Ken You Solve It? Mystery Cache
Hidden : 1/12/2013
Difficulty:
2.5 out of 5
Terrain:
2 out of 5

Size: Size: small (small)

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Geocache Description:

THE CACHE IS NOT AT THE POSTED COORDINATES

A little while ago, I was given a book of KenKen puzzles which has been keeping me busy. KenKen is a math and logic puzzle invented in 2003 by Japanese math teacher Tetsuya Miyamoto. KenKen is Japanese for "square wisdom" or "cleverness squared."

The rules are simple:
- Fill the grid with digits so as not to repeat a digit in any row or column.
- Digits within each heavily outlined group of squares, called a cage, must combine to make the arithmetic result indicated.
- A 4x4 grid will use the digits from 1 to 4; an 8x8 grid will use the digits from 1 to 8.

The four basic arithmetic operations - addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division - are used in the following manner:
- In a cage marked with a plus sign, the given number will be the sum of the digits you enter in the squares.
- In a cage marked with a minus sign, the given number will be the difference between the digits you enter in the squares (the lower digit subtracted from the higher one).
- In a cage marked with a multiplication sign, the given number will be the product of the digits you enter in the squares.
- In a cage marked with a division sign, the given number will be the quotient of the digits you enter in the squares (the higher digit divided by the lower one).

Here are some additional tips:
- Any cage formed from only one square will contain the given number. These are give-aways.
- Addition and multiplication will occur in cages with two or more squares. Subtraction and division occur only in cages with two squares.
- It's okay for a cage to repeat a digit, as long as the digit isn't repeated in a row or column.
- Each puzzle has a unique solution. You never have to guess at the numbers; each puzzle can be solved by using step-by-step logic.

Doesn't it sound fun? Here's a practice KenKen to warm-up with:

The first step is to fill in the single square cages in the first and third rows with a 4 and 2, respectively.

Next, look at the L-shaped cage in the upper left corner. The only way to get a 3 from the multiplication of the three squares is to use a 3, 1, and 1. Because the 1's can't be in the same row or column, they must be at opposite ends of the cage, with the 3 between them.

Now the first row is just missing a 2, so that digit must go in the remaining square. The other square in that cage must be a 4 to satisfy the "2÷" requirement; it can't be a 1 because a 1 is already present in that row.

In the first column, the only number missing is a 4, so that digit must go in the remaining square. The other square in that cage must be a 3 to satisfy the "1-" requirement.

Fill in the remaining squares using similar logic, and hopefully you will get the following solution:


Now that you're warmed up, solve the following KenKen:

9/1/13 UPDATE: The hiding spot has changed, so use the new positions of the letters below. The gameboard is the same.

Yeah, this one is a bit harder than the practice KenKen. Okay, a lot harder. But at least I didn't give you a 9x9 grid. Most of the cages initially have several possibilities. I would find the cages that can only be completed with one combination of digits from the 1 to 8 digit pool and go from there. Even if you don't know the exact arrangement of digits within a cage, they can eliminate options within other cages in the same row or column. Enjoy the mental gymnastics required to solve this one.

The cache is at the following coordinates:
N 33 0A.BCD
W 96 EF.9GH

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Pnpur: Haqre ebpxf

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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