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Perplexity 3: Newtonian Mystery Cache

Hidden : 3/8/2014
Difficulty:
4 out of 5
Terrain:
2.5 out of 5

Size: Size:   micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:

This is a puzzle cache. The container is not hidden at the coordinates given. You can find the correct coordinates by using the information on this page to solve the puzzle!

This cache is part of a series around the area where I live. I like solving puzzles so I thought that I would make that the theme for my first set of caches. I hope that you enjoy them and that they are sufficiently challenging without being too frustrating...



Isaac Newton (1642-1727) is perhaps best known for his three laws of motion. Broadly speaking these might be described as follows:

  1. things only change direction or speed if they get pushed
  2. pushing something changes its speed at a rate proportional to its mass times and strength of the push
  3. pushing on something makes it push back at you equally hard

These laws are very useful for solving problems involving projectiles and how things move. Solving these usually also involves using simple trigonometry to resolve forces, distances and velocities into their independent x, y and z components.


Solve the following puzzle in order to find the cache:

A stone was thrown from ground level at 21.1 metres per second on a bearing of 282 degrees and an elevation of 59 degrees, from a position 17 metres east and 36 metres north of me. The acceleration due to gravity was 10 m/s/s and air resistance was negligable.

The stone landed at 'nn.nnn' metres north and 'ww.www' metres west of me.ย 

The cache is as N51 nn.nnn W00 ww.www.

Approach the location via the footpath marked on the OS Map. DO NOT attempt to reach it from the adjacent trunk road.

You're looking for a disguised micro.


You can check your answers for this puzzle on GeoChecker.com.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

[Hint for GZ]onfr bs sraprcbfg, ng gur onpx

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)