Warning: The series is set in a typical rural area. Roads can be narrow with limited parking opportunities next to caches. Safer parking may be up to 100m away. Traffic is usually intermittent but can be much greater during harvest time. Vehicles can vary from quad bikes through to large harvesters. Vigilance is required at all times, particularly with geokids.
The caches in the series are not located at the published coordinates.
It is envisaged that the set will be completed over a period of time but could be done in a day provided the geocacher has undertaken some preparation and has access to the internet during the day. There is good mobile phone coverage in the area for a range of wireless devices.
The caches are arranged in four groups:
- the starting point (The Octagon – Start)
- the outer group (The Octagon – Outer 1 through to The Octagon – Outer 8)
- the inner group (The Octagon - Inner 1 through to The Octagon – Inner 4)
- the final cache (The Octagon – Final).
The Octagon – Start must be completed before attempting any other cache. All caches in the outer group must be completed before any of the inner group. And, of course, all other caches must be completed before attempting The Octagon – Final.
The arrangement of caches can be visualised as
Getting Started
The first task is to solve the following puzzle and use the values obtained to calculate the coordinates for the cache The Octagon - Start (GC3V9V6).
Work out the values of the letters A to H on the diagram below.
- No two numbers are the same
- Each number is a whole number
- No number is less than 1 or greater than 34
- B minus C is either 5 or 6
- H is B minus D
- E is H minus D
- G is D plus F
- D is a sixth of B
- F is a quarter of C
- A is 150 minus the sum of the other seven numbers
The cache The Octagon - Start is at S41 PQ.RST E146 UV.WXY where
P = F - D
Q = 2*E - A - G
R = 2*(A + G)/E
S = C/F
T = A - E
U = (B - C)/2
V = H - E - D
W = H/D
X = B - A
Y = (B - E)/2
You can check your answers for The Octagon - Start with:
Once you find the cache for The Octagon - Start (GC3V9V6) you are ready to start the outer group of The Octagon. There is a recording sheet available from The Octagon - Recording Sheet to assist in the organisation of data. Use the printer icon on the task bar at the top of the Google page to print a hard copy.
Your Tasks
Two tasks need to be completed:
- Sign the log book for The Octagon - Start (GC3V9V6).
- In the front of the logbook you will find a template for the coordinates for The Octagon - Outer 1 (GC3V9V9). Use the values obtained from solving the above puzzle (A..H, P..Y) to decipher the coordinates for The Octagon - Outer 1 (GC3V9V9).
You can check your answers for The Octagon - Outer 1 with:
