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Nature or nurture? Mystery Cache

Hidden : 12/22/2015
Difficulty:
4 out of 5
Terrain:
2 out of 5

Size: Size:   micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:

The cache is not at the posted coordinates, but is within 2 miles.





Ever since I started geocaching two years ago, I've been drawn to the mystery caches. Many of these puzzles are quite formidable, and after many looks I typically find myself nowhere closer to the solution. However, there are some geocachers who are always able to immediately see through the haze and solve a puzzle within minutes of its publication.

I've often wondered what it is that makes someone an astute puzzle solver. There are those who might say that some people have an innate skill to decipher even the toughest of puzzles. They have an inborn ability to perceive and organize cryptic information. They possess a natural talent for lateral thinking and abstraction. Perhaps they benefit from a highly developed prefrontal cortex. Sadly, none of these apply to me.

However, others would argue that diligence and careful study can make anyone a master puzzle solver. My father, for one, believes that with hard work and dedication, it is possible to excel at anything. Put your nose to the grindstone, he would say. Practice makes perfect. Mind your Ps and Qs (I never understood what that meant). If I worked on enough puzzles, would I eventually be able to crack the most opaque of mystery caches?

After much reflection, I found myself no closer to an answer. So, I decided to create a new mystery cache to see whether our active puzzling community could lend some clarity to this question. Are you a natural born-and-bred puzzle solver? Or are you the product of persistence and experience?

100880
114204
131550
138850
161650
162323
164975
603309
603363
605515
608500
609979
612566



You can validate your puzzle solution with certitude.


Congratulations to The Rat for FTS and FTF. It appears that puzzle-solving ability is in his genes.


Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Chg njnl lbhe fcernqfurrgf. Frnepu vafvqr lbhefrys - gur fbyhgvba vf va nyy bs lbh. Naq bapr lbh'ir fgnegrq gb svaq lbhe jnl, znxr fher lbh yvfgra gb zl qnq.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)