Skip to content

Zehnergitter Conundrum (gesundheit) Mystery Cache

Hidden : 2/7/2017
Difficulty:
3 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size:   small (small)

Join now to view geocache location details. It's free!

Watch

How Geocaching Works

Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions in our disclaimer.

Geocache Description:

Achtung! The posted coordinates for this cache are incorrect. You're going to have to solve a puzzle to find it. Well, four puzzles, actually...

This cache was published in conjunction with GC6ZMBJ, the Miami Valley Caching Conundrum #34, hosted by VPPlayer, who also checked the puzzles and final location for accuracy.


Zehnergitter, also known as "Grid 10," "From 1 to 10" or "Tenner Grid," is a type of puzzle consisting of a rectangular grid 10 cells wide. Some of the cells in the grid will already be filled in for you. Your task is to figure out what numbers fill the remaining cells using the following rules:

  1. Each digit from 0 through 9 is used exactly once in each row.
  2. No digit can be the same as any digit in an adjacent cell, including diagonally.
  3. Digits in the same column may be the same, except where this would conflict with rule #2.
  4. The sum of digits in each column must equal the number shown in the bottom row.

In other words, when you're finished, each of the rows will contain the digits 0 through 9 with no repeats, and no digit anywhere in the puzzle will be the same as any adjacent digit; and, the sums of columns will equal the number below that column. That's your ultimate goal.

Now, to find the cache, solve the four Zehnergitter puzzles below and use the indicated digits to locate the final, which can be found here:

N39 4A.BCD W084 1W.XYZ

Zehnergitter puzzles

Having trouble getting started? Some techniques to try:

  1. Look for dead giveaways like the single open cell on row 5 of the lower right puzzle. It's obviously a 4. Then after you fill that in, clean up the one remaining cell in that column, which must be a 1 (so that the total of the column adds up to 19).
  2. Look at a row that is mostly filled in and determine what remaining digits they are, then try to figure out where they can possibly go. For example, in the lower left puzzle, row 2 has only two open cells. These could be either a 2 or 5. Can you eliminate either of their possible locations? (In this case no, but it's something to keep an eye on as you work on that puzzle.)
  3. Look at columns with only two open cells and see if there's a way you can figure out what digits belong there based on the required sum at the bottom. For example, check the top right puzzle, first column, which adds up to 22. The existing digits add up to 11, so you need a sum of 11 out of the remaining two digits. So check the possible combinations (9+2, 8+3, 7+4, 6+5). You can't use 8+3 as the bottom row already has both an 8 and 3, and you can't use 7 and 4 because of the top row. 6+5 can be eliminated as well (can you see why?). That leaves only 9 and 2, and you can't put a 2 on the bottom row, so the 9 must go there and the 2 must be in the top row. Easy, right? Right....? Now can you see any other columns you can figure out by the same logic? How about row #9 on that same puzzle...?

The rest you can discover for yourself, but keep in mind you should never have to guess...you can always use logic to find a value somewhere in the puzzle, which then unlocks more cells, and so on. Good luck! The final is an easy park and grab available at all hours. Enjoy!

You can check your answers for this puzzle on GeoChecker.com.

 

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Ry cbyr-b yvtug-b

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)