Skip to content

Carcassonne #3: The Tower Mystery Cache

Hidden : 6/22/2012
Difficulty:
2 out of 5
Terrain:
2 out of 5

Size: Size:   micro (micro)

Join now to view geocache location details. It's free!

Watch

How Geocaching Works

Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions in our disclaimer.

Geocache Description:

The third in a set of a dozen of caches in the St. Charles area. The series is based off the Carcassonne game and its expansions. (If you're going to attempt the whole set, read carefully below.)

The cache is not at the posted coordinates, but within 1 mile. This was originally going to be a traditional cache, but nusense beat me to the punch, so now this is a puzzle based on the tower itself. The posted coordinates will bring you to the James H. and Joann N. Collins Tower at Potawatomi Park in St. Charles. The tower is actually the second of its kind to stand, a replica of the original. Ascending it will give you a great view of the surrounding park and river, and it is in fact required for part of the cache. To get the final coordinates, you need to find the four following numbers: A) How many steps are there to the tower? This excludes ALL landings. A landing is defined as anything bigger than a normal step. B) The number of the masonic lodge mentioned on the bricks near the base of the tower, east side. C) Also on the bricks, the number of the month mentioned on the Swartwood's family brick (JAN=1, FEB=2, MAR=3, .... , DEC=12) D) From the plaque, the sum of the digits of the year the original tower stood. E) (Sign is missing, use a value of 32.) The final coordinates are: N 41° (A+C).(Bx5+81-A)' W 088° (D-1).(E-15) (if a number should have 3 digits and only have 2, assume a zero placeholder ex: 98 -> 098) The GPS signal was jumping a lot when I hid this, look at the hints if your GPSr does the same. The final container will have a letter and/or number taped to the inside of the cache. These will tie-in to the final puzzle. If you're going to attempt the whole set in the long run, please write the letter/number down. Congrats to OregonThree for the FTF!

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

[Puzzle:] Gur fgrc ahzore vf abg n zhygvcyr bs 4. [Cache:] Ol gur ovt gerr.

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)