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Zeckendorf’s Protocol Mystery Cache

Hidden : 1/9/2026
Difficulty:
2 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size:   small (small)

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Geocache Description:


To find this cache, you must forget what you know about Base-10 and Base-2. We are stepping into the world of Leonardo of Pisa and a theorem by Edouard Zeckendorf.


Zeckendorf's theorem states that every positive integer can be uniquely represented as the sum of non-consecutive Fibonacci numbers.

We ignore the first "1" in the traditional sequence to avoid duplicates.

 

Example:
If we want to encode the number 19:
Find the largest Fibonacci number less than or equal to 19: 13
Remainder: 19−13=6.


Find largest Fib number ≤ 6 : 5.
Remainder: 6−5=1.


Find largest Fib number ≤ 1 : 1.
Sum: 13+5+1.

Now, map it to the place values:
13 (1)
8 (0)
5 (1)
3 (0)
2 (0)
1 (1)
The code for 19 is: 101001

 

The cache is located at:
N 37° AA.BBB W 121° CC.DDD

To find AA.BBB, decode this Zeckendorf string:
10100000.100010100010

To find CC.DDD, decode this Zeckendorf string:
101000.10010101000101

 

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Ybj va ohfu, va n cbpxrg.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)