This cache is NOT at the listed coordinates. You must solve the puzzle below to find the true coordinates.
Arliecon has been an active geocacher in the Billings community since December of 2005 (almost 15 years as of the posting of this cache). He is known for placing and solving difficult mystery caches, as well as placing well-designed and well-hidden themed caches. Whenever someone is struggling with a cache, Arliecon is happy to offer a hint or a nudge in the right direction. He has many great stories about geocaching that he likes to share at events, and he never fails to brighten the mood of the room. His wisdom about geocaching is immense, and it is represented well by his owl icon.
Arliecon is also known for having created two caches to mark milestones for other cachers in the community, so I figured it was about time someone did the same for him. This cache is meant to honor Arliecon's 4,000th find, and it is a difficult mystery cache based on Arliecon's hides and finds. It will take a true master of puzzles to solve and find this geocache. Many of the puzzles below have some relation to puzzle caches placed by Arliecon, with some links being more helpful than others.
E was coded using only a Vigenère cipher. The code? As if owl tell you that!
PART 1:
The faux coordinates for the cache can be obtained by solving each of the 15 puzzles below. The faux coordinates can be described as:
N AB° CD.EFG' W HIJ° KL.MNO'
These coordinates are not real, but they will be translated into the true coordinates in part 2. The checksum is as follows:
A+B+C+D+E+F+G+H+I+J+K+L+M+N+O = 69
Good luck!
A) Sunday Drive: There is a numbered sign at N 45 52.429 W 108 28.326, and there is another sign eleven units north of this sign. What is the second digit of the number on the sign to the north? Answer = A
B) .-- .... .- - / .. ... / - .... . / .-.. .- ... - / -.. .. --. .. - / .. -. / - .... . / .--. --- ... - . -.. / -.-. --- --- .-. -.. .. -. .- - . ... / --- ..-. / - .... . / ..-. .. .-. ... - / --. . --- -.-. .- -.-. .... . / ..-. --- ..- -. -.. / -... -.-- / .- .-. .-.. .. . -.-. --- -. ..--.. / - .... . / .- -. ... .-- . .-. / . --.- ..- .- .-.. ... / -...
C) What’s the Frequency? [$ x (] / [@ x ^] + [* - #] Answer = C
D) Doppelganger: Project a point 9 miles from the posted coordinates of "4" Kilo Cache at a bearing of 270° and find the coordinates of this point. What is the second digit in the minutes of the west coordinate? Answer = D
E) TYP VYOPRR PZC ETS YOFVQRI TBR ZD NMXS
F) Leap Year Day: On a certain leap year day, scientists were able to create a solid form of a normally gaseous substance. What is the fourth digit in the first leap year after this discovery? Answer = F
G) Louie Louie: “Hooked on a Feeling” = 99. Solve for “Get Back” – “Proud Mary.” Answer = G
H) ”1” Kilo Cache: Xli ryqfiv csy evi pssomrk jsv mw jmzi
I) Simple Math:
1) Pick your favorite number (between 1 and 9).
2) Multiply that number by 3.
3) Add 3 to this answer.
4) Take the answer and multiply by 3.
5) You now have a two-digit number.
6) Add the digits together.
7) Square the number (that number times itself).
8) Add the two digits together which you have squared.
9) Subtract 2 from the sum.
Answer = I
J) 57 68 61 74 20 69 73 20 74 68 65 20 64 69 66 66 65 72 65 6e 63 65 20 62 65 74 77 65 65 6e 20 74 68 65 20 74 65 6e 74 68 20 61 6e 64 20 66 6f 75 72 74 68 20 64 69 67 69 74 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 63 6f 6f 72 64 69 6e 61 74 65 20 66 6f 72 20 74 68 65 20 66 69 72 73 74 20 63 61 63 68 65 20 70 6c 61 63 65 64 20 62 79 20 41 72 6c 69 65 63 6f 6e 3f 20 41 6e 73 77 65 72 20 3d 20 4a
K) Lew’s Tube: What is the difference between the interior and exterior volumes of Lew's Tube in cubic inches, rounded to the nearest whole number? Answer = K
L) Windwalker: CHA-GEE BE-TKAH BEH-BIH-KE-AS-CHINIGH BE-TKAH TSAH-AS-ZIH TLO-CHIN NO-DA-IH BE-TKAH GAH-TSO BE-TKAH DIBEH-YAZZIE A-KHA NE-AHS-JAH JAD-HO-LONI A-CHI TSAH JEHA BE-TKAH MA-E A-KHA AH-LOSZ BE-TKAH SEIS BE-TKAH DIBEH TKIN AL-NA-AS-DZOH
M) Easy as Pi: Solve for 85. Answer = M
N) You'll know it when you find it.
O) Big Injun, Little Injun: Same cipher, different parameters. Answer = O
TBAKR VPNPI HMEUR OIOTL ESOOO EUESE UROEO NFOOT IRIFH ZLSXN YLGSH TTZI
E was coded using only a Vigenère cipher. The code? As if owl tell you that!
PART 2:
Now that you have the faux coordinates, you can translate them into the final coordinates. The translation is similar to one that is already on this page, but not quite the same. If you've gotten this far, you can figure it out. The sum of all the digits in the real north coordinates is 34, and the sum of all the digits in the real west coordinates is 30.
E was coded using only a Vigenère cipher. The code? As if owl tell you that!
PART 3:
The cache lies hidden in the shadow of a feature Billings is known for. The container is an ammo can, Arliecon's favorite. Please only search during the daytime, both due to this cache's location and the best access point. The access is to the east, and slightly south. This area can be slippery when there is ice or snow, so please exercise caution.
Congrats to Arliecon for 4,000 finds!
Congrats to toolrep1 for the first to solve!
Congrats to Arliecon and KorinaCigars for the FTF!