Ruthless (Canterbury) Redcliffs, South Island, New Zealand
By Cydd on 26-Oct-08. Waypoint GC1HJ15

I have tried this one before sometime ago but didnt really get it. Today I had plenty of time to consider the info and look at some other helpful logs. I found the second seat no problem and using my gps worked out where I should roughly be. After studying the trees I final noticed something promising and on further investigation found the cache in good condition tuched way. TFTH

Wow. This one was a real head scratcher initially! Absolutely nobody else around, so I was able to go full cache mode without suspicion! Found the intended bench straight away, but still looked at all in the area to confirm it was the correct one. Definitely relied on some previous logs to figure it out, but overall, a very well put together puzzle! After 15 mins of rummaging, thought I was going crazy, or in the entirely wrong spot. Then read a log saying you can access it without trampling or entering the foliage. Found it tucked away safe and snug. TFTC! Kobe Kenobi, Darth Ollie. Took a joke, left something shiny

Although we did manage to find this cache, we felt there were a few ambiguities in the instructions, and as for the hint! We quickly found the plaque at the published coordinates, and didn't take too long to find the second, rather random, location. Our interpretation of half of that number was to divide it by 2, until we came across trifolia argentea's log which put us on the right track. The next question was whether we should project from the published coordinates, or from where we found the number. We tried the latter first, and thanks to Mrs W.E.K.A.'s knowing what a Cornish Palm was, the cache was then a quick find. TFTC

I was about to give up as my phone battery was 14% and the sun is going down.
I even got back to my car- decided to have a good read of the activity log (should have done that sooner ) and "aha" a certain, more recent log made sense.
Off I went for a last look and Yay!!!!
Cache found safe and sound
It IS all there in the description.

It was a lovely evening out here in the reserve and I got in plenty of walking (round in circles) so I can't be mad about it
Logging this back at the car (again) with now 10% battery but feeling pleased with my persistence.

I believe the hint is an attempt to avoid confusion?

Thanks for the challenging, yet cleverly simple puzzle- certainly a good one to use towards the November spelling cache

Took us a while, after finding the right bench it was easy from there on.

16:32
FITW ObnoxiosSpaceCat

Had been at the bench before. But no idea what to do, where to go, what to look for next. So it was just sitting there in the "someday" pile.
Revisited the location today, and decided to have an extended look. Can't really say much else without spoiling, but this is actually a real cool field puzzle, with several subtle hints to put together! Definitely an oldschool type of a mystery.
Favorite point earned from me!

Kia ora! Paldies!
TFTC, Cydd! +Fav
#9102

Found with ivss_xx. We found the correct benches then just sorta brute-forced it from there. After a bit of Kentucky windage and following the description, we eventually found it. Didn’t take too long.

We actually solved and found this cache in early May 2020 on a lockdown walk. But we decided not to sign until we were out of lockdown and today we were finally back in the area to sign the log and the cache is safe and sound exactly where we first found it nearly 2 years ago! We really enjoyed the field puzzle here. The description and hints were very clever leading us quickly to the cache which was in the first place we looked. TFTC, second lonely cache we've found today!

Down from Northland for a one week trip to Christchurch to pick up some solved puzzles, challenges, unusual cache types, Jasmer grid fillers, as well as a few others in passing.

Time for a few around the Sumner area this morning. Thought I had worked out where the final should be, but no luck there, nor in a couple of other options I tried, just in case. THx anyway.

After an hour of searching just about every combination of numbers from benches and ground zero we gave up. Would love be a hint on this one as we found it to be very ambiguous and the description could be interpreted in a few ways. (Metres to ground zero? Did you mean metres from ground zero?) Would love a hint.

We had a fun day out. Busypaws organized the group of 9 to meet. A lot of us in our group hadn't found this. It was a great day out. Thanks Cydd for creating this hide. It was find 8859 for me.

======== NZ Mega 2021 ========
Planning for the NZ Mega 2021 event is well underway. It will be held in Auckland over Labour Weekend, October 2021

A fun day out for small group of cachers organised by busy paws. We have learn't what a Cornish Palm is and how to project co ords in a certain direction. Mrs C was the lucky finder of this cache much to everyones joy. Thanks for the fun puzzle and the cache Cydd.

Once before I made a half hearted effort to find this but today a bunch of us had a go and found it with no trouble. May even have convinced a muggle mum to join our game. Thanks for the puzzle and cache!
#5917

Ha! at last a smiley.! The joint brains of the group of wonderful cachers, gave us the hide. Mrs Coconuts3 came up with those magic words!! Very happy to sign this one off. Clever puzzle.

Continuing with group caching - after the nearby Dead Man, we moved to this spot and solved the field puzzle.
Thank you for this cache, Cydd. I hope that things are going OK over in Queensland.

A joint effort on a great afternoon of caching. We chatted to a muggle who had tried geocaching once with no luck.

This was our third visit. On previous occasions we had missed the bench we were supposed to find. There are plenty of others more easily spotted than the one with the number, leading us to have mistakenly looked at other nearby numbers on previous occasions. This time, having found what is obviously the correct bench and having carefully read all past logs, we knew that there would be a choice about which half of the number to take. We took the closer option first but when that turned up nothing we went for the further option, found a suitable "Cornish palm". And there it was. Phew! We're elated to have finally knocked that one off. TFTC!

I was not giving myself much hope for this one, but surprisingly enough I found it! Initially I thought someone visited a couple of days ago, but nope MrDan was here 22/5/2018!! (must be behind in logging )TFTC!!

Second visit and none the wiser. Will give up,

Another one off the solved list. Struggled with the preamble for this puzzle a handful of times, ages ago. Even ended up as far away as southshore... that was a bit of a muck up. Found it within a few minutes of being at the proper GZ this afternoon. Like the last log says, no idea what the hint is all about, but the first line of the description is spot on. Glad to have it ticked off. GLB1721 TFTC (4410)

Woohoo - so pleased to be able to claim a smiley on this one. I have logged a previous DNF but I could actually have logged about three here for separate occasions when I have searched! Today I really wanted to find it, and ignored the hint and maths equation and just followed the description. I still have no idea what the hint meant, but the first sentence in the description was the ultimate help for me. Good luck to you others, this definitely is a difficult cache to figure out...

No idea what the hint is referring to and having trouble with the numbers game. I had a couple of theories, but they didn't work out. My muggle hubbie (who is great at finding caches for me) had a hunt around for quite a while but no luck for us today. Will try again on another trip down south...

No luck

The final was well hid but trusted my caching instincts! Tftc and puzzle

Got in a real pickle with this one numbers wise so just read through the description again and went with gut instinct. The cache was in the second place I looked. TFTC.

My first mystery find. Jess.daphne and I spent some quali-ti time searching for this one. TFTC!

A bit of confusion with numbers, looking through the activity set us right. Tftc!

We called in to McCormacks Bay Reserve this afternoon to tackle this field puzzle. Arrived at the waypoint, pondered the information gathered, then we were off to GZ. Found the cache after a brief search. Thanks.

I did it! I searched for this years ago, got half way and failed.. today I figured it out, and once I did it was an easy find, so confirming my calculations TFTC

Nice day for the kids to run around in search of numbers. Found some toitoi for kite making too. Great spot.

Haven't been out this way for a while but since there were some new trads, thought I would include this puzzle into the itinerary. Found the first bench OK and as it proved, the second, but could not get the numbers to work. Too much friction in that fraction! So, went back another day and did a good scout round the area with geomutt but could not find anything to improve on that which I already knew. The second WP was certainly consistent with the title. Contacted CO who quickly gave me the light bulb moment as he suggested there is more than one way to skin a fraction. Suitably enlightened and with some confirmation from Bald Ed, off I pedal on the velocipede and the booty is in hand and all is well there.Simply devious and a great field puzzle.

Found with Sonia26642

10/01/2015 01:41PM
# 5461
Such a boiling hot summers day!! So a trip to Sumner was in store. Hung out there, bathed in the water and the sun, hung out, and then went to run some errands on the way home, including a cache! - This was my most eastern on this side of the port hills unfound unknown cache, and I'm currently trying to find a streak of those, so we went for this to try our luck.

Found the bench, but we weren't sure what exactly we were looking from from there! Thought that this wasn't gonna work, but ended up finding something that fitted the cache - we had to be close now!! So had a search around, and sure enough, we were totally rewarded with a cache find!! Wa Hoo!!

Looks like this one isn't found very often though! - Last 9 months ago! Go us!

Consec caching day # 797

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For more info on the next NZ mega event, and to register, go to:
coord.info/gc587bc or www.nzmega2015.com

I Found the required seat and a plaque there, found a similar plaque with numbers, but had no idea what "metres ENE to GZ" was supposed to mean. ENE might be East north east but that put me i the estuary.
No idea what GZ is tho

Started this one ages ago, and lost all info. Restarted today and had a false start with the projection, and was on the way home when I had the Aha moment. Was only just across the causeway so a quick U turn and back to the start. Was in the first place I looked. Glad to get this one A fav from me. Thanks for the hide.

Finally. After some very long walks two weeks ago (which we thoroughly enjoyed) this time we found the cache after the walk. TFTC

[Still looking after 3 years. Is it still there? Should there not be some information as to what sort of thing to be looking for?]

That was two days ago, this is today - you just have to believe, it is there, although you don't have to go quite as far as "the number" suggests

This entry was edited by Torlesse on Sunday, 22 September 2013 at 07:34:33 UTC.

Spent a while on this one but got it in the end. Lovely sunny day and tide out. Mother's Day and roast is on so off for another one. Good puzzle that didn't have to be worked out at home. TFTC.

This entry was edited by spooky_possum on Sunday, 12 May 2013 at 07:00:18 UTC.

Took a bit of fossicking around and re-reading the description and it was soon in hand. Delightful views of the southern alps. Thanks.

After a while the kids worked this one out and the very quickly had cache in hand, plus we grabbed the trackable , will move it on soon. Thanks

This one tested us for a bit but in the end the cleverest member of our group figured out the tricks AND found the cache. Left a TB traveling from the US. Although not terribly unique, we did spot a female mallard and her six ducklings cross McCormacks Bay Road. Straight out of "Make Way for Ducklings"! TFTC.

This entry was edited by grovduck on Monday, 24 December 2012 at 20:19:47 UTC.

Log to come.

Woo hoo, talk about a good puzzle. Took me failing to find the first time to the 'aha' when I got home and thought 'doh'. The girls and I went for a wee mission to grab a couple of caches to give Mum a break. Found the wee cache quickly and had a chuckle. It pays to read the instructions. It's all there!!! Great job. TFTH and puzzle. Smoke and mirrors...
#409

Try again another day it's too cold to stay at it

Back over here 6 months after my last attempt.
Must have had a muggles look last time, as today I put my hands on in within a minute.
I remember reading a story about a couple of girls who where playing pirates - one had changed her name during the activity because pirates are Ruthless - her name was Ruth.
Thanks for the seemingly simple puzzle.

Edited as defaulted to yesterday

Dropped mother off to Stroke Club and decided it was too good an opportunity to try and get this one having had a look at it months ago without success. Today was a different story and without the use of my gps (forgot to load files) found it using a good old Silva compass! It is simple if you don't over think it, really it is people. Some wildlife around but not close as it was low tide. Thanks for a head banging against a brick wall cache - Kiwicampnut

Nice night time.-Grab.-Bitsprayer

With some enlightenment from Drawp on how to use the numbers the log was happily signed.
Thanks
erninz

It took a fair while for my partner and I to sort the clue and what a cornish palm was, but google images on the phone soon sorted that! nice cryptic cache.

What a fantastic sunny day - perfect for a family adventure. Pretty hot but that didn't stop us having a wander around. Plaques quickly found and after a moments thinking cache was soon to hand. Nice one. Great spot with awesome views. Tide was out & wee dudes enjoyed throwing stones and making them go 'plop' in the mud....

YAY one year and one month after a DNF log I can finally tick this one off, #100 TFTC

Not too difficult. Not too easy. We enjoyed a wee walk through the field and area. Thanks.

Quick find with Mporokosa on our way back to town from Sumner. Nothing wrong with a bit of creative maths!

Found the required seat and a plaque there, found a similar plaque with numbers, but projection put me in the middle of the estuary. Scouted around to see if there were more, but not that I could see.
Another time
...
tried again before picking up daughter from the Popup Picnic later that day - my creative maths put me in a more realistic place, but still no luck, then had to move on for that pickup.
(25/1 - glad it's there ... it's on my try-again list )

This entry was edited by Ruru_nz on Tuesday, 24 January 2012 at 20:44:40 UTC.

Found a name, didnt get much further. Next time........

Finally nailed this one. Been here a couple of times the first to search in the wrong place and the second visit when cache was missing. TFTC

Started this a couple of days ago. Tried various numbers without success, but wasn't certain of what a Cornish Palm was. Did some research and returned with more confidence today. Cache easily found cms from where I had had a half-hearted look previously! Took "Jorg the Alien" TB. TFTC and puzzle.

TFTC. Initally I wondered what the puzzle in this cache was. Now I know. Thanks for the fun. My husband is called the Cornish Tin Miner - he felt like a giant of a man standing next to the Cornish Palms!
Left TB.

Back up and running. The road across the causeway is something at present.

Cache has been muggled and GZ trampled. Will leave for a couple of weeks .

Had a look for this cache and was very confused! After going home for lunch and a re-think about the number and a bit of research into Cornish Palm's I thought I had it figured out, nevertheless where I thought the cache should be there was nothing to be found! Will have to think harder and come back and search another day!

Too Ruthless… Found the elusive numbers, but couldn’t compute a viable solution, will need a rethink.

Labcal7's log caused me to research cornish palms and with that new knowledge I found the cache almost instantly. Not sure why is eluded me previously. TFTC, TNLN.

Aha, so thats what a cornish palm looks like, quick find, TFTC.

All good.

Might as well log a DNF after three visits and still not found in spite of (probably!) having sorted out the instructions/clue and reading previous logs etc. Not sure what I am looking for which doesn't help. Hmmm.

A DNF today. Lots of head scratching. First we thought the seat we were looking for was the recently painted one without a plaque but no there was another that fitted the bill. Then was GZ the first or the second seat and what about half the number lots of options there.
Finally we found a place we thought yeah this is it. Dismayed at the damage to said shrub but no cache. At home I now spot something I missed before so maybe we should have been looking over there not here.

I FOUND IT! At last!
I have spent along time looking for this cache (two times I think) and I finally found it. Really cool clues and location.
TFTC
-Zcraxx

The etymological math trick revealed itself to me on the second pass. After that it was just a question of picking the most trampled area to recover the cache. TFTC.

After careful reading of the previous logs we went out with our wits about us and managed to get it first try but after a bit of head scratching.
Thanks for the puzzle, saw lots of ducks and seagulls and some oystercatchers in the estuary.

Found it on our second attempt. Missed a vital clue last time we were here 2 days ago, and inspiration hit us when we got home.
Went straight to the cache today. Pity about all the vegetation geo-flattened around it. It is possible to locate it without trampling all over the plants.
TFTC

DNF
No one at home [xx(]

DNF
CLUELESS AND CACHELESS .

Managed to work out the puzzle on our 2nd visit. Its so easy once you have found it. Saw a Pied Stilt on the waters edge and lots of bees near the cache. TFTC

At first we suffered the same 'confusion' that others have with this one, and as we weren't prepared for a swim, Annie suggested moving on to other caches until inspiration came to us. However we hadn't even made it back to the cachemobile before PB declared he had an idea, so a quick dash back to WP2 was made. The calculations were recalculated and then a short jaunt to collect the cache was made!!
The tide was almost completely out, but the only bird life to report was some seagulls and a grey heron.
Thanks for a good little brainteaser and a lesson about the 'cornish palm.'
TNLN TFTC

Came across the 2nd waypoint first and luckily i had bumped into the owner of this cache while he was looking for one of my caches (Brittyville) last week...the clue became more obvious, thanks cydd. TNLNSL TFTC

Like lots of others I went for the obvious. I thought I would need my kayak to get to GZ. Then my brain clicked after I got home. The second time it was an easy find. TFTC!

Finally! Gave up the first time I was here (MANY moons ago). This time I tried something different and got a significantly different answer - there it was! A very easy find in the end.
TFTC

Second time lucky. I was half way home after the first attempt and had one of those Doh moments when I realised what I did wrong. Returned to The plaque and recalculated and yay got the cache. TFTC

I intended to check the cache and muggled a cachers musing over the puzzle. All good and they found it.

This was almost a "DNF today, will check coords & strategy to come back another day" BUT first time we have been de-muggled by the owner of the cache. I learnt a lot of things today - eg a Cornish palm, maths with a twist, & it's so much nicer to find the cache owner who can set you right without endless emails! We were certainly headed in the wrong direction on all accounts for sure! Great one Cydd! Thanks. Left Goudacat g/coin

Looked like we were going to end up out in the estuary with our co-ordinates! Then a light bulb moment struck and we found the cache easily. It was fun and reminded us to sometimes think out of the square...TFTC

A familiar spot near here I remember from caches past. The second plaque was easy find but the maths took a little longer to figure out. A bit of head scratching and reading past logs and it was soon figured out as to where I was meant to be. Nice puzzle. TNLN Thanks.

That was fun. TFTC.

Great spot passing by

#759 (1/3 on a chilly afternoon). Second visit here. Found a second plaque with a number on it on the first visit, but the number was rather large, and put the cache out in the estuary. Did no better second time round. However, Troodles spotted a cornish palm and soon had cache in hand.

Found with StreetWalkerNZ.
As he mentioned, in the first visit did the Maths as interpreted then and needed to go home to ponder. We wondered if the cache name hinted we had the wrong plaque. We were also unsure if the offset was from the published co-ords or the second plaque (can confirm the second plaque).
Luckily found on second visit. TFTC.

At last! 3rd visit to the area. The first lot of calculations seemed not to make a lot of sense so it was off back home to my abacus. The 2nd visit was thwarted by muggles who just wouldn't leave the area - well, their patience was greater than mine. Finally, today I noticed that there were no muggles at GZ so it was a quick in and out visit. Thanks for the cache.

Found on 2nd try, as part of my DNF's listed in One-Fang's DNF Event.
Glad to be able to tick this one off.
There were no swaps in the cache since it was quite small, so I left a tiny plastic crab.
TFTC

Found it quickly after re interpreting the clue. I remember the first person on the plaque. He was a rather special person, a teacher and supporter of the estuary/Sumner area.TNLN. Thank you

7.50am. Struggled with this yesterday and after some thought came back this morning for a find. Hint didn't help! Took the T.B..
Thank you. David.

Found the number, halved it, paced it on ENE bearing and found nothing. May have come back with fresh set of eyes and clear mind.

Able to revisit today, 3rd time. Closer inspection of a likely area turned up trumps.

TFTC

Logging as a note rather than a DNF, because the intention is still to finish it later. However, got misled by the clue and have, upon reading logs, now come to realise what the mistake probably was. Will have to revisit some other day now though, as home and safe on the other side of town.

Also writing a note, will go back to this one.
I checked what we thought the final co-ordinates for cache was on Google Maps. It would have had us swimming into the middle of the estuary LOL.

Needless to say, there is always another day .

We were much the same as those who have gone before. Logic prevailed and all was completed inside 5 minutes. TFTC.

The puzzle was unfortunately wasted on me, as I'd had a huge hint from the owner. I think I dropped a TB here. Please let me know if I didn't really. Cheers.

After some debate and walking around in circles, we finally got it.

Then as we were filling in log we met the Ridders.

TFTC

No chance of finding this cache as another cacher was already there filling in the log book.Neat little puzzle.

Alright, I'll admit it. I was way out on my first go, because I took a certain meaning from a certain word, and looked like wading out into the middle of the Estuary. Luckily there is no need to do that. Whether the trick that fooled me was intentional or not - I like it!!
Today it was an easy find. Many thanks Cydd for your succinct advice, and cheers from Grandalf(1456)