"Tradecraft 101" Mystery Cache
Arcticabn: School is closed.
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(other)
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
The Dead Drop has been compromised. A new Dead Drop is being established and inplace in the next week or so.
This is a non-internet cipher puzzle. All of the information needed to solve this puzzle is either included on the cache page or at within the cache hunt. There is no need to search the internet to solve this puzzle. It won’t help!
Welcome to the MNGCA Intelligence Service. The mission of the MIS is to employ human intelligence or HUMINT sources to clandestinely gather information. HUMINT sources routinely seek out information and storage locations called “Cache’s”.
Today’s training exercise subject is “Tradecraft.”
Tradecraft is the practical skills that enable our “Controller’s” to communicate with a “HUMINT source” without arousing the suspicion of the public or other intelligence services. A “HUMINT source” cannot go to a clandestine meeting with an intelligence source without first ensuring that he or she is not being followed. This "dry-cleaning," involves an innocuous cover activity such as a shopping trip on a planned route that contains "surveillance traps". Other activities may be social gathering or group meetings for a meal where you can identify potential tails.
Another tradecraft technique is the "dead letter box." A “dead letter box” involves hiding a message to be picked up by another party. This message may be in the clear or in some type of code that only the “controller” and “HUMINT source” understand.
The one time cipher sheet is a notepad containing coded sheets that can only be used one time. Each sheet in the pad contains a different code sequence and would require separate encryption keys in order to be useful.
Your mission today is to practice your tradecraft skills. You will be required to move through an urban environment following the instructions of the “dead letter box” drops as you go. If at any time you find yourself unable to complete the training exercise call information and ask for your controller. Your encryption key for the purpose of this exercise is located on the bottom right corner of the cipher sheet. The key provides the starting point and sequence for determining the encrypted code.
Do not take more then one cipher sheet. It will not help you!
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)