This is a simple Gadget Cache, but to access the cache you first need to answer THE QUESTION (see below).
The Question is easy, and is only intended to keep Muggles out of the Cache.
FINDING THE CACHE
You should have no problem locating the Cache.
TIME REQUIREMENT
The Cache is easy to operate, but Luck will determine how long it takes you to get to the log sheet. My grand-kids tested it out. They loved it and had no difficulty. Feel the pressure?
THE QUESTION
What beats "SCISSORS" but loses to "PAPER"?
Told you it was easy. You'll need this answer at the cache location.
It's intended to be fun. Enjoy!
THE LOCATION
This cache has been placed with the owner's permission. Please be respectful of this property. These are nice folks. They have a lot going on here, including... A Wild Orchid Florist Shop... Reata Coffee Shop... and Dave Vestal Memorials. And... it's ALL GOOD!!!
WHAT'S IN THE BOX?
For those that are curious... here's the story behind the cache.
The cache's central component is an Arduino microcontroller. It's highly complex, adaptable, and cheap. I've seen caches using these devices on YouTube and got the notion that it might be fun to try. I've had success with gadget caches in ammo boxes, so my personal challenge was to do something original with an Arduino in an ammo can. The basic game idea I used has been used by others, but I even came up with a unique twist there as well. Once I get these ideas stuck in my head, something has to give.
From start to finish, working sporadically, the thing has taken about six months.
The development of this cache involved these four primary challenges:
1. Programming - I had to learn from scratch. YouTube, a book from Amazon, and Arduino's website were my reference materials. I searched extensively for similar coding that I could use as a start but found nothing helpful. I started with small steps... like lighting an LED. Made small incremental changes, wrote code, re-loaded, tested and kept pushing.
2. Electronics - I'm an electrical power engineer... or I was in an earlier life... but my electronics knowledge was near zero. The same reference materials were again invaluable.
3. The Release Mechanism - I've used a similar (although gravity based) concept before (Money Tree Cache). That concept came to me from YouTube. This was an entirely original extension of that mechanism. I have a workshop, but only modest hand tools. It took tons of trial and error to come up with something that worked and fit the dimensions of the box.
4. Final Assembly - I was always concerned with making the release mechanism fit into the box, but I felt confident there would be plenty of room for the other components. I was as wrong as wrong can be. The box is full, and I had missteps along the way that were frustrating and required work-a-rounds or even back-peddling.
The Components - Not your typical "bottle under a bush". Most stuff came from Lowe's and Amazon: The Arduino; LEDs; Resistors; Buttons; Servo; Buzzer; Sound Box; Batteries; Relay; Switches; Wire; Connectors; Nuts & Bolts; Aluminum Pieces; PVC; Springs; Preformed Container; Locks; Glue; ABS Plastic Sheet; Chain; Miscellaneous Items; and the Ammo Box itself.