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The Magical Powers of Three Windows Mystery Cache

Hidden : 11/8/2013
Difficulty:
4 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size:   small (small)

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Geocache Description:


**NOT AT THE POSTED COORDINATES**



We're not sure we want to touch off another round of puzzles in the Rochester area, but this puzzle was inspired by a dead end we encountered when trying to solve jaklimber's Sadistic Segments, so we felt the need to create a cache for it.


This cache is really all about the puzzle, but we want you to find it even if you aren't interested in the puzzle. But if you like a good puzzle, this one's for you. Either way, feel free to contact us for as much or little help as you want.


The cache is located at N 44 nn.abc W 092 ww.xyz. Use the graphic below to determine the values for abc and xyz. Other than your imagination, everything you need should be visible on this web page right now. (The fact that only a partial image of the graphic shows in the gallery is not significant.)



Then calculate the values for nn and ww as follows:
     nn = ((a+b+c+1)//4)+2
     ww = ((x+y+z+5)//6)+30

(Note that the // operator indicates division, but the answer it seeks is the remainder instead of the quotient.)


Congratulations to salsman and jalkimber for solving the puzzle with only some coaching, before hints were available. Watching them work it through and discussing their thought processes afterwards helped us figure out what hints to publish below. Thanks very much, guys!


You can validate your puzzle solution with certitude.

The difficulty rating reflects the puzzle, not the cache itself. There's a gift card for the first-to-find.


If you're into solving the puzzle, the hints below are designed to allow you to see only one of them at a time, so you don't accidentally get more help than you want.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

[puzzle:] Gur uvagf orybj erirny vapernfvatyl zber vasbezngvba nobhg gur chmmyr. Gurl ner rnpu EBG-a rapelcgrq, jurer 'a' pbeerfcbaqf gb gur ahzore bs gur uvag. Lbh znl hfr gur sbyybjvat yvax gb qrpelcg gurz bar-ng-n-gvzr: uggc://ehzxva.pbz/gbbyf/pvcure/pnrfne.cuc (1) Hvs ashvcr tcf sbqcrwbu hvs qccfrwbohsg wg oqhiozzm dfshhm gwadzs cbqs mci gss wh, obr wh kcizr ozzck tcf ozz 1,000,000 dcggwpzs qcapwbohwcbg ct opq obr lmn; wh wg bch gcashvwbu hvoh cbzm voddsbg hc kcfy tcf o zwawhsr gsh ct zcqohwcbg. (2) Iwt vgpn htvbtcih pgt cdi axi je pcs rpc qt xvcdgts. (3) Jxu rqsawhekdt ycqwu yi huqbbo ycfehjqdj. (4) Kyzeb rsflk yfn pfl nflcu ljv r srcretv jtrcv kf nvzxy jfdvkyzex, bvvgzex kyv srtbxifleu zdrxv ze dzeu. (5) Jwsv lzw laldw vaxxwjwfldq. (6) Ahp phnew rhn wxlvkbux max lxm pbma max yxpxlm pxbzaml ihllbuex gxxwxw mh pxbza tg tkubmktkr hucxvm hg t utetgvx lvtex (mh max gxtkxlm ngbm hy fxtlnkxfxgm)? (7) Nby gynbix zil yhwixcha nby wiilxchunym xiym hin uffiq zil uhs gcryx-wifil myagyhnm.

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)