Living Fossils
The geocache is *not* at the posted coordinates. To locate the container and sign the log, you will need to work out the solution to the puzzle. Please restrict your search to between dawn and dusk, and do not damage or deface park property. We try to keep the geocache well-stocked for the kids, but fair trades are the spirit of the game! Now, to business:
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A living fossil is an organism that closely resembles one or more prehistoric species in the fossil record. One outstanding example is the ginkgo tree. Notable for its elegant, fan-shaped leaves, fossils similar to the modern plant have been discovered in rock formations dating back to the age of the dinosaurs. The sole surviving species, Ginkgo biloba, has been cultivated by humans for centuries, and is prized for its fire-resistant wood and nut-like seed kernels. Most specimens are male cultivars, as the ripe fruits from the female tree have a foul odor.
Species of ginkgo grew all over the planet in ancient eras, even in what is now the arid landscape of Eastern Washington. The Ginkgo Petrified Forest near Vantage showcases rare examples of petrified (fossilized) ginkgo wood, together with fossils and various artifacts. Despite its former ubiquity, the tree was thought to be extinct in the wild before its discovery in two protected regions of the Far East.
Extracts of Ginkgo biloba leaf have been marketed as cognitive enhancers, with questionable evidence, but perhaps they will assist you in figuring out this puzzle:
ACROSS
1. Put into position
2. Factory
3. Suggest an idea
4. Informant
5. Location of the geocache
DOWN
1. Pod vegetables
2. 90-degree fittings
3. Not in Oakland for long
4. Finishes?
5. What this puzzle does
Once the puzzle is solved, take all 25 letters and sort them alphabetically.
Find the numeric values of the 4th, 18th, and 19th letters in the sequence. Use A = 1, B = 2, and so on. Multiply the values together. The result is the distance in feet.
Similarly, find the numeric values of the 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, and 20th letters in the sequence. Multiply the values together and then divide by the distance in feet. The result is the bearing in degrees.
You can verify your solution with the link at the bottom. Provide the rounded distance in feet and bearing in degrees, separated by the @ symbol. Do not include spaces or leading zeroes. For example, 123.4 feet with a bearing of 56.7 degrees becomes 123@57.
Now proceed to the starting coordinates and use the splendid ginkgo tree as your reference. Locate the geocache at the computed distance and bearing. Use stealth as needed, as the area gets busy sometimes. Have fun!
(If you use the compass on the geocaching app, note that N = 0 degrees, E = 90 degrees, S = 180 degrees, and W = 270 degrees. Each tick mark is 5 degrees. Remember you want to navigate *away* from the starting coordinates, so the gray side of the needle should line up with the desired bearing.)
Congratulations to vbhunter for FTF!
You can validate your puzzle solution with
certitude.