If you find puzzles a bit daunting, or even if you are a seasoned pro, with just one or two which are taunting you to be solved, it can often help to work together with other puzzle solvers to get closer to a solution.
This is another opportunity to do just that over coffee and a slice of cake. Don't forget, if you are a local puzzle CO or have solved any puzzles and would like to share your tips with others, we would also be particularly pleased to welcome you at:
Costa Coffee, Leigh Park, Havant
The venue has public transport links and free wifi. The address is 55-57 Greywell Shopping Centre, Leigh Park, Havant and the postcode for your satnav is PO9 5AH. We will meet from
2:30 pm to 4:30pm on Sunday 8th October
As the coffee shop closes at 4:30 on Sundays, unlike other puzzle clubs, there will not be the opportunity to stay later on this occasion. There will not be any presentation and this isn't about other cachers just giving you the answers! Apart from any local COs not being particularly happy about that, it's not as much fun. Please feel free to pick the brains of any puzzle COs who come along (or indeed anyone who's ever solved a puzzle!) for tips and tricks to help you get to started. This isn't just a chance to solve just one puzzle, I would like to think it's an opportunity to gain some experience in solving lots of them so that you can go on to tackle others with the techniques you might have picked up. Make notes and share ideas - what might seem impossible for one person can spark an idea in another and often a group effort can produce results.
What to bring with you
While the café does have free wifi, like any free service at a public venue, this doesn't have massive bandwidth for heavy use by many people at once. Therefore, if you don't have your own mobile data plan, I would recommend that in addition to any laptops, phones and tablets which will help with research, that you also bring 3 or 4 printouts of specific individual puzzle caches you would like to work on. Once we all get going, Google response times could be slower than what you're used to at home. Bring a pen or pencil too, so you can make notes on your printouts to help you remember.
Handy to know
Unlike previous venues, there are no specific kids play areas so this may not be a suitable event for children unless you are able to keep them entertained, yourself. Dogs (except guide dogs) will have to stay outside, I'm afraid. There will also be the usual opportunities to swap and discover trackables.
Usual café etiquette applies; please consume only food and drink purchased from the café on the premises.
Getting there
The postcode for your satnav is PO9 5AH. The numbers 23, 21 and 39 Stagecoach buses stop at the indicated waypoint, a few minutes walk from the venue. If coming by train, alight at Havant Station before walking to Havant Bus Station and taking the bus.
What to do now
Post a 'Will Attend' log as soon as you think you will be able to come. While you're posting your log, feel free to add details of any specific puzzles you'd like to work on, on the day - including a GC code (and a hyperlink if you know how to do that). You'd be surprised how helpful this advance information is to your fellow attendees who will also have an opportunity to look them up beforehand and contribute their input to the 'group-solving' process.
Background image by catalyststuff on Freepik