Jigsaw -Kid Puzzle [#1] 🧩 Mystery Cache

Jigsaw -Kid Puzzle [#1] 🧩

Welcome to the first in what we hope will be a fun puzzle series created for kids! 

We are trying to do our part to encourage the younger generation to enjoy geocaching. We have a Kid Cache Stretch in Millard County (Utah) and  many other caches designed to be kid-friendly. As I have spent oodles of hours solving geocaching puzzles, I have been thinking about children and puzzles in the geocaching world. There are some that they certainly could solve, but many that are way over my head in complexity let alone theirs. We have decided to create a series of puzzles written specifically for kids and the container at the end will always be aimed at kids' interests and almost always have fun swag. If there isn't swag for whatever reason, it will be noted on the cache page.

If you have children or grandchildren, nieces, nephews or other children in your life, give them the chance to solve these puzzles. Some might be able to completely solve them on their own and others will definitely need some support. This is a great time to teach them about the nature of geocaching puzzles, gps coordinates, using maps and satelite images and allow for experiences using the app or website (inputing the final coords, etc.) Have a discussion about "going into stealth mode," respecting the area you will be as well as the container and log and putting things back the way you found them. Then when you get close to ground zero, let them lead the hunt to make the find. Hopefully this will be a positive experience and help build a love for geocaching and the endless possibilities that it holds. If you do not have children around, then of course, just solve the puzzle yourself.

There are many, many types of puzzles that are used in geocaching. This one is a simple jigsaw puzzle of our son placing our very first hide. When you solve the jigsaw, the coordinates will be given to you.

It is rated a 2 difficulty because doing the puzzle might take more time than just finding an LPC. Finding the container is a difficulty 1.5.

CLICK HERE FOR THE PUZZLE

Optional:

If you do not live close enough to physically go to the final locations, but still want to take the opportunity for your children to solve these puzzles, we will still honor their puzzle solving prowess.  You cannot claim it as a find unless you go to the actual site and sign the log, but we can offer another kind of reward. Here's how it works:

     1. A CHILD (we'll allow teens as well up to age 15) must be the main solver of the puzzle.

     2. Proof of the solution is in their handwriting on a paper that hopefully also shows the workings of solving the puzzle (if applicable) sent in form of a picture as well as a screenshot or picture taken of the fairly close-up satelite image of where the final is. Both pictures need to be sent via the message center or emailed to us. Include the GC code. You can solve one puzzle at a time or more, but send the two required pictures for each individual puzzle. A picture of your child can be in the picture, but certainly isn't necessary. 

     3. We will then mail them a 3D printed plastic coin acknowledging their success and a 3D printed swag item- one per puzzle solved. Be sure to include the address you want them sent to.

     4. If you do not want something mailed to you, you can still send the pictures and we will send a congratulatory response to the child. 

  Know that this idea is in a trial stage and we don't know how long we can keep it up or if it will even work, but we'll give it a go! If we decide to discontinue doing this, we will delete this info. But as long as it is explained on a cache page, we will honor what we've said. 

  We also do not know how many puzzles will be in the series. Whenever we add to the series, we will update the list on each of the puzzle pages.