New Years Eve - 12/31/16

Today's puzzle takes us to Virginia.  How time flies!  It seems just yesterday I was posting for:

New Years Eve - 2015

Tomorrow we'll kick off year 7 of daily puzzles!

Oops - 12/30/16

Today's puzzle takes us to Minnesota.  Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later.  In wrapping up my bookmark for 2016 caches just now, I realized I somehow managed to overlook 12/30, so I'm plugging this in after the fact on the morning of New Year's Day:

Oops


Tomorrow (which was actually yesterday) takes us to Virginia.

Jimmy Fallon's Band - 12/29/16

Today's puzzle takes us to Rhode Island.  Back in the day, I was a bit of a night owl, and regularly watched Johnny Carson and David Letterman on late-night television.  I was very familiar with their sidekicks, bands, and all their usual skits (I still love a good top-10 list).   Today I rarely watch late-night TV when it airs anymore, but I have been known to catch up on some of the skits via you-tube (I'd love to see a carpool karaoke puzzle ... if you've seen one, please pass it along!).  But I have watched enough to recognize:

The Roots

Tomorrow we'll ...

Not your run of the mill cell tower - 12/28/16

Today's puzzle, which can be found not far to the south of me here in New York, is meant as a field puzzle but resourceful folks can solve it from home.  I was fascinated by the history it discusses, and definitely want to take a trip down to check out:

BINGHAMTON'S FIRST CELL TOWER #2

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

Porta Potty - 12/27/16

Today's New York puzzle is one I came across recently before traveling through the area.  Just when I think I've seen just about everything I see a puzzle like this one, entitled:

Porta Potty

Tomorrow we'll be in New York for another day.

Let's Celebrate Boxing Day - 12/26/16

Today we travel to Canada's Ontario province.  It's December 26th, so:

Let's Celebrate - Boxing Day

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

Merry Christmas! - 12/25/16

With today's puzzle from Finland:

We Wish You a Merry Christmas!

Tomorrow we'll ...

Who loves you, baby? - 12/24/16

Today's puzzle takes us to California for a little word game:

Doctor WHO-WHO Loves You Baby! Word Sandwich Game1

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

The Tenebrus Code - 12/23/16

Today's New York puzzle is one that I first looked at years ago, and came across it again while checking out possible caches I could grab when going to pick up my son for the holidays.  I was pleased that on this go-round I was able to crack:

The Tenebrus Code

P.S.  If you can get a copy of the NY Times from last Sunday, it contains a huge Puzzle section this week, including the largest crossword puzzle they've ever published.  Lots of fun in there, and some short bios of the puzzle-makers, which I found quite interesting.  Enjoy!

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

Merry Christmas Rash - 12/22/16

If you're not familiar with the Massachusetts "RASH" puzzles that I have featured before, the title of today's post might have you wondering what in the world I am thinking.  These fun (but tricky) word puzzles are a great mental workout.  I actually wasn't sure I was going to get through this one in time to post it this season, but over the course of a few days the last stubborn ones fell in to place.  Have a:

Rash #5: Merry Christmas

Tomorrow we'll be in New York.

12 Days - 12/21/16

Today's North Carolina puzzle is a spin-off from another puzzle that was itself a spin-off of one of my all time favorite puzzles.  Try your luck with:

12 Days of Caching

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

Gift Wrapped - 12/20/16

I thought today's California puzzle was a perfect fit for this time of year, seeing as it's been nicely:

Gift Wrapped

Tomorrow we'll be in North Carolina.

He's a Mean One - 12/19/16

As a kid growing up the advent calendar was one of my favorite traditions.  The one we had was a very simple paper one with little windows that opened, revealing pictures and verses.  Today I have a wooden one and another fabric one that I bring out every year ... they both feature trees where you hang a little ornament each day from Dec. 1 to Dec. 24.  Today's puzzle from Sweden is one of 24 that were released as part of a series of daily caches called the "Swedish Mystery Calendar."  What a fun idea. I chose this one because it features another character I remember well from childhood:

Nötknäckarkalendern 2011-03 The Grinch   

Tomorrow we'll ...

Yule Logs - 12/18/16

When I first saw the title of today's Connecticut cache, I thought it might be about people who went geocaching on Christmas and wrote about it in their logs.  It turns out hat's not what it's about, but I bet it could be a fun puzzle.  The Yule log is a tradition that I know a lot of people enjoy, but my only experience with one is in the form of the "Buche de Noel" that my mother made for her French students once or twice.  Likewise, the actual subject of today's puzzle.  I'm aware of it, but it's not something that I indulge in on a yearly basis (I'm more of a "Wonderful Life" fan):

#3 - Yule Logs  

Tomorrow we'll be in Sweden.

Ask and you shall receive ... - 12/17/16

I put out a call for holiday-themed puzzles last week, and I received a nice selection of them.  The one I'm featuring today is from a series of 35(!) Christmas carol-themed caches that form a geo-art Christmas tree in Wisconsin.  I was very familiar with the images used the first 24, having used them in a cache of my own, but the one in this puzzle was one I hadn't seen before:

CCC 33

Tomorrow we'll ...

Red Herring Code - 12/16/16

I think it's great fun when cachers collaborate at a distance with each other on their puzzles.  I have had fun putting out a group of collaborative caches with puzzlers in California and Texas, and have talked with someone in Ohio about doing another.  Testing and helping other cachers create their puzzles is another thing I enjoy.  Today's Delaware puzzle (for which I was allowed sneak-peak pre-publication) is the result of a creative international collaboration.   You can bet there will be lots of funny business going on in the brand new:

Red Herring Code

(P.S.  Full disclosure:  my sneak-peak included an as-yet-to-be-posted hint ... kudos to whoever gets the FTS without it!)

Tomorrow we'll be in ..

Curbside Pickup - 12/15/16

Today's Rhode Island puzzle caught my eye recently, and I knew I'd have to post it in honor of my friend's husband, who is soon to retire from his position at a company devoted to:

Curbside Pickup

Tomorrow we'll be in Delaware.

A Big Break - 12/14/16

Today's Australian puzzle, which I worked on as a beta-tester, brought back some memories for me.  See if you recall:

Tom B's Big Break

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

Tunnel Vision - 12/13/16

Today's Australian puzzle landed in my inbox recently, and I enjoyed its interesting bits of geology and history. In order to get through it you might need to develop a bit of:

Tunnel Vision

Tomorrow we'll be in Australia for another day.

Calling Mrs. Claus - 12/12/16

Today's puzzle takes us to Massachusetts.  As Christmas gets closer I enjoy pulling out my themed clothing, jewelry, and other accessories. Some of the sweaters and sweatshirts are over 20 years old (and starting to show their age, unfortunately ... but I keep wearing them anyway).  One of my more recent favorites is a purse I made from some striking red batik fabric with white reindeer and snowflakes.  I took it to class the other night and one of my students reacted with words to this effect:

Calling Mrs. Claus

Tomorrow we'll be in Australia.  If anyone has any other seasonal puzzles they think other folks would enjoy, please send them along to me. Christmas puzzles are the most common ones out there, but puzzles for any and all holidays are welcome.

No Ducks Today - 12/11/16

Today we find ourselves in Massachusetts.  After yesterday's rather ducky puzzle I thought I'd look for another one.  Unfortunately there are:

no ducks or candles here.

Tomorrow we'll be in Australia.

Keeping Our Ducks in a Row - 12/10/16

Today's Pennsylvania puzzle will require you to get your ducks in a row:

Duck you Old Crow!

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

Lexicology - 12/9/16

Today's puzzle takes us to Singapore for a fun little exercise in:

Lexicology

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

Snaux - 12/8/16

Yesterday I was talking about snow, and now today's puzzle takes us to Texas, where I'm betting most of their white stuff is:

Faux Snow

Tomorrow we'll be in Delaware.

Snowflake - 12/7/16

Today we travel to Croatia for a seasonal puzzle (at least, in the northern hemisphere).  We've already had snow in upstate New York ... some very warm days followed by a cold front bringing a lot of air from farther north led to some pretty nasty bands of lake effect snow, which we usually don't have here in Ithaca.  It's all melted now, but I expect it won't be long before we see more of the white stuff. I don't enjoy shoveling it (or driving in it) but I admit to a certain fascination with the:

Snowflake / Snjezna pahuljica

Tomorrow we'll ...

Geocaching 101 - 12/6/16

Today's puzzle takes you not far from where I live in New York.  It's the last week of classes for the semester for me, so in addition to trying to get ready for the holidays, I'm neck deep in grading papers, and preparing exams.  Here's a little test for you in:

Geocaching 101 

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

Altered States - 12/5/16

Today's California puzzle landed in my inbox recently and I knew I wanted to pass it along to you, even though I don't normally recommend spending a lot of time in:

Altered States

Tomorrow we'll ...

Stitched Together - 12/4/16

Today we find ourselves in Washington state for another day. (So, am I weird that I always say "Washington state" to distinguish from Washington, D.C.?  Probably.)  I recently accompanied my neighbor to a quilt shop I'd driven past on many occasions but never visited.  I was looking for one thing, which I didn't find, but discovered a bunch of other stuff I didn't even know I wanted.  I got two puzzle-related fabrics and a bunch of really cool geometric prints with bright colors interspersed with black.  I have no idea what I'll do with all of it ... for right now I'm content to just admire it.  Some day I will get it:

Stitched Together

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

A Walk in the Woods - 12/3/16

Today's puzzle takes us to Washington state.  When I first started geocaching and found myself hiking out in the woods, fording (small) streams, and looking for blaze marks on trees, it was a very new experience.  I like that geocaching has gotten me at least interested in getting outside for a walk in the woods, even if my efforts don't rise to the level of what most outdoor enthusiasts might call "hiking."  I've never really understood the appeal of long distance hiking, and have been fascinated by people who hike the Appalachian trail, which passes not far from where I grew up (I knew that in an abstract way, but just looked up how close it actually is).  I recently enjoyed listening to the audio book of Bill Bryson's "A Walk in the Woods," (I enjoyed some parts more than others) and would like to see the movie some time.  All that talk about being in the woods did at least get me thinking about doing some caching.  I hope it won't be too long until:

The Puzzler Hikes Again

Tomorrow we'll ...   

Ready ... 12/2/16

Today's Ohio puzzle was sent to me by someone who enjoyed it, and I had a lot of fun working on it with another puzzler from the Buckeye state.  It's definitely helpful to work in tandem with someone else so that you can catch any small mistakes that the other makes as you go.  It's not a quick solve but there's a lot of fun along the way, so clear the decks and get:

Ready Player Two

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

Happy Birthday A! - 12/1/16

If it weren't for the "A" in teamajk I don't know if I ever would have gotten involved in geocaching.  It was his love of everything map-based that got me thinking he might enjoy the game.  As a little kid he could be kept amused for hours by giving him a handful of paper and a pencil and asking him to draw a map.  Not only was he content to reproduce maps he had memorized, but he also enjoyed making up his own maps with fanciful place names ... I think my favorite of those had all the places names incorporating the names of different dinosaurs.  It's hard to believe he's turning 18 today and is off at school.  But it's not hard to believe he's planning to major in Geography.  In his honor today, I bring you this puzzle from Ohio involving:

Lines on a Map

Tomorrow we'll be in Ohio for another day.

Hallelujah! - 11/30/16

Today's puzzle takes us to Ohio.  For me, once Thanksgiving is past,there's no denying that Christmas will be here before we know it.  For most of my life this time of year has involved preparation for some sort of musical event ... it just doesn't feel right to not be rehearsing or performing in some fashion.  I'm looking forward to attending a sing-along version of the Messiah this weekend, and singing Pachelbel's Magnificat the following weekend.  While I always get stressed and tired dealing with the shopping, wrapping, and shipping of gifts right on top of giving exams and getting grades submitted, the music of the season invigorates me like nothing else can.  And for that I say:

Hallelujah!

Tomorrow we'll be in Ohio for another day.

Emoji :) 11/29/16

Today we travel to Australia.  When I send text messages with my android phone it makes these strange little green alien faces whenever I type :) or :( instead of nice emojis.  I've been getting more and more text messages with fun, colorful emojis lately, so I decided it was time for me to join the 21st century and figure out how to get some I could use myself.  I hit paydirt with a free emoji keyboard app, and I'm like a kid with a new toy.  I can be so much more expressive now and tailor my messages depending on what I want to say and the person I'm sending it to.  It's fun going through and picking out just the right:

Emoji :)

Tomorrow we'll ...

Thanksgiving Overindulgence - 11/28/16

Here's a little puzzle from California for anyone who's still recovering from a little:

Thanksgiving Overindulgence

Tomorrow we'll be in Australia.

Three Windmills - 11/27/16

I thought it might be fun to wrap up the Turkey Day weekend with a puzzle from Turkey:

Kybele and three windmills

Tomorrow we'll ...

Say again? - 11/26/16

Today's puzzle from Canada's province of British Columbia was mentioned by someone in the "chat" portion of my most recent GeoGearHeads appearance, so I had to check it out.  Now you can too:

umoC ap!s&ñ

Tomorrow we'll be in Turkey.

Shop Till You Drop - 11/25/16

It's Black Friday, so let's head to California where you can:

Shop till you drop

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

Happy Thanksgiving! - 11/24/16

Over the years I've managed to find and feature quite a few puzzles with a Thanksgiving theme, or a turkey theme.  For your holiday today I've got a pair of them for you.  From Maryland:

Thanksgiving - "The Hunt for Tom Turkey"

and from Vermont:  The Turkey Cache

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

Powerful Genesis - 11/23/16

Today's Colorado puzzle references a connection to Thanksgiving, so I figured it would be a good one to share with you this week.  Have fun sorting out the:

Powerful Genesis

Tomorrow we'll ...

Arcade Games - 11/22/16

Today's puzzle is one of a series of California puzzles based on arcade games that I remember playing well.  That is, I remember them well.  I don't think I actually ever played them very well, based on the number of quarters I used to run through. 😉  If you ever felt like giving a puzzle maker a good whack out of frustration, here's your chance:

Yams Arcade: Whack-A-Yam

Tomorrow we'll ...

Here we go again - 11/21/16

I featured a puzzle by this CO from Maine last week, and now:

Geoacer Strikes Again

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

Alien Life Form - 11/20/16

Today's California puzzle involves sightings of an:

Alien Life Form

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

Cream of Mushroom Soup - 11/19/16

Today's puzzle takes us to Maine.  Thanksgiving is almost here, and I've already been shopping for the big feast.  I'm cooking for us at my house this year, but I have to admit that it's really not one of my talents.  While I will happily spend hours researching information for a puzzle or learning some obscure method of encipherment, I have never been a fan of a lot of peeling, chopping, or other prep work in the kitchen.  When it comes to recipes more often than not I'll opt for the one where I can just mix in some Campbell's:

Cream of Mushroom Soup

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

Kakurasu - 11/18/16

Today's puzzle takes us to Belgium, via Ohio ... which is admittedly a strange route.  For months and months I've been wanting to get to one of these Ohio puzzling events and had seriously considered trekking out there last week when I happened to have the day off.  I had a few other things going on, though, so decided to commit to going in the spring instead.  In talking with the host, I learned about the theme for the evening, which was a variation of a logic puzzle I have enjoyed.  This challenged me to find a geocaching puzzle that I could share with you featuring the same topic.  Thus our excursion to Belgium.  Kakurasu is only one portion of the puzzle, but I expect the other portions will look familiar to you.  Good luck (and don't get lost in translation) with:

More Knobeleien ...

Tomorrow we'll ...

X Marks the Spot - 11/17/16

I came across today's puzzle after I recently received a recommendation to check out puzzles in the Portland, Maine area.  Like any good treasure map:

X Marks the Spot

Tomorrow we'll be in Belgium.

(P.S.  If you missed yesterday's puzzle due to the broken link, here is the correct one.)

Words Three What - 11/16/16

:on take different little a for California to us takes puzzle Today's

Words Three What

:Maine in be in we'll Tomorrow

*Link fixed ... sorry!

Happy Novembeard! - 11/15/16

Today's puzzle takes us to California.  Even though the month is half over, I hope it's not too late to wish you a:

Happy Novembeard!

Tomorrow we'll ...

Can You Go Through? - 11/14/16

Today's puzzle takes us to California.  Take a look and see if you can get through:

WarNinjas Green Plexiglass Door

Tomorrow we'll ...

Origami Lily - 11/13/16

I always enjoy receiving suggestions from readers, and today's Missouri cache was one that came my way recently.  Good luck with your:

Origami Lily

Tomorrow we'll be in California.

It's about Time - 11/12/16

After talking with friends the other night about the time change last weekend, I decided to poke around a little bit in the question of time zones, daylight savings time, etc.  We found it interesting that there are so many approaches to the question, and that there are some states (Arizona, Hawaii, and until recently part of Indiana) that don't observe daylight savings time.  My own preference would be to keep daylight savings time year round (which some folks remembered actually was done as an energy-saving measure back in 1974). One person said we should all just be on Greenwich time, and I responded that I thought Russia only used one time zone (I was confused ... it's actually China that only uses one time zone).  Today's Michigan puzzle has us pondering the question of the relation between time and longitude (by the way, if you've never read Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time I strongly recommend it).  Have some fun sorting out:

Lunchtime in Greenwich

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

Veterans Day - 11/11/16

Today's puzzle takes us to Virginia.  I'm taking a break from my usual tough Friday puzzle to post one in honor of the Veterans Day holiday today.  Teaching at our local community college I often work with veterans who are going back to school following their time serving in the military.  Many of them have served overseas and they can add a lot to our discussion of geology around the world.  Recently we were discussing sand, and I told the students that during the lab time in our next class we'd be looking at some sands from different locations around the world.  One of them offered to bring in some sand he had collected.  He came in to our next class with a large jar of black, granular volcanic sand from Iwo Jima.  When he offered to let me have some of it to add to my collection, I enthusiastically agreed.  As I was labeling the temporary container I arranged for it, I questioned him if there weren't a movie called:

The Sands of Iwo Jima

(And yes, there is a movie ...)

                 

It was Twenty Years Ago Today! - 11/10/16

It's hard to believe our daughter is turning 20 today.  In honor of the occasion I thought I'd take us to Norway for a little puzzle about:

Sgt. Pepper

Tomorrow we'll commemorate Veterans Day.

Got Warrants? Get Lost! - 11/9/16

Today's puzzle takes us to Maine, which I chose because I stumbled across the Bangor Maine police department's "Got Warrants" feature (which publishes each Wednesday on Facebook) a while back.  If you haven't seen it yet, I recommend it.  The author has a very wry sense of humor, and the descriptions of the officers and the members of the public they work with throughout the course of their week are really great. You might find it entertaining ... but if not, you can always just:

Get Lost!

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

Election Day - 11/8/16

Today's puzzle takes us to North Carolina.  After an election season that has seemed interminable, the big day is finally here.  Someone new is going to be hearing:

Hail to the Chief!

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

Podcasts ... we've got podcasts: 11/7/16

'Tis the season for podcasts!  Readers of this blog will know I'm a big fan of Russell Atkinson (The Rat) and I hope you caught his appearance on Geocache Talk last night.  Yours truly will be on that show next Sunday (focusing on suggestions for creating puzzles), followed up by the GeoGearHeads on Thursday the 18th, in a show which will focus on ciphers at an introductory and geocaching-specific level. I'll give some tips on how to recognize different ciphers and promote some tools that you might want to add to your cipher-solving toolbox.  In honor of this plethora of podcasting I thought I'd promote, from Minnesota, the:

Pajama Crew Podcast  

Tomorrow we'll ...

Great Scott!! - 11/6/16

Today's New York puzzle is one of those that might make you exclaim:

Great Scott!!

Tomorrow we'll be in Minnesota.

P.S. Breaking news:  The Rat is on Geocachetalk tonight.  I'm looking forward to it.

Winter is Coming - 11/5/16

Today's puzzle takes us to France.  Here in central New York we've already had our first bit of snow for the season.  It didn't mess up the roads but I did have to dig out the snow brush to clear about an inch and a half of wet, heavy stuff off the back windshield before heading to work not long ago. It seemed a bit early, but I suppose that once the leaves are down, there's no more denying that:

Winter is Coming

Tomorrow we'll ...

A Golden Friday - 11/4/16

Cubs win! Cubs win! Cubs win!  OK, thank you for letting me get that out of my system.  I'll have you know that I contributed in a very important way ... by actually *not* watching the end of the game.  Over the previous 6 games an obvious statistical correlation had developed whereby the more closely I followed the game, the poorer the Cubs did.  I tried hard to stay away during Game 7, and they got off to a nice lead.  But I snuck in a couple of peeks at the scores mid-game and sure enough I almost jinxed the poor guys.  Only after I forced myself to turn off the TV at the top of the 10th and not even look for any updates on the computer did they manage to seal the deal.  Chicago will be celebrating in a big way today with a huge parade.

In honor of this "Golden" Friday, I thought I'd share my most recent puzzle with you (disclaimer: I also haven't got a nice tough-and-juicy puzzle in the solved pile to share with you today, so this gets me out of that jam as well).

The "golden ammo can" tradition of placing a gold-painted ammo can in honor of a cacher's 1000th find is going strong around here.  I'm curious about the range of this tradition.  Is it something that's done where you are?  Do you have a different fun tradition to share? Post a comment or send me a message and let me know.  In the mean time, have a little fun with:

The Golden Lion: 8bitlion's Golden Ammo Can

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

Puzzling Puzzles! - 11/3/16

Today we travel to Michigan and a cache for those who like:

Puzzling Puzzles!

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

Piece of Cake - 11/2/16

Today's puzzle takes us to Western Australia.  Everybody's got a birthday, and mine happens to be today. Given the opportunity I always enjoy a nice piece of birthday cake (chocolate is my favorite, and I'll take a corner piece, please, in order to maximize the frosting) but I'm not sure how I'd feel about indulging in a slice of:

Daddy Laxa's Birthday Cake

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

The Bar Exam - 11/1/16

Today's puzzle takes us to Rhode Island.  After last night's excitement, maybe someone at your house is ready for:

The Bar Exam

Tomorrow we'll be in ... 

Dracula - 10/31/16

I've been holding on to this puzzle for months, but now with Halloween's arrival it seems like the perfect time to share today's Colorado puzzle featuring:

Dracula

Tomorrow we'll be in Rhode Island.

Which? Witch? - 10/30/16

In hunting for Halloween-themed caches I came across this one from Minnesota that transported me back to my childhood.  I don't remember a lot about playing the game itself, but I do know that it took quite a bit of effort to get everything set up properly to play:

HHX - Retro Board Games: Which Witch?

Tomorrow we'll be in California.

Time for Candy Corn! - 10/29/16

Today's puzzle takes us to Minnesota.  It's Halloween weekend again ... that means it must be:

HHX-Time for candy corn!

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

Trick or Trick - 10/28/16

Today's Australian puzzle is all about trickery ... but not the Halloween variety:

Hermeneutics of autodialectic xenolinguistics

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

Murder She Wrote - 10/27/16

Today's puzzle takes us to Arizona.  The other day I happened to read that it was Angela Lansbury's 91st birthday.  Quick, now ... which of her roles did you think of first?  With a career spanning many decades, it probably depends on how old you are.  My parents loved her in "Gaslight," "The Picture of Dorian Gray," and "The Manchurian Candidate."  I knew her best as Jessica Fletcher, and younger folks will recognize her as the voice of Mrs. Potts from "Beauty and the Beast."  She is also a multiple Tony award winner for her work on Broadway in roles like Mame and Mama Rose.  Anyway you look at it, she is:

One Classy Dame

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

Ten Circles - 10/26/16

Today we have a little logic puzzle from California:

Ten Circles - a puzzle cache

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! - 10/25/16

I became a baseball fan in the mid 1970's, and have bled Dodger blue ever since.  But I also have had a very soft spot in my heart for the Chicago Cubs.  I started following them in the mid-1980's, when my favorite Dodger 3rd Baseman Ron "The Penguin" Cey started playing there (subsequently he was joined by fellow Dodger Davey Lopes and probably some others I'm forgetting right now).  We lived in one of the northern suburbs of Chicago for several years, and it was a treat to ride the "El" to the "Friendly Confines" for summer daytime games.  Long before we had access to whatever games we wanted on satellite TV, the Cubs were an easy team to follow due to their games being played on WGN TV, and I spent many hours watching and listening to the play by play from Harry Caray, who must be looking down from somewhere through those gigantic glasses with a huge smile on his face today as his beloved Cubbies prepare to start their first World Series game in 71 years tonight.  I thought it would be fun to commemorate the occasion with this Indiana puzzle:

CubsChris's CubsCache

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

All Aboard - 10/24/16

My weekend's activity got me looking for a cache on today's subject, which I promptly found in Utah.  If you're ready to take a look, then:

All Aboard

(Sorry about posting the wrong link for yesterday's puzzle.  If you want to go back and take a look, the page has been updated.)

Tomorrow we'll ...

Pegged? - 10/23/16

Today's puzzle takes us to Sweden.  I try to post a big enough variety of puzzles that there is something for everyone.  Have I got you:

Pegged?  (Updated with correct link ... sorry about that).

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

Monster Halloween Party? - 10/22/16

Today's cache takes us to California.  I'm probably a little bit early with this puzzle, but if you're planning on attending one it's time to start thinking about your costume for:

A Halloween Monster Party

Tomorrow we'll be in Sweden.

VK is for Viking - 10/21/16

Today's puzzle takes us to a pair of puzzles in the land of the Vikings:  Minnesota.  I came across the first one and realized it employed a solution method I had considered trying to use in constructing a puzzle myself, but had not gotten around to trying.  After solving it I then found the second puzzle, which explained one aspect of the first one that I wasn't familiar with (I found even more info here ... don't worry, not a spoiler at all).  Have some fun with:

A Word Puzzle

and Assume VK

Tomorrow we'll be in California. 

An Obscure Order - 10/20/16

Today we travel to Australia to pay a visit to a little known order, the:

Leaping Nuns of Norwich

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

In the Round - 10/19/16

I'm not sure if I've posted one like this before, but today we have a Kentucky puzzle with yet another variation of:

SUDOKU... In the Round...

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

75 Years Young - 10/18/16

I happened to hear on the radio the other day that it was Paul Simon's birthday.  At 75 years young, he's still going strong (you can see him in concert tonight if you happen to be in Prague ... or tomorrow in Leipzig).  Like many people, I particularly enjoy listening to his early work with Art Garfunkel, and I was surprised to come across this Minnesota puzzle cache that they apparently partnered up on as well:

Twenty-Five Dollars and Pieces of Silver

The answer, my friend - 10/17/16

Today's puzzle takes us to Minnesota, and it gives me the opportunity to congratulate the latest winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature.  Way to go:

Zimmy

Tomorrow we'll be in Minnesota for another day.

Who Authorized This? - 10/16/16

Today's puzzle takes us to Tasmania (which I know is part of Australia, but I just like saying "Tasmania").  I expect we've all had them ... those times when you come across something (whether in geocaching, or in other parts of life) and you just have to ask yourself:

Who Authorised This?

Tomorrow we'll ...

An Above Average Attempt At Alliteration - 10/15/16

Today's Minnesota puzzle is an alliterative gem:

Aa Ab Ad Ae Ag Ah Ai and Al Are All Acceptable at?

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

Geocaching Toolbox - 10/14/16

Today we travel to Delaware.  I had fun appearing on the GeoGearHeads podcast again recently, and one of the things I made special mention of was a tool that's been around for a while, but keeps growing in scope such that I'm referring to it pretty regularly now.  If you haven't used it before, or haven't looked at it lately, check out:

Geocaching Toolbox

Tomorrow we'll be in Minnesota.

Hyper Gecko - 10/13/16

If you took a look at yesterday's puzzle, you might be interested to know that an alternate name for that type of puzzle is a "Hyper Sudoku."  When I did a search using that terminology, I thought it was funny that it brought up today's Minnesota puzzle which I had come across recently while looking for something completely different:

Oh Hyper Gecko

P.S.  In a fascinating case of serendipity, I already had this post set to go when a friend sent me this 30 second video, knowing it features the town I grew up in.  And yes, those little brass markers are actually there, up and down the middle of the street.  The start of this field puzzle cache is in the background of the video on the left.

Tomorrow we'll be in ... 

Windokaching? - 10/12/16

Today's puzzle takes us to France.  Now, I've heard of window shopping, but I wonder how many of you have ever heard of:

Windokaching

Tomorrow we'll be in Minnesota.

The Big Roundup - 10/11/16

Puzzles and those who love to create and solve them have been around for a long time, but sometimes I don't think we realize just how long. Today's California puzzle tells a fascinating story of a math puzzle written in the form of a poem.  Sounds kind of like it could be a geocaching puzzle, doesn't it?  It turns out this particular puzzle was created over 2000 years ago, and wasn't completely solved until 1965 (now that would have been a LONG time to wait for an FTF!)  See what you can learn about:  

The Big Roundup

Tomorrow we'll be in France.

Fall Colors - 10/10/16

Today's puzzle takes us to Minnesota.  Depending where you are, you might be celebrating a holiday today.  Whether it's Columbus Day, Indigenous People's Day, or Canadian Thanksgiving, a lot of folks have the day off from work today, and students in many places are enjoying their "Fall Break."  Fall has always been one of my favorite seasons, and in most years upstate NY is a fine place to experience it.  We're coming off of a very dry summer, so the colors are a bit late and more muted than in some years. They are still there to be found, though.  I expect the peak will be in the next week or so, so I'm looking forward to:

HHXI More Fall Colors

Tomorrow we'll be in California.

I'm Begging You ... Peas! - 10/9/16

Today's puzzle takes us to California.  You know I love a humorous puzzle with a little word play, so of course I'm going to:

Give Peas a Cache

Tomorrow we'll ...

Tilt! - 10/8/16

The writeup in today's puzzle from Canada's Alberta province is something I'm quite familiar with.  Since I teach introductory Geology, I often use the analogy of trying to read the rocks like a book ... an area's history is recorded there, if we can just sort it out.  But we have to remember that it's probable that "pages" of the book are missing due to erosion, so part of the task is looking out for indications of missing information.  The interpretation of rock layers is 3-dimensional, and I've told you before how I have issues with spatial awareness.  In my brief lesson on this concept I use a lot of 3-dimensional props, which helps, but I always warn the students that how quickly you grasp what's going on depends on how your brain is wired.  Some of us will just intuitively get it immediately, and for the rest of us our brain sort of  goes:

Tilt!

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

Johnny Cache - 10/7/16

Today's puzzle takes us to Ohio.  I've lately become a big fan of Pandora radio.  Although I think it's a little spooky how well it can predict my favorites (it gives me some strange pleasure to click the "thumb's down" while thinking, "Ha! Take that, algorithm!") I love having a constant shuffle of music based on the artists I've selected.  I've taken to using the 30 minute sleep timer when I go to bed, which takes me back to my childhood when my parents always left the radio on for me at bedtime.  More than once lately I've drifted off to sleep to the sounds of Johnny Cash singing:

I've Been Everywhere

Tomorrow we'll be in Canada's Alberta province.

Modern Messaging - 10/6/16

Following up on yesterday's puzzle with a "modern" theme, today we pay a visit to an Ohio puzzle that envisions the modern messaging equivalent of Paul Revere's:

One If By Land, Two If By Sea

Tomorrow we'll be in Ohio for another day.

Modern Transcription - 10/5/16

I had started working on today's Minnesota puzzle when I got sidetracked by a tangent that turned out to be quite fun, but completely unrelated (you'd be amazed how often that happens).  I'm glad I went back and took another look at this:

Modern Transcription

Tomorrow we'll ...

Dr. Polyglot - 10/4/16

Today's Australian puzzle is one I had the pleasure of testing recently.  It features not only a polyglot (does anybody else think that's one of the quirkiest words in the English language?) but a:

Naturalist, Surgeon, Polyglot, Spy

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

Seeing Double - 10/3/16

Today's pair of Rhode Island puzzles caught my attention when they appeared right next to each other on the list of new certitude puzzles.  That can't have been a coincidence.  I wonder if they were inspired by a certain TV ad I've been chuckling over recently ...

Marco

Marco

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

You can call me Jenny - 10/2/16

Today's puzzle takes us to Minnesota.  Growing up in the 1970's with the name "Jennifer," there were always a lot of identically named girls around, and sometimes it made sense to use nicknames to differentiate.  I never really had a preference in nicknames so I ended up being called different things by different people, and that persists today.  To most people I'm strictly "Jennifer," but to a few I'm "Jen."  My freshman room-mate dubbed me "Jen Jen" and there one teacher who referred to me as "Sam" (there were 3 Jennifer's in the class so he got a little creative).  And there are a small number who use the name my mother always called me:

Jenny

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

What's So Special? - 10/1/16

Today's puzzle takes us to Rhode Island, where I hope you'll be able to answer:

What's Special About This Cache?

Tomorrow we'll ...

String Figure It Out - 9/30/16

While today's puzzle from Canada's province of Manitoba took me a while to sort out, it's not really that difficult.  I suppose you can add a star or two if you're trying solve it at work, though. ;)   I've been doing a bit of crocheting lately, so I had no trouble finding the materials for today's puzzle which I stumbled across the other night after asking myself "I wonder if there's a puzzle ..."  The images gave me a real grin (don't miss the one for letter R*) and I remember doing this as a kid ... and wishing I were better at it then too.  See if you can:

String Figure It Out

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

*I originally said "S", but "R" is the one I meant.

The Birds Know - 9/29/16

Today's puzzle takes us to Arizona.  It always amazes me how the birds know all that they do.  My friend who does research on crows is always telling me how smart they are, and I believe it.   A lot of birds need to know when to migrate, where they're going, and how to get there. We've got birds of all kinds around here, both year round and seasonally.  The nights are getting colder (it was in the 30's the other night) and the geese are starting to make their way south.  Recently I had a near-miss with a wild turkey when I was driving to work ... I didn't stop to ask it why it was crossing the road.  ;)  For the answer to today's puzzle you'll have to ask these:

Birds on a Wire

Tomorrow we'll be in Canada's Manitoba province.

A Snail's Pace - 9/28/16

Sometimes I feel like my progress with a a project (be it a puzzle or otherwise) feels very slow ... perhaps not glacially slow, but slow.  Thanks to today's Minnesota puzzle, I can now quantify:

A Snail's Pace

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

Spray Paint - 9/27/16

Today's puzzle takes us to California.  A few years ago I watched somebody paint a picture on the side of a building using just spray paint.  It was pretty amazing how he was able to control the paint. Most of us will never approach that level of artistry but might use some to decorate a golden ammo can or some such thing (with a lot of newspaper spread on the ground around it).   But did you know that it's illegal to sell spray paint in the city of Chicago? Back in 1995 when I was living Skokie (a suburb to the north and a little west of the city), the Supreme court upheld the local Chicago ordinance banning the sale of spray paint.  Try as you might, you won't find a can anywhere, be it a corner hardware store or the Home Depot.  It's all in an effort to reduce:

Graffiti

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

Those crazy CATS - 9/26/16

Today's Australian puzzle prompted me to research the origin of something I've seen before:

 MMOG #1: All your base are belong to us

Tomorrow we'll be in California.

More Than Words - 9/25/16

Today's New York puzzle involves:

More Than Words

Tomorrow we'll ...

Papercrafting - 9/24/16

You know I enjoy a puzzle that lets me get out my scissors.  Today's puzzle from the Netherlands caught my eye, and I didn't even need to Google translate to tell me it was a:

Papercrafting mysterie

Tomorrow we'll ...

"21" - 9/23/16

Today's California puzzle isn't as hard as a lot of the Friday puzzles I post, but I did find it a fun challenge trying to come up with:

"21"

Tomorrow we'll be in the Netherlands.

Geocaching Tales - 9/22/16

I'm not sure about other folks, but I really enjoy going back and reading my old geocaching logs.  I'm instantly transported back to another time and place and can relive the fun of solving a puzzle and/or finding a cache ... picturing the area/the kind of day it was/whoever I was with brings back a lot of fun memories.  After a couple of long caching trips, I used a couple of GSAK macros to get a printout of all of my caching logs from the trip, which I set aside along with my photos and other scrapbook items as a souvenir. They will also serve as good reminders in case anyone is every interested in hearing my: 

GEOCACHING TALES

 Tomorrow we'll ...

Chicken or Egg? - 9/21/16

It will come as no surprise to you that I select a lot of puzzles based on their clever titles.  A well-chosen title can add a lot to the puzzle experience.    Sorting out the meaning behind the title often serves as a clue to the puzzle, but in some cases I only figure out the title after solving the puzzle.  On one memorable occasion it was over 4 years later that I actually got the connection. Whichever a-ha moment comes first, they're both fun:

Anita, Benny, Calvin, Dulé, ...

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

Opposite Day - 9/20/16

I was surprised to learn that there actually is a day (January 25) designated as "Opposite Day," since I remembered it mostly as a really annoying thing from childhood.  But if it's "Opposite Day" on "Opposite Day," does that mean it really isn't?  While I ponder that logical conundrum, you can take a stab at today's Pennsylvania puzzle:

Opposite Day

Tomorrow we'll be in California.

A Tribute to First Mates - 9/19/16

From the beginning it's been very beneficial to have an able partner to back you up and help you along the way.  Today's New York puzzle is a:

1st Mate Tribute Cache

Tomorrow we'll be in Pennsylvania.

Spin the Wheel - 9/18/16

Today we travel to California.  Some days you just want something straightforward for your puzzle fix ... it doesn't get much more straightforward than this:

LostSailRs' Wheel of Fortune - a video game

Tomorrow we'll ...

The Eyes Have It - 9/17/16

Today's puzzle takes us to Pennsylvania.  It was a close call as to which one I would choose for today, but:

The Eyes Have It

Tomorrow we'll ...

Silicon Valley Puzzle Fight Club Finale - 9/16/16

We had a teaser for today's California puzzle a couple weeks ago, but now the final competition has arrived.  Take a look at these three fine contenders (in order by GC codes):

Three in Fifteen

Positive

Cryptozoology

and then you can vote for your favorite here:

Puzzle Fight Club Silicon Valley - The Final

Star Trek: Roddenberry's Legacy - 9/15/16

Today's puzzle takes us to Indiana. I'm a week late, but wanted to be sure to make a mention of the 50th Anniversary of Star Trek, which was on 9/8/16.  The US Postal Service has even gotten in on the celebrations:

 

In the process of reading about these stamps, I discovered that A lot of other countries have put out Trek-related postage stamps in the past. (I bet there's the makings of a puzzle in there ... anybody want to take a shot?) In the course of reading about the anniversary, I also came across this attraction in Ticonderoga, NY that I may just have to visit.  Live long and prosper:

Star Trek: Roddenberry's Legacy

Tomorrow we'll ...

Updated ACA Link - 9/14/16

I hear from The Rat that the American Cryptogram Association (ACA) website has had an overhaul, so the old links no longer work.  Here's a new entry point which has links to the specific ciphers and other information within the site.  I went and updated all of my puzzles that had the old link embedded, and thought I would share the new link with you all in case you come across a puzzle where it might be useful, for example:

ACA#3: Homophonic

Tomorrow we'll ...

My Big Fat Greek Wedding - 9/13/16

Today we travel back to another California puzzle I had fun testing recently.  It tells the story of the quite unusual reception following:

My Big Fat Greek Wedding

Tomorrow we'll ...

Bristol History - 9/12/16

There are 27 states in the United States that have a populated area named Bristol.  Today's puzzle takes us to one of them, in Rhode Island.  My old hometown of Bristol, TN has had quite a week.  As I've told you before, it's a double city, straddling the state-line and sharing many services with sister city Bristol, VA.  My high school was Tennessee High, and our annual homecoming game (complete with large corsages of mums decorated with ribbons and pipe-cleaner letters) was always the game against Virginia High, regardless of which side of town was hosting the game. At home or away, the "V-T" game was always a big deal, and last week was the 100th such game, played in my school's stadium, the historic "Stone Castle" built as a WPA project back in the 1930's.  Now, that alone would have made it a big week, but that event was dwarfed by the *other* Virginia vs. Tennessee football matchup that took place on Saturday at nearby Bristol Motor Speedway.  Just under 157,000 fans came out to see the game between the Virginia Tech Hokies and the University of Tennessee Volunteers (previous attendance record for any American football game (NCAA or NFL): just over 115,000 in Michigan in 2013 ... just for perspective, the combined population of both Bristol, TN and Bristol, VA is about 45,000.)  This project had been in the works for a long time (there was a count-down clock ticking away downtown for at least a couple of years) and it was a huge deal for the area.  Billed as the "Battle at Bristol," this event definitely is going down in:

Bristol History. 

Tomorrow we'll be in California.

Remembering - 9/11/16

Today's puzzle takes us to Kentucky and a special memorial tribute cache.  It's hard to believe it's now been 15 years since the 9/11 terrorist attacks.  My daughter had just started kindergarten a few days before, and I well remember being the parent helper at my son's nursery school as we started hearing reports of what was going on.  Now the kids are both in college and have each visited the 9/11 Memorial Museum in New York City on school trips.  I haven't been yet.  They were so young when it happened that I think it feels like "history" to them, but it's different for me.  I do want to go some day, but I know if will be difficult.  But as hard as it is, it feels important:

Remembering 9-11-01

Tomorrow we'll ...  

Light's Out - 9/10/16

My usual puzzling space is at the dining room table, where I have plenty of light, both from west-facing windows and a hanging fixture with 6 light bulbs.  I had the light installed after we moved in, and I like it a lot, but we have a heck of a time keeping up with the bulbs, which seem to go out with amazing frequency.  Recently I was trying (and failing) to solve a puzzle and my husband walked in and asked me how it was going.  I grumbled a reply and asked if he wouldn't mind flipping on the light switch for me.  Upon doing so, he looked above my head and said, "Looks like you're a couple bulbs short."  My reply:  "In more ways than one."  ;) 

Light's Out

Tomorrow we'll ...

Prime Location - 9/9/16

Today's Texas puzzle landed in my in-box recently, and I enjoyed looking at it.  I've got to say that anywhere that gives a prize for the "Most Mentally Challenging Cache" has got to be a: 

Prime Location

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

What Three Words - 9/8/16

What's that, you say?  You've seen so many puzzles using a particular new method that you're starting to suffer withdrawal symptoms when you don't have one handy to solve?  Never fear.  The CO of today's California puzzle has you covered with his new series (up to at least 5 so far).  It all starts here ... just figure out:

What Three Words

Tomorrow we'll be in California for another day.

Field Schmield - 9/7/16

It sure would be nice if there were a dedicated icon for a solve-at-home puzzle cache.  You never know what you're going to get when you look at a "mystery cache" listing ... it might be a solve-at-home puzzle, but could just as easily be a field puzzle, challenge cache or even a night cache.  Field puzzles can vary ... as long as there isn't a mechanical puzzle hidden on site, there are often ways of sorting out what is required remotely.  Today's California puzzle is one that the CO describes as a field puzzle, but to that I say (with his blessing) "Field Shmield*".  Just:

Cache by Numbers

*For the background on this terminology click here.

Celebrity Dating - 9/6/16

Today I'm featuring another of the many puzzles I tested over the summer.  This one takes us to California, where they know quite a bit about:

Celebrity Dating

Tomorrow we'll be in California for another day.

Quilting Labors - 9/5/16

Even though we have a few more weeks until the "official" beginning of Fall, Labor Day has always been the "unofficial" beginning of Fall for me.  Time to put away the white shoes and start thinking about digging out the sweatshirts.  Following closely on the heels of Labor Day here in Ithaca is the Ellis Hollow Fair and the associated quilt raffle.  I was delighted that my friend chose to highlight these beautiful quilts in a puzzle:

ELLIS HOLLOW QUILT RAFFLE

Tomorrow we'll be in California.

Bambi - 9/4/16

If you've got a little time, check out today's puzzle from the Czech republic:

Bambi (2015)

and then you might find this an interesting read.

Tomorrow we'll ...

Why or Y? - 9/3/16

Today's puzzle takes us to Arizona for another perspective on the curiosities of the English language.  Ask yourself:

Why or Y?

Tomorrow we'll ...

Words with Friends - 9/2/16

Not long after starting today's Illinois puzzle, I reached out to another puzzler to see if he would be interested on working on it with me, as I knew it was the type of thing he enjoyed and was good at. It was a fun evening of words with friends as we worked our way to the end of:

Words With Frenemies

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

My Mission - 9/1/16

I always like it when Geocaching develops souvenirs specifically for finding puzzle caches, as it prompts some interest from folks who might not otherwise try one.  The only problem for real fans, though, is that we may have already found all of the puzzles within an easy drive (at least, all the ones that don't require tree climbing or other skills I lack).  So about a week in advance of the recent souvenir weekend I conspired with another local puzzler and made a plan for both of us to put out new caches and thus both be able to claim the souvenir.  Mostly I try to take a zen approach to cache publication these days, but waiting for these to publish consumed a lot more mental energy than was warranted.  I was pleased that several folks did come out and get their souvenirs in the strange case of:

Agent Bit By Her Hog

Tomorrow we'll be in Illinois.

Puzzle Fight Club - 8/31/16

The first rule of fight club is that you don't talk about fight club.  So I won't talk about it, but I will point you to this brand new California puzzle, which has some components that will be quite familiar to my regular followers:

Puzzle Fight Club Silicon Valley - The Finalists

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

And the winner is ... 8/30/16

My unscientific but seemingly sound method of spotting the one millionth certitude solver had me watching the counter on this page and the list on this page simultaneously.  On that basis I'm pretty sure that the "woo-hoo" that reached the one million mark was for the first part of today's puzzle from Sweden.  Congratulations to the CO and the solver immediately before me on:

RE 022 - skallerormar, myst

Tomorrow we'll be in California.

Secret Agent Mission - 8/29/16

Did you complete the 3rd Geocaching Mission this weekend by finding a puzzle cache?  More on my experience with that later in the week.  I created my own separate little mission last Friday afternoon ... trying to spot (if not be) the 1 millionth solver on certitude.  Admittedly I could have tried to game the system by putting in some anonymous guesses and watching the checker climb (which also would have confirmed I had the right answer to what I would be submitting) but that just wouldn't have felt right.  I can report two things ... I did spot it (photographic evidence below) ... and it wasn't me.  I think I came in at number 1,000,001 with today's Illinois puzzle:

Secret Agent Mission


Tomorrow, the one that I'm pretty sure got the 1 millionth woo-hoo.

Office Supply - 8/28/16

It's the time of year when lots of folks are heading back to school.  I always enjoyed a trip to the office supply store to stock up on fresh binders, notebooks paper, folders, and the like.  It always felt like the beginning of an exciting journey.  These days my kids are doing their own school shopping, but I did add one item to their list:  a box of 24 Bic mechanical pencils (0.9 mm lead) to keep me supplied for the next year of geocache puzzling and math teaching.  For the last few years I've purchased a new box every fall, and they last just long enough to get me to the next year (it's not just that I use them up, but I loan them out to students and the dog chews a surprising number of them).  Today's Ohio puzzle envisions a land of:

Endless Office Supply

Tomorrow we'll ...

A Quick Solve - 8/27/16

Today's puzzle takes us to Texas.  This weekend I'll bet there will be a lot of folks looking for:

AQuickSolve

Tomorrow we'll ...

The One Millionth "Woo-hoo!" ... Today?

I've been watching the counter at certitudes.org this summer as it approaches its one millionth "woo-hoo!" and it's going to happen very soon ... wouldn't be at all surprised if it were today.  Will it be you? If anyone happens to spot when it goes over the top, please let me know.  Congratulations and thanks go to CO and certitude developer xophe for making "Making Homer Happy" short-hand for puzzling success.

In the Matrix - 8/26/16

Today we pay a visit to a Nevada cache I was pleased to be able to visit on my recent vacation.  It was:

Hiding Out In The Matrix

Tomorrow we'll ...

Off to College - 8/25/16

Today's puzzle takes us to Kansas, but I myself will be in Massachusetts getting our youngest off to:

College

Tomorrow we'll be in Nevada.

To Catch a Thief - 8/24/16

It's always interesting to see where puzzle CO's get their inspiration.  Today's California puzzle calls to mind the Cary Grant classic:

To catch a thief

Tomorrow we'll ... 

How Many Puzzles is a Challenge? - 8/23/16

When I first started caching, I knew there were a lot of caches I would never be able to log, even in my own area, and that was OK.  I didn't think I'd ever log a 5/5 cache.  But I've come to realize that there is a lot of variety in how people write up difficulty and terrain (and I'm not even talking about the so-called "liars'" caches).  Some of that variety is due to the time-span of the hobby ... to me it seems like "back in the day" most cachers were dedicated hikers, so the terrain ratings were often lower than I would put them.  Also in earlier times there were fewer caches to be found, so fulfilling some challenges was quite difficult, but they've gotten easier as time goes by.  Other challenges with date-placed requirements became more difficult than originally rated, as caches got archived.  Then there are the differences in how reviewers treat the idea of "special equipment"for terrain ... to me that means a boat or rappelling gear, but it might mean a simple UV flashlight.  And there is obviously a huge amount of variation in what constitutes a 5* difficulty puzzle.  While traveling recently I was able to log my first 5/5 cache, for which the challenge requirement was to have logged 100 puzzle caches.  With the proliferation of fairly simple geo-art puzzles that doesn't feel too difficult today.  It got me thinking about how many puzzle caches I would think constitute a real challenge to find and log. I'm still thinking it over.   Today I'm sharing a Massachusetts cache with a lot lower D/T rating, which includes a puzzle itself (it looks like that element is no longer allowed in challenges, unfortunately):

The 200 Puzzle Challenge Puzzle

Tomorrow we'll be in 

The Learn'd Astronomer - 8/22/16

Today's Missouri puzzle landed in my inbox recently, and it brought back memories of:

When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer

Tomorrow we'll ... 

Convoy - 8/21/16

I was going to write something about why I chose this puzzle, and comment on part of the theme, but realized what I was going to say could be construed as a spoiler ... and that just wouldn't do.  So, I'll have to leave it to your imagination as to why I chose today's California puzzle about a:

Convoy

Tomorrow we'll be in ... 

Meteor Mystery - 8/20/16

Today's puzzle takes us to Ohio.  Having recently returned from an excellent vacation out west which included a trip to Arizona's Meteor Crater I am in the mood for a:

Meteor Mystery

Tomorrow we'll be in California.

Toll Free - 8/19/16

Today's New Jersey puzzle is one that I checked out for the CO when it published. Try your luck with: 

Toll Free 1-800-799=1001

Tomorrow we'll be in Ohio.

Befuddlement - 8/18/16

I generally try to queue up my posts in advance by a few days, if not a week or more, but I was just sitting here with less than an hour before post-time and realized I didn't have anything lined up yet.  Yikes!  I guess I'm still befuddled from my travels and getting ready to head back to work after my long summer break.  It's a good thing I had this Australian cache on stand-by from when I beta-tested it earlier this summer.  Enjoy the story of:

Patagonia Smith and the Diamond of Befuddlement

Tomorrow we'll be in New Jersey.

It's a zoo in there - 8/17/16

Today's Australian puzzle landed in my inbox a while back.  All I can say is it sounds like:

It's a zoo in there

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

Words from East to West - 8/16/16

Today's puzzle demonstrates one of the things I love most about doing this blog ... getting puzzlers talking with each other about their puzzles, and gaining inspiration from each other. I love seeing the fruits of these conversations (and it's a special bonus when the resulting caches turn out to be ones I might someday be able to find).  Perhaps on my next trip to California I can locate:

Words West

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

Mike Rowe Cache - 8/15/16

I saw a spin-off of this cache in the Las Vegas area, but figured I would share the original Utah version of the:

Mike Rowe Cache

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

A Day at the Races - 8/14/16

Today's Nevada puzzle involves:

A Day at the Races

Tomorrow we'll be in Utah.

What happens in Vegas ... 8/13/16

I had lots of fun putting together a bookmark list of potential caching targets for my trip to Las Vegas.  I'm not sure how many of them we'll be able to get, but we'll see how it goes.  Now, even though it's on my list, let me assure you that I am not going to Las Vegas to try to get:

Lucky

Tomorrow another Nevada puzzle.

Elements of Style - 8/12/16

Today we have another puzzle in Las Vegas.  For this one you'll need to be familiar with the:

Elements of Style

Tomorrow we'll be in Nevada for another day.

What's the Point? - 8/11/16

Today we're spending another day in Las Vegas.  I've solved a ton of puzzles there, but don't know how many of the caches I'll be able to find during my short trip.  I know we could stay twice as long and not run out of interesting things to do within driving distance of the city.  Like most of you, I expect, I don't have any objection to solving puzzles even though I may not be able to find the caches.  Folks who don't really have the puzzle bug just think:

What's The Point??? 

Tomorrow, another day in Las Vegas.

In The Chips - 8/10/16

Today's puzzle is another from Nevada.  I've always found low-stakes gambling to be a guilty pleasure, so I'm hoping that I'll spend at least a little time during my visit to Las Vegas:

In The Chips

Tomorrow, more from Las Vegas.

Viva Las Vegas! - 8/9/16

I've been doing a lot of scouting around for puzzles for my trip to Las Vegas, Nevada, and I'm planning to share some of them with you all this week.  This will be my first visit out there, I'm really looking forward to getting the whole Vegas experience.  I doubt we'll seek out any Elvis impersonators, but if we do see one I hope he sings:


Don't B Cruel

Tomorrow, more from Las Vegas.

Overlapping Words - 8/8/16

Today's puzzle from Australia is another one I had fun testing out recently (this has been a big summer for that!)  It's a variation on a crossword, and you'll get twice as many clues as you really need since there are:

Overlapping Words

Tomorrow we'll be in Las Vegas.

Let the Games Begin! - 8/7/16

Today's puzzle takes us to Canada. I'm a little late, but couldn't let the opening weekend of the Olympics pass by without commemorating the occasion.  I've always been a bit of an Olympics junkie, and enjoy watching the competitions and the background stories about the athletes.  In 1984 we were visiting my aunt in Los Angeles and got tickets to some noteworthy Olympic events (like the last day of the decathlon) and some less noteworthy, but still fun ones like soccer, basketball and baseball between countries with no hope of medalling.  The opening ceremony is always fun (albeit long) with the parade of nations and the lighting of the big cauldron (they'll never beat that flaming arrow shot back in Barcelona). With high hopes for the health and safety of all of the participants and spectators:

Let The Games Begin! 

Tomorrow we'll be in Australia.

Shredded! - 8/6/16

Today's puzzle takes us to Minnesota.  A couple of weeks ago one of the local banks held a "shred" day, where you could bring in sensitive documents for thorough shredding and electronics to be wiped and recycled.  We'd been meaning to do that for a long time, so we had quite a haul.  I think the final tally was 3 desktop computer towers, 2 laptop computers, 1 computer monitor, 1 VCR, 1 old TV, 2 printers, and 2 large rubbermaid totes of documents to be:

Shredded!

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

Route 66 History - 8/5/16

I'm taking a trip out west next week to a part of the country I've never visited before, and have been having a lot of fun getting ready to go.  Of course that means checking out the puzzle caches I might be in a position to look for.   In making my preparations I've come across all kinds of fun and interesting ones that I'll be sharing with you soon. Today's Arizona puzzle will introduce you to some:

Route 66 History

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

Word Search - 8/4/16

I hope you'll indulge me for sharing my most recent puzzle today.  I've seen some very nice word search puzzles lately, and thought I'd try my hand at one myself.  Here's what I came up with:

Triple Word Search

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

An American Legacy - 8/3/16

Today's California puzzle will have you thinking about:

An American Legacy

Side note:  Was anybody else reminded of a "Brady Bunch" episode while reading the puzzle description?  :)

Tomorrow we'll be in New York.

Gotta cache 'em all - 8/2/16

Pokemon Go has been quite the thing this summer, and I had a feeling there would be a new generation of pokemon-related cache puzzles as a result.  Here's one I spotted in Oklahoma:

Gotta catch 'em all

Tomorrow we'll be in California.

Find that cache! - 8/1/16

Today's North Carolina puzzle is one that I had fun testing pre-publication last fall, and then lost track of it and didn't realized it had come out over the winter.  When it landed in my in-box recently I knew I'd want to share it with you.  It involves playing a game in which you must complete a task within ten moves, and one of the things I considered in the testing was whether I thought ten moves was a reasonable number of attempts.  In the process I got thinking about the old game "Name that tune," where the players would challenge each other back and forth like this: "Stan, I can name that tune in 7 notes." "Mary, I can name that tune in 6 notes." "Stan, I can name that tune in 4 notes." "Mary ... Name that tune!"  So my self-imposed challenge became to determine a way to solve the game in a minimum number of moves.  I thought about it a lot and was feeling pretty smug that could win it in 4 moves ... until my husband told me that he could solve it in 3. Good luck with:

The Taxicab Cache

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

The Case of the Missing GeoDrone - 7/31/16

Today's puzzle from western New York State landed in my in-box recently, and it gave me a grin (accompanied by just a hint of motion sickness).  See if you can help the poor CO who cried:

I Want My GeoDrone Back!!!

Tomorrow we'll be in North Carolina.

Read This First - 7/30/16

Today's California puzzle has some good tips for cache owners.  If you're planning on getting your cache published successfully:

Read this first

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

Where the Bones Are - 7/29/16

I've recently been getting well acquainted with something I hadn't spent any time with before, and in the process I had a vague memory that I had done a puzzle about that theme a while back.  So here it is, from California:

Where the Bones Are (KPC2013)

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

Keep Bit Short - 7/28/16

Today's puzzle takes us to California.  That's enough of an intro for today ... I'll just:

Keep Bit Short

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

That's Wacky - 7/27/16

Today's puzzle takes us to Pennsylvania, where you'll need to apply a little logic to complete a:

Wacky Word Search

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

Guardrail Specifics - 7/26/16

Before I started geocaching I never spent much time around guardrails ... of course now I feel quite well acquainted with them.  I was recently driving along a stretch of road where the guardrail was being replaced (I wondered if a cache had disappeared along with it) and it was interesting to observe the process.  All of the upright posts had been laid out along the side of the road, and you could tell they were going to go along and set each of them before putting in the "rail" parts.  It was kind of neat to see it in action.  Today's Tennessee puzzle will give you a little more insight into:

Guardrail Specifics

Tomorrow we'll be back in Pennsylvania.

Trislova - 7/25/16

Today's clever California puzzle is one I enjoyed a lot, both for the construction of the puzzle itself and for a creative log that had me grinning:

re: Curse of TRISLOVA

Tomorrow we'll be back in Tennessee.

Right on Cue - 7/24/16

Today's puzzle finds us in Tennessee again.  If it's midnight on the East Coast and I've done my homework properly, another puzzle of the day is popping up:

Right On Cue

Tomorrow we'll be in California.

A Note Worthy Puzzle - 7/23/16

When I saw today's Tennessee puzzle I thought:

That's Note Worthy

Tomorrow we'll be in Tennessee for another day.

Crazy Crossword - 7/22/16

Today we head to Pennsylvania for one:

Crazy Crossword

Tomorrow we'll be in Tennessee.

Always Busy, Often Broken - 7/21/16

Fortunately today's Rhode Island puzzle is not:

Always Busy, Often Broken

Tomorrow we'll be in Pennsylvania.

Give a Fig - 7/20/16

Today's puzzle takes us back to Australia, assuming that you:

Give a Fig

Tomorrow we'll be in Rhode Island.

Minnesota Road Trip - 7/19/16

When today's Minnesota puzzle landed in my in-box recently, I knew it was one I'd want to share with you.  Since my husband's family lives out there, several of the locations referenced in the puzzle have been destinations in our own:

Minnesota Road Trip

Tomorrow we'll be in Australia.

A Cad Can - 7/18/16

Today's puzzle takes us to Minnesota, where, in case you were wondering:

A Cad Can Daze Ice

Tomorrow we'll be in Minnesota for another day.

The Missing Link - 7/17/16

Today's puzzle is from Minnesota, and it has you looking for:

The Missing Link

Tomorrow we'll ...

11 Cheers - 7/16/16

The first time I did a puzzle like the one in today's Minnesota puzzle I made a total hash of it.  This one had me saying:

11 Cheers for Binary

Tomorrow we'll ...

Zounds! - 7/15/16

Today's post takes us to Australia and another puzzle I had fun testing pre-publication.  Be sure to read the in-theme logs pertaining to:

676 letters 97 characters 1 cipher

Tomorrow we'll ...

We Heart Geocaching - 7/14/16

Today's puzzle takes us to Rhode Island.  I think it sums up the way most of us feel:

We Heart Geocaching

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

Views From Orbit - 7/13/16

Today's puzzle finds us in Michigan again, where  I'm hoping my friends and I will be able to make the find on this cache while on our long layover there next month.  The solve was a joint effort ... I was lucky my friend did the hard part going through all the:

Views From Orbit

Tomorrow we'll be in Rhode Island.

Oh no! - 7/12/16

Today's puzzle finds us in Michigan.  In about a month I'm planning a trip with some fellow geocachers out west.  We worked very hard getting our flights arranged, and were dismayed when the airline dropped the mid-day flights to and from Ithaca.  They rebooked our flights and all our careful work went out the window ... we ended up with a particularly long layover in Detroit on the way home.  It's so long that we should have no trouble getting out of the airport and adding Michigan to our list of cached-in states.  That will be cool.  So I guess in the end our reaction ended up being:

00ooo00oh No ? Oh yes!! 

Tomorrow, another puzzle from Michigan. 

Like Father, Like Son - 7/11/16

I've featured several musical puzzles by the CO of today's Minnesota puzzle, but hadn't seen this one until it landed in my in-box this weekend.  It was fun seeing the next generation at work in:

Joseph Hidin(')'s Opus

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

Do not operate heavy machinery ... - 7/10/16

Today's Minnesota puzzle comes with a warning label:

May cause dizziness or drousiness

Tomorrow we'll ...

Terpsichorean - 7/9/16

Today's New York puzzle is one I found recently, and decided to share in honor of my daughter, who once upon a time was very enthusiastic about all things:

TERPSICHOREAN

Tomorrow we'll ...

Bacon ring - 7/8/16

The CO of today's puzzle is one whose puzzles never fail to introduce me to something new.  Before this I had never heard of (let alone seen) a:

Bacon ring

Tomorrow we'll be in New York.

Tanks a lot! - 7/7/16

Today's puzzle is from Minnesota.  I always enjoy it when people send me puzzles ... either their own, or ones they've come across and enjoyed.  I'd like to put out a special call for clever, fun puzzles that are relatively quick solves.  It helps me greatly to have a stable of those lined up in advance, and my queue has gotten down to almost nothing.  I hope you'll consider sending something my way.  I'd really appreciate it, and in advance I'll say:

Tanks a lot!

Tomorrow we'll be in California.

Shizukesa - 7/6/16

Today we travel to Australia for a bit of:

Shizukesa

Tomorrow we'll be in Minnesota.

Some translation required - 7/5/16

Today's puzzle takes us to Germany.  There's a little translation required, but that shouldn't stop you from checking out:

Kemnader See - In My Opinion

Tomorrow we'll ...

Independence Day - 7/4/16

Today we travel to Ohio for a puzzle in honor of the 4th of July, the United States':

Independence Day

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

CO Trickery - 7/3/16

Today's Minnesota puzzle provides a good lesson in:

Puzzling Basics- Keywords and C.O. trickery

Tomorrow we'll celebrate the 4th of July.

Dear John - 7/2/16

Today's puzzle takes us to Minnesota.  This one might be bad news, with a title like:

Dear John

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

Flower Garden - 7/1/16

As promised, the next in a California series I had fun testing pre-publication.  There's nothing like a little time spent in a nice:

Flower Garden (My Little Briones #2)

Tomorrow we'll ...

To the War Pigeon - 6/30/16

I recently came across today's tri-lingual puzzle from Belgium, and found the history and photographs quite interesting:

Oblītus Mīlitāris Cŏlumbus (Fr-Nl-En)

Tomorrow we'll be in California.

Read My Mind - 6/29/16

The CO of today's California puzzle beckons you:

Read My Mind: A Telepathic Puzzle Cache

Tomorrow we'll be in Belgium.

Village Vexation - 6/28/16

Today's puzzles in Wales invites you to:

Find the Village Vexation

Tomorrow we'll ...

NHL in OZ - 6/27/16

Today's puzzle landed in my inbox recently, and I agreed it would be a fun one to share with you.  One sport I never heard anything about growing up in the 1970's in Tennessee was ice hockey.   This was long before the NHL's southward expansion, and when I married a Minnesotan and first started getting exposed to it, I sort of assumed it took the place of NASCAR in the northern sports coverage.  When I noticed the location of this NHL geo-art series in Australia, I realized that the sport's popularity has indeed spread to the truly "deep south".   This particular entry is in honor of a team much closer to my home coordinates:

 NHL 🏆 New York Islanders

Tomorrow we'll ... 

Is that a ...? - 6/26/16

Today's puzzle takes us to Australia.  And,:

Yes it is a _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

 Tomorrow we'll ...

Fun with Math - 6/25/16

Today I'm traveling down to talk about puzzles at an event hosted by my friend CaptainMath.  In his honor it seemed appropriate to post this California puzzle, which involves some:

Fun With Digits + and -

Tomorrow we'll be in Australia.

1984 + 32 ... - 6/24/16

I love it when a puzzle teaches me something new, when a CO displays a lot of effort and skill in creating a puzzle, and when I have the opportunity to toss around ideas with someone else who is working on it at the same time.  My experience with today's Australian puzzle gets high marks in all three categories.  A 14-hour time difference doesn't lend itself to the most efficient collaboration, and the last time I consulted the source material was around the eponymous date itself, but I had a ton of fun sorting through the complexities of:

Gundah Ridge Library: 1984 + 7

Tomorrow we'll be in California.

Graduation Day! - 6/23/16

I have a double-helping for you today, one from Tennessee and one of mine here New York (assuming it gets published in time).   I recently put together a little puzzle in honor of:

My Teenage Son

to celebrate his high school graduation:

The End Is Here ... But It's Just The Beginning!

Tomorrow we'll be in Australia.

Around the (Digital) World for 2000 Days! - 6/22/16

If my math is correct, today's Tennessee puzzle marks 2000 straight days of the Geocaching Puzzle of the Day! We've visited all 50 states and countries all over the world, and I've really enjoyed hearing from so many puzzlers out there.  Suggestions are always appreciated!  There are always new puzzles to try and interesting new places to visit in:

A Digital World

Tomorrow we'll ...

A Cryptic Quilt - 6/21/16

I had said earlier this summer that I might try to make a quilt-based puzzle and/or a puzzle-based quilt.  I haven't done either one, but when I came across today's puzzle from Maine, which I've had in the solved pile for quite some time, I figured it would bring that thought back towards the front of my brain:

88 Piano Keys, Note C# (Cryptic Quilt)

Tomorrow we'll be in Tennessee.

Clockwise - 6/20/16

Today's puzzle takes us to Sweden.  For several months I've been looking forward to attending next weekend's Tri-State Treasures X down where PA, NY, and NJ all come together (aka "CaptainMathLand" around my house).  If you happen to be in that neck of the woods, there are a lot of fun geo-events planned all weekend long.  Although I've been down there many times, this is the first time I'm making it to their signature event, and I'm looking forward to seeing some old friends and making some new ones.  It's hard to believe we're more than half way through June already!  I don't know where the time goes, but I do know that it goes:

Clockwise

Tomorrow we'll be back in Tennessee.

A Round of Father's Day Golf - 6/19/16

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there!  I can't think of my own dad without thinking about golf.  I've told you before how much he has enjoyed playing, coaching, and watching the game over the years.  Today's puzzle is from the Golf geo-art series pictured below (which is located in Canada's province of New Brunswick).

I chose this one, in honor of one of the all-time greats:

 48 - Golf Series - Jack Nicklaus

and because I know that one year I gave my dad one of these as a gift:

Down the Hatch! - 6/18/16

Today's puzzle takes us to Ohio.  While our dogs were romping around in her fenced in yard recently, my neighbor introduced me to my new favorite cocktail.  It must be a close relative of a pina colada, as it consisted of pineapple juice and coconut rum over ice.  Yum.:

Down the Hatch!  

Tomorrow we'll celebrate Father's Day.

My Little Briones - 6/17/16

Today's California puzzle is one I had fun testing pre-publication.  I'll look forward to seeing what's up next in the series after:

4 Down (My Little Briones #1)

Tomorrow we'll be in ...

Slide into Position - 6/16/16

Today's Tennessee puzzle invites you to:

Slide into Position

Tomorrow we'll be in California.

StickLinks - 6/15/16

Today's puzzle takes us to Ohio.  I had fun solving this one with my niece and nephews as helpers.  They enjoyed it so much they proceeded to make their own versions for me and their brothers and sister. See if you get:

 Stuck on Tricky Conundrum StickLinks

Tomorrow we'll be back in Tennessee.

Thank goodness ... - 6/14/16

There's no doubt some puzzles can be really tough ... like pulling teeth, as the saying goes.  Others can be downright painful to solve.  Fortunately today's Tennessee puzzle is:

Easier than a Root Canal

Tomorrow we'll ...

Turncache - 6/13/16

Today's puzzle allows you to travel along with me to Tennessee, where I've been house-sitting for my sister and her husband.  Of course, along with the house are a fish, a dog, 3 cats, about 20 sheep and 5 children between the ages of 6 and 14, so there's a lot more activity than I'm used to at home.  In all honesty, the place runs like clockwork, so my main responsibility has been providing transportation.  The kids have always been interested in geocaching, and this puzzle is one that we worked on as a group and then went and made the find together:

Turncache 

Tomorrow I'll share another puzzle cache we found together.

697 ... - 6/12/16

Today's Georgia puzzle is:

697-8379 222-43

Tomorrow we'll ...

Dogs Playing What? - 6/11/16

I chose today's puzzle in honor of my husband, who celebrated a birthday earlier this week.   He loves games of all kinds and I should have known we were in it for the long haul when the marriage survived his teaching me to play bridge when we were newlyweds.  He is a serious player, a life master capable of playing many complicated bidding systems.  I am merely a social player, which is generally good enough for the rare occasions I have a chance to play. I am decent at playing the hands, but since I never can keep straight the exact parameters for the particular responses in the one system I'm supposed to know, my bidding is more intuitive than it should be.  When I started looking for a bridge puzzle and came across this one, I just had to take a look since I'd never heard of:

Dogs Playing Bridge

Tomorrow we'll be in ....

Knotty, or Nice? - 6/10/16

Several things crossed my mind that I might say in posting today's California puzzle ... but they all made me blush.  I guess I'm just not the type to be comfortable talking about:

A Knotty Cache

Tomorrow we'll be in ...