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The Vicar of Dibbly-Dobbly Mystery Cache

Hidden : 6/28/2018
Difficulty:
3 out of 5
Terrain:
3 out of 5

Size: Size:   regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:


The cache is not at the coordinates listed. To find this cache you need to solve a simple set of questions to find another location within a short drive of the original coordinates where there is another short puzzle to solve. The listed coordinates are well worth a visit of course, and you may still encounter the Vicar at them, but do take care if you intend to visit the precise coordinates - at times it might be a touch dangerous to do so...

The walking route to the cache from the Second Innings may be muddy during winter. In 2020 it was really problematic due to extensive agricultural works, but it seems to be better since the work has been completed. Best to be prepared with really good footwear - wellies or solid walking boots - if you're trying to access the final cache in winter though.


Canterbury is an ecclesiastical city, so I felt it appropriate that a cache should be dedicated to the Vicar of Dibbly-Dobbly, a gentleman who you would have been likely to find at or around the listed coordinates at certain times of the year until very recently. You may still encounter him there at times, but his tenure has now ended.

Stage 1 - the first innings:

You'd be best completing this section of the cache at home. Or somewhere with access to either the internet or the sorts of specialist reference books required.

Identify the Vicar of Dibbly-Dobbly and then answer some questions about him to determine the values to substitute into:

N 51 1A.BCD E 001 05.EFG

A: the numerical value of the month the Vicar was born in

B: the number of letters in the name of the town the Vicar was born at

C: the Vicar would have enjoyed the time that C/75 happened

D: that C/75 occurred in 201D

E: the number of letters in the Vicar's middle name

F: the number the Vicar wore when he was at work in this diocese

G: before moving to this parish, the Vicar was resident in another English diocese. How many years did he serve there? This is G.

You can check this stage of the cache on certitude before you set off.


Stage 2 - the second innings:

You now have a set of coordinates, but these are not the final coordinates for the cache. Instead they will take you to a gate at an appropriate location. The gate has a plaque on it dedicated to someone (if you find another gate without a plaque you've walked too far). Here you need to extract another set of coordinates to determine the final location for the cache.

The final cache is at: N 51 1A.RST E 001 05.XYZ

A: you already have this

R: the third number on the plaque

S: the final number on the plaque

T: the number of letters in the person's middle name

X: the number of vowels (A, E, I , O or U) in the person's fullname

Y: the number of words on the plaque in total (full words only)

Z: the number of letters on the first line of the plaque minus 1

Checksum for the seven digits: 44


The Final Over:

You should now have a final set of coordinates not too far away - follow the obvious route and don't walk through anyone's house or garden! It might be muddy in winter. You'll find the log book hidden away at those coordinates. The hint will help.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Gur Ivpne: Vg'f abg gur Ivpne bs Qvoyrl! Svany: Abegu fvqr, hc gur onax - ABG ng tebhaq yriry

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)