Winchester Mystery Cache Mystery Cache

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Nomex: No response from owner. If you wish to repair/replace the cache sometime in the future, just contact us (by email), and assuming it meets the current guidelines, we'll be happy to unarchive it.

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Hidden : 8/13/2010
Difficulty:
3 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size: regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:

The cache is not at the posted coordinates. It is less than a mile from the posted coords.

If you will be traveling to visit the Winchester House, and want advance help please contact Ninja Duck.

Just the other week I had a rough day. Nothing went right at my job. After I got off work I tried to do a little night caching, but almost every cache I searched for I just couldn't find. To make matters worse, at the last cache I tried for I wanged my head really bad on a low hanging tree branch! By then it was late, I was very tired and I don't recall much after that. I'm pretty sure I just came home and collapsed into bed. I can say my sleep was quite restless. I know I had many crazy, and strange dreams, but when I woke I just couldn't remember any of them. I awoke to realize I had just fallen asleep in my clothes when I had gotten home. I also was a little alarmed to see I slept most of the day away and the sun was already setting! I really must have been tired. I guess it was a good thing I didn't have to work that evening!

    I eventually crawled out of bed and stumbled to the bathroon to take a shower. As I undressed I discovered an unused admission ticket for the Winchester Mystery House tour and a folded sheet of paper in my pant's pocket. The paper had a grid with some sort of code, and then below that, a "quiz" which appeared to be about Sarah Winchester and her mansion and stuff. I guess this must be some swag I picked up in one of the few caches I had actually found the night before, but for the life of me I can't remember which one! It seems I keep discovering all sorts of strange little messages and such. Anyway, I'm curious what this code is all about and what it has to do with the quiz, but I don't have time to figure it all out right now. I know there are a bunch of folks in the Geocaching community that are good at this stuff so I'm typing up a copy of the note and code, and perhaps someone can tell me what it means.


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D
C
Y
4
P
1
U
9
3
N
1
T
8
5
5
T
K
Y
V
R
S
5
T
L
4
1
9
H
4
U
6
Z
T
5
8
P
G
9
3
L
6
1
Z
U
R
0
0
2
I
V
3
R
B
R
R
7
R
R
8
M
2
9
6
7
1
7
2
9
S
R
H
0
L
2
G
U
J
5
G
B
R
R
V
R
7
6
0
B
4
8
A
0
4
I
V
R
3
7
R
2
J
6
R
G
B
8
R
3


-- Garden Tour & Firearms Museum Quiz --


1) E. Clampus Vitus, chapter 1850 dedicated the first of its two plaques at the Winchester House on what date?
 a. Aug. 13, 1982 - Swap columns (2) and (8) : 1’s = L
 b. May 13, 1983 - Swap columns (1) and (3) : 1’s = E
 c. Jan. 13, 1984 - Swap columns (5) and (9) : 1’s = O
 d. April 13, 1984 - Swap columns (4) and (6) : 1’s = T

2) U.S. Patent no. 30446 was granted in 1860 for an improved design rifle using a .44 cal metallic rimless cartridge. What was stamped on each cartridge?
 a. The letters “B.T.” - Swap columns (5) and (6) : 2’s = P
 b. The letter “W” - Swap columns (7) and (9) : 2’s = N
 c. The letters “V.R.” - Swap columns (4) and (7) : 2’s = C
 d. The letter “H” - Swap columns (2) and (5) : 2’s = A

3) On display is an “Indian Portrait” created by a renowned exhibition shooter. What was this shooters name?
 a. Adolph Topperwein - Swap columns (1) and (9) : 3’s = R
 b. Edward McGivern - Swap columns (3) and (6) : 3’s = D
 c. Annie Oakley - Swap columns (6) and (8) : 3’s = V
 d. Herb Parsons - Swap columns (2) and (5) : 3’s = I

4) Why did workers in the fruit drying shed dip the prunes in lye water before placing the fruit in the evaporator?
 a. To prevent mold. - Swap columns (5) and (9) : 4’s = N
 b. To kill any insects. - Swap columns (3) and (8) : 4’s = E
 c. To improve the flavor. - Swap columns (1) and (5): 4’s = W
 d. To crack the skin. - Swap columns (4) and (6): 4’s = S

5) A Pierce gas engine that was used to power Sarah Winchester’s Otis elevator and later the electric lighting in the house is to be found in what estate building?
 a. The Garage - Swap columns (1) and (3) : 5’s = Y
 b. The Gas Lighting Shop - Swap columns (4) and (8) : 5’s = H
 c. The Tank House - Swap columns (2) and (7) : 5’s = D
 d. The Pump House - Swap columns (6) and (9) : 5’s = O

6) It is told that Sarah Winchester once, in order to help her decide which of three men to hire as her new gardener, asked that they each plant a row of cabbage, but to see how they would react she added an unusual caveat. What was it?
 a. Plant it blindfolded. - Swap columns (2) and (6): 6’s = A
 b. Plant it upside down. - Swap columns (3) and (4) : 6’s = F
 c. Plant it in the cellar. - Swap columns (6) and (9) : 6’s = M
 d. Plant it at midnight. - Swap columns (1) and (5) : 6’s = U

7) On display is a vintage winnowing machine. What is the company name on the machine?
 a. David Bradley Mfg. Co. - Swap columns (2) and (9): 7’s = R
 b. Massey Harris Co. Ltd. - Swap columns (4) and (5) : 7’s = E
 c. Kell Meats & Co. - Swap columns (5) and (8) : 7’s = B
 d. E. L. Caldwell & Sons - Swap columns (1) and (6): 7’s = O

8) All the fire hydrants on the grounds of the Winchester estate are painted in what two colors?
 a. Red & Black - Swap columns (2) and (9) : 8’s = I
 b. Red & White - Swap columns (3) and (7) : 8’s = G
 c. Black & Yellow - Swap columns (6) and (8): 8’s = N
 d. Black & White - Swap columns (5) and (6) : 8’s = H

9) If you were to open the famous “Door to nowhere” from inside the mansion and look outside, what direction would you be facing?
 a. North - Swap columns (3) and (5) : 9’s = F
 b. East - Swap columns (1) and (4) : 9’s = S
 c. West - Swap columns (4) and (7): 9’s = Y
 d. South - Swap columns (6) and (8): 9’s = E

10) Which fountain is located directly in front of the mansion's main entrance doors, The ones that Sarah Winchester refused to allow visitors to enter through, not even President Theodore Roosevelt?
 a. Egret - Swap columns (3) and (4) : 0’s = T
 b. Cherub - Swap columns (2) and (8) : 0’s = I
 c. Serpent - Swap columns (1) and (7) : 0’s = A
 d. Cupid - Swap columns (4) and (9) : 0’s = X



You can validate your puzzle solution with certitude.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

[puzzle] N gbhe gvpxrg vf abg erdhverq! Dhrfgvbaf ner "va beqre" bs tneqra gbhe cngu [puzzle] N fpvffbef naq gncr (naq fcner cncre) jvyy uryc. [Cache] Ragre fbyhgvba vagb pregvghqr sbe n uvag. [Cache] Gur urvtug vzcnerq znl jnag gb oevat n fgrc fgbby.

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)


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