So how many BoTWs are on your agenda??

[._.]

Hmmm... didn't check. It's all about the mystery boxes this time! There aren't that many mysteries in NC, but there are LOTS in Maine! And after smokin' my brain, I better find at least one of them!!

In Bangor? Maybe 7... ; )

No worries - Aiphid can help you with them all - since they are all his : )

That's rather interesting since I have some old clues not on AQ or LbNA (love having resources) that date back well prior to Aiphid starting. Perhaps Aiphid was Isoceles back then? :) I really like that some of the oldest stuff there started in mysteries. Now I'm not as good with the Legerdemaine clues (perhaps that was Aiphid too? LOL!) but maybe some day...

It's really neat to see the old, old stuff to see how the state started out. We don't have that strong mystery clue history here. As far as I know there were only 2 Legerdemaine boxes planted in NC (one of which I got, and the other appears to be missing) and one Mapsurfer (I got that one).

OMG - she said the 'L' word on the boards!!!

Should I have said He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named??

How funny -- if I go to the PA zone of eevil, I would think it would be a good thing to mention Mapsurfer.

Y'all have a very interesting mystery box history!!

That's why most of ours are still out there... and haven't gone MIA...

We don't talk about them on the boards...

Interesting. So even mentioning the name of a great clue writer and carver in the history of the state is forbidden?? I sooo would not have guessed that!!

So the code is to just say Aiphid did them all????

Ummm... yep... I'd say I'm completely confused by how things are done there. You'll have to excuse my ignorance. Nothing like messing up before even getting there!

We don't talk about them on the boards...

I still don't see how that protects the boxes. But hey, whatever.

I notice that everyone's left Giddy out. Don't forget about him! He has some excellent clues.

Sorry, Giddy, if you're another he-who-should-not-be-named.

[._.]

Mysteries are not mentioned on the boards whoever we think planted them... the planter wants them to be mysteries... if they wanted them obvious to everyone... they would have grabbed everyone's hand and had them go a plantin with them...

Sharing mystery answers openly on the boards is just bad etiquette... no matter who the planter is...

Sharing mystery answers openly on the boards is just bad etiquette... no matter who the planter is...

Obviously, but no one has done any of that.

[._.]

But how is mentioning He-whose-name-must-not-be-mentioned-but-starts-with-an-L without mentioning anything but the name a spoiler? The name is pretty innocuous...

I think it makes it more enticing to look him and his clues up if I see people getting in trouble for mentioning him on the board. :)

[._.]

Sharing mystery answers openly on the boards is just bad etiquette... no matter who the planter is...

Agree.

I guess I don't understand how it's okay to say Aiphid has mysteries there and planted them all but not to say other people do like Leger, Isoceles, Giddy...

Is it because some of them are not listed on AQ? Is that the etiquette?
I'm just seeking to understand. Obviously, I already made a mistake. But it seems like he's been mentioned before on this board by another great clue writer so I didn't know it was a mistake.

HI everyone;

I dont frequent the boards as much anymore, however this thread caught me eye. I would like to share a perspective in general on "mysteries boxes" in Maine.This is just my opinion and certainly you can agree or not. There are a very small group of us left who started letterboxing about the time that Ledger, yes I am envoking the name, "retired." Some of those boxes disappeared in time , some guarded by caretakers to this day. I think my sentiment has always been to view the L boxes are part of letterboxing history, the beginnings of the hobby in Maine and the US. I have always thought of them as special treasures, that are shared , but in more traditional private ways. I believe in much the same way, Phyto boxes have a special way to experience them, and that is also in more private, less public channels than online boards. I have found a few L boxes over time , and the clues shared privately with others. I know from personal experience that the Phyto boxes were also planted with a similar spirit, to keep them private, which is why you dont find them on AQ really.

Giddy, The Weathergleams etc excel at mystery boxes and are openly public for all to enjoy. I guess to me that is the difference between an L or P box and say a Giddy box. There really is a difference and clear intention of how those clues are intended to be shared.

I feel its VERY BAD form to discuss private boxes online. I truly think that is the key word PRIVATE and that the SPIRIT of those plants by those originals of the hobby. SO Keep them private. Folks thats why we have email, and I truly agree with those who have stated and asked to keep private boxes private. Folks we govern ourselves, there is no Letterboxing Police, so I simply suggest we ALL use some good practices here and keep those L or P discussions in more PRIVATE places to chat :)

Thank you!
Mainekokopellian

I'm sure that you can recognize the irony of your post. By wrist-slapping anyone who mentions Legerdemaine, Phyto, etc., you are actually bringing attention to their existence and making them much more interesting to people who you would not consider sharing their clues with.

If you really have the intentions that you say that you have, the better course of action would just be to ignore them.

[._.]

Aiphid;

I respect your humor. I simply ask you respect my response as I do yours.

MK

I feel its VERY BAD form to discuss private boxes online.

Interesting. It must be strictly a regional thing. I've not come across it as bad form to mention the the name Legerdemaine in other areas. It just seemed to be a part of letterboxing history. i've seen it on Pepe's blog, on different places on AQ, and even mentioned by other mystery clue writers. Nor was I informed after receiving these clues that I should not say the name publicly (just not the clue). But I did get the clues from outside of the state of Maine so that might explain it.

But when in Rome...

So I'm happy to comply. My apologies for my ignorance.

I simply ask you respect my response as I do yours.

MK, don't get me wrong. I respect your right to your opinion; however, it is not one that I share.

Not completely, at least. I totally agree that specifics about mystery boxes should not be discussed. That's a huge no-no regardless of who planted it, and I would immediately ask a moderator to delete the post. It doesn't matter if the box was planted by you, me, that L-guy, or anyone else.

I don't agree that anyone who mentions the name of a letterboxer, past or present, in passing, on a board, should get called out for it. It's ridiculous to think that the name of a boxer would be completely off-limits.

No one has discussed any of the clues to any of his boxes. You can scroll back through this thread any verify that. If anyone had, I would of course have a problem with that.

I find it counter to your efforts to protect the boxes to scold anyone who mentions the name. Instead of one innocuous mention of his name, buried in a list of other mystery planters, in the middle of a relatively long post, it's turned into a somewhat long thread on the topic.

If you really want people to not be interested in his boxes, don't make a huge deal about them.

[._.]

Folks,

Let's not get all worked up about this. Maine should be very proud to have had some terrific clue writing letterboxing pioneers. Others that have come in their wake deserve some kudos as well. But as far as mentioning his name, it isn't a big deal. Anyone and everyone who is in Maine or is within striking distance of any of his boxes are well aware of him. Even if it was somewhat "taboo" at some point in the past, that is no longer the case.

However, talking about mysteries in public online forums regardless of who the writer is, is generally frown upon. In private through email or even in private groups is fine. This thread does not violate that in my opinion. No one is pointing out clues or is discussing solutions.

What Legerdemaine did with his clues is, he tried to make them unobvious to people who weren't looking but apparent to people who were. Because his clues were this way, just pointing them out would have been bad etiquette.

Larry

Oh no - you just go right ahead. My poor, unmaintained, out of the way boxes could use a visitor once in a while.

G!

Who says they are unmaintained? Just because you do not have the time doesn't mean they are not properly maintained ; )

Those - especially out of your way - are being taken care of : )