So You Wanna Solve Puzzles? #2: Source Code Mystery Cache

This cache has been archived.

GeoPunx: Cache is gone. Will not be replacing this one. Thanks for the faves on this.

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Hidden : 9/21/2013
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size: micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:


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The cache is NOT at the posted coordinates above.
You must read the tutorial below, and the actual location will be revealed to you.
The actual cache IS within two miles of that location, though.
Log only. BYOP and tweezers.
If you find yourself there with no tweezers, feel free to photo log the cache.
You can get to, find, retrieve and replace the cache without your feet ever leaving concrete.
There is no need to step off the sidewalk, or onto the grass to get to this cache.
If you're solving this puzzle from outside the area, feel free to post a note saying you solved it.
It won't hurt our feelings at all.
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Ah...the infamous. The bane of many Geocacher's existence.
I will admit that they were a tad intimidating to me at first. But, there really is no need for that.
Technodaddy! and I have come to love puzzles. We have also come to realize that many people put the blue question mark straight on ignore. It's a really sad realization.
Puzzles, or Mystery Caches, can be an exciting way to add a new layer to the game. We want others to enjoy these caches with us, so we decided to embark on a series that will progressively show you the ways that Geocache hiders can obscure the actual coordinates for their puzzles. So, don't put these on ignore. Just read through the listings with us and we will provide you with the solution and the method of solution. You can use these methods(and many others) to augment your Geocaching game.

Solving any puzzle (Geo or otherwise) involves working from the things you KNOW, to the things you do NOT know. For example, with a jigsaw puzzle, you usually know the picture you are trying to put back together. With a Rubik's cube, you know that you are trying to put all the colors back in place. With a sudoku, you know the rules of how the numbers should line up, etc, etc... With a Geocache puzzle, there are countless ways the numbers can be obscured, but you know you are probably looking for a set of coordinates which will lead you to the cache, as in, a string of numbers like N 30 32.123 W 087 16.321. SO, the N, W, 3, 0, 8, and 7 are known values. You can start with those. You can also assume that if you see a group of clues, like 8 or 9 clues, it's a coordinate, so you are probably solving for numbers.
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OK, let's get on to the actual method of coming up with the correct coordinates for a Puzzle/Mystery cache. Almost caches of this type will start out by saying something to the effect of, "The cache is not a the posted coordinates. But is within two miles." If a Puzzle/Mystery cache does not start with a disclaimer such as this, then you'll want to, most likely, visit the posted coords for the cache/hint/next step. Very few of these caches are done that way, so this will be the only mention of this.

This method is very simple. Yet, very effective. One of the very first puzzles I tried to solve was done in this way. I banged my head on it for a couple of days. Then, quite literally by accident, I stumbled onto the method. I smacked myself in the head numerous times over this.
You can view the Source Code for a web page by Right-Clicking in the white space of the page and choosing, "View Page Source"(or similar verbiage), from the drop down list. In the new window that opens, click "View" from the menu at the top of the screen. Then, make sure that, "Wrap Long Lines" has a check mark beside it. This will keep you from having to scroll sideways on the Source Code page. At this point, you'll want to scroll down the source code page. Usually about halfway down the page. Look for a line that has the following in it:
"UserSuppliedContent"
Under this line of code is where the Geocache hider has control of what the end user...you...sees. Now you want to look a few lines below this for an HTML Comment. An HTML comment is part of a page's content that does not actually show on the visible page listing. An HTML Comment looks like this:
"< !--This is a comment. Comments are not displayed in the browser-->"
Within this comment section you can find either the actual coordinates for the real cache location or some other set of information to further your search for the cache. Try it on this page now.

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Use the Geochecker below, to see if you have determined the correct cache location!
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This is the second in a series of Puzzle/Mystery Cache tutorials that we plan on doing. Below, you will find links to the other caches in the series. Thanks for playing, and we hope you enjoy these lessons as much as we are, by making them.

So You Wanna Solve Puzzles Series Links:

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Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Ng gur raq bs gur "ebnq."

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
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N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)


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