Update: This cache was nominated for the 2009 "Most
Satisfying Puzzle" award by the Metro NY Geocaching Society!
Huzzah!
Update: The "William Kitts" series was nominated for "Best
Series" in the 2010 Metro GC Awards! Thanks everyone!
Update 3/11/2010: The cache is back up! There's new content
for the "second envelope," so make sure you have the latest
version. There are also new hints to reflect the updated
location(s), and the cryptogram has changed. And I've added evince
links for the two field puzzles, so you can check to make sure
you're looking in the right place. Good luck!
Update 5/27/2011: The cache is back up (again)! Again,
there's new content for the "second envelope," so make sure you
have the latest version. The third envelope's contents have changed
a bit, and I've revised the hints. Also please beware of thorns
when retrieving the Stage One cache.
I received the following letter a few weeks ago from my
friend Sam, who needed help finding the treasure his great-uncle
had hidden. After we found it, I thought that you all might be up
to the challenge, and so we left the clues in place. In addition to
the puzzle below, there are a few more along the way. Here's the
letter:
My Dear Friend,
I write to you in desperate need of your help! You might recall
my stories of my Great-Uncle, William Kitts, who loves -- I should
say loved -- puzzles, codes, and riddles almost as much as you.
Sadly, he passed away a year ago, under circumstances that were
somewhat mysterious. I had always loved Great-Uncle William, and I
know he was fond of me. So I was surprised, when his will was read,
that I was not remembered in it. I didn't expect a fortune --
apparently, the family rumors of his wealth were unfounded, as
there was not much left in the estate. (He had done some early work
in computers, but where the money went, no one knows.) However, he
did bequeath some small item to most of the family members, and I
was quite disappointed not to be included.
But last Thursday, I received a package from Polhemus &
Fiske, his old law firm, that was to be sent to me a year after his
death. Inside were three envelopes and the following letter:
My dearest great-nephew:
I know how fond you were of our little games and puzzles
(remember the Corinthian sphere, and the Excelsior chess problem?),
so here's one more for you to try. I've been thinking about this
one on and off, off and on again, for some time now, and I hope
you'll find it rewarding.
There are three envelopes enclosed, one with a puzzle, one with
a table, and one with some clews. Solve the puzzle first, which
will lead you (and your brave fellows) to the first step. Take the
table with you on your journey, it will be key to your success.
You'll have to keep a sharp lookout, but you've always had keen
eyes, eh?
Good hunting!
-- WK
Of course I'm at my wit's end trying to make out just what these
three pages mean. I'm sure they point to some sort of location, but
I'll be deuced if I can figure it out. Even the clues are in
cipher. If you could give it a try, perhaps we could divide the
treasure (if there is any) in half? I've enclosed copies of the
envelopes' contents.
I'll await your reply.
Yours,
Sam
THE FIRST ENVELOPE
554.810.682.623.546.0
262.648.654.649.294.0
972.530.908.82.908.0
926.80.412.514.988.0
559.673.674.676.324.0
902.73.903.65.918.0
396.530.910.578.396.0
396.594.402.594.396.0
THE SECOND ENVELOPE
[The Table from the second envelope can be found here
(PDF). Make sure your copy is actual size -- the grid should have
four squares to the inch. You may need to adjust your printer
settings. And don't forget to take it with you!]
THE THIRD ENVELOPE
NQLGC ZCMF
AO QRAN JSZZYC WFS UFSYI QMW,
QRADH URLQ WFS BSNQ OAGSMC FSQ!
WFS'YY DCCI QRCNC XYSCN, EW LDI EW,
DLMW L NFSY XFSYI NFYTC UAQRFSQ!
1) QMLDNJFNC.
2) CMLNC DSYYN.
3) EYLXHCD WFSM OAMNQN.
4) FMGLDAZC MFUN.
5) QRADH "WCN! CSMCHL! A GFQ RAN QMCLNSMC!"
6) GF MAGRQ, AD, IFUD.
NQLGC FDC
AO LQ OAMNQ WFS IFD'Q NSXXCCI, NQLMQ UAQR QRC ECGADDADGN.
NQLGC QUF
MCBCBECM QRC LDNUCM QF QRC MAIIYC, LDI MCBCBECM QRC HCW JFADQN.
IF A DCCI QF NJCYY AQ FSQ OFM WFS?
NQLGC QRMCC
MCLXR AD LDI QLHC AQ, NLB!
You can check your answers for the first puzzle on
GeoCheck.
You can use evince to check the coordinates for the Stage
Two cache and the final
cache.
