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Othello - So Many Questions Mystery Cache

This cache has been archived.

muchado: Another favorite of mine - I really liked the originality of the cache "puzzle". I still haven't seen another cache linke it. However, its time has come to be retired. Thanks to all those that played.

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Hidden : 2/7/2007
Difficulty:
3 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size:   small (small)

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Geocache Description:

A game of 20 questions will lead to the cache. The coordinates above are bogus - don't go there.


This cache is inspired by Shakespeare's tragedy Othello. A synopsis of the play as well as the full text can be found here. There was a very interesting modern retelling of the story in a movie named 'O' and a good movie adaption of the play with Laurence Fishburne.

"I will catechise the world for him; that is, make questions, and by them answer."
(Act III, Scene IV)

Like all my other Shakespeare caches, you do not have to read the play or see the movie to find the cache.

The Game

The goal of this game is to find an object that is within 5 miles of the posted coordinates. I will post one question and its answer every day for 20 days. You, the cachers, will ask the questions. Send e-mail through my profile with your question. Please word your questions such that they can be answered with a simple yes or no. Feel free to ask as many questions as you want. It would be helpful if you can put the word Othello somewhere in the e-mail. Every day, I'll select a question from all the questions I've received. I'll answer it, and post it to the cache page below. Please do not post any questions directly to the cache page - send e-mail only.

I plan on posting the next question early in the morning in order to give potential finders as much daylight as possible to find the object and the cache.

I'll encrypt the answers to the questions in 'notes' so that future cachers can decrypt one answer at a time if they wish to play the game later.

Please do not post information about the object in your logs so as not to spoil the game for future cachers.

The Cache

The cache is about 2 miles from the object.

The cache itself is a small container big enough to hold a few coins and the log. Parking is available nearby - subtract 0.016 from the north and add 0.095 to the west coordinates of the final for parking coordinates. The cache is hidden in an area that is closed dusk to dawn, so no night caching please.

The Prizes

  • FTF - An unactivated Magic Ball Geocoin. Congratulations to Team Bullis!
  • STF - An unactivated Micro Mini Geocoin. Congratulations to Kayak Kouple!
  • TTF - An unactivated Travel Bug Dog Tag. Congratulations to #1Batman!

The Questions

  1. Is the object of significant historical importance? (From Team Bullis).
    Answer: Gur bowrpg unf ab fvtavsvpnag uvfgbevpny vzcbegnapr.
  2. Is there a large parking lot near the object? (From Kayak Kouple).
    Answer: Vs ol "ynetr", bar zrnaf n cnexvat ybg gung pbhyq ubyq zber guna 100 pnef, naq ol "arne" lbh zrna jvguva 1/10 zvyr, gura gurer vf ab ynetr cnexvat ybg arne gur bowrpg.
  3. Is this a natural object found in the environment? (From HockeyPuck and Bill The Cat 89.)
    Answer: Gur bowrpg vf zna-znqr. N pnpure jebgr: Pna lbh pynevsl zna-znqr n yvggyr zber? Gur ernfba V nfx guvf vf orpnhfr V'z phevbhf vs n fyno bs tenavgr fgnaqvat hcevtug jvgu ahzoref be yrggref rgpurq va vg pbafgvghgr "zna-znqr". Be n ebpx jvgu jbeqf cnvagrq ba vg vf Zna-znqr? V ubcr abg. V jbhyqa'g pbafvqre rvgure zna znqr, cre fr. Zl nafjre: Vs fbzrguvat vf znqr bs n angheny zngrevny, ohg snfuvbarq vagb n sbez ol zna, gura vg vf zna-znqr. V jbhyq pbafvqre n tenavgr urnq fgbar gb or zna-znqr. Tenssvgv ba n ebpx - gur tenssvgv vf zna-znqr, ohg abg gur ebpx. V guvax nyy jbhyq nterr gung gur bowrpg vf hadhrfgvbanoyl zna-znqr.
  4. Is the object associated with another Geocache? (From PetersPack).
    Answer: Gb zl xabjyrqtr, gur bowrpg vf abg nffbpvngrq jvgu nal pnpur be nal jnlcbvag bs n pnpur be nalguvat ba trbpnpuvat.pbz. Rkprcgvat guvf pnpur bs pbhefr!
  5. Is the object north of the Shaskeen? (From NotThePainter along with loads of other cachers trying to narrow down the object's location).
    Answer: Vs lbh zrna ba n urnqvat orgjrra guerr uhaqerq svsgrra naq sbegl svir qrterrf gehr, gura, lrf gur bowrpg vf abegu bs gur Funfxrra. Sbe gubfr bs lbh gung qba'g xabj - gur Funfxrra jnf gur fvgr bs Oernq & Ebfrf 4 jurer guvf pnpur jnf ynhapurq. Vg vf ybpngrq ng A 42° 59.493 J 071° 27.783. Whfg gb pynevsl, gur nafjre nobir fcrpvsvrf n avargl qrterr fjrrc orgjrra abegujrfg naq abegurnfg gehr.
  6. Does the object contain information like a sign? (From loande).
    Answer: Gur bowrpg qbrf abg unir n fvta be nal jbeqf be ahzoref ba vg.
  7. Is the object in a state park? (From #1Batman and Kayak Kouple).
    Answer: Gur bowrpg vf abg va n fgngr be zhavpvcny cnex. Arvgure vf vg va n pbafreingvba nern.
  8. Is the object smaller than a house and larger than a car? (From HockeyPuck, KayakKouple, and Geos-Of-The-Jungle).
    Answer: Gur bowrpg vf fznyyre guna n ubhfr, ohg ynetre guna n pne.
  9. Is a significant portion (a third or more) of the object made of metal? (From AdmiralJota and HockeyPuck).
    Answer: Gur bowrpg unf nyzbfg ab zrgny ba vg. Lbh jbhyqa'g abgvpr nal zrgny ng nyy hayrff lbh trg snveyl pybfr gb vg.
  10. Is the object on the West side of the Merrimack River? (From MeAndMyDogs, Team Bullis, and HockeyPuck, ).
    Answer: Gur bowrpg vf ybpngrq rnfg bs gur Zreevznpx Evire.
  11. Is the object in question close to,or visable, to a major street or intersection? (From Kayak Kouple).
    Answer: Gur bowrpg vf pyrneyl ivfvoyr sebz n znva ebnq. Sbe gur checbfrf bs guvf dhrfgvba, V qrsvar n znva ebnq gb or nal ebnq gung unf ng yrnfg n gjb zvyr fgergpu jurer vg vagrefrpgf jvgu bgure ebnqf ohg unf ab fgbc fvtaf be lvryq fvtaf.
  12. Is it elongated, or stout? (From Team Bullis and AdmiralJota).
    Answer: Gur bowrpg vf abg rybatngrq. Vs lbh jrer gb chg gur bowrpg va n obk, gur obk jbhyq n yvggyr gnyyre guna vg vf jvqr naq n yvggyr qrrcre guna vg vf gnyy.
  13. Can one go inside the object? (From D3OFUS).,br>Answer: Lbh pnaabg tb vafvqr gur bowrpg. Lbh pna trg ba gur bowrpg, ohg vg jbhyq or qvssvphyg naq lbh zvtug trg va gebhoyr.
  14. Is the object in Manchester? (From MrDucky and HockeyPuck).
    Answer: Gur bowrpg vf abg ybpngrq va Znapurfgre.
  15. Is the object unique? Or can the same basic thing be found commonly? (From Bill The Cat 89).
    Answer: Gur bowrpg vf havdhr va vgf trareny nccrnenapr naq/be shapgvba.
  16. Is the object made from wood? (From HockeyPuck).
    Answer: Gur bowrpg unf ab jbbq ba vg jungfbrire.
  17. Does the object stand out from its surroundings, as something to be noticed? (From MrDucky).
    Answer: Gur bowrpg vf zrnag gb or frra/abgvprq. Gung vf vgf cevznel shapgvba.
  18. Is the object located on public property (or private such as a business)? (From HockeyPuck).
    Answer: Gur bowrpg vf ybpngrq ba cevingr cebcregl, ohg gur pbbeqvangrf ner ba choyvp cebcregl. Obgu ner npprffvoyr gb gur choyvp.
  19. Is the object a statue or sculpture? (From MuchAdo).
    Answer: Gur bowrpg vf n fgnghr, ohg abg va gur genqvgvbany frafr. Vg jnf znqr ol neenatvat znal fznyy oybpxf n ybg yvxr n Yrtb fgnghr.
  20. Is the object within 4 miles of the Shaskeen? (From MuchAdo).
    Answer: Gur bowrpg vf jvguva sbhe zvyrf bs gur Funfxrra.

The object was found by FTF after 12 questions.

If you are not a Manchester-area cacher and would like additional help finding the object, feel free to e-mail me with additional questions. I'll be happy to even answer spoiler questions such as "What are the coordinates of the object?"

The Solution

Directly southwest of the object, you see six two-digit numbers facing the object and associated with the word Candia. To their right, there are another six two-digit numbers facing the same direction as the first six and associated with the word Dixville Notch.


AB CD EF GH IJ KL :: MN OP QR ST UV WX


Using the following key to get the coordinates of the final - N 4G NB.TGP W 071 CN.LTD

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

[Puzzle Semi-Spoiler]gjragl rvtug olcnff va Ubbxfrgg. [Cache] Qrnq fghzc.

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)