Nasty Numbers Joondalup, Western Australia, Australia
By Ghfb on 14-Mar-13. Waypoint GC47N44

I cannot abide double standards

After finishing a very challenging puzzle we went to find the cache. Between the road works and the fact it hadn’t been accessed for a year we were stoked to find it safe and sound. Log signed, TFTC and the puzzle

I reckon "Nasty" is an understatement. Took a few goes spread out over more than a week, including a couple of different methods before this got nutted out. No one was happier than my wife, as I was spending too much time (in her opinion) on this.

One last wrinkle though; arrived at GZ and couldn't see any likely hiding spots. Quickly reread the description and realised that I hadn't adjusted the south coords. D'oh! Did the math and jumped across the road for what was - eventually - a quick find.

Wrestled about whether or not to award a fave (considering the number of cries of frustration involved), but decided this was definitely a memorable cache (I won't be forgetting it!) and therefore worthy.

TFTC Ghfb.

Out and about finding caches, late log reflecting to correct find date.

Out for a small run North of the River between the rain showers today, managed to make a good day of it despite losing a large amount of time due to the heavy rains.

I definitely did not save any trees working on this puzzle. Happy to finally sign my name tftc

Thanks to Pommieparkin2 for alerting me to an issue with the cache. Replaced with a smaller Systema, still at base if tree.

Out on a beautiful winters day with PP2 to collect some smilies, we contacted the CO who quickly went down and replaced the cache, with permission logging the find TFTC

I found that puzzle difficult but got there in the end. TFTC

It's a bit of a mud pit around GZ today but I was able to log a find on our drive back from a road trip north. Thanks for the cache. The puzzle I had solved some time ago but I so rarely travel this far from the CBD to have logged the find.

I've had this on my to solve list for some time now. What a diabolical puzzle. Finally had it competed a while back so as I was in the area I stopped off for a quick find at GZ. TFTC

Took a while with The-Shredder to solve it but we finally got through. Onsite we read the change of the coordinates too late and searched the wrong place. At the right place it was just a grab and log. TFTC Skyryser

Skyryser and I needed a whole weekend to solve this one. Today we finally had the chance to grab it. At GC we came up empty handed. But then we read through the description again and added the numbers to our final co-ord. Once we searched at the right spot, it was an easy find. Tftc The-Shredder

Loved the puzzle. Very logical. There is an easy way and a hard way to solve it. The way intended is the hard way. Solved quite a while ago but only found today. Puzzle gets a favourite from me. Thankyou - took path tag

Feeling so much satisfaction to find this cache after completing the puzzle! Was a quick find after we had the right coords. Cache is still in good condition - a bit of water got into the container but the ziplock bag kept the log safe. Thanks for the puzzle and the hide

Mystère décodée dans le cadre du Challenge: International Man of Mystery, Québec GC50D7C.

It has come to my attention that the hosting site for the pictures used in this geocache listing may not be working (paid subscription now required), I will endeavor to sort this out by moving the pictures by the coming weekend .

After logging a DNF for the cache a few weeks ago (in the original GZ), was glad to hear this had been re-hidden elsewhere. The puzzle also took me a long time to complete so Im glad to finally have my smiley. Found this one a couple of days ago and somehow forgot to log it. Saw the pen that Ullyssia had left in the grass, and dropped a TB in the cache. Great puzzle GHFB thank you.

Permanent cache placed.

Thank you! I am very happy to finally make the find, and have now visited GZ a total of four times. The first was a DNF year ago after solving the puzzle. I visited again a couple of months later after a previous finder told me where they had found it. Fast forward to this week when I received the notification the container was back in play. I admit I was a bit excited about finally being able to claim a find on a puzzle that at first glance you know is solvable and doesn't require any trickery except a lot of perseverance - it kept me busy for a long time! So I headed out to the adjusted GZ that evening with my flashlight, and signed the log.
Trouble was, by the time I got home I realised I was missing my favourite pen - it is nothing special, but I do like it. I could imagine it all alone in the dark at GZ. So before sunset the next evening, I headed out to GZ again, and found my pen safe and sound in the cache, most likely put there by the next finder. Thanks! So I took my pen and the TB the next finder had left.

After a thorough check of GZ I can now confirm the cache is lost. I have put out a temporary cache not too far away. Please see the note in red on the cache page to determine where you should now be looking.

Was so excited to have solved this puzzle....maybe I should have read the previous couple of comments first, but went to see if it was still there. Another years leaf litter didnt help and we came away empty handed.

This geocacher reported that this geocache should be archived. A community volunteer reviewer has been notified.

I need to find this cache, I have attempted after the previous DNF with no luck. The cache does need to be moved due to pending works in the area.

The archive request is somewhat premature

Was so excited to finally solve this last night, but that excitement turned to disappointment when I failed to find the cache. I note that it hasn't been found in a while, so I am not sure if it is buried under a year's worth of leaf litter, or if I just didn't look properly.

Well this puzzle, unlike many others I have looked at, was one that I actually knew how to solve. But that didn't make the journey of finding the correct co-ordinates any easier. I first worked my way through this puzzle (on a spreadsheet) over a couple months ago but after a lot of painstaking effort I realised I had made an error (or two) along the way and stuffed the whole thing up. I tried to back track but realised it was pointless so a few weeks later I had another crack at it but this time I left some markers along the way. It still took ages to solve and when I got to the end the co-ordinates were still wrong. But this time I didn't need to start again so finally with some more adjustments I eventually found the correct co-ordinates and went on the hunt today. When I arrived at GZ it was a fairly quick find and I was very happy to finally sign the log book on this one. A clever and complicated puzzle followed by a well hidden cache. Thanks GHFB.

Really enjoyed the puzzle! Had to go for a spreadsheet as the pen and paper approach wasn't going to work for me... Definitely a favorite, thank you for the cache Ghfb.

I had a couple of goes at this one before coming up with a strategy that got me the right numbers. Very nasty. I went and grab it straight away and left a trackable.
Thanks Ghfb.

Up in these northern reaches for a short time so took the opportunity to track down a few puzzle caches that had been sitting it the solved basket for ages.
This once certainly lived up to its name - almost went cross eyed when working it out with just a pencil and paper. There was probably a much easier route if only I knew how, but eventually got there, so most happy to be able to complete the mission today.
Thanks for the puzzle and the cache Ghfb.

OK - After solving this one a week ago, finally made it round to the other side of the lake to go and find it.

While it wasn't as hot this week as it was last weekend, the sun still had a bit of a bit to it as we walked down to the GZ. The mobile phone GPS was bouncing all over the place, but the Garmin really managed to home in on the cache and in no time the little hidey hole was discovered and the log was signed.

This was a rather tricky little puzzle to solve, but thankfully I had a good lecturer at university that laid it out plain and simple - The computer do the hard work, You do the thinking.

Didn't need the hint, though I think the hint would have saved me a little bit, though the additional time and effort means that I now have a generic solver that will help me solve (or make) puzzles like this in the future.

Thanks for the cache and some more evil ideas.

Woo Hoo... My toughest puzzle to date. And while I would like to think that I could have solved it with pure intellect, I have gone down the brute force route. As my lecturer at University of Queensland used to say - 'The computer do the hard work, you do the thinking'

So 20 minutes of writing and debugging and I have some coordinates in hand, followed by a 'CONGRATULATIONS' from the Geochecker.

Now all I have to do is find the time to go and grab the log!

This deserves a favourite point, even if I don't manage to find the cache.

My geo buddy did the solving I just joined her for moral support! Well done Bravocat wayy to nasty for me!

Solved this one over Christmas holidays but hadn't had an opportunity to retrieve the cache long time since finds but, there it was just under a bit more leaf litter than expected tftc and the puzzle, enjoyed the challenge

This entry was edited by BravoCat on Monday, 27 January 2014 at 04:14:57 UTC.

We were heading up to replenish our fruit and veg supply this morning so decided to make a small detour to grab this cache on the way. Not quite at our GZ but didn't take too long to find.
I took the puzzle with me to do on the flight to China last month but it was just too nasty. Started again when I got home and using a long methodical process came up with the required numbers. Very Nasty - but good fun .
Thanks for the puzzle and the very nicely put together cache Ghfb

wow! nasty numbers was an understatement. the cache was alot easier to find than working out those nasty numbers. mr crump enjoyed the challenge. tftc

I had fun solving this puzzle, although I did take a few wrong turns on the way, but I got there in the end. I'm looking forward to Nastier Numbers!!

I felt like I was driving around in circles to get to GZ, and once I was there the GPS wasn't quite sure where to point. Then I had some muggle activity, so that really limited my searching ability, but eventually I uncovered the sistema!!

Thanks for the puzzle and the cache Ghfb! It's a fave from me.

Maybe you should call the next one - A Nastier Ghfb!

No Nasty Numbers 2, but there is Nastier Numbers coming

"Nasty" ? I think you were being very conservative with your description there !!!

I can think of a few other choice alliterations that came to mind whilst I sweating over
this puzzle....!!!

Nebulous ? Negligent ? Noxious? Nonsensical ? Nauseating? to name just a few !!!!

Fortunately my good wife, who is generally pretty good with anything number related, came to my aid and would not give up until she had filled in the multiple gaps I had left.

This was truly a masterpiece of a puzzle, looked so easy when I started, I really don't think I could
make it through a Nasty Numbers 2, so please, NO MORE !!!

Cheers for a quite excellent and original puzzle and for making the cache a quick grab.

MM

Finally !!!!!

Solved this two weekends ago after an epic full day worth of solving in excel. The first attempt went BAAAAD when I was going all the way through the puzzle and then figured I had entered one number incorrectly. Just one. So I confer with richlink's sentiment but was very glad when I finally came up with the coordinates after some very careful multiple x processes of elimination.

At GZ, the task was much simpler and there were no muggles to contend with so I made an easy discovery and was back to the car within just a few minutes.

TFTC and the puzzle! Don't take the first half of my log as a complaint - this gets a favourite just for the puzzle.

Nasty numbers - f****** diabolical!!! I don't suffer from headaches but got a three day migraine from this effort. So thankful that with iluvtrekking we made a much easier find than the solving of the puzzle. (Thanks to FelixII for the Excel grid)

Tell me about it, I'm on my third ream of paper with this one, so many flamin' options, nearly there I think...

Maybe this mysterious "FELIX" excel sheet could be helping me????????

I think my caching buddy summed it up in her log. I provided the Panadol, icepacks and moral support, Felix provided a spreadsheet and Mrs richlink the patience. In the end we got there and are more than a little happy to cross this off our to do list. Thanks Ghfb... did I say thanks?

Quick find once the puzzle was solved
TFTC

Another excellent puzzle but give me big headache other way I am enjoyed [^] [^] Signed the log. Thanks Ghfb.

Having been alerted to a potential conflict in the top half of the grid and with maybe one other person coming up against it I am going to add a number hint to the cache listing.

Well this was teamwork all around to get to this one.

The notification for the release came through but we didn't pay it any attention as we have our hands full at home at the moment. But a GeoFriend sent a message saying this one was right up Mrs Felix alley. So a quick scan and print of the cache page then off to work she went.

Hmmm first effort was actually very close but didn't realise it. So after checking with the CO it was back to the drawing board which didn't yield the results we were hoping for. Another few hours this morning and finally some smiles as we had a workable Easting.

Hmmm by now the highlighters were getting a bit weary so I decided to use Excel (just for colouring in) Another few 100 goes and move this here and that there and finally the Geo Checker said yes. I then proceeded to finish the puzzle as I had some numbers that didnt fit but eventually that was sorted correctly too.

Mr Felix was then sent the information and ducked out to make the find. Didn't take him long at GZ. Picked up the TB.

Looking forward to meeting other cachers at the upcoming events - March, May & of course JULY!!

Thanks Ghfb for a tricky but MANAGEABLE puzzle!!

Mixed - horizontally left to right and vertically top to bottom. Not backwards and no diagonals.

So, just to be clear, the numbers to be crossed off can appear vertically from top to bottom, or horizontally from left to right? OR they can only appear from horizontally from left to right?

Published

Joint FTF@09:32pm with Chwiliwr. Two contrasting approaches to the puzzle...I knocked up some java code to do the number crunching programmatically, Chwiliwr used a pencil. Looks like the pencil is quicker as we had much less travelling time and arrived together! An enjoyable puzzle, thanks for it and the cache. Dropped off Kangaroo Jack TB to start his travels.

Joint find with olthomas. Gwiber and I had worked out the bottom half quite easily but the top half was proving a problem but we identified the relevant numbers anyway so headed north with what we had but I, unfortunately, plugged in the wrong numbers so went to the wrong spot first. By the time I got the right numbers into the GPS and shifted to the correct GZ olthomas had already arrived.

Niced to meet another cacher that I hadn't met before. Gave them one of my new pathtags and signed the log. Then had a good conversation about how this puzzle was solved by each of us.

Thanks Ghfb for the puzzle and cache.