About seven days ago, we had an idea for a new puzzle cache. We
gave the idea some thought over the next two or four days and
decided that we would go out to look for a place to hide the
cache.
Rambling through the forest looking for a suitable hidey hole,
we were talking about some of the puzzle caches we have found in
our more than three years caching. There have been such a wide
variety of puzzles, ranging from nice easy ones to puzzles that
have taken us weeks to solve.
It seemed to us that it would be a nice idea to place our new
cache as a tribute to all these caches and their owners. We have
done a number of puzzle caches, some easy, some very hard and as we
were walking we wondered how many we had actually found so far.
Now, at the time of placing this cache we've found 237 caches
that are classified as Unknown (Mystery) caches. The Unknown
category does not just include puzzles. It also includes final
caches of series, bonus caches and caches that could be classified
as multi rather than mystery. As with this cache, a puzzle cache is
one where we have to solve some sort of puzzle at home before
setting off to look for the cache. Of these, we have found only
129. We have also solved a further 21 but not actually visited the
caches yet and we have a further 60 unsolved puzzles within our
usual caching area.
Googling is one place to start when solving a puzzle cache,
especially where some fact finding is involved. It doesn’t always
help though. Sometimes, mathematical knowledge or decoding
encrypted text may be required.
Another group of puzzle caches is that which uses other well
known puzzle types, such as Sudoku, logic puzzles, crosswords, word
searches etc. We have done a number of caches that fall into this
category as well.
Recently, we have had more time for caching than we had when we
first started. This has meant more caches have been found, but also
that we have spent a lot of time solving, or attempting to solve,
other people's puzzle caches.
Owners of puzzle caches have challenged us with a wide variety
of problems. We have enjoyed solving many of these. Sadly though,
there are many that we have still failed to solve despite spending
many hours on them. We will continue to return to them and keep
trying as it has often happened that we have looked again at a
cache we were previously unable to solve and had that "Eureka"
moment.
So here is a tribute cache to thank you all for the many caches
you have placed for us to find. Have fun! We hope you enjoy it as
much as we’ve enjoyed the many puzzle caches we have found so
far.
And finally, the cache is not at the published location which,
for good reason, is in the middle of the 4th green at the Berkshire
Golf Club. Do not attempt to go to this location, unless you're a
member of the golf club hoping for a hole in one, or at least a
birdie and two albatrosses.
The solution to the puzzle will give you six digits. Arrange these
in ascending sequence and label them A-F.
The cache is then at N51°23.ECF W000°43.ABD.
You can check your answer to the puzzle at
geochecker.com or at
geocheck.org.