Puzzle Solving 101
Eric Peterson – eric@puzzlehead.org
Geocaching
Geocaching is a real-world, outdoor treasure hunting game using GPS-enabled devices.
“The sport where
YOU are the search
engine”
“I use multi-billiondollar military
navigation
satellites to find
Tupperware in the
woods.”
Lag Pins
What is a Puzzle Cache?
A geocache with a puzzle you have to solve for the coordinates
1.
Solve the sudoku puzzle
2.
Copy the numbers in the
colored squares in the
grid to the corresponding
squares at the bottom of
the page
3.
The result is the
coordinates of the
location of the geocache
OB Jets
aka “The Guy Who Doesn’t Like Puzzle Caches”
His question which
triggered the genesis of
Puzzle Solving 101:
“Where
the heck
do you
start?”
Puzzle Solving 101 Series of Geocaches
Located throughout
Broward County, Florida
Each cache in the series
teaches a different
puzzle-solving lesson
The lessons encompass
all of the major types of
puzzles used in
geocaches
Puzzle-Solving Topics
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Strategy
Tactics
Trivia Challenges
Wordplay
Mathematics
Logic Problems
Cryptography
Steganography
Lateral Thinking
Lateral Thinking Problem
• Draw
four
straight lines,
without lifting
your pencil,
which cross all
of the dots
Lateral Thinking Problem
• Draw
four
straight lines,
without lifting
your pencil,
which cross all
of the dots
Puzzle Solving 101 #1 – Strategy
Exercise 1: No Wining
Oliver and Mae are hosting a picnic for their friends. Oliver prefers wines from as far
north as possible, while Mae likes wines that come from the westernmost vineyards.
Oliver and Mae each chose a red, white, and sparkling wine to bring to the picnic.
Based upon their choices, can you determine where the picnic will be held?
Red Wines
White Wines
Hobart Muddy, 1986
Sparkling Wines
Yukon Gold, 2004
Tortoise & Albatross (Galapagos), 1835
$23
Acqua del Piatto Merlot (Sonoma), 2003
$80
Starboard, Batch 11 (Napa), 2001
$5
Conch Republic Chardonnay, 1982
Stolichniya Shampanskoye (Murmansk)
$38
English Breakfast Chenin Blank, 2007
$17
Nobel (Stockholm), 1968
Mocha Java Zinfandel (Madag.), 2005
$42
$258
Don Ho Ukelele Brut (Hilo), 1966
$17
Gewurtzraminer Crème (Bavaria), 1979
$26
$173
$21
Samoan Sailor Sauvignon Blanc, 1991
$16
$948
Perth Pink, 1972
$289
Spasmi Dolorosi del Rene Champagne
(Argentina), 2003
$3
Puzzle Solving 101 #1 – Strategy
N 26o 5.258’ W 80o 16.948’
Exercise 1: No Wining
Oliver and Mae are hosting a picnic for their friends. Oliver prefers wines from as far
north as possible, while Mae likes wines that come from the westernmost vineyards.
Oliver and Mae each chose a red, white, and sparkling wine to bring to the picnic.
Based upon their choices, can you determine where the picnic will be held?
Red Wines
White Wines
Hobart Muddy, 1986
Sparkling Wines
Yukon Gold, 2004
Tortoise & Albatross (Galapagos), 1835
$23
Acqua del Piatto Merlot (Sonoma), 2003
$80
Starboard, Batch 11 (Napa), 2001
$5
Conch Republic Chardonnay, 1982
Stolichniya Shampanskoye (Murmansk)
$38
English Breakfast Chenin Blank, 2007
$17
Nobel (Stockholm), 1968
Mocha Java Zinfandel (Madag.), 2005
$42
$258
Don Ho Ukelele Brut (Hilo), 1966
$17
Gewurtzraminer Crème (Bavaria), 1979
$26
$173
$21
Samoan Sailor Sauvignon Blanc, 1991
$16
$948
Perth Pink, 1972
$289
Spasmi Dolorosi del Rene Champagne
(Argentina), 2003
$3
A Real-World Example
A Real-World Example
See how the red/white pattern differs from the other lanes?
A Real-World Example
Red Herring – Hidden message in Morse Code!
S
O
R R Y
A Real-World Example
There’s a hint in this image to the solution of the puzzle …
The Puzzle Should Match the Location
Pool Balls = Billiard Balls = N 26 35.320 W 80 05.706
26
0 5
3 2 0
3 5
8 0
7
0
6
Your PS101 Diploma
This Certificate certifiably certifies that
_______________________________
has completed the requirements of the
Puzzle Solving 101 Series
and thus having shown proficiency,
determination, and outright insanity
is hereby awarded the title of
Puzzle-Headed Weenie
Series Geocaches
GCYXZ1–GCYXZ9, GCYXN0
_________________
ePeterso2, PS101 Series Creator
skiplondon
Puzzle Solving 101 Finalist
lorriebird
Puzzle Solving 101 Finalist
antimony13
Puzzle Solving 101 Finalist
First-to-Find the PS101 Final Exam
lorriebird AND antimony13
First to Get onto the Dean’s List
skiplondon
DEAN’S LIST RULES:
1st RULE: You do not talk about DEAN’S LIST.
2nd RULE: You DO NOT talk about DEAN’S LIST.
PS101 Goes Viral
•
•
•
•
4/17/2009
• WINSLMA creates a copy of
PS101 in Charlotte NC
5/20/2009
• PS101 Mentioned on the
Podcacher Podcast
2/20/2010
• Interviewed on the Cache-AManiacs podcast
5/20/2011
• PS101 is named Geocaching
Puzzle of the Day
WINSLMA
Remote Solver Travel Bug
•
A Travel Bug is a trackable item
•
•
•
Solve the 9 PS101 puzzles plus
the first 6 puzzles of the Final
Exam
•
•
•
•
•
•
Compute and enter the
confirmation code
•
•
•
•
•
Receive the tracking code that
allows you to log a find on the
Remote Solver Travel Bug
•
•
Florida
New Hampsire
New York
Michigan
Texas
Ohio
Kentucky
Wisconsin
North Carolina
California
Idaho
Oregon
Washington
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Canada
Israel
Bulgaria
Scotland
Britain
Japan
Australia
The Puzzle Solving Education Network
Copies of PS101 and caches inspired by PS101 around the world
Dorking, UK
Bratislavský kraj,
Slovakia
Victoria, BC
Redmond, WA
Bend, OR
Red Bluff, CA
Fresno, CA
San Diego, CA
Lansing, MI
Kingston, ON
Charlotte, NC
Toledo, OH
Princeton, NJ
Middleton, NS
PS101
Okinawa,
Japan
Feedback
•
“I have learned SO much from doing them. Thank you, thank
you, thank you.”
•
“Thanks for everything you went through to make this
wonderful experience for all of us involved. I can’t wait to see
what you come up with next.”
FL Pirate
lorriebird
The Wench
•
“Wow, that was quite a series!! I only wish we
had started it sooner. ”
•
“There is only one word for this series,
BRILLANT!”
For More Information
Blog – puzzlehead.org
Email – eric@puzzlehead.org
PS101 – puzzlehead.org/ps101
or coord.info/GCYXN0
Thanks for being here today! -eP