Not all Geocaches are clear if they are a Challenge or not. Therefore Project-GC has built a Challenge Exception-system. A part of the community has been granted access to this system, and they read through cache description to add votes if they believe these Geocaches are Challenges or not. In here, they can discuss extreme cases and see if they can come to an agreement. https://project-gc.com/forum/list?12 Thu, 16 Apr 2026 03:46:16 +0000 Phorum 5.2.23 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,108566,108566#msg-108566 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,108566,108566#msg-108566 I know the CO so messaged him about this and his reply was - this is not a challenge cache
He put
It is, in fact not a challenge cache. Challenge caches must have a
specific challenge which must conform to certain rules that were in place
at the time - not the same strict criteria in place today, but still rules
applied by the reviewer.

So what it really is is a "bluff" puzzle cache where the final coordinates
are actually the same as published. Choosing and completing a challenge is
optional and non-enforcable.

There is a sentence saying this within the description - though I have said to him it is easily overlooked and to many this will be seen as a challenge cache.

**Update** upon further discussion the CO has said
"In its current form, cachers treat it as a challenge and that's cool. I guess I'd expect they'd want it to be counted in their stats as a challenge.

However - Officially it's not a challenge cache in Groundspeak's eyes, because the challenge is variable and up to the individual, and also it is not enforceable, The reviewer would not allow it as a challenge at the time of publication and yes the requirement could have been seen to be an ALR - however it was published and has remained ever since. How it is voted on within the exception list will be down to the folk at PGC"

So although this isn't a challenge cache in the COs eyes - the moderators will have to make their own mind up as to whether this is a challenge cache or not.
Noting - there isn't a specific challenge set as criteria for this cache and there is NO requirement to actually set a challenge - finding and signing is all that is required.
For those that do set their own challenge, it can range from 'find a cache' to 'find a cache every day for the next 5 years'
The CO has no issue with whether this ends being voted up or down]]> Deepdiggingmole Challenge checker exceptions Fri, 15 Aug 2025 11:41:54 +0000 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,82641,82641#msg-82641 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,82641,82641#msg-82641 a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Let 2024 be a great year moderating :-)

ddm]]> Deepdiggingmole Challenge checker exceptions Fri, 22 Dec 2023 23:41:12 +0000 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,80891,80891#msg-80891 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,80891,80891#msg-80891
How have people voted on more caches than are available for voting on?]]> sumbloke Challenge checker exceptions Mon, 04 Dec 2023 16:22:21 +0000 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,80235,80235#msg-80235 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,80235,80235#msg-80235 A final for completing a linked series of caches
It might have the word challenge in the description but that is because it is a 63 km trail
However is a cache placed for completing a linked series a challenge cache or a bonus cache ?

Some will say - yes, but there is a set of criteria - find all 201 caches in the series
but how is that different to any bonus cache where you have to find all the caches in a trail / series (in some cases not all but many of) in order to get info and then get the bonus cache - in this instance you just don't have to gather any clues]]> Deepdiggingmole Challenge checker exceptions Tue, 07 Nov 2023 02:30:51 +0000 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,75992,75992#msg-75992 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,75992,75992#msg-75992 At what point does a cache that is on the exception list (and has been voted on), does it either get removed or added to the 'This is a challenge' list and therefore appear within the found list on a cachers challenge cache tab
An example
GC3DD4E - Challenge of the Century: 100 words
This is showing with a negative vote and a score of 34% and has done for some considerable time
Though this does appear on lists on the challenge cache tab which suggests it is showing that this is a challenge and yet it falls below the threshold of 35% and with an overall negative vote.

Note: this isnt about whether this particular cache is a challenge or not - this is about the threshold and the process around the exception list and this is an example]]> Deepdiggingmole Challenge checker exceptions Sat, 22 Jul 2023 18:13:39 +0000 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,73051,73051#msg-73051 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,73051,73051#msg-73051 Simply you have to find 4 other caches (which are challenges with criteria) in each of those there are values for 8 letters which in turn give you the co-ords for this cache
Though it states you do have to qualify and find all the other 4 feeder caches - there is no additional criteria.
Now, while it lists what you need to qualify for those other caches - so seemingly giving a qualifying criteria list this cache - it is for those other caches and isnt asking you to do them all over again for this cache.
So in my mind this is simply a bonus cache and not another challenge cache

Thoughts]]> Deepdiggingmole Challenge checker exceptions Mon, 08 May 2023 23:06:41 +0000 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,71368,71368#msg-71368 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,71368,71368#msg-71368 Can anyone who has down voted this one please explain why
For my twopennyworth (an old English phrase meaning my opinion or thoughts)
This challenge has criteria - log 100 DNFs - I know under current guidelines this negative criteria is not allowed - however this was placed in 2010, long before the guidelines and no different to all the other weird and wonderful challenge criteria that was put out then.

It didn't need 'Challenge' in the title
It didn't the attribute (though it has it now)
It has criteria

why is this not considered a challenge cache ?

Interested Tim]]> Deepdiggingmole Challenge checker exceptions Sun, 05 Mar 2023 21:51:33 +0000 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,66441,66441#msg-66441 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,66441,66441#msg-66441 Because logging benchmarks on Geocaching.com will not be possible when benchmarks are removed from the site, Geocaching HQ will archive challenge caches which require finding and logging benchmarks"

It would appear on 17th Oct 22 the CO changed this to a puzzle (completely changing the description) but the reviewer spotted this and reverted the description back to its original state (as a challenge cache) and archived the cache.

When I upvoted this challenge I noted that it had had downvote(s) - it is possible that this/these were given when the cache had the puzzle text in the description and thus down-voted it based on that
However (and the point of this topic) this was evidently a challenge cache from the outset and that is why this has my upvote]]> Deepdiggingmole Challenge checker exceptions Wed, 19 Oct 2022 16:26:13 +0000 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,64171,64171#msg-64171 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,64171,64171#msg-64171 it is not - the CO does state this is not a challenge cache on the cache page and despite having challenge in the title, the attribute and the checker - this was due to the fact that this was submitted as a challenge but refused - and resubmitted as a puzzle cache - but with little about the challenge aspect removed.
To many glancing over this one would percieve this as a challenge. Don't be fooled :-)]]> Deepdiggingmole Challenge checker exceptions Wed, 03 Aug 2022 22:32:32 +0000 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,64031,64031#msg-64031 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,64031,64031#msg-64031
One on my list is - Well-Traveled Cacher: Degree Squares GC99AE7

I had downvoted this because it had not complied with the guidelines and so should not have been published and in fact was archived by the reviewer 4 days after it was published for that very reason.

Now I acknowledge the Challenge exception list has the following statement as an instruction on how to vote :-

"..Note that your vote shall not be based on today's Challenge guidelines but rather on the fact that the Geocache requires you to do something before/when logging it. You shall not take into consideration if it's a good challenge or not, neither if you like it as a challenge."

However, in my opinion (and this only applies to any challenge caches post-moratorium) if a challenge does not comply with today's guidelines then it should not be published and therefore would never be considered for inclusion on the list of challenges - if one slips through the net, such as the example above but is quickly archived due to that fact being noted, the way it won't end up on someones list in the challenge tab would be to have it voted upon (down vote)
We know that reviewers do make mistakes sometimes - hard enough job as it is, but to give the thumbs up on a cache that shouldn't have been allowed in the first place is kind of saying, 'well despite all of that we are saying it is a challenge cache'

I am not disputing that the above cache would pass all the tick boxes if it had complied with the criteria guidelines - but it hadn't

thoughts]]> Deepdiggingmole Challenge checker exceptions Sat, 12 Jul 2025 17:19:09 +0000 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,64016,64016#msg-64016 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,64016,64016#msg-64016
As it states - anything over 35% will then consider that cache to be an exception and presumably that will then mean it is included (if it is upvoted) or not (if it has been downvoted) from the challenge cache list that appears in our challange cache tab (obviously it appearing on your own list will only be when you have logged the cache)

So how long after it has appeared on the exception list for voting is the decision to include /preclude made - is it a time thing or do all moderators have to vote ?

Many thanks
Tim]]> Deepdiggingmole Challenge checker exceptions Wed, 27 Jul 2022 10:33:47 +0000 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,63114,63114#msg-63114 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,63114,63114#msg-63114 I believe it'll have divided opinion and so I thought it is one of those for discussion
My thoughts - This 'challenge' though pre-moratorium does not involve any other cache and does not require the finding of any other cache - you just need to write a log (for THIS challenge cache) of more than 100 words - technically you can not qualify for this until AFTER you have logged a found - so you don't qualify prior (OK, you can do a write note and then add a found log after - but to date no one has done that !)
I was always under the impression that a challenge cache required you to fulfil criteria that involved / linked to finding at least one other cache and could not be solely around the challenge cache itself.

Interestingly - reading through the logs it is apparent several 'finders' read this challenge as 'You must have written a log of more than 100 words' and have shown a screenshot from the PGC site where it states 'longest log' - but this is not what this challenge stipulates

I downvoted this due to the fact that the criteria does not require you to find any other caches

Tim]]> Deepdiggingmole Challenge checker exceptions Tue, 01 Nov 2022 03:45:55 +0000 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,62359,62359#msg-62359 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,62359,62359#msg-62359 My thoughts
Everything is there to allow this to be passed as a challenge cache
Challenge in title - yes
Criteria to be fulfilled - yes...find a cache in Egypt (note this cache is in Switzerland)
Challenge Attribute - yes
Checker - yes

So it does seem that this has all that is needed to make it a challenge cache
However - you look at the cache page and most of what you see is a puzzle to be solved. The cache is at the original co-ords - the puzzle it would seem gives you numbers for a padlock (or similar)
Although the challenge is not difficult (find one cache in another country) and that is maybe what sways opinion - everything (in my opinion) is there to make this a challenge cache

Tim]]> Deepdiggingmole Challenge checker exceptions Thu, 19 May 2022 23:34:41 +0000 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,57395,57395#msg-57395 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,57395,57395#msg-57395 Deepdiggingmole Challenge checker exceptions Sun, 26 Dec 2021 05:21:25 +0000 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,56911,56911#msg-56911 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,56911,56911#msg-56911 Has something changed since it was added - as it seems everything that is required of a challenge cache (the word 'Challenge' in title - criteria - attribute etc etc) is there.
was something missing and has now been corrected ?]]> Deepdiggingmole Challenge checker exceptions Tue, 30 Nov 2021 19:54:59 +0000 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,54696,54696#msg-54696 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,54696,54696#msg-54696
I know its been quiet LOL

This is a trad - no 'challenge' in the title - not even the challenge attribute

How on earth did it end up on the exception list !!!!!!]]> Deepdiggingmole Challenge checker exceptions Sun, 05 Sep 2021 15:15:21 +0000 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,53168,53168#msg-53168 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,53168,53168#msg-53168 On first inspection it does look like a glorified multi and no criteria - certainly there is no criteria given on the cache page, though reference to them made. However I did find deep in one of the links given requirements to fulfil, namely finding 10 caches linked to alien activity (description is much wordier than that)
For me this did mean that all the elements needed to make this a challenge cache are there.
So I upvoted - though I see others didn't - but I can understand why - you do need to search hard for the criteria - maybe the CO should rectify that.]]> Deepdiggingmole Challenge checker exceptions Sat, 12 Jul 2025 15:53:00 +0000 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,52574,52574#msg-52574 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,52574,52574#msg-52574
The cache was published prior to April 21, 2015 and the description is
This is a challenge only available during the month of October 2012. To get credit for this cache and qualify for a prize you must:

Find 31 cemetery caches
Caches must be located in the State of Michigan
Must be caches you have not previously found
Keep a public bookmark list of completed caches labeled "Geocachers do it in cemeteries!"
Challenge must be competed before Halloween night (The final stage may be found after)]]> vogelbird Challenge checker exceptions Sun, 11 Jul 2021 17:23:03 +0000 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,52533,52533#msg-52533 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,52533,52533#msg-52533 A whole bunch of caches have been added to the exception list
About 2 dozen of these ARE challenge caches
But they would not be in dispute
They are challenges, they have checkers, they have the word challenge in the title
Several of them were published in the last year
So why would we need to vote on them ?

Surely we should not be adding challenge caches that are not borderline ??]]> Deepdiggingmole Challenge checker exceptions Sun, 20 Jun 2021 14:04:57 +0000 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,50729,50729#msg-50729 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,50729,50729#msg-50729 New one has been added - I am sitting on the fence with this one
The word Challenge not mentioned in the title and no indication that this is a challenge cache in the description.
Despite there being a request to find a cache on the monopoly board - there is no statement to say that this is a requirement in order to claim the find - and reading many of the logs few have actually indicated which caches they have 'found on the board'
It seems that the cache can be found and there is a side game of monopoly just for fun
I am not convinced this matches up to being a challenge cache
Tim]]> Deepdiggingmole Challenge checker exceptions Tue, 01 Jun 2021 13:04:07 +0000 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,46829,46829#msg-46829 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,46829,46829#msg-46829 This is a bonus to a series of caches - not a challenge
- it hasn't got the challenge cache icon - challenge isn't in the title
Was this a mistake ?]]> Deepdiggingmole Challenge checker exceptions Wed, 16 Dec 2020 14:19:42 +0000 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,46559,46559#msg-46559 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,46559,46559#msg-46559 I now note that this has been removed - typical LOL

Tim]]> Deepdiggingmole Challenge checker exceptions Mon, 07 Dec 2020 10:58:32 +0000 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,46152,46152#msg-46152 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,46152,46152#msg-46152
My thoughts on this one are :-
This 'challenge' requires you to find 20 (or more) caches
The cache is pre-moratorium so not bounded by the current guidelines (checker not required)
so - it is an unknown and it has challenge in the title. It has criteria for qualification (find 20 caches) - Thus fits all that it needs to be a challenge cache.
It is possible that the requirement of creating a story with the names of the 20 caches you choose maybe is what is causing some issue. However this is just clarification as to what 20 caches you must find.
An example of similar challenges (of the earlier sort (pre-moratorium)) :-
find 20 caches with the name of a fruit in the title
find 20 caches with a girls name in the title
find 20 caches with the name of an animal in the title

All of these are based around using the cache name and were allowed - this one is no different

Thus I had no hesitation to upvote this one

Tim - ddm]]> Deepdiggingmole Challenge checker exceptions Sat, 02 Jan 2021 17:11:08 +0000 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,44804,44804#msg-44804 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,44804,44804#msg-44804 There is no question that this is a challenge cache - it has the word challenge in the title and has criteria and recognised as being one as it appears in challenge lists under the tab ?

H'm]]> Deepdiggingmole Challenge checker exceptions Mon, 12 Oct 2020 19:38:22 +0000 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,44414,44414#msg-44414 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,44414,44414#msg-44414 What confuses the issue is ALL of these have the word Bonus in the title
My thoughts are :-

GC1HM9D - USCGA L.E.G. Challenge Bonus Cache - it says in the description
"In order to claim a find on this cache, you must complete the following challenge.
You need to find a *qualifying* cache in each of the ten counties in the Upstate. In order for a cache to qualify, it must have a difficulty of 3 stars or better, *or* a terrain of 3 stars or better."
That's criteria for qualification - so a challenge - the word bonus in the title misleads

GC5K780 - Week Streak Challenge Bonus Cache - this was discussed before, I am not sure if the description has changed but it just says "In order to log this cache you will need to have completed 10 challenge caches with the word 'Week' in it. That's it!" - so again there is the qualifying criteria

GC1AWHJ - Saluda Shoals Bonus Cache Challenge - The criteria was to find all the other caches in the area (24 in total as was) - though I am not a fan of challenges where you have to find a specific list of caches (often by the same CO) this has a variety of COs - it is not a bonus as such as you do not have to get information from any of the caches listed - so I am erring on the side of there is qualifying criteria.]]> Deepdiggingmole Challenge checker exceptions Tue, 29 Sep 2020 18:02:55 +0000 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,43768,43768#msg-43768 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,43768,43768#msg-43768 There is criteria for qualifying, and I know this is pre moratorium, but it does appear that it is a bonus cache to a series of caches if the same name 'week streak' and the 'challenge' is to find 10 challenges with the word 'week' in the title, so in essence find 10 of my other caches and you'll get this bonus one thrown in.
I am leaning towards down voting as it does seems cheeky way if getting your own caches found
Thoughts]]> Deepdiggingmole Challenge checker exceptions Mon, 14 Sep 2020 19:45:08 +0000 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,43732,43732#msg-43732 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,43732,43732#msg-43732 1) The code needed to be re-adjusted to be based on the attribute instead of type+name.
2) We were hoping that HQ would handle the attribute well enough to stick to only that.

Regarding #2, it doesn't seem like it's enough and we are bring back the exception list. This has taken some time since HQ didn't add the Challenge attribute straight away, but it seems to have been done now.

We have also cleansed the list, a LOT. From 2554 listed geocaches there are now only 93. I am sure vogelbird will add a handful more very soon though, I know he has a list. We have removed all exceptions that didn't feel necessary anymore. Typically two cases:
1) Has up-votes enough to be counted as a Challenge, and the geocache has the challenge-attribute.
2) Has down-votes enough to NOT be a challenge, and doesn't have the attribute either.

We have then added a few others to the list, which we (by code, not manual review) assumed are challenges, but is missing the attribute. These have received an up-vote by the user "Project-GC.com". Hopefully that's correct, otherwise, just keep down-voting them until they are gone.

If you believe we have removed exceptions that shouldn't have been removed. Please inform me in this thread. I will then look at what happened and why. All old votes are stored in another place, so if you say that GCxxxx should have been kept on the list, I can bring back all old votes for that geocache. Maybe even for others if we can realize why it was removed when it shouldn't have been.

A list of all gc-codes that were voted before this can be found here: https://pastebin.com/bJa4134M (the url expires in 1 year)

I have some more code to go through, but I expect the system to go live in an hour.]]> magma1447 Challenge checker exceptions Fri, 11 Sep 2020 17:02:19 +0000 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,43729,43729#msg-43729 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,43729,43729#msg-43729
Under the header/title "Aufgabe" (Mission) the text starts with "Finde mindestens 10 Caches" (Find at least 10 caches).

Then the text goes on starting with the word "Quatsch" (poppycock). It's something about telling some story around them, but I didn't pay too much attention there.

To me it's super clear that this geocache requires you to find 10 geocaches, yet it has 16 down-votes and only 5 up-votes (including mine). Am I missing something, or are a lot of people wrong?

PS! The Challenge exception interface isn't available right now. It has been removed with the new attribute changes from HQ. The interface will be back today, hopefully within an hour.]]> magma1447 Challenge checker exceptions Fri, 11 Sep 2020 16:55:25 +0000 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,43258,43258#msg-43258 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,43258,43258#msg-43258 GCZ Team Challenge checker exceptions Fri, 11 Sep 2020 17:02:42 +0000 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,42208,42208#msg-42208 https://project-gc.com/forum/read?12,42208,42208#msg-42208 OK - I can see that this one is going to cause a divide and I was of two minds as to which way to vote
However I will explain my thoughts and see what others think

1) This has been called a challenge cache - the word 'challenge' is in the title
2) There is criteria relating to a challenge which you have to fulfil to qualify - yes I know, is finding one cache really a challenge !! - but it is still criteria and unlike some that I have downvoted where that one cache INCLUDES the challenge cache itself - this one doesn't so you DO have to find another cache to qualify
3) To many this may look like a puzzle cache as there is a puzzle element to obtaining the co-ords (and the cache is not at the original co-ords) - but as explained in another thread, some older challenges and certainly pre 2015, there were several challenge caches that did have this aspect to it - that is, cache NOT at co-ords - solve this puzzle to get them. However despite having the puzzle element they ARE challenge caches.

So despite not wanting to upvote as I do not feel finding one cache as a challenge - it does tick all the boxes for being a challenge cache - so I did upvote

Tim]]> Deepdiggingmole Challenge checker exceptions Fri, 31 Jul 2020 16:30:08 +0000