Updates:
1) Hint #2 has changed due to increased knowledge brought about by
riding along with a carload of people trying to figure out my
cache. Which is actually quite fun, and I recommend it. =)
2) Cache is in a new location, the fifth overall and the one I'm
most happy with. It's more secure, and closer to the original
waypoint. Thus, you will need to redo the math if you've done it
before.
Do not go to the above listed coordinates. You are in danger of
getting smashed.
This cache consists of a waypoint to get your bearings, and then a
cache whose location you determine by logic and some mild math.
Step 1: Decode the puzzle. Below are a group of letter
triads. There are eight 9-letter words split up into their
component triads (e.g., FUL BEA UTI = beautiful. The triads are
arranged in alphabetical order for randomness' sake.
ATE ATE BLE CHE DIR GER
IGI INE MAR MIS ONS OUS
OXY PAL PAR PEN PHO PIT
SMS SPH TAG TAN TRY VEL
Rearrange and combine the letter triads into eight 9-letter
words. (Ergo, each word clearly comprises three triads). Place the
nine words in alphabetical order, top to bottom, into the lines
below.
1) ___ ___ ___ {___} ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
2) ___ ___ ___ {___} ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
3) ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ {___} ___ ___ ___
4) ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ {___}
5) {___} ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
6) ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ {___} ___ ___
7) ___ ___ ___ {___} ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
8) {___} ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
The letters in brackets tell you exactly what the waypoint is,
but not exactly which one. To figure out which one, you need to
determine the overall value of the following character, who must be
the CEO of a circus: EXEC CLOWN
Step 2: Go to the waypoint and get coordinates. Make sure
you go to the more westerly of the two.
Step 3: NOW... The math. (You could do the next paragraph
before you leave to save yourself some time on the road) Take the
words from above and figure out the value of each word. We'll use
the ones column of each word to do a little math.
Coordinates of waypoint:
N 45° w1 w2. w3 w4 w5
W 122° w6 w7. w8 w9 w10
Coordinates of cache:
N 44° c1 c2. c3 c4 c5
W 122° c6 c7. c8 c9 c10
w1 + ones column from word 3 = c1
w2 + ones column from words 3 and 2 = c2
w3 + ones columns from word 2 thrice = c3
w4 - ones column from word 7 = c4
w5 + ones column from word 1, 2 and 4 = c5
w6 + ones column from word 5 = c6
w7 + ones columns from word 6 = c7
w8 - ones columns from words 1 and 4 = c8
w9 - ones columns from words 4 and 8 = c9
w10 + ones column from word 3 = c10
DO NOT come at the final cache from the north. Come at it from the
south.
You can check your answers for this puzzle on
Geochecker.com.
First technical FTF also goes to Candum, who found the
exact location--after the cache was muggled but before I knew it
was muggled.