New Year's Eve - 12/31/14

We'll wrap up the year with today's puzzle from California.  I wish everyone a very happy and safe New Year's Eve with this:

New Year's Puzzle

Tomorrow we'll kick of a fifth year of Geocaching puzzle of the Day with a puzzle in Arkansas.

Cacher of Cachetan - 12/30/14

The holidays are prime game-playing time for us, as we usually have at least one new game under the Christmas tree.  Today's California puzzle (check the CO's bookmark for other boardgame based puzzles) features some folks playing a game that was one of our favorites a few years ago:

The Cachers of Cachetan

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

Magic Squares - 12/29/14

Next time you're sitting around with some folks and you have a little time to kill, you might enjoy getting out a pencil and paper and posing to them the question in today's Washington state puzzle:

Magic Squares

Tomorrow we'll ...

The Gift of Cache - 12/28/14

Today's puzzle is from Idaho.  I hope everyone got just what they wanted for holiday gifts this year ... there's nothing fun about having to exchange or regift a lot of stuff that doesn't suit you.  One gift that's pretty much guaranteed to fit is:

The Gift of Cache

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

Just Your Average Geocache 12/27/14

Today's puzzle takes us to Hawaii.  I'd imagine just about any cache that I'd find there would be pretty special, but the CO claims this one is:

Just Your Average Geocache

Tomorrow we'll be in ..

I hope Santa Claus was good to you - 12/26/14

Today's puzzle is from western New York.  When I was growing up in Tennessee the traditional post-Christmas greeting was, "Was Santa Claus good to you?"  I hope those of you who celebrate Christmas had an enjoyable one, and that:

Santa Came Down the Chimney

Tomorrow we'll ...

Christmas Wishes - 12/25/14

With today's puzzle from England, I send everyone the very best:

Christmas Wishes

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

Do You Hear What I Hear? Do You See What I See? - 12/24/14

I hope you'll indulge me for sharing today's New York puzzle:

Do You Hear What I Hear? Do You See What I See?

Tomorrow we'll be in England.

Scrooge & Marley - 12/23/14

Today's puzzle is from Utah.  I didn't want to get through the Christmas season without featuring a puzzle about:

Scrooge & Marley

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

White on White - 12/22/14

Today's puzzle is from Washington state.  With winter officially fully under way,  I guess I'm going to have to resign myself to seeing at least a couple of more months of:

White on White

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

Herrings - 12/21/14

Today's puzzle is from California.  While it's not a Christmas puzzle, I understand that in Scandinavia it wouldn't be Christmas without:

Herrings

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

Tic Tac Toe - 12/20/14

Today's puzzle takes us to Washington for a little game of:

Xs and Os: Piggy Style

Tomorrow we'll be ....

Tough, Clever, and Fun - 12/19/14

Today's California puzzle landed in my in-box recently with a subject heading of "Tough, Clever, and Fun," so I knew I'd have to pass it along to you.  Have some fun with:

Beatles - Ron's Musical Mystery #5

Tomorrow we'll ...

Reindeer Game - 12/18/14

Today's California puzzle landed in my in-box recently, and I thought today seemed like a good day for a:

Reindeer Game

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

I like what I like - 12/17/14

Today we head back to California for another fun word puzzle.  What can I say?  I like what I like:

Tautologies

Tomorrow we'll be in California another day.

Santa's A Loser?!?! - 12/16/14

Today's puzzle from England has the surprising title of:

Santa's A Loser?!?!

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

Christmas Post - 12/15/14

Today's puzzle from England has me realizing I need to get things together soon if I want to be on time with my:

Christmas Post

Tomorrow we'll be in England for another day.

Na Na & Dit Dah - 12/14/14

Good luck with today's pair of Minnesota puzzles:

Na Na, Na Na, Na Na, Na Na, Na Na, Na Na, Na Na..?

and

Dit Dit Dit Dit, Dit Dit Dah Dah Dah, Dah Dah Dah

Tomorrow we'll ...

Time to dig deeper? - 12/13/14

Some days I get on a roll and can find lots of great candidates for puzzles to share with you.  Other days ... not so much.  Today's Minnesota puzzle felt like a good one for me to post in honor of those days that it starts to feel like:

The well of puzzle ideas is running dry.

Tomorrow we'll hang around in Minnesota another day.

Buta Sudoku - 12/12/14

Today's Washington state puzzle provides an interesting twist on a classic puzzle.  Try your luck with:

Buta Sudoku

Tomorrow we'll be in Minnesota.

Tomorrow is my event to celebrate 12/13/14.  If anyone would like to participate virtually via google hangouts, please contact me through GC.com and I'll give you the details.  We thought it might be fun to meet and greet some other cachers and perhaps  discover some long-distance trackables.

Required Reading - 12/11/14

I had planned to pop back to California today, but late-breaking news has us paying a visit to New York City.  I am pleased to announce the publication of How to Puzzle Cache by Cully Long, also known as childofatom, the CO of many NYC puzzles including the much-favorited Central Park Gates series which I have featured here several times.  I had the opportunity to assist with editing this book and can highly recommend it as a resource for both new and seasoned puzzlers.  You can read a little more about the book and how to purchase a copy via this link.  My unsolicited review appears at the end of this post.  I have a feeling that any puzzler who finds this book under their Christmas tree will come to consider it:

Required Reading

Tomorrow we'll be in Washington state.

"Whether you read How to Puzzle Cache from cover to cover or use it as a go-to reference for a specific puzzle type (I recommend doing both), this book is a useful addition to any geocacher’s bookshelf. Topics ranging from substitutions, ciphers and steganography to mapping, mathematics, and music are discussed in detail. At the end of each chapter beginning puzzlers can follow step by step walkthroughs of sample puzzles and work through even more samples on their own, honing their skills and gaining the confidence needed to venture into the sometimes daunting world of puzzling. Experienced puzzlers will appreciate the breadth of information covered, and may find themselves surprised and inspired by puzzle twists they have never encountered. Detailed appendices include a wealth of puzzle solving tools that can be of use to every puzzler, regardless of experience. Whether you’re looking to solve and find more puzzle caches or to explore fun and creative ways to create your own new puzzles, this book is a great find … and that’s something all geocachers can appreciate."

Rebel Rose - 12/10/14

I love it when a puzzle teaches me about something I hadn't come across before, which was why I appreciated seeing today's North Carolina puzzle land in my in-box recently:

Cape Fear Adventure/Cipher School - Rebel Rose

Tomorrow we'll be in California.

An invitation:  Some friends and I are hosting an event on Saturday to celebrate 12/13/14.  If anyone would like to participate virtually via google hangouts, please contact me through GC.com and I'll give you the details.  We thought it might be fun to meet and greet some other cachers and perhaps  discover some long-distance trackables.

Rudolph - 12/9/14

When I saw the new Christmas stamp that's coming out

I knew I'd have to feature today's California puzzle about:

Rudolph

(When you've solved the puzzle, see if you can spot the container in google street view!)

Tomorrow we'll be in South Carolina.

An invitation:  Some friends and I are hosting an event on Saturday to celebrate 12/13/14.  If anyone would like to participate virtually via google hangouts, please contact me through GC.com and I'll give you the details.  We thought it might be fun to meet and greet some other cachers and perhaps  discover some long-distance trackables.

Baffling - 12/8/14

Today's puzzle takes us to California.  I hope you'll forgive me for kicking off the week with a puzzle that's a:

Bit Baffling

Tomorrow we'll be in California for another day.

An invitation:  Some friends and I are hosting an event on Saturday to celebrate 12/13/14.  If anyone would like to participate virtually via google hangouts, please contact me through GC.com and I'll give you the details.  We thought it might be fun to meet and greet some other cachers and perhaps  discover some long-distance trackables.

Aloha from O'ahu - 12/7/14

Today's Hawaii puzzle is part of a geoart series off the coast of O'ahu that spells "Aloha."  How fun is that?  I chose this particular one to commemorate the 73rd anniversary of the attack here:

AFO - Pearl Harbor

Tomorrow we'll ...

Hitting Bottom - 12/6/14

Today's South Carolina puzzle landed in my inbox recently, and reminded me of a fortune cookie missive I've had sitting around which reads, "Remember, every downhill has its uphill."  Good advice, but I wasn't sure if they were referring to the downhill being the bad part or the good part ... when I'm hiking, at least, I'd much rather go downhill.  Today's CO must have been going downhill back in 2010, because when this cache was published the report was:

EZTrack Hits Bottom

Tomorrow we'll be in Hawaii.

Word List - 12/5/14

Today's puzzle is the first of a very cleverly done series of 8 word puzzles in Washington State.  The fun starts here:

1: Word List

Tomorrow we'll be in South Carolina. 

Santa's First - 12/4/14

Those of you that have followed the blog for long know that I'm a sucker for holiday puzzles, of any kind, and you may remember that I featured a couple of puzzles from this California series last year.  If you haven't done them, I highly recommend them.  Although it wasn't the one that kicked off the whole series, why not start with:

Santa's First

Tomorrow we'll be in Washington state.

0 - 12/3/14

It's funny how things turn out sometimes.  If you'd told me 30 years ago that some day I would end up teaching the subject of today's Oregon puzzle, I would have told you that the odds of it ever happening were essentially:

0

Tomorrow we'll be in California.

Warm Woolen Mittens - 12/2/14

If you're anything like me, today's Texas puzzle may have you bursting into song about:

Bright Copper Kettles and Warm Woolen Mittens

Tomorrow we'll be in Oregon.

Ride Wit Me - 12/1/14

In New York state you must be 16 before you can get a learner's permit to drive.  As of today, "A" of teamajk is now eligible to take that big step.  I guess it won't be long before he'll be asking us to:

Ride Wit Me

Tomorrow we'll be in Texas another day.