Can you solve all 12 puzzles and open all 12 caches?
This series is based off of an activity from one of my large summer science camps. Groups rotate through 24 hands-on STEAM activities, including a math scavenger hunt. For this year’s scavenger hunt, campers knew exactly where the final prize box was, but they had to answer science related questions and perform calculations to figure out the combination to the lock on their group’s box.
We’ve placed the 12 boxes as geocaches in regional parks so everyone can enjoy the activity. Beware, the combination lock is still in place! Instead of a scavenger hunt, you’ll need to solve the puzzles to determine the combination in order to claim a find. You’ll also need to know how to open a combination lock. (Please let the youngest cachers try the lock first)
The park may be collecting a gate fee, especially on weekends and holidays. In county is $4 or $25 for an annual pass. Out of county is $5 or $33 for an annual pass.
Why puzzles? Because science is just a big puzzle that involves looking for patterns and figuring out relations between seemingly different quantities. Many of the puzzles in this series are mathematical in nature as well.
BONUS: Inside of each lid in the series is a letter or symbol. Put in order, they reveal a secret message. Cachers who sign all 12 logs can send me the secret message to earn a piece of swag.
The cache actually IS at the posted location, but you’ll need to solve the Nonogram puzzle below to obtain the combination to open the cache.
