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2048: Geocaching Edition! Mystery Cache

Hidden : 7/31/2018
Difficulty:
4 out of 5
Terrain:
1 out of 5

Size: Size:   micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:



There is absolutely nothing wrong with the coordinates above. Well, except for the fact they put you in the middle of an interstate. So, if you want to find this cache, I don't recommend stopping and looking there; I suggest solving the puzzle instead.

I owe the idea for this puzzle to Lotus in Texas, who was generous enough to provide me guidance on how to implement it here in Knoxville.

SHALL WE PLAY A GAME?

2048 in progress


2048 is played on a 4×4 grid, with numbered tiles that slide smoothly when a player moves them using the four arrow keys. Every turn, a new tile will randomly appear in an empty spot on the board with a value of either 2 or 4. Tiles slide as far as possible in the chosen direction until they are stopped by either another tile or the edge of the grid. If two tiles of the same number collide while moving, they will merge into a tile with the total value of the two tiles that collided. The resulting tile cannot merge with another tile again in the same move.


2048 completed
The game is won when a tile with a value of 2048 appears on the board, hence the name of the game. After reaching the 2048 tile, players can continue to play (beyond the 2048 tile) to reach higher scores. When the player has no legal moves (there are no empty spaces and no adjacent tiles with the same value), the game ends.


In this geocaching version of the game, I've replaced the numbered tiles with cache icons (merge two traditionals to create a multi, merge two multis to make a mystery, etc.) Once you make it to the Groundspeak logo (2048), you win and the final coordinates will be revealed! Shown below are the 10 icons in order leading up to the Groundspeak logo:

Cache Icons

When I first started working on this puzzle I wanted to make sure I could beat the game myself. I can, and I can do it pretty much every time now. However, it took me a long time to get to that point. I played MANY games before I learned the proper strategy and patterns to win consistently. I tell you this because I don't want you to get frustrated too quickly. And if you aren't careful, you may actually enjoy it. FYI - This game should work on all modern browsers and phones.

No need for a checker as winning the game will provide you with the final coordinates. I suggest you IMMEDIATELY write them down once you beat the game. The difficulty rating is based on both the puzzle and the hide itself, which probably gets a 2 on its own merits.

Click HERE to play the game.

Enjoy the game, happy hunting and good luck spilling your ink. Cache ya later!
Ol'Fogie


TN Valley Geocachers

(click to visit our website or find us on Facebook)

 

Logging Etiquette: Geocache hiders sometimes go through a great deal of planning and effort to create and place their caches. As a result, they'd like to hear your feedback on whether you liked or disliked any aspect of the hide, the journey or location, or if you feel that some cache maintenance is required. Single word, acronym, or "copy and paste" logs may be easier when you have a lot of caches to log, but it doesn't tell the hider or other finders anything about your adventure (or lack thereof) in finding the cache. Please keep this in mind when entering your log.

Travel Bug Etiquette: Cachers pay good money for Travel Bugs and Geocoins. If you take a TB or GC from a cache will you PLEASE ensure it is correctly logged in and out. If you take one that still shows it is somewhere else, please be patient before “grabbing” the item; it does not get its mileage by being grabbed before the last person to drop it has had time to log their placement. This is particularly important on busy and new caches. If you have an issue with a bug or coin, please e-mail or message the owner through their profile and advise them of the issue; they will be pleased to hear from you.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Erzrzore, svaqvat gur ybt naq fvtavat gur ybt vf gur tbny bs gur tnzr.

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)