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Prime Time Mystery Cache

This cache has been archived.

CacheSleuth: This puzzle has run its course. Thanks to all who solved this one!

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Hidden : 7/25/2016
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size:   micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:

If you are viewing this on the Geocaching app, please select web view to see the puzzle properly.

The cache is not at the posted coordinates.
Solve the puzzle to find the location of the cache!


It's Prime Time!

Let's have a little fun with prime numbers, shall we? Just to make sure everyone is on the same page: A prime number is a whole number (greater than 1) that can be divided evenly only by 1 or itself. For example, 5 can only be divided evenly by 1 or 5, so it is a prime number. Not too bad, right?

On January 7th, 2016, researchers at Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search (GIMPS) discovered the largest prime number known to date. Just to write it out would take 22,338,618 digits! The number is written as 274,207,281 - 1, which denotes two, multiplied by itself 74,207,281 times, with one subtracted afterwards. That is mindbogglingly huge! Fortunately for you, you won't be doing anything that complicated in this puzzle haha.

To solve this puzzle, all you will need to do is find how many prime numbers it would take to reach each of the following prime numbers: 149, 173, 373, 463, 509, 1987, and 523. Easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy. :) Do that and you'll be on your way to the cache location in no time!

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

[Puzzle] Vapyhqr gur ahzore tvira va lbhe gbgny sbe rnpu bar. [Cache] Pnzb synfuyvtug : cnexvat ybg fvqr : hfr fgrnygu!

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)