Cryptic Geography Cache Mystery Cache
Donkasand: Sorry, cannot maintain any longer
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(small)
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
Cryptic Geography cache
These are NOT the co-ordinates for this cache. (In fact it would not be a good idea if you went here :-))
To correctly identify the cache co-ordinates, the following series of puzzles will need to be solved sequentially. Take care along this path as one wrong answer can lead you astray…Haul out the atlas!
Firstly determine the checksums of the answers to the following 5 questions and use these numbers in the next section:
(Checksum refers to adding up all the individual numerical values of the letters to arrive at a total and then adding the digits in that total together to arrive at a single digit number e.g. CAT = 3+1+20 = 24, then 2+4 = 6 and so on until a single digit is reached.)
A) What is the first (not USA) country encountered directly due south of Detroit, Michigan?
Of the 50 States in the USA
B) What is the Northernmost State of the USA by latitude?
C) What is the Southernmost State of the USA by latitude?
D) What is the Easternmost State of the USA by longitude?
E) What is the Westernmost State of the USA by longitude?
Now calculate seven numbers using the above checksums by substituting in the next seven formulas:
(3B-7) and (2A-7) and (3C+E-D) and (C+E-2) and (A+3) and (A+B-2) and (E-A-2)
Then convert these seven numbers into letters and rearrange them to make a known word. (1=a, 2=b,….26=z etc.)
Using this theme, substitute this word into the X in the riddle below to work out the words represented by Y and Z.
GARDEN X is to MADMASTER as Y Z is to HMSRACIST
The correct co-ordinates are then as follows:
S 2f ab.cde
E 02F AB.CDE
Where
a=The number of letters in Z-4
b=The number of letters in Y-2
c=Twice the numerical value of Y’s second last letter
d=Checksum of Y
e=Twice the numerical value of Y’s second last letter
f= Number of letters in Y
A=ChecksumZ
B=Numerical value of first letter of Z
C=Numerical value of second letter of Z
D=Checksum of Y
E=Half the numerical value of the first letter of Z
F= Checksum Y+1
Initial items : Darkness and Casino chip
HAPPY HUNTING!
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Fbzrguvat sybjf nobir zr, lbh znl frr oveqf urer...