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Captain Crunch Mystery Cache

This cache has been archived.

Reviewer Smith: As I have not heard from the cache owner within the requested time frame, the cache is being archived.

https://www.geocaching.com/help/index.php?pg=kb.chapter&id=38&pgid=56

"If a cache is archived by a reviewer or staff for lack of maintenance, it will not be unarchived."

Reviewer Smith

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Hidden : 3/23/2012
Difficulty:
2 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size:   micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:

This two stage multi-cache will require you to bring a writing utensil as well as some scratch paper to write down coordinates. To complete this cache without returning home, you will also need a cell phone with the ability to place a single outbound call to local phone number.

Final stage is located within walking distance of stage one.

Coordinates given to you are in the MinDec format and should easily be imported into your GPSr

John Draper, who goes by "Captain Crunch, Crunchman, Mr Crunchtastic" in certain circles is a former "Phone Phreak" and computer hacker. In the computer programming world he is a living legend.

John coined his nickname from an odd discovery he made in the 70s. In the early days of modern phone networks, companies like ATT used audible analog tones on the phonelines to signal between phone switching equipment and the users handset. Captain Crunch discovered that a plastic toy whistle found in a box of cereal, when blown into, would emit the tone 2600Hz. This frequency was used by ATT's long distance switching equipment to signal that a trunk line was ready and available to route a new call.

This discovery meant that phone phreakers could now place long distance phone calls for free at a time before cell phones, VoIP and cheap phone service.

One oft-repeated story featuring Captain Crunch goes as follows: Draper picked up a public phone, then proceeded to “phreak” his call around the world. At no charge, he routed a call through different phone switches in countries such as Japan, Russia and England. Once he had set the call to go through dozens of countries, he dialed the number of the public phone next to him. A few minutes later, the phone next to him rang. Draper spoke into the first phone, and, after quite a few seconds, he heard his own voice very faintly on the other phone. He sometimes repeated this stunt at parties. Draper also claimed that he and a friend once placed a direct call to the White House during the Nixon administration, and after giving the operator President Nixon's secret code name of "Olympus", and asking to speak to the president about a national emergency, they were connected with someone who sounded like Richard Nixon; Draper’s friend told the man about a toilet paper shortage in Los Angeles, at which point the person on the other end of the line angrily asked them how they'd managed to get connected to him.

We hope you enjoy the cache. It is not difficult by any stretch but it is a little different than anything we've seen before and hope you enjoy it.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Fgntr bar vf n oynpx qbt gnt gvrq ybbfryl gb gur onfr bs n gerr. Frpbaq fgntr vf zntargvp.

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)