This cache is NOT at the posted coordinates, but it is within one kilometer of them, at N45 19.RST, W075 50.XYZ. To find the cache, you’ll appreciate that you’ll need to solve a simple puzzle to get the six digits (Recall: 2 + 4 = 6) R, S, T, X, Y, and Z that provide the coordinates. This cache is intended to be found as part of the GAG24 event after 18:00 on October 14.
Among the (many) great things about the Ottawa geocaching community is its tradition of GAG events. They bring the whole community out together. -- Members of the community put out a variety of new caches. The events provide many opportunities to meet other geocachers on the trails and to cache with them. And of course we have the chance to get together afterwards and share our stories. As well, the GAG events’ themes give us chances to show off our creative sides. Just how many different ways can an event’s theme be interpreted and turned into interesting caches and titles?
But these events don’t just happen spontaneously. They require organizers, and it’s these organizers whom we really appreciate for their considerable time and effort. And, as this cache’s title strongly suggests, it’s these organizers to whom this cache is dedicated. Our thanks and appreciation go out to all of them. We confess that, given the theme, and in the interests of keeping this puzzle GAG-event-level-appropriate, we’ve restricted ourselves to only six (2 + 4) of them. Please don’t let the omission of other organizers prevent you from being appreciative of them too. Or of cache reviewers, CITO organizers, cache owners, or everyday cachers who carry out in-field cache maintenance to save cache owners a maintenance run. You get the idea. There’s a lot to be grateful for.
The puzzle has two parts. In the first part, you take as input a phrase, identify the caching name of the geocacher/organizer whom it evokes, and then calculate the digital root of that caching name. In the second part, you do some relatively simple math to derive the coordinates from those several digital roots. You likely won’t need any elaboration, but just in case, since the puzzle is definitely intended to be simple, we’ll provide a couple of examples, using our own caching names (non-organizers).
“Slickly converting pounds to grams on the fly” would evoke Waxwing454, and a digital root of 6.
“Plots it out cartographically” would evoke MAPSIT, and a digital root of 6.
Your input phrases are:
“Dyed in the wool (cerulean, perhaps)”: Caching Name: __________, DR ___ = A
“Shotgun”: Caching Name: ____________, DR ___ = B
“Star Trek Captain’s Alias”: Caching Name: ____________, DR ___ = C
“Genus Neotoma”: Caching Name: _____________, DR ___ = D
“Fail to Notice Insect”: Caching Name: _____________, DR ___ = E
“Some sacks might not make it, but some do”: Caching Name: __________, DR ___ = F
And now the relatively simple math part, deriving the actual cache coordinate digits for the cache location, N45 19.RST, W075 50.XYZ.
R = A - D + F - E + B
S = the (D + F)th prime - B
T = A - D/C
X = A/C - A/D
Y = C + F - (E modulo A) - (A modulo B)
Z = A + E - B - minimum(D,F)
Practical matters: The cache is a camo’d largish bison tube, technically a micro, hanging at a height at which I expect it to be winter-friendly. It’s not quite a park and grab, being far enough off the road to avoid the attention of muggles (I hope), though most of the year there should be safe roadside parking fairly close to the cache. However, this may not be the case in the middle of the winter depending on how the road is plowed. The road gets a fair amount of traffic, so please cache with prudence and stay safe. There are no parking coordinates, no hints, and for a puzzle this simple, no geochecker.
I thank co-developer waxwing454, and Camo-crazed for their assistance in placing and fully beta-testing this cache. Any errors remain entirely my own responsibility.