Cryptic crosswords (cryptics for short) are uncommon in the United States; however, they are quite popular in other parts of the English-speaking world. Unlike American-style crosswords, you're not simply looking for a word that is defined by the clue. In a cryptic, all of the clues contain two parts: there's the definition, and then there is some form of wordplay that will also lead you to the answer to be entered into the puzzle grid. But the distinction between those two parts of the clue is not obvious -- it's your job to figure out what's definition and what's wordplay. And it's the puzzle author's job to make your job challenging and fun.
There's much more to learning how to solve cryptic crosswords than will fit here, but there are plenty of web resources that will help you get started. By the way, if you're experienced at solving cryptics, your difficulty level is more likely in the range of 2.5 to 3 stars.
So first, complete the cryptic below. You may prefer to download a full-page PDF of the puzzle.
Okay, you've completed the puzzle. Now to determine the actual coordinates of the cache site. The actual coordinates are:
N 33° un.sbc', W 111° tz.fda'
where the letters in the above line are to be replaced by the number of times that letter appears in the puzzle solution. If a letter appears in the solution more than nine times, add together the two digits of the count and use that sum. In other words, if a letter appears 13 times, add 1+3 and use 4.
Now, we wouldn't want you making a mistake in your solution and heading off on a wild goose chase. So here's a link that will verify whether the coordinates you came up with are correct:
Our thanks to Paul Ward for his editorial assistance with the puzzle.
Happy caching!