When do you generally decrypt the clue?

Rabbitto · Post by **Rabbitto** » 25 February 05 4:10 pm

We were talking to Pprass the other night when this subject came up and we thought it may make an interesting Friday Arvo Topic.

Hounddog · Post by **Hounddog** » 25 February 05 4:30 pm

I refuse to answer this question on the grounds that it may incriminate me.

Papa Bear_Left · Post by **Papa Bear_Left** » 25 February 05 5:57 pm

Depends on the circumstances, too.

A cache that's just around the corner (and that we're not attempting to be FTF on!) might be worth a second attempt before using the clue.

If we're a long way from home, or at the top of a bloody big hill or bloody long track, then the ROT13 is certainly deployed before we give up completely!

Horus · Post by **Horus** » 25 February 05 6:00 pm

Not until I've had a really good search. . . . to the point of complete frustration!

The clue to me is the second to last resort - the last resort is phoning the placer and telling him/her they are complete bastards and shouldn't be allowed to operate complicated electronic equipment ever again - but sometimes that happens before I read the clue, in an often vain attempt to relieve said frustration.

Post by **caughtatwork** » 25 February 05 6:56 pm

I voted Not until I've had a really good search, but in reality they're decrypted before we leave home.

I GSAK and Plucker the cache descriptions (I go paperless), so technically they're decrypted before I leave home, but I don't use them until I'm frustrated.

What I really hate are hints that are there but are essentially useless.

If I know there is a hint then I feel comfortable spending more time looking knowing that there's a good chance the hint will help me after complete frustration has set in.

What I hate are hints like:
Too Easy
You don't need a hint.
Over there.

If you think it's so easy, then why did you include a hint that says you don't need a hint. If I'm looking at the hint, it's because I need a fricken' hint.

Sometimes your GPSr and mine don't always line up the same and saying it's too easy when there is a discrepancy of 20 meters from the cache location and the co-ords means I need to use the fricken' hint so if you're going to include one, make it useful.

Make it cryptic, that's fine. I'm there. I'll try and work out the crytic hint from what I can see near GZ. Don't say over there. Where the flock is there, apart from not here and I know it's not here 'cos I've looked but I don't know where there is.

I needed that

The Garner Family · Post by **The Garner Family** » 25 February 05 8:01 pm

caughtatwork... you really need to just relax.

Post by **caughtatwork** » 25 February 05 8:07 pm

I feel better now.

Bronze · Post by **Bronze** » 25 February 05 8:24 pm

After 20 minutes searching.

If I'm more than 1/2 an hours drive from home I will s arch for an hour and ring somebody if I have someone to ring or simply return at a later date.

Often I have returned to a site and found it within 5 minutes.

The Bronze.
"Ok - so what's the speed of dark?"

muzza · Post by **muzza** » 25 February 05 8:42 pm

I've heard of some cachers who always decrypt the clue before going out, then, when logging the cache, say "found it easily". Well, of course, if you use the clue.

I feel that the clue is a bit of a safety net, in case the GPS is leading you astray or you left your seeing eye dog at home.

I often decrypt the clue after finding the cache to see how helpful the clue is. Sometimes it's totally useless. Occasionally it will say something like "don't bring the geokids here because of ......". That's so senseless - essentially the cache owner is assuming that everyone decrypts the clue before the search.

I also feel that you should "own up" to using the clue - show it in your log so that you are not professing to have found it on your own. I guess this is just courtesy and recognition to the owner, just like recognizing help given by ringing others.

If I've placed a cache, especially when it involves a bit of effort to get to GZ, I prefer to leave an encrypted clue, just so finders don't go to a lot of trouble without finding the cache. Despite trying hard to get accurate co-ordinates, (sometimes involving many readings over several days), I don't profess to be able to always get it right. Also, knowing that others may have difficulty with satellites on the day, I like to ensure success as often as possible. And this idea is enforced when finders indicate their use of my clue.

xf king · Post by **xf king** » 25 February 05 8:43 pm

Usually not till I have a good search, the only time that I just do it before I head off or do it in the car is when im stuck for time or when the terrian level is very hard.

Mix · Post by **Mix** » 25 February 05 9:21 pm

On caches like these straight awayÃ‚â€¦

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_de ... ?wp=GCMHPG

Actually I never decrypt it, GSAK does! I just read it.

The Garner Family · Post by **The Garner Family** » 25 February 05 9:58 pm

I'll confess that if I remember I'll read the clue before leaving home. If you don't want me to use it... don't put it in there, I just can't resist.

But the main reason I do this is because of the kids... they just don't have the patience to dig around for an hour looking for something. For us as a family the adventure is getting out there and seeing new places, so the quicker we can find the actual cache the less tired the kids are and the happier we all are.

Richary · Post by **Richary** » 25 February 05 10:49 pm

I will admit to usually seeing it before I go, like others also run GSAK so it is available. But certainly memorise before any ones that are big hikes or whatever.

If I am doing a drive to find them I won't necessarily look at it unless I have got there and had no luck. Then back to the car to have another look at the hints/notes before having another try. It sometimes saves me.

Zytheran · Post by **Zytheran** » 25 February 05 10:49 pm

I decode the clues before print out but then to my annoyance usually leave the entire printout at home/in car/at work, including basic directions, cache size, new coordinates or if it's archived.

After not finding it and searching for half an hour I'll spend an hour driving home , find the printout, go D'Oh! and file into my bulging black folder of half competed caches for the next time I'm passing through the area for some unrelated reason.

My best attempt was an early one using only the coords loaded into the GPS, the cache was on an island in the River Murray,

hint would have helped although a small bit of intelligence would have been a good start. And then there's the webcam at Victor Harbour..another no-find.

So yeah, hints are really useful for some