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Bread Mystery Cache

This cache has been archived.

WeBeDnD: Time to retire this one, the final location is no longer in theme, and I suspect the cache has been compromised.

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Hidden : 5/7/2004
Difficulty:
4 out of 5
Terrain:
1 out of 5

Size: Size:   micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:

This is my first shot at a cryptarithm puzzle. The cache is not at the posted coordinates. Solve the puzzle to determine the real coordinates. It is a 35mm film canister with requisite paperwork. Bring your own pen.

Detective Brad Dough had been gathering info on the elusive 'Sunnyvale Doughboys' for months. The Doughboys were suspected of laundering cash because their intercepted communications often made reference to moving various types of 'bread' products or processing large quantities of 'dough.' One day the detective intercepted an especially tasty communique. It seemed that the boss, known only as 'Le Boulanger,' was planning to retire. As was typical in the business, the boss expected to receive final 'honorarium' payments from his gang of underlings (collectively known as the 'Rotten 18') to fund that retirement. The gang members had received instructions, with an embedded cryptarithm, stating that the payment was due and how much payment was expected. This was the communique:

Listen upa youse guys, and keepya muffins shut: I'ma 59 now. I beena raisin bread long enough. For a while da bizness was ona roll, but I'ma leavening. I'ma gonna baguette, cuz I'ma tired of seein youse nutcakes sittin onya buns and loafing around all day. To me dis business hasa dried up - likea desert - cuz of all the sandwhichis here. Now it'sa time for youse to show me respect cuza youse know it wasa me dat kept youse bread buttered alla dis time. Here's hows it'sa gonna work. It'sa simple: yu + (pays * me) = bread. Remember, me > yu cuz I'ma da boss. And bread * 4 * me > 18,000,000, a nice even number for youse guys to work out between allaya. If youse guys don't cough upa da dough I'll have youse all floured, kneaded, and baked at 350 degrees in da oven. Den I'sa gonna giva youse necks a dutch crunch. So youse can either rise up to dis occasion, or yousa gonna be toast - all rotten 18 of youse. And donut try to double croissant me, youse croutons. Gather upa youse shares odda bread today. I tellya more tomorrow.

The cryptarithm was easy enough to solve, but the detective still did not know where the payments would take place ...until the final communique was intercepted the next day. It read:

Vwe, ijwcbli jzmil. Cacittg itti gwcam jmmvi jzqvoqvumqa epqbm xiabzqma. Cvviabivl, cvtmaai gwcam xzwdqlma mvwcop, ibaqbnwz gwc.

Detective Dough went to the coordinates only to discover that the 'Rotten 18' had already risen to the occasion and made their escape. But he did apprehend the boss not far away, with the biggest bag of bread he'd ever seen.

Note 5/11/04: I was politely informed that I have commited a convention faux-pas in the cryptarithm. I can't fix it now without totally fouling up the puzzle, but the cryptarithm IS solvable with about zero (see hint 3 if you choose) extra effort. As a penance, I have added another clue which should help you overcome this situation. Won't happen again, I swear. :-)

Note 6/13/05: Added puzzle hint 3.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

[PUZZLE 1] Rkcrevrapr jvgu fbzr bs zl cerivbhf chmmyrf znl uryc jvgu gur ynfg cneg, naq vg zvtug uryc gb fgneg gurer gbb. [PUZZLE 2] zr = svir avar [PUZZLE 3] l = mreb [LOCATION] oernq, bs pbhefr

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)