This mystery cache is part of a set of hides connected with one mystery story. Each cache in the set has the same background story but involves a different puzzle to find a different hidden cache. For geocaching purposes, each cache is completely independent of the other hides, and all the locations are in the "Anchorage bowl" area.
The cache is not at the posted coordinates. Instead you will need to solve a mystery to get the real coordinates of the cache. This mystery cache is intended to be fun, so if you get frustrated, you are welcome to email Toby's biographer and ask for further hints.
#15 The Dogliest Detective and the Big Apple
Toby arrived at the crime scene downtown early after being awakened by a call from the police. His boss at the Alaska Consulting Detective Agency, Captain McGruff, was not happy to see him show up there.
The police officers were glad to see Toby and briefed him about the crime. "The Bank Manager was kidnapped last night and made to turn over a large amount cash and gold coins to the criminals. The criminals then drove around the city hiding the loot in various locations."
"The Bank Manager was blindfolded, but he did manage to get glimpses of locations in mirrors or through the back window. We need your help to find these locations from what he knows, then we can search the area for the stolen loot."
Captain McGruff had an idea. "Toby is new to Alaska and I bet he only knows the dog parks. What we need to do is get the city to open a special emergency funded contract with our agency and we will quickly have dozens of workers, and especially Toby, search the city from computers looking at satellite photos and our advanced drone technology. We can search the entire city in a few hundred hours of overtime, plus overhead."
Toby spoke up "Sir, I don't know the city very well. But I have run into some people who spend much of their day looking for minute stuff in the most out of the way places in the city. They could be a big help. A few of them aren't even homeless or criminals."
Toby grabbed an ammo can from a police car, emptied it out, threw flashlights and other available nick-knacks into the can, and then hid it the best he could in the bushes without burying it. "Believe it or not, this might just summon some of them here quickly." Toby then whipped out his tablet, typed for a few minutes, and told the police to get out of sight since they might scare away his help.
Within a half-hour several cars pulled up and parked illegally close to the ammo can. People spilled out of the cars staring at electronic devices and raced each other to stare up trees and under benches. Captain McGruff laughed, "That's your help -- a band of GPS Irregulars?"
Toby said, "They may not look like Special Forces, but they won't let me down." He then walked over to the searchers with a police radio and his tail wagging up high, asking if they would be willing to help him find some hidden treasures.
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Search #7 - The Big Apple
Captain McGruff was barking out orders to Toby when the police radio interrupted with another clue. This time Toby turned to the GPS Irregulars and whispered "I know where this is, but it would be better for me if someone else came up with the answer in front of the Captain."
Then Toby said loudly, "The Bank Manager said they stopped in a city park where there was an "apple" big enough to walk into and a 20 foot tall "spider web" to climb on."
Can you help Toby?
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To help Toby and get the final coordinates for the cache, report to Certitude the GPS coordinates of the "big apple" within 30 feet.
You can validate your puzzle solution with certitude.
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| Toby Searches the City (Big Apple) GC7F0RD |
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