I'm back with another puzzle Mystery cache - one I have been wanting to do for a while, KenKen!
KenKen's are published in the New Zealand Herald on Thursdays, or there are thousands of them available from KrazyDad.com for free.
For those of you who have done my other puzzle caches (Simon Shuker's Code Cracker or Star Battle), you know the format I run for these. For first timers, also check out GCAWG3B and GCAYHGP - they're a lot of fun!
Steps to find the final coordinates:
1) Pick your difficulty level - easy, medium, or hard!
2) Complete your puzzle
3) Send an email to the deciphered email address
4) Get the coordinates to the cache
5) Find the cache!
Step 1: Choose difficulty
Easy, medium, or hard - there is no difference to what coordinates you'll end up with. This is purely giving you the opportunity to play the game you choose.
Step 2: Complete your puzzle
KenKen is similar to SuDoKu, in that each row and column must contain the numbers 1 to 6. But KenKen also has cages, and each cage must sum to the number in the corner using the mathmatical operation shown.
Here is an example of a beginner KenKen:
I have added the A to F and 1 to 6 for step 3, they don't impact on solving the puzzle.
You will see for the first circled cage needs to equal 4 using subtraction, hence 1 & 5 have been entered.
For the second circled cage, you will see it needs to equal 5 using addition, hence 2 & 3 have been entered.
Ready? Let's go!
Easy Puzzle:
Medium Puzzle:
Hard Puzzle:
Step 3: Send an email to the deciphered email address
Send an email (can be blank) to A1 B2 C3 D4 E5 F6 @ geo . lansharks . nz
Where A1, B2, etc, corresponds to the number you have entered into that square in your puzzle.
So with the example puzzle that would be:
If you get it wrong, you will get an automatic reply telling you (in which case you will need to check your puzzle answers, re-decipher the email address, and try again!).
If you get it right, move onto step 4!
Step 4: Get the coordinates
Once you have got the email address correct, you will get an automatic reply with the final coordinates.
Step 5: Head out there and find the cache!
Good luck!
Things to note:
-The puzzles are copyright KrazyDad, and has been used as per permissions on his website. Check out more of his puzzles at www.krazydad.com
-The final coordinates are 'in the vicinity' of the posted coordinates (i.e. not on the other side of Auckland).
-Regarding the email address - this is an unmonitored inbox of a domain name I own. All emails received to it will be deleted and not shared/distributed. If you get the email address wrong, don’t worry, you won’t be accidentally emailing someone random.