Net for Windows at along with the BoltBait plugin pack that includes a steganography tool! It may also encourage other future hiders to follow the same path. But for many geocachers they are too difficult or require too much effort. If the arrow points to a solitary tree, a gazebo, clump of rocks, fork in the road, etc. The border itself is even subtler. For example, the letter E is the most commonly used letter in the English alphabet. Brute force The final method is to search for the geocache without solving the puzzle - known as brute force.
Some puzzle cache owners may feel cheated and decide to delete your log. This line is a comment that won't display on the listing. Armed with this knowledge, you should look at the puzzle to see if there are 6, 10 or 15 objects, items, words, phrases, lines, etc. . Examples: Actual coordinates:S 33° 46.
Like with brute force, if you ask a previous finder for help, it is best not to make mention of this in your log as it may upset the hider. To crack the substitution code, look for repetitions and patterns see tip. If the description includes what looks like phrases or poetry, search for it on the web - it may provide clues to the author or some other pieces of information. Remember, the purpose of the puzzle is for people to solve it, not cheat. Study the 'fake' coordinates Since mid-2008, puzzle caches require the starting, or fake, coordinates to be within about 3. Some geocache listing pages include a coordinate checker for you to confirm your coordinates.
Creating your own If you decide to turn the tables on your fellow geocachers and create your own puzzle cache, there are a number of websites worth visiting, such as the website and the website. It may be text that is commented out, made white or hidden using some other method. Changing various attributes such as brightness, contrast, alpha channel or colour depth may also reveal information. Some spell out the coordinates as words, such as 'south three three. There are two ways of getting to this location, both short enjoyable walks - down on the border.
This will give you a first look at whether you have the right answer. Read through the logs and closely examine any photos. Puzzles that require 10 digits are typically the hardest. Learn about ciphers Not all puzzles will solve as numbers. Other coordinate systems Some puzzles result in coordinates that are not in the commonly used 'degrees-decimal minutes' format. If the letter J appears most often in the ciphered text, then you maybe able to assume that J represents E and the cipher could be a Caesar shift-5.
Substitutions There are many ways to convert numbers and text into something that looks unintelligible. But not every border crossing has such an announcement. So now our puzzle have been reduced to this 33° 4C. Look at a map of the area to identify any logical hiding places within a reasonable distance of the starting coordinates. This involves looking at which letters, or combinations of letters, appear most frequently. They may be decimal degrees S33.
Ciphers have been used to hide text for thousands of years. Because most of the code is generated by the cache listing website, you will only need to look in the section that contains the cache description. Puzzle caches are a great alternative to traditional geocache. Example: The 'City gates' caches sit close to large monuments declaring your entry or exit of the Australian Capital Territory. Picture speaks a thousand words There is more to a picture than the picture itself.
Look for patterns A puzzle cache will typically require you to solve all the digits in the coordinates 15 in total , the minutes 10 or the decimal minutes 6. Many are keen to see find logs appear in their email inbox, so they are willing to give you a clue or two. This may be where the answer is hidden. Confirm your answer Once you have what you think is the answer, copy and paste it into a mapping program such as OziExplorer, Mapsource or Google Maps maps. It covers what to look for when solving a puzzle cache, some of the clever techniques used to hide clues and how to confirm you're on the right track.
To find the cache you must crack the puzzle. This page has been written to give you some tips on how to solve those puzzle caches that might currently be beyond your reach. Other substitution ciphers include: substitution, Keyed Caesar, and Pigpen or Masonic. Ask for help When all else fails, email the cache owner or a previous finder and ask for a hint. For example, if the fake coordinates are S33 24.
If it lands in the middle of a busy intersection or out in the Pacific Ocean, you probably have more work to do. . . . . .