Yes, there are things the woodland phantom and I both like about geocaches, and things we both aren't fond of. The results of our interesting discussion is a new puzzle for you to enjoy! So here is a puzzle for you to think about. I was careful to not say enough at lunch to give the woodland phantom any additional hint, but merely to say that I was interested in a cryptogram that you couldn't just copy into a browser to solve. (Any woodland phantom can FTF this hide.) So far the best attempts at this I've seen use graphics that don't copy and paste as letters very easily. (I tip my cap to some of the geocaching royalty and their beautiful picture cryptograms.)
If you're thinking, I'll bet he made this one just to create fun and / or stress for me, then you are probably correct. I know there are some real crypto experts out there who also probably know a thing or two about steganography and codes. I've had the pleasure to meet some of you face to face, while others I've only read about in logs or text messages. Enjoy this challenge and happy hunting.
Cryptograms For Humans (spoiler alert) is an attempt to create a cryptogram that one can't just copy and paste into an online solver and get an answer. So here's a cryptogram with a little something extra, that hopefully will let you solve it in human mode and realize that you are smarter than your computer. Perhaps the little something extra might make this a code or a cypher or something other than a cryptogram, or perhaps it is still a cryptogram - you make the call. My guess is that this is a very hard puzzle.
Yes, I suppose I'll get the mother of all tongue lashings on this one. Let me save you the trouble of typing and in your log you can just refer to one or more of these comments.
1) This is evil
2) This is nasty
3) This is dirty pool
4) Unfair
5) Curse you WTW-WTW
6) Wow, super cool. Your puzzles are the best.
7) Hey, WTW-WTW, you are the best! I wait every day in anticipation that you will publish another puzzle. Life is 1000 times better because of the entertainment I get from your puzzles, and the joy that fills me when I reach the AHA! moment and solve your puzzles. If I had an extra million dollars I'd do something really really really nice for you!
If you select one of those first five comments I suggest you stop here and move on to one of my easier geocaches. I have several to choose from. Please type your own comments (verbose mode is preferred) and add your own pictures to your logs. I hope this is fun. I'm not sure how hard this will be, because cachers are an amazingly brilliant group. You have been warned. If you're going to cry or whine about this being too hard then go on to another puzzle. Until somebody FTFs this hide you can write to ask for help, but all pre-FTF help will be posted to the web page for all to see, as is my standard practice.
I suppose after saying all of this somebody with FTF this 10 minutes after it is published, which is fine by me.
This container is hidden at North 38 blah blah blah, West 90 blah blah blah. The "not a cryptogram" will help you fill in the blanks.
AUOQQOLKSI UTEJKSIV BPTLLWKSI IWBSIF
MFTKPWIZNSI YTCWKSIG NPTLLWKSI TCTYKK LMTI HGLOI
You can check your answers for this puzzle on GeoChecker.com.
Game on. Happy caching. (More messages will be added later if needed.)
Congratulations and FTF honors to GEOffreyCACHE and PibAndPog!!