The cache is not at the given locations, you will need to solve this short story mystery in order to get the correct coordinates.
Books are magical, mysterious things. They have the power to expand the imagination, take you to exotic places, impart knowledge, entertain, thrill and mystify the reader.
All good books have a main character, plot, and location. In this mystery short story YOU are the main character, the plot revolves around you finding the hidden object. You are a private investigator (PI) searching for clues, compiling the clues into usable data to obtain coordinates to the location where you will find the hidden treasure. PI’s need to follow all leads to their end, be aware at all times of their surroundings and exercise caution and be respectful and responsible for their actions.
Always use available parking lots, walking trails or sidewalks for this mystery. All clues required are easily accessible from concrete paths or sidewalks with nearby parking lot spaces.
This is a multi-stage Geocache which means you will have to search for clues in more than one location. Your first location is this web page which contains some questions, simple math problems and a hidden hyperlink to an informational web page where you will find the answers to the questions. Use the answers to determine the necessary data required to solve the math problems.
The solutions will give you a six digit number which is the key word needed for the Certitude checker. If your math is correct, Certitude will give you the coordinates for your next location and a secret code that you will need to continue on your quest to find this cache.
Have you found the hyperlink? Great!!! Use that page to find the answers to these question and do the math.
Have you found all of the answers and done your math? Ready with your six-digit key word? Terrific!!!
Enter your six-digit number into a special tool on this page called Certitude. Certitude will tell you if you have the right answer or not. If yes, it will give you the coordinatesfor the story’s location, and a secret code that you must take with you for the final stage. If not, you will need to go back and recheck your math and try again. You can send a message to the Cache Owner (CO) from the top of this page and ask for help if you get stuck.
Now that Homer’s happy (confirmed that you have the correct answer in Certitude), you need to write down the coordinates AND the Secret Code. You need to use a Global Positioning Systemdevice (GPS) or a GPS enabled Smart device such as a cell phone to navigate to the location.
You may be able to enter the coordinates directly into a mapping app such as Google Maps and use it to navigate or you can go to your App store and download a Geocaching App.
When you arrive at the location remember to park in the designated parking lot. Please ONLY park vehicles in the parking lot to keep everyone safe, happy and able to go about their business at this location.
The hidden container at this stage is accessible from the designated walking area and NOT in the landscaping. Be sure you have your paper with the coordinates and secret code from Certitude and a pencil to complete your investigation. The hidden object contains instructions and clues for the next stage of the So Many Books So Little Time Geocache.
In the Geocaching world of mystery, like Harry Potter, we have non magical or non-geocaching people we also call Muggles. You must exercise stealth at all times while you’re at this location and not let muggles discover that you’re searching for a hidden container.
When you find the hidden container write the instructions on your paper, or take a picture of them. Place the instructions back in the container and return it to its hiding place for the next Geocacher.
Then follow these instructions to obtain the solution to this stage of the Geocache.
Good luck with this adventure and we hope you have lots of fun.
You can validate your puzzle solution with certitude.
A very special thank you to the City of McAllen Public Library, Kate P. Horan, MLS, Library Director, Julia Reed, Reference Supervisor and the staff for their support and assistance with the development and publication of this Geocache.