About this Cache
This cache is one in a series of puzzle solving training caches. Within each cache description you'll learn some tips and tricks to solving a specific type of puzzle cache. Hopefully, these lessons will help you hone your puzzle solving skills.
Building a strategy
Strategy is a plan of action designed to achieve a particular goal. In terms of solving a puzzle cache, this is finding the coordinates for the location where the cache is hidden.
Where do I start
In terms of a puzzle cache, that's a fairly easy question. In 90% of all puzzle caches you are looking for final coordinates, explicitly. So, how do you find them?
Let's say you read a cache description for a regular-size traditional cache at a particular set of coordinates, which happen to be on a wooded trail in a township park. With that information you would already have an idea of how big the cache is and would focus your efforts on things at those coordinates that could hold a cache that size. You would approach the same set of coordinates very differently if the description indicated it was a micro size cache.
Puzzle caches are the same way - the descriptions typically give you hints as to what their solutions will look like. The solution to a puzzle is typically a set of coordinates, so keep an eye out for ways in which coordinates might be represented. In Central Jersey, both the north and west coordinates are usually expressed in seven digits each and more importantly, N=40 and W=74.
When you starting looking a puzzle, look for things that can resolve into those value. Also keep an eye out for pair of seven things or groups where degrees, minutes and decimal minutes may arise. A pair of five things might be the coordinates of the minutes, using along with the degrees of the posted coordinates. A pair of three things might be the fraction of minutes in each coordinate. If the patterns look close, but good coordinate don't work out, perhaps the coordinates are in another format!
One of the oldest tricks in the books it to represent that coordinates in an alternative format. Coordinates represented in format different then what you are use to plugging into your GPS many be difficult to spot. Some of the most common alternative formates are Decimal Degrees (DD.DDDDD) Degrees/Minutes/Seconds (DD MM' SS.ss") or UTM (Zone and Meters East and North).
Example:
The coordinates N40° 24.297 W074° 33.905 may also be represented as:
|
Decimal Degrees
|
| Latitude |
|
Longitude |
| 40.40495 |
|
-74.565083 |
| Degrees, Minutes & Seconds |
| Latitude |
|
Longitude |
| N40 24 17 |
|
W74 33 54 |
| UTM |
| Zone |
Easting |
Northing |
| 18N |
536904 |
4472795 |
Tips to help you create a strategy
1. Take Stock of What You Know:
Make a list of the basic facts as presented to you. Separate the facts from what you think you know. Do not assume and avoid jumping to conclusions unless you are totally sure of the facts on which those conclusions are based.
2. Look for Patterns:
Many puzzles involve recognizing and using patterns of information. Being able to spot those patterns is often the key to solving the puzzle. Any time you see some common thread among the information bits that you're given, that might be significant.
3. Look for Order:
Information can be ordered (such as the colors of a rainbow) or unordered (like a league of professional sports teams). Just because the bits of information can be grouped or interpreted in a logical way doesn't mean that it's relevant to the puzzle. There's no fool-proof way to tell what's relevant and what isn't - good puzzle writers like to keep you guessing about those sorts of things.
4. Use the Scientific Method:
Sometimes you've drawn all of the conclusions you can from the facts of your puzzle but you still don't have it solved. Now what?
Take an educated guess. Make you best guess, then tests to see if that guess is true or false. If it's true, then you add that guess to your knowledge base. If it's false, you scrap it, go back to the point where you guessed, and guess again.
5. Intangibles:
Draw from knowledge that might not be available on the web page, but be careful not to jump to conclusions. -Know the cache hider, sometime know their interest or hobbies my help point you in the right direction.
-Know a little bit about the area, check Google Maps
-Look at other puzzle in the area. Puzzle hiders usually influence one another.
-Check the difficulty rating. While the rating of a puzzle is very subjective, If you find yourself studying a ancient language building three page spread sheets, you're probably over-thinking the puzzle.
Training Session #1
This cache is certified Central Jersey!
