GC38Q37 - Cheezehead's Compass Cipher

GC38Q37 - Cheezehead's Compass Cipher

By:  Hayward Cheezehead

1.  Here is the puzzle.

Posted Coordinates: N 46° 05.402 W 091° 23.026

Geocache Description:

*** THE CACHE IS NOT AT THE POSTED COORDINATES *** 

3FS2 6BE3 4CN3 6FW5 2BN1 1AS3 6BN3 4CE2

NORTH

1ES3 2FW1 3DW3 1fW3 1AE1 4BN2 2AS1 3FW1



4EE1 2BN1 4DW3 2DW2 3AE1 1ES1 5AW5 6FW4

EAST

4AE5 6BN4 1FW4 1FS3 2AE4 4FW4 6EN2 4AE5


2FW1 1BS3 2ES2 4FN0 5EN3 2BS2 4AE4 1ES2

 6EN4 3AW0 3FW1 5AN2 5BS0 2ES3 6BN3 3AW0

WEST

1FW3 1ES1 4CN3 4FW1 1DW2 1BE1 5EN1 2AS1


5EW3 6BN5 6CN4 3AE1 4FW1 4CW1 2ES2 4CN3 6FW4

SOUTH

1ES3 2AE1 1FW4 4BN1 2ES2 5BN1 4EE0 1BE1

Like to cache in northern Wisconsin? We do!

This cache placed by a PROUD member of U.N.G.A.

Additional Hints (No hints available.)

Related Web Page



2.  Solve the puzzle.

The first thing to notice is that the 4 cardinal directions - North, South, East, and West - appear on the page in small, yellow, hard-to-read font.  I have enlarged and highlighted the yellow font, so it is easier to read.

The second observation is that for the letter pairs in the cipher groups, the first letter is always A, B, C, D, E, or F; and the second letter is always N, S, E, or W (north, south, east, or west).

The third, critically important, observation was made by the Amazing Purple Turtlez!  LOL There is a grid (the key to the puzzle actually) hidden in plain sight on the cache page near D/T with the following link:

Related Web Page

Puzzle Key

Use the key to solve the puzzle, as follows:

3FS2 6BE3 4CN3 6FW5 2BN1 1AS3 6BN3 4CE2

Find 3F, which is G; then go South 2 characters to get C.

Find 6B, which is Z; then go East 3 characters to get A.

Find 4C, which is 4; then go North 3 characters to get N.

And so on...

Now lets solve the puzzle!

3FS2 = C

6BE3 = A

4CN3 = N

6FW5 = Y

2BN1 = O

1AS3 = U

6BN3 = S

4CE2 = E
1ES3 = E

2FW1 = I

3DW3 = T

1FW3 = N

1AE1 = O

4BN2 = R

2AS1 = T

3FW1 = H

4EE1 = F

2BN1 = O

4DW3 = U

2DW2 = R

3AE1 = S

1ES1 = I

5AW5 = X  (This should be 5AW0)

6FW4 = Z
4AE5 = E  (This should be 4AE4)

6BN4 = R

1FW4 = O

1FS3 = F

2AE4 = I

4FW4 = V

6EN2 = E

4AE5 = F
2FW1 = I
1BS3 = V
2ES2 = E

4FN0 = F
5EN3 = I
2BS2 = V
4AE4 = E

1ES2 = E  (This should be 1ES3)
6EN4 = I
3AW0 = G  (This should be 3AE5)
3FW1 = H
5AN2 = T

5BS0 = W
2ES3 = E  (This should be 2ES2)
6BN3 = S
3AW0 = T

1FW3 = N
1ES1 = I
4CN3 = N
4FW1 = E

1DW2 = O
1BE1 = N
5EN1 = E

2AS1 = T
5EW3 = W
6BN5 = O

6CN4 = 0 (ZERO)

3AE1 = S
4FW1 = E
4CW1 = V
2ES2 = E
4CN3 = N

6FW4 = Z
1ES3 = E
2AE1 = R
1FW4 = O

4BN1 = S
2ES2 = E
5BN1 = V
4EE0 = E
1BE1 = N


3.  Put together the Solved Coordinates.

Solved Coordinates:

   N 46 05.558, W 91 20.707   

4.  Verify the Solved Coordinates.

Use GeoCheck to verify the solved coordinates.

GeoCheck - solved coordinates