How to Solve The Geocaching August Souvenir Puzzle #1

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In August 2016, Geocaching is doing a series of souvenirs based on "missions" premium members receive as puzzles the week before the mission.  Non premium members just receive the answer the weekend of the mission.  

The first puzzle was VERY simple, so simple that many were overthinking it.

The bottom of the first plate gives you the hint to solve this - "A six is G"

A= 6 letters after A = ABCDEFG
C= 2 letters after C = CDE
N= 1 letter after N = NO

Continuing with the next 3 plates until you have the code to type into the page linked in the email, where the mission was revealed.  The answer had to be entered completely in lower case, I think that may have been more confusing than the actual puzzle. :-)

On the 3rd plate, for W6 - you go back to the start of the alphabet.  So it was WXYZABC

If you completed the mission, finding a cache with more than 10 favorite points that week-end, you received this souvenir:

For us, this meant traveling a bit, since we've found all the caches less than 40 minutes from our home.  We found a cache that fit the requirements, and it was a nice large ammo can in a driveway.  That inspired this post  - There are Better Caches Than an Ammo Can In A Driveway -

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https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/p/geocaching.html

It's Ok To Not Have An Opinion On Everything.

It's ok to not have an opinion on everything.  And it's REALLY ok to not share every opinion you do have.

I noticed a few years back that although my kids all wanted to be on facebook before they were even of age, they rarely post anything.  And as they, and their friends, got older, they moved more and more to apps like instagram and snapchat, instead of facebook- where photos tell the story, not words.  I knew the buzzword here was "oversharing", and I often thought of it when someone shared something a little too personal about their child, or when a single mom posted photos of men half dressed and not much older than her own child, with comments that made me blush.  (Before anyone gets all outraged, I'm no longer friends with that mom, and it's probably not anyone who will ever read this.  But if you got all upset by my mentioning this incident..  well, give that some thought.)

But recently, I think oversharing is more broad.  I'm a little tired of reading everyone's opinions on absolutely everything, and I think that was overloading the teens too.  The teen years are when you really start to  figure out what you believe, and it's made more complicated by all of us yelling on facebook to "make our point" on both sides of every issue.  But to be clear, we spend our entire lives figuring out what we truly believe. It only begins when we are young, and it's constantly reflected in how we live.

Here are a couple of suggestions, as I taught them to my kids.  I hope they've taken them to heart.

1. Don't feed drama.  (often stated as a reminder - "don't feed it!")
If you don't like something, but it has NO effect on you personally, ignore it.  There's no need to share your dislike of it. There's no need to think about it, or mention it.  Oh, yes, by all means come to the kitchen and vent to me about it, and we'll laugh over the ridiculousness.. I'm your mom and that's what I'm here for.  Then let it go.  

2. The World IS a stage - but you don't have to be a performer.
There are a lot of background people for any stage production.  Often more than there are actual cast members on stage.  It's ok to work in the background.  As a matter of fact, for most of your life, it's a wise decision.  There's no need to stand on the street corner shouting your opinions (or post them as your facebook status).  Those who know you should KNOW your opinions without you having to speak.  And when they want to know how you feel and they aren't sure, they can ask.  Your life should reflect your values strongly enough that your words are unnecessary.

3.  It's ok to not have an opinion
Or to not know your opinion.  We aren't all called to be wise men in this world, even though we all have access to google and  software that allows us to add quotes on graphics.    Somewhere along the way we got the idea that if we don't have a strong opinion than we are somehow less intelligent.  It's been my experience that those who are listening to both sides, with their mouth shut, often have a lot more wisdom than those quoting the latest facebook meme. (And some who are ignoring the issue completely are super wise too - not everything needs our attention.) There are some issues where I know where I stand and I'm firm in my beliefs.  But there are many others where I really just don't know.  And that's ok.  Sometimes, when it's important, I can search out the truth in God's word, which is the foundations for my beliefs.  But on many, many, issues, it's ok to not be sure what is right - if you aren't participating in it, its ok to just not care, even if the rest of the world is shouting about it.   You need to know what matters and what doesn't, then don't waste your time on issues your opinon won't help or change. Worry about your core beliefs, and the rest will work itself out, you don't have to have an opinion on every action of every sports figure or politician or even of every neighbor.  Live your own life to reflect what you believe.

4. Don't do anything to embarrass your grandparents.
And that includes what you say.  It's ok to have opinions that they would not like.  But out of respect for your family, just keep your mouth shut.  Family trumps your opinions.  Too many families argue over things that in the grand scheme of things, do not even effect them, let alone matter.  

5. You Are Unlikely To Change Someone's Opinion In a Facebook Status
So if you are posting something with a strong opinion that is generally divisive, why are you posting it?  Do you really think it will change how someone else see the situation?  Does your life not reflect your stance, so you feel like you need to compensate by making a grand  (or often just loud) statement?  Are you so insecure that you need to post something to try to get a bunch of likes from people who don't know you well enough to already know what you believe?

And here's the catch 22.  Just by writing this, I violated the entire concept.  I'm telling the world what I believe, and why.  I have a strong opinion on everyone constantly sharing their opinions, and I'm telling you my opinion on that.  I'm feeling confident that my life, mostly, reflects what I have said here, and that my children's lives have too.  

So why am I sharing it?  I think I am hoping that it will encourage some who are overwhelmed by the onslaught of opinions we face every day.  It's ok to not respond.  It's ok to not care.  It's ok to be quiet on big issues everyone else is screaming about.  And sometimes, it's ok to speak your mind.  Just please try to do it with respect, and perhaps, sometimes, without  a quote covered graphic.

If more of us lived the values we're screaming about on facebook, we'd have a lot less time to have opinions on everything everyone else does.

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"9 But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless. 10 Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, 11 knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned." Titus 3:9-11

" But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine:2 that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience; 3 the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things— 4 that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.

6 Likewise, exhort the young men to be sober-minded, 7 in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility,[a] 8 sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you.[b]" Titus 2:1-8

"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal." I Corinthians 13:1

"26 Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.
27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. 28 Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness." Matthew 23:26-28


" Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. 3 For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men." TItus 3 1-8

How to Solve The Geocaching August Souvenir Puzzle #1

In August 2016, Geocaching is doing a series of souvenirs based on "missions" premium members receive as puzzles the week before the mission.  Non premium members just receive the answer the weekend of the mission.  

The first puzzle was VERY simple, so simple that many were overthinking it.

The bottom of the first plate gives you the hint to solve this - "A six is G"

A= 6 letters after A = ABCDEFG
C= 2 letters after C = CDE
N= 1 letter after N = NO

Continuing with the next 3 plates until you have the code to type into the page linked in the email, where the mission was revealed.  The answer had to be entered completely in lower case, I think that may have been more confusing than the actual puzzle. :-)

On the 3rd plate, for W6 - you go back to the start of the alphabet.  So it was WXYZABC

If you completed the mission, finding a cache with more than 10 favorite points that week-end, you received this souvenir:

For us, this meant traveling a bit, since we've found all the caches less than 40 minutes from our home.  We found a cache that fit the requirements, and it was a nice large ammo can in a driveway.  That inspired this post  - There are Better Caches Than an Ammo Can In A Driveway - http://fieldsofhether.blogspot.com/2016/07/there-are-better-caches-than-ammo-can.html

Battle Ship Wherigo (Geocaching)

https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC4JGFV_seattle-you-sank-my-battleship?guid=0a24bd76-ce69-47f2-bc30-ccc38b0dbfca

This was by far the most unique, and probably the most frustrating, wherigo that I have ever done.  We spent a good hour or more walking around an empty grass field playing virtual battleship.  

From the cache description:

"You must sink all battleships before your ammo runs out. To start the game, stand in the middle of the field and select the "Start Game" item.

The ships will be hidden from view until you damage one. To shoot where you are standing, select the caliber shell from your inventory and click the "Fire!" button. All ships within the shell's area of effect will be damaged.

To win the game, you must sink all five ships before your ammunition runs out."

The location takes you to an empty field, bordered by trees, across from a very popular lake with busy walking trails.  Even though this is a VERY popular area, we had the patch of grass to ourselves.

You cannot save this game.  And when you restart the game, the locations will not be exactly the same - so just because you sunk a ship from one spot, does not mean you will sink the same ship in a new game, from the same spot.

You start by firing ammo, blindly.  When you hit something, you will then be shown how close the ships in that group are, so you can sink all of them.

You have a limited amount of ammo.  My strategy, after the first practice game, was to shoot fairly large ammo in any direction to locate the ships, then use smaller ammo to sink them.

Dan and I were both playing simultaneously on two different phones - two separate games.  We'd mark the areas we found ships with our shoes, camera, key fob...  because even though the locations were not the same, the general area would often get us close to something.  It took me two games to actually get the hang of it, and it was on the 3rd game that I finally won.

Then in an extra frustrating ending - the actual final for the geocache is pretty far away!  As if we hadn't already spent the entire day walking... 

But all in all we really loved this.  So much so that Dan is hoping the owner will share the cartridge so we can recreate it here in PA.

We both played on Android Phones   - Me on a Note 5, Dan on a Turbo II.  We both use the Where You Go App for Wherigos - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=menion.android.whereyougo&hl=en

How to Solve a Cemetery Puzzle Geocache Without Actually Visiting The Cemetery

 

Two of my biggest hobbies are geocaching, and genealogy.

So when a cemetery puzzle cache comes up, it's always one of my favorites.  And yet, as much as I love searching for both geocaches, and for find a grave entries, driving around a cemetery to look at another cachers families stones, and then doing math and entering new figures into the geocaching app is just not my favorite thing.  In general, I prefer to solve puzzles at home and use geochecker before heading out.  Unless they are really fun field puzzles, like actual PUZZLES (Mr Data Goes Caching) at the stages, not just math problems. :-)

Most cemetery geocaches can be solved without stepping out my door.  

Step One:

This applies to most puzzle caches.  If you know the basic location (in this case, exact cemetery) and the puzzle is completely letters, it's pretty quick to solve the first few.

Example:

AB CD.EFG
HIJ KL.MNO

AB & HIJ are easy solves.  They are probably the same as the fake coords listed in the puzzle cache.  In our area, that means they are probably 41 & 076.  Often, in smaller cemeteries, you can even sole CD & KL really quickly.

So we know already A4 B1 H0 I7 J6.  And possibly C, D, K, & L.

Step Two:
In almost all puzzles, although not ALL, you won't find the straightforward A-O scenario in my example.  In most cases the letters will repeat, as there are only 9 one digit numbers and there are 15 numbers in most coordinates.

So if the coords look like this:
CF FD.IGH 
BH BF.EAG 

Having, using the step 1 method, already solved for C, F, B & H, there are only 5 one digit numbers left. 

Step Three:

Find A Grave.  www.findagrave.com 

Often you won't have a full name given in the puzzle hint.  Sometimes you will.  Even in a REALLY large cemetery you can search by whatever name is given, and often find not only all of the information from the stone, but quite often a photo of the actual stone.

A clue in a recent nearby cemetery cache is "How old was Louise when she passed away 10F"

So I know her first name is Louise, and that she was over 100 years old.  I know, from the "fake" coordinates, which cemetery she is buried in. (use google maps if you need help figuring out the cemetery name. Just type the fake coords into the google maps search bar and see what cemetery is really close by.)

  Even in a VERY large cemetery, I could narrow that down really quick by searching for all the Louise's in the cemetery and skimming down through the list to find one over 100 years old.  Even if there is more than one Louise over 100 years old, if I find one with the same surname as someone else in this puzzle, I usually try that one first.  I can also go to my list of 5 remaining one digit numbers, and make an educated guess from there.

When we are looking for geocaches in cemeteries, I almost always attempt to fill any find a grave photo requests while we are there.  These are such a huge help for genealogists!

Step Four
If there is a full name given, and no find a grave listing, I will check ancestry.com and google.  Often birth and marriage dates and even obits with further information can be found that way.  It's basic genealogy research at that point.

Usually those steps give me all the information I need.  In some cases I may have one digit I'm not sure of, but in caches that use geochecker, that just means plugging the options in one at a time until I see the "success".