to admit that the OP is right about useless hints - that's why I too print them out.

 

cc

Edited by CompuCash
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But what I don't understand, is what the purpose is to a worthless hint?

 

Here are three examples of hints we have decrypted recently:

 

1) You don't need a hint to find this cache.

2) This cache is very easy. Keep looking. I know that you can find it if you just give it some time.

Both of these hints are telling you you're thinking too hard and should ease up to figure out where the cache is hidden.

 

3) I'm not going to make this that easy for you. I said that this was going to be hard.

 

The difficulty level should correctly reflect this kind of hint.

 

Instead of considering these as useless, take it as part of the challenge. You'll have less aggravation this way.

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But what I don't understand, is what the purpose is to a worthless hint?

 

Here are three examples of hints we have decrypted recently:

 

1) You don't need a hint to find this cache.

2) This cache is very easy. Keep looking. I know that you can find it if you just give it some time.

Both of these hints are telling you you're thinking too hard and should ease up to figure out where the cache is hidden.

 

3) I'm not going to make this that easy for you. I said that this was going to be hard.

 

The difficulty level should correctly reflect this kind of hint.

 

Instead of considering these as useless, take it as part of the challenge. You'll have less aggravation this way.

Totemlake, you're joking right?

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There seem to be two schools of thought as to what a hint should be -

 

..... some think it should be a spoiler aka give-away (behind the rock next to the tree)

 

..... some think it should be a HINT - make you think a little a little

..... I subscribe to this type of hint and have been told they are useless also

I go with the second type, too. Just a little more information to get folks re-engaged and out of a rut whilst on the trail.

 

In one cache, I got a little creative and did this with a little humor, and have received positive comments (about hints!?!?!?).

 

Check this one out:

 

"I love the hint. Couldn't figure it out until I found the cache. Real funny."

 

You can decode the hint on the cache page, and most will think "that's a worthless hint." Now, isn't this just in line with the game? A hint that does the cacher very little good until they get to the cache area, and then provides humor/entertainment to enhance their caching experience?

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But what I don't understand, is what the purpose is to a worthless hint?

 

Here are three examples of hints we have decrypted recently:

 

1) You don't need a hint to find this cache.

2) This cache is very easy. Keep looking. I know that you can find it if you just give it some time.

Both of these hints are telling you you're thinking too hard and should ease up to figure out where the cache is hidden.

 

3) I'm not going to make this that easy for you. I said that this was going to be hard.

 

The difficulty level should correctly reflect this kind of hint.

 

Instead of considering these as useless, take it as part of the challenge. You'll have less aggravation this way.

Totemlake, you're joking right?

I don't believe that TL is joking at all. I've cached with him and Totem Lake has a great attitude. He manages to have fun on his cache hunts. He doesn't let the small stuff bother him very much.

 

Some people are infuriated by worthless hints, others shrug their shoulders and press on to find the cache, or to log a DNF and return later. People are different.

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I used to print the cache pages out leaving the hint encrypted. Then, at the site, I'd sit down and de-crypt the hint if I needed it. Some were good, some were bad. Some made very little sense till we actually found the cache, then suddenly were perfect (those kind make me smile). Still others were a total waste of time.

 

However, after sitting for way too long and de-crypting a "too long" (at least 5 full sentences) hint that ended up having absolutely nothing to do with the cache, I really wanted to commit some unspeakable act on the cache hider! ;) So I changed my method. I now print the cache page with the hint already decrypted, but then I cover the hint with a strip of "dry" roll-on correction tape. If I get stumped, I hold the page up to the light and read the hint through it.

 

Yes, I know, I've already "read" the hint when I print/cover it up, but I typically will print those pages up to a week prior to hunting, take 5-10 cache pages with me at a time, and don't remember exactly what each hint said.

Edited by 4x4van
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Just decrypt the hint at home and then your know if you need it or not. I have one puzzle cache that has the hint encrypted the same as the body of the puzzle cache so it is double encrypted basically.

I am still at a loss of how to make hints, how helpful?????

 

cheers

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...Instead of considering these as useless, take it as part of the challenge. You'll have less aggravation this way.

Totemlake, you're joking right?

I don't believe that TL is joking at all. I've cached with him and Totem Lake has a great attitude. He manages to have fun on his cache hunts. He doesn't let the small stuff bother him very much.

 

Some people are infuriated by worthless hints, others shrug their shoulders and press on to find the cache, or to log a DNF and return later. People are different.

Thanks Lep!

 

To GrnXnham, I'm quite serious about not taking the game so seriously I let little stuff like a 2 minute decode to find that kind of hint bother me. I'm out there to have fun. If I don't find the cache, then the hider has another Gotcha under his belt. If I find the cache, I just upped my find count by one. Where's the big deal?

 

I've taken 6 weeks worth of visits to find a cache one time. Another one took me almost a month of visits. So talking about wasting a couple of minutes to find that kind of hint becomes pretty trivial IMHO. And when you allow something that trivial upset your balance of fun in the game, you're obviously taking it way too seriously.

Edited by TotemLake
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Totemlake

 

When I asked if you were joking, I meant when you were actually trying to justify the three "hints" that I listed as actually being helpful hints. I thought you had to be joking because I don't believe anyone would seriously think that those three hints provide any useful information to help you find the cache.

 

We have just as much fun out there as the next guy. We've been doing this for two years now and we would have quit long ago if we weren't having fun. It's really just a minor irritation. It doesn't ruin our day or anything.

 

Like I said in my original post I wasn't looking for a solution to this. The solution is obvious. I'm just trying to understand what people are thinking when they leave a hint like this.

 

Someone suggested that the cache hider might be trying to be humorous with a hint like this. I think this is the answer exactly. Many people might think that others will laugh when they decrypt a hint with no useful info. They probably think they are being original by having a hint that isn't a hint. I have noticed that newbies are more likely to have hints like this. They don't reallize how common these non-hints are and, of course, everyone would LIKE to be a comedian, right? :D

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Totemlake

 

When I asked if you were joking, I meant when you were actually trying to justify the three "hints" that I listed as actually being helpful hints. I thought you had to be joking because I don't believe anyone would seriously think that those three hints provide any useful information to help you find the cache.

 

We have just as much fun out there as the next guy. We've been doing this for two years now and we would have quit long ago if we weren't having fun. It's really just a minor irritation. It doesn't ruin our day or anything.

 

Like I said in my original post I wasn't looking for a solution to this. The solution is obvious. I'm just trying to understand what people are thinking when they leave a hint like this.

 

Someone suggested that the cache hider might be trying to be humorous with a hint like this. I think this is the answer exactly. Many people might think that others will laugh when they decrypt a hint with no useful info. They probably think they are being original by having a hint that isn't a hint. I have noticed that newbies are more likely to have hints like this. They don't reallize how common these non-hints are and, of course, everyone would LIKE to be a comedian, right? :D

I didn't try to justify anything. It's a perception I choose to use just as the perception they are useless is one you choose to use.

 

Until you actually ask the author, all of this is mere speculation and guesswork. The trouble most folks have with hints such as these, is by the time they're ready to ask the author if they really thought this hint was useful, it comes out more like a rant, or a complaint such as your OP.

 

It bothered you enough you brought the subject to the table. It doesn't bother me enough to worry about it. Two different reactions based on equally different perspectives.

 

Someone asked me if I was on crack with that post. Be that as it may, I choose to look at it as I stated above. I'm in the position I can say I was dead serious with my answer. How you choose to perceive me is out of my control, but because of how I choose to perceive these hints, I have less issues over them than most that have posted on this subject.

 

Edited to add: When you stop to think about it, when you decode a hint to find out its telling you it is so easy that a hint isn't needed... by that author's perspective, it really is that easy and you're overthinking the hide.

Edited by TotemLake
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I usually TRY to warn people when I post a useless hint. Like so:

 

COMPLETLY USELESS HINT: Va gur inpvavgl bs n cvar gerr fbzrjurer va Zrzbevny Cnex. Ybbx ng gur raq bs gur envaobj. (Gung ynfg bar jnf sbe Qro & Wvz.)

 

ALMOST Totally Useless hint: (Fvat guvf va lbhe orfg Xrezvg gur Sebt ibvpr)(Uvag: Guvax bs jurer ur fnat vg.)

 

Jul ner gurer fb znal fbatf nobhg envaobjf

naq jung'f ba gur bgure fvqr?

Envaobjf ner ivfvbaf, ohg bayl vyyhfvbaf,

naq envaobjf unir abguvat gb uvqr.

Fb jr'ir orra gbyq naq fbzr pubbfr gb oryvrir vg.

V xabj gurl'er jebat, jnvg naq frr.

Fbzrqnl jr'yy svaq vg, gur envaobj pbaarpgvba.

Gur ybiref, gur qernzref naq zr.

 

Jub fnvq gung rirel jvfu jbhyq or urneq

naq nafjrerq jura jvfurq ba gur zbeavat fgne?

Fbzrobql gubhtug bs gung naq fbzrbar oryvrirq vg.

Ybbx jung vg'f qbar fb sne.

Jung'f fb nznmvat gung xrrcf hf fgne tnmvat

naq jung qb jr guvax jr zvtug frr?

Fbzrqnl jr'yy svaq vg, gur envaobj pbaarpgvba.

Gur ybiref, gur qernzref naq zr.

 

Nyy bs hf haqre vgf fcryy. Jr xabj gung vg'f cebonoyl zntvp.

 

Unir lbh orra unys nfyrrc naq unir lbh urneq ibvprf?

V'ir urneq gurz pnyyvat zl anzr.

Vf guvf gur fjrrg fbhaq gung pnyyrq gur lbhat fnvybef.

Gur ibvpr zvtug or bar naq gur fnzr.

V'ir urneq vg gbb znal gvzrf gb vtaber vg.

Vg'f fbzrguvat gung V'z fhccbfrq gb or.

Fbzrqnl jr'yy svaq vg, gur envaobj pbaarpgvba.

Gur ybiref, gur qernzref naq zr.

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There seem to be two schools of thought as to what a hint should be -

 

..... some think it should be a spoiler aka give-away (behind the rock next to the tree)

 

..... some think it should be a HINT - make you think a little a little

..... I subscribe to this type of hint and have been told they are useless also

For some, a spoiler ruins everything, others simply need it to find the cache. The difficult thing with this is that sometimes I am in group one and sometimes in group two... :rolleyes:

 

In order to serve both groups at the same time I did the following in one of my caches. The hint has three (or something) levels:

 

Hint level 1: Giving a little food for thought

Hint level 2: Giving a clear hint but not a spoiler

Hint level 3: Spoiler

 

Of course, they are all encrypted/decrypted in one go but still people can try not to look at the higher level hints/spoiler first. I have also seen hints that were written backwards to avoid reading them accidentally. One could do this for level 3 as well.

 

Very often, I also see spoiler fotos and normal hints. Only look at the foto if the hint does not help. IMHO also a reasonable way to go.

 

Recently, I encountered a hint that did not make any sense at first - and it did not help me on the spot so I did not find the cache. Only at home, doing a google search on the text, I could reveal its meaning. The second time out, I quickly found the cache. I'm not too sure if I like this but on the other hand, why must we always find a cache in the first attempt? This type of hint at least ensures that I can find it on the second try...

 

Best regards,

Holger

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I, also, like the ones that give a general area like "near the pond" or "in the park." I'm like "no, doot? You know, I would have never figured that out without that hint."

 

If it's no more specific than, say, 50' then it's pretty much worthless. The GPS already got me that close.

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I think it can be chalked up to a compulsion to fill in all the blanks when filling out online forms. After typing in the coords, then a description, and everything else, you come to a box that says "put a hint here". So you just type in any old thing, like "you don't need a hint!" It's more like you are talking to the computer than talking to a potential cacher.

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I think it can be chalked up to a compulsion to fill in all the blanks when filling out online forms. After typing in the coords, then a description, and everything else, you come to a box that says "put a hint here". So you just type in any old thing, like "you don't need a hint!" It's more like you are talking to the computer than talking to a potential cacher.

BINGO!

 

That's what it was for me on my first few caches. I started going to events right away, so I got to hear what people DIDN'T like to see there. A wealth of information can be had for a noob at events. :huh:

 

That didn't stop me though. I just leave a warning that the hint is useless or nearly useless now.

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