Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

FCWWW3B Signal to Noise HINTS

Getting distracted by the Noise in this week's Mystery Monday puzzle? Come and get a hint!

I will give you five hints, each getting progressively more revealing, but they will be encoded in ROT13, just like the hints on geocaching pages. You can copy and paste the hints here to decode them. HINT 5 will be nuclear level, so only look at it as a last resort!

HINT 1: Guvf vf abg n pvcure.

HINT 2: Gur jbeq gb gur fvqr (Jbj!) naq gur pvepyrq yrggref/ahzoref ner bayl n uvag.

HINT 3: Gur gvgyr vf lbhe ovttrfg uvag.

HINT 4: Lbhe wbo vf qrgrezvar jung vf fvtany, naq jung vf abvfr.

HINT 5: Pbzcner gur gjb frgf bs ahzoref naq ohvyq pbbeqf sebz jung vf qvssrerag orgjrra gur gjb.

Answers tomorrow, happy puzzling!

Monday, April 25, 2016

FCWWW3B: Signal To Noise

Another week has come, and it's time for another practice puzzle! This one is inspired by a puzzle that I recently solved. While this was NOT the solution to that puzzle, I spent an awful lot of time trying to MAKE it the solution... of course it didn't work... You gotta love those "tunnel vision" moments in puzzle solving. 


Here is a closer look at that text, just in case you need it:




 For more information on using puzzle stats see this post. (Remember, the checksum is the result of adding all the individual digits of the coords.)

Please don't spoil the answer in the comments! Hints published tomorrow, and the answer on Wednesday.

Happy Puzzling!

Friday, April 22, 2016

Resource: Reverse Text

This week's resource does one simple thing: It reverses text. You enter a sentence (or some cipher text) and it gives you the same text, backwards. So text like "Hidden coordinates," becomes "setanidrooc neddiH." When is this useful? Some caches include reversed text as part of a cipher, or as part of the hint. It is an effective way to double encode something. Of course, it can be done by hand... but this tool ensures results without mistakes.

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

FC0N4S4 Apache Mission ANSWER

Having trouble getting off the ground with  this week's Mystery Monday puzzle? The answer is after the break!

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

FC0N4S4: Apache Mission HINTS

Experiencing a failure to launch on this week's Mystery Monday puzzle? Maybe a hint will help!

I will give you five hints, each getting progressively more revealing, but they will be encoded in ROT13, just like the hints on geocaching pages. You can copy and paste the hints here to decode them. HINT 5 will be nuclear level, so only look at it as a last resort!

HINT 1: Gur gvgyr vf uvag va gur sbez bs n cha.

HINT 2: Creuncf vg fubhyq or n-"CNGPU"-r.

HINT 3: Gur vzntrf ner bs zvffvba cngpurf sebz gur ANFN Fcnpr Fuhggyr cebtenz.

HINT 4: Rnpu Fcnpr Fuhggyr zvffvba jnf tvira n zvffvba ahzore bs gur sbez "FGF-A" jurer "A" jnf n 1-qvtvg be 2-qvtvg ahzore.

HINT 5: Gur negvpyr "Yvfg bs Fcnpr Fuhggyr zvffvbaf" ba Jvxvcrqvn fubjf gur cngpurf naq zvffvba ahzoref.

Answers tomorrow!

Monday, April 18, 2016

FC0N4S4: Apache Mission

If you are in America, chances are you're feeling a bit "spaced out" since today is tax day. So, take a minute to relax. It's time for this week's puzzle! This week's puzzle was created by Eric Peterson, creator of the recently completed Geodyssey puzzle series, and the infamous Puzzle Solving 101 series of geocaches in Florida. (Which has been copied many times the world over.) 


If you need a closer look at the image, here you go: 


And here are the viewing and solving stats for this puzzle:



(Remember, the checksum is the result of adding all the individual digits of the coords.)

Please don't spoil the answer in the comments! Hints published tomorrow, and the answer on Wednesday.

Happy Puzzling!

Saturday, April 16, 2016

Resource: iCaching

Last week I posted a resource for Mac-based cachers to track waypoints and load caches onto their GPSr. I got a lot of feedback that the resource I had posted wasn't being supported any longer, and that I should instead post this one... so here you go!

iCaching allows for many features that MacCaching doesn't, including multiple "home" locations, access to the live API, and the ability to create sortable folders to contain lists and searches.

I'll admit that I downloaded it after the comments, and it is a much nicer interface. I have a new cache tool thanks to you guys!


Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Tuesday, April 12, 2016

FCCR34M: A Spoonful of Ice Cream HINTS

Does this week's Mystery Monday puzzle have you craving something? Is it hints?

I will give you five hints, each getting progressively more revealing, but they will be encoded in ROT13, just like the hints on geocaching pages. You can copy and paste the hints here to decode them. HINT 5 will be nuclear level, so only look at it as a last resort!

HINT 1: Gurer'f n fhogyr uvag va gur hfre anzr.

HINT 2: Lbh'yy arrq gb qb n yvggyr zngu.

HINT 3: Abgr gung gurer ner guerr glcrf bs zrnfherzragf orvat hfrq.

HINT 4: Guerr zrnfherzragf, guerr frpgvbaf va n pbbeq (qrterrf, zvahgrf, frpbaqf) gung pna'g or n pbvapvqrapr pna vg?

HINT 5: Phcf cyhf phcf, grnfcbbaf cyhf grnfcbbaf, rgp.

Answers tomorrow!

Monday, April 11, 2016

FCCR34M: A Spoonful of Ice Cream

Grab a snack! It's time for this week's puzzle! This week's puzzle was created by Cole Whiteley, owner of the "Geocaching Puzzle Creation Lab" on Facebook, a group dedicated to helping puzzle COs create better puzzles by providing beta testing and other advice. 



When you check the street view, look UP! For more information on using puzzle stats see this post.


(Remember, the checksum is the result of adding all the individual digits of the coords.)

Please don't spoil the answer in the comments! Hints published tomorrow, and the answer on Wednesday.

Happy Puzzling!

PS: Just in case you don't come to the Facebook page, (because you receive these posts via RSS or email), I'm currently having a contest! More information HERE.

Friday, April 8, 2016

Resource Friday: Maccaching

Mac users have come a long way from the bad old days when there was barely ANY commercial software available, but there is still often some lag in some of the more esoteric non-commercial software that we can use. For instance, PC-based cachers love to tout the amazing use and flexibility of GSAK, the Geocaching Swiss Army Knife, but there is NO Mac version. We Mac users have to rely on websites, and workarounds to do a lot of that work. One of my favorites for that is MacCaching, a cache management software that will load PQs to GPS devices, create cache lists, help you sort by type, D/T ratings, etc. Its an invaluable tool for the cacher who uses a Mac.


Wednesday, April 6, 2016

FCVR00M And Now He only Eats Guitars: ANSWER

Alright, pull into the pitstop and let's see who has the answers to this week's Mystery Monday puzzle! (After the break!)


Tuesday, April 5, 2016

FCVR00M: And Now He Only Eats Guitars HINTS

Is this week's Mystery Monday puzzle driving you up a wall? Let's open the hood, kick the tires, and see what we can find... Here are some hints!

I will give you five hints, each getting progressively more revealing, but they will be encoded in ROT13, just like the hints on geocaching pages. You can copy and paste the hints here to decode them. HINT 5 will be nuclear level, so only look at it as a last resort!

HINT 1: Gur cubgbf ner gur xrl. Gurl nyy ybbx irel fvzvyne, qba'g gurl?

HINT 2: Vs bayl gurer jnf n jnl gb vqragvsl jurer gurl pnzr sebz.

HINT 3: Gel n erirefr vzntr frnepu gb frr vs lbh pna svaq jung gur vzntrf unir va pbzzba, be jurer gurl pnzr sebz.

HINT 4: Abj gung lbh xabj jung nyy gur vzntrf unir va pbzzba, vf gurer n ahzore lbh pna nffbpvngr jvgu rnpu?

Hint 5: Ybbx sbe gur znahsnpghevat ahzore sbe rnpu pne. Vg fubhyq or ZOKKK, lbh arrq gung KKK cneg.

Answers tomorrow!

Monday, April 4, 2016

Puzzle Stats Explainer

Here's what you need to know about how to read the new "Puzzle Stats" feature that I have added.


The checksum is the total of ALL the digits of the answer. So if your answer is 43° 20.876, -84° 30. 523 then you would add 4+3+2+0+8+7+6+8+4+3+0+5+2+3=55. I will occasionally give specific separate checksums for latitude and longitude when the puzzle warrants it.

Got it? Ask me questions in the comments and I will clarify anything that is difficult to understand.

FCVR00M: And Now He Only Eats Guitars

Buckle in and get ready for this week's puzzle!



If you need a closer look at those photos here they are:








I'm adding a new innovation this week that will give you the checksum and best way to view the final. For more information see this post.


(Remember, the checksum is the result of adding all the individual digits of the coords.)

Please don't spoil the answer in the comments! Hints published tomorrow, and the answer on Wednesday.

Happy Puzzling!

Friday, April 1, 2016

Resource Friday: Logic Grid Solver

Today's puzzle solving resource is a web script that helps you solve Logic Grid Puzzles, similar to this one:


You have to enter all of the information from the puzzle yourself, including associations given by the puzzle. The solver will then begin suggesting answers. It sometimes takes a little finesse, and adding some associations that aren't directly obvious from the clues (in other words ones that you have deduced for yourself) to give the system enough information to solve, but you eventually reach critical mass and the answers are revealed. It will also allow you to bookmark, save or send the puzzle including the information that you have input, to share the puzzles with others.

http://www.jsingler.de/apps/logikloeser/index.php