Puzzle help

[+Cutlass_Stallion]

Hello All,

 

I've come across a few similar-looking puzzle caches that I have no idea how to solve. They're basically just a flood of numbers, but appear to be within a certain range of values. For example:

 

47 106 78 76 67 106 68 67 87 86 95 104 96 65 87 67 75 63 98 97 78 54 79 95 94 95 77 65 54 77 76 73 67 67 65 54 87 95 93 105 77 65 56 97 88 74 75 98 85 67 86 88 65 104 77 46 64 76 68 86 78 78 56 64 87 75 66 75 98 79 64 79 66 54 75 98 58 84 106 96 93 97 79 85 84 78 75 74 104 88 76 65 76 66 93 108 87 86 56 106 59 93 85 98 55 65 107 68 93 105 106 76 77 98 66 54 84 87 85 56 106 97 73 85 107 57 55 98 95 74 67 106 57 55 78 95 57 104 87 56 45 106 86 86 96 77 86 84 99 68 93 104 78 79 64 79 66 54 76 97 47 66 97 76 63 75 106 57 88 87 96 65 95 68 77 54 87 96 66 104 107 66 75 87 95 64 65 86 66 84 78 95 95 84 87 86 56 106 76 83 84 67 56 76 106 58 97 87 90 89 65 107 97 85 84 86 57 84 67 75 63 77 79 65 54 77 95 56 95 78 85 67 67

 

One idea I had was perhaps these values could be plugged into a math program like MATLAB, thinking that they could be used to encode pixel intensity in a picture, but that didn't yield an answer. Any suggestions from those puzzle solvers out there? Thanks!

 

~Cutlass

[+jellis]

You may be told it's inappropriate to ask for help on solving a puzzle here. You can ask the CO for help.

[+Dame Deco]

Email the CO--tell them all the things you tried, then they will be more likely to give you a clue. As long as you make a good effort to solve it, COs will usually help you out. It's not really proper to ask on the open forums.

[+lookout.]

Hello All,

 

I've come across a few similar-looking puzzle caches that I have no idea how to solve. They're basically just a flood of numbers, but appear to be within a certain range of values. For example:

 

47 106 78 76 67 106 68 67 87 86 95 104 96 65 87 67 75 63 98 97 78 54 79 95 94 95 77 65 54 77 76 73 67 67 65 54 87 95 93 105 77 65 56 97 88 74 75 98 85 67 86 88 65 104 77 46 64 76 68 86 78 78 56 64 87 75 66 75 98 79 64 79 66 54 75 98 58 84 106 96 93 97 79 85 84 78 75 74 104 88 76 65 76 66 93 108 87 86 56 106 59 93 85 98 55 65 107 68 93 105 106 76 77 98 66 54 84 87 85 56 106 97 73 85 107 57 55 98 95 74 67 106 57 55 78 95 57 104 87 56 45 106 86 86 96 77 86 84 99 68 93 104 78 79 64 79 66 54 76 97 47 66 97 76 63 75 106 57 88 87 96 65 95 68 77 54 87 96 66 104 107 66 75 87 95 64 65 86 66 84 78 95 95 84 87 86 56 106 76 83 84 67 56 76 106 58 97 87 90 89 65 107 97 85 84 86 57 84 67 75 63 77 79 65 54 77 95 56 95 78 85 67 67

 

One idea I had was perhaps these values could be plugged into a math program like MATLAB, thinking that they could be used to encode pixel intensity in a picture, but that didn't yield an answer. Any suggestions from those puzzle solvers out there? Thanks!

 

~Cutlass

 

looks like ascii to me... but as others have said, ask the CO for help.

[+niraD]

According to section 2-D of the geocaching.com terms of use, "You agree not to: [...] xxiii. Publish on our websites the solutions, hints, spoilers, or any hidden coordinates for any geocache without consent from the geocache owner.” However, here are some general puzzle tips (based in part on a puzzle-solving class event presented by The Rat a while ago):

 

Identify the theme. Check the cache title, the hint, the HTML source, the graphics (including names/URLs), any links (including URLs), whatever is at the posted coordinates, etc. If you can figure out the theme, then you should look for numbering systems that are associated with that theme (zip codes, athletes’ jersey numbers, episode numbers, product codes, etc.).

 

Around here, coordinates will have 15 digits, and will look like "N 37° xx.xxx W 122° xx.xxx". So when I'm solving a nearby puzzle, I look for a group of 15 things, and then I look for ways to get the digits 37xxxxx122xxxxx from them. In general, I look for ways to get the number 37 (or the digits 3 and 7) from something near the beginning of the puzzle, and the number 122 (or the digits 1, 2, and 2) from something near the middle of the puzzle. (Of course, you'll need to adjust this for the coordinates near you.)

 

Other useful resources include:

Puzzle Solving 101 Series (bookmark list)

Puzzle Shortcuts Series (bookmark list)

Solving Puzzle Caches (online article)

How Do I Solve All These $@! Puzzle Caches? (tutorial-style puzzle cache)

Puzzle FUNdamentals (archived event cache) and the Puzzle FUNdamentals resources on the GeocacheAlaska! education page

The GBA's Puzzle Cache FAQ (for puzzle designers, but useful for understanding how puzzle caches work)

 

If you’re interested in extremely challenging puzzles, then consider the online discussions of Venona’s ACTIVITIES in the GBA forums. The puzzles for this annual event are very challenging, intended to be solved by multiple people working together online. (You'll need to register on the GBA site to view these forum threads.)

Overview: Venona's 2011 ACTIVITIES

Overview: Venona's 2012 ACTIVITIES