☕ Coffee Around the World – Kentucky ☕
This cache is NOT at the posted coordinates. Solve the puzzle below to get the final coordinates.
🌳 A Taste of Kentucky
Kentucky may not be known for its coffee plantations, but it’s home to a fascinating caffeine imposter — the Kentucky Coffee Tree (Gymnocladus dioicus). Long before coffee beans reached early settlers, pioneers roasted the tree’s seeds to create a bitter, dark brew they called “coffee.” Unfortunately, the raw seeds are toxic until roasted, and even then, the flavor was… an acquired taste.
The tree itself is distinctive — tall, with thick, bare branches in winter that inspired its Latin name meaning “naked branch, two houses.” Its seeds grow inside large, hard pods, much like coffee beans inside cherries. You’ll often find these hardy trees in floodplains and river valleys, and if you’re lucky, near this cache location — a small row of Kentucky Coffee Trees standing proudly together.
Over the years, people have tried (and failed) to make real coffee from these seeds, but the name stuck. So next time you sip your latte, be thankful you’re not drinking frontier brew!
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🧩❓ Puzzle: Kentucky Coffee Quiz ❓🧩
Eleven Trivia Questions for a Bitter Brew (A → K)
(K for Kentucky and 11, because I like the number 11)
☕ Step One ☕
Kentucky Coffee Trivia (A–K)
Choose the correct answer for each question. Each correct option has a numeric value shown in parentheses.
A. Kentucky was the __th state admitted to the Union.
a) Thirteen (13)
b) Fourteen (14)
c) Fifteen (15)
d) Sixteen (16)
B. The Kentucky Coffee Tree can grow up to 75 feet. Convert that height to yards.
a) Fifteen (15)
b) Twenty (20)
c) Twenty-five (25)
d) Thirty (30)
C. What plant family does the Kentucky Coffee Tree belong to?
a) Sapindaceae (20)
b) Fabaceae (21)
c) Rosaceae (22)
d) Fagaceae (23)
D. What happens if the raw seeds are eaten without roasting?
a) Tastes like coffee (11)
b) Toxic effects (21)
c) No effect (31)
d) Sweet flavor (41)
E. The Latin name Gymnocladus dioicus comes from Greek roots meaning what?
a) “Cup of Jim and Joe” (10)
b) “Naked branch, two houses” (20)
c) “Sacred coffee tree” (30)
d) “Leafless giant” (40)
F. Which U.S. state declared the Kentucky Coffee Tree its official state tree in 1976?
a) Colorado (20)
b) Kentucky (30)
c) Indiana (40)
d) Missouri (50)
G. During which period did settlers most often brew Kentucky Coffee Tree seeds as a coffee substitute?
a) Frontier / Pioneer era (8)
b) Industrial Revolution (12)
c) Prohibition (15)
d) COVID Pandemic (19)
H. The Kentucky Coffee Tree is what type of tree regarding its leaves?
a) Evergreen (2)
b) Deciduous (42)
c) Semi-evergreen (22)
d) Coniferous (12)
I. Kentucky borders seven states. Which one of these does not share a border?
a) Missouri (13)
b) Tennessee (15)
c) Ohio (19)
d) Iowa (10)
J. The molecular formula for caffeine is C₈H₁₀N₄O₂. Add the subscripts together.
a) Twenty (20)
b) Twenty-four (24)
c) Twenty-two (22)
d) Twenty-six (26)
K. Kentucky Coffee Trees are naturally found in which type of environment?
a) Floodplains and river valleys (24)
b) Desert scrublands (26)
c) Alpine slopes (28)
d) Tundras (30)
A B C D E F G H I J K L
____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____
☕ Step Two ☕
Roast the Numbers
(fun math recipes)
Each expression below looks a little over-complicated (just like trying to brew coffee from Kentucky Coffee Tree beans), but trust the process. Solve each one with your A–K values from Step One. Each result is a single digit. Read them in order (1 → 6) and put them together for the final Certitude code.
🧩 ☕ ➕ ➖ ➗ ✖️ 🟰 ☕ 🧩
(No rounding — everything divides evenly!)
1️⃣ (B − A) ÷ (I) =
→ Start by comparing two early clues — a gentle difference yields the perfect start.
2️⃣ (B ÷ 5) + (F − F) =
→ Divide your tallest brew evenly, then let F cancel itself out.
3️⃣ (C ÷ D) × (A ÷ A) =
→ A balanced blend of plant family and seed safety.
4️⃣ (H ÷ 6) + (G − G) =
→ Leafy layers settle into a calm pour.
5️⃣ (E ÷ I) + (J ÷ G) + (G ÷ 2) =
→ A historical roast divided, perfectly smooth.
6️⃣ (K − D) + (F - C - I) =
→ A bold finish — subtract the excess, keep only the core flavor.
Once you have your six digit code, enter it into Certitude in the order given (1-6) to confirm your answer and receive the final coordinates.
You can validate your puzzle solution with
certitude.