Time Travel Treasure Hunt — November 2021 (XLV)

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TEMPUS FUGIT

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INTRODUCTION

Hey! Listen! You have a new mission: to claim our treasure chest—
So pull out the cartridge, blow off the dust, and embark upon your quest!
We hope this sequel proves an equal—an adventure to remember:
The second Time Travel Treasure Hunt begins the tenth of November!

Last year's scheme was one for the team—a thrilling win, by gosh,
For Craig, Zak, Dana, Julie, Dan, Amy, Nate, and Josh.
We're back again with another gem, so join the fray if you're keen:
Grab a controller to start the game and engage the time machine!

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FALL BACK

Back a notch, rewind your watch; the time has come at last—
Counterclockwise, as the crow flies—to travel into the past!
Be a sleuth to learn the truth: peer through the eyes of the mask;
Above the falls, adventure calls—that is, if you're up to the task!

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CLUE #1

Seek the stones through the seven zones—unlock the sacred realm,
With items blessed along your quest to take the temporal helm;
Awaken the sages, pass through the ages, battle with reason and rhyme—
Claim the jewel to save Hyrule and emerge the Hero of Time!

Search for the loot on a scenic route; team up or go alone—
Find and report to a seaside resort and claim the Kokiri's Stone!
The corners you brighten will help to enlighten an avenue, plain and simple;
Electing to hold a standard of gold could get you a shot in the temple.

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CLUE #2

As legend goes, the Triforce chose a hero to harness its power—
Look to the skies to find the prize, traipsing from tower to tower;
Stop to search—oak, elm, birch—then earthward cast your gaze,
In order to wield the Hylian Shield and buffer the burning blaze.

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CLUE #3

As you carry forth—far into the north—to the woods for a lovely stroll,
Survey the scenery, peer through the greenery, climb to the top of the knoll!
The Goron's strengths are heights and lengths; we figured—what the heck?
You might want to pack your lunch in a sack to take the animal trek.

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CLUE #4

Down from the mountain to Zora's Fountain; the princess grants one wish,
With love and joy, to thank the boy for rescuing her from the fish.
Stick around when the sun goes down to decipher the cryptogam;
Observe the slain whose rest will wane—check our Instagram!

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CLUE #5

From fern to forest—join the chorus—the hills are alive with the sound;
Birds of a feather watch over the nether; keep your eyes above ground!
Embark to the meadow—allegretto—and rouse the six noble sages;
Ring the chime of the Song of Time, before taking a nap for the ages!

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CLUE #6

To the marvelous maple, the boreal staple; tap into the trove—
Hide and seek just up the creek, on the west side of the grove,
Where poles of pine will help you find the evergreen pilasters;
One with the wild, the Kokiri Child will rise with the swordmasters.

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CLUE #7

Awaken from sleep to make the great leap, and hurdle past your peers;
Observe the sky—with eagle eye—to illuminate the spheres!
An island niche could scratch the itch and help you deliver the goods—
At a nascent nation-adjacent station with space to camp in the woods.

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CLUE #8

Amass your battalion to find the medallion; forage a flowering land—
Launch an attack near the cul-de-sac to unravel our keen plan!
With sight of the cape, make your escape—seek sylvan sanctuary
From phantom hag, on armored nag—and add to your reliquary.

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CLUE #9

With gleamin' beacon, the land you're seekin' affirms its fiery domain;
Fight the blaze in the Boulder Maze on the least-resistant lane.
In this ninth chapter—"Obsidian Raptor"—whatever can will happen:
The Deku Tree Sprout will sort you out to make the timber extraction!

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CLUE #10

At the Temple of Water—getting hotter!—under turf and heather,
Search for the quarry a priori; put all the pieces together!
With Hylian roots and Iron Boots to help you seize the day,
Watch and commune with blood red moon to clearly point the way.

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CLUE #11

With mystery, guile, and an evil smile to reveal a path to the jewel,
We've cast the runes, so lick your wounds; flee to the edge of Hyrule!
Spot the cache—a rock cap stash—by playing the proper combo
To disentangle a triple triangle... Bingo, Bango, Bongo!

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CLUE EXPLANATIONS

"TEMPUS FUGIT" POCKET WATCH PUZZLE

In order to solve this puzzle, hunters had to identify the three basic ciphers it employed:
The first and simplest cipher is a basic transposition of the Roman numerals with their alphabetical equivalents based on an A=1, Z=26 cipher; this was hinted at by their being represented with letters—the (upper- or lower-) case of each Roman numeral is meant to suggest its respective, transposed alphabetical equivalent: "r," "h," "L," "I," "I," "O," "F," "v," and "o."
The second cipher—which applies only to the string of numerals "2081855" found at the 4:00 position of the watch—is essentially an inversion of the first, where the numerals become 20, 8, 18, 5, 5, or T, H, R, E, E, when transposed against A1-Z26; here, the hunter is meant to infer translation of the word "THREE" back to the numeral: "3."
The last cipher—which applies only to the string of lowercase letters "sbksvm" found at the 6:00 position of the watch—is an Atbash cipher, which simply reverses the alphabet against itself, in this case transforming "sbksvm" into "hyphen." The final character is, indeed, a hyphen: "-."
By keeping the above characters in their proper positions, the hunter gets a string of gibberish: "rhL3I-IOFvo"—this happens to be the unique identifier for the YouTube page of a short Zelda fan film called "The Blood Moon," created by filmmaker Devin "Supertramp" Graham. This was primarily intended to suggest the hunt's Legend of Zelda theme, but the film also showcases a few elements germane to this hunt:
The "Silent Princess" flower Zelda plucks in the first flashback is a hint at this hunt's MacGuffin—a single (fake) "Silent Princess" blossom, hidden with the jewel;
The "Blood Moon" event depicted by the film—a reference to the spooky in-game mechanic from *Breath of the Wild—*is a hint at an event that took place during this hunt: a nearly-total lunar eclipse (often referred to as a "blood moon"), which began in the early morning of November 19, mere minutes after the publication of Clue #10 (In turn, this was a hint at an in-hunt mechanic timed to coincide with the eclipse; more on that in the explanation for Clue #10);
The "Triforce" pendant Zelda wears in the film is a hint not just at this hunt's jewel—which was adorned with a Triforce emblem—or its prizes (with several Triforce-based collectors' items among them), but also the shape made by playing 'connect the dots' with this hunt's bonus prize locations (as depicted on the TC Treasure Map).
On November 7, the watch face was changed to coincide with the "Fall Back" bonus clue—revealing the ciphers' solutions; the Latin text was changed from "tempus fugit" (which means "time's wasting") to "tempus venit" (or "the time has come"). This was meant to suggest that the hunt had begun in earnest, and that a bonus prize was in play for the "Fall Back" clue.
On November 19, the watch face was changed to coincide with the lunar eclipse—becoming a full, red-tinted moon; the Latin text was changed once again to "tempus cieri" (or "the time of lunar eclipse"). This was meant to reinforce the "Blood Moon" mechanic in play from Clue #10 onward (see explanation for Clue #10).

INTRODUCTION

"Hey! Listen!" is meant to suggest this hunt's theme and timeline, which were inspired by The Legend of Zelda—particularly Ocarina of Time, in which the fairy "Navi" shouts commands like "Hey!," "Listen!," and "Watch Out!" while accompanying Link on his journey throughout the Kingdom of Hyrule.
"pull out the cartridge, blow off the dust, and embark upon your quest!" and "Grab a controller to start the game" are meant to suggest this hunt's video game-based inspiration.
"keen" could be taken to suggest this hunt's hiding place at the foot of the Washburn Park water tower—where eight "Guardians of Health" stand their stony watch with steely gaze and sword in hand.
"engage the time machine!" is meant to suggest using the "Tempus Fugit" pocket watch puzzle to learn more about this hunt's theme—including some generalities about The Legend of Zelda that could prove helpful during the hunt.

"FALL BACK" BONUS CLUE

"Back a notch, rewind your watch; the time has come at last" is meant to suggest hunters take another look at the "Tempus Fugit" pocket watch puzzle—which was changed to read "tempus venit" (meaning "the time has come") at the same time as this clue's publication; the watch was also updated with the solution to the three basic ciphers representing 11 of the clock's 12 hourly positions (see explanation above).
"Counterclockwise, as the crow flies" is meant to suggest the direction of this hunt's journey while hinting at the location for this clue's bonus prize—the Kokiri Sword—which was hidden behind the Little Crow mask statue at Minnehaha Park.
"as the crow flies" could also be taken to suggest a method for unraveling the hiding spot for this hunt's jewel, located near the center of a large Triforce shape—itself inscribed within another, larger Triforce shape—formed by connecting the dots with this hunt's bonus prize locations (see: TC Treasure Map).
"learn the truth: peer through the eyes of the mask; / Above the falls" is meant to suggest a parallel to the Legend of Zelda series—in particular, Ocarina of Time, which features the "Mask of Truth." It is also meant to suggest searching for this hunt's bonus prize in a tree behind the Little Crow mask statue above Minnehaha Falls (positioned such that the hunter could literally see directly through its eyes from the hiding spot).
"Above the falls, adventure calls" could be taken to suggest searching for the jewel upstream from Minnehaha Falls—just a stone's throw from the creek that feeds them, at the Washburn Park water tower.
"if you're up to the task" could be taken to suggest the jewel's location—near a tall water tower, on a high hill, near the heights of Tangletown, on Highview Place, etc...
Beginning with the "Fall Back" clue, hunters who found the bonus prize associated with each clue would receive a unique QR code, which linked to a landing page associated with their find; the pages changed at midnight on November 19 to coincide with the lunar eclipse, and give bonus prize finders an additional hint (see explanation for Clue #10 for more). The titles of the twelve bonus prizes' landing pages, in order, spell !, A, H, U, N, A, K, W, S, B, R, P, R—when rearranged, they spell "WASHBURN PARK!"

CLUE #1

The first stanza of Clue #1 is meant to set up and outline the parallels in this hunt's journey "through the seven zones" to "Claim the jewel"—with that of Link in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, wherein you "Seek the stones" to "unlock the sacred realm" and find "items blessed... to take the temporal helm," before you "Awaken the sages, pass through the ages," "save Hyrule and emerge the Hero of Time!"
The second stanza pinpoints the first clue's bonus prize—the Kokiri's Emerald, which was hidden at Brighton Triangle in Minneapolis—while also hinting at the jewel's hiding spot at Washburn Park water tower.
The "scenic route" is Minneapolis' Grand Rounds Scenic Byway, which runs past Brighton Triangle just south of the bonus clue's hiding spot, and past Washburn Park just south of the jewel.
"Find and report to a seaside resort and claim the Kokiri's Stone," "corners," "brighten," and "avenue" are meant to suggest Brighton Triangle (and adjacent Brighton Avenue)—the first stop on this hunt's journey, and site of this clue's bonus prize.
"The corners you brighten will help to enlighten an avenue, plan and simple" is meant to suggest this hunt's journey, and the Triforce shapes made by playing 'connect-the-dots' with the stops along the way.
"Electing to hold a standard of gold could get you a shot in the temple" is meant to suggest President William McKinley (who in 1900 upheld the gold standard and was assassinated in the "Temple of Music" at the 1901 Pan-American Exposition)—the namesake of NE McKinley Street, which runs adjacent to the hiding spot for this clue's bonus prize. It could also be taken to suggest hunters would find the jewel location at the "Temple of Time"—in this case, Washburn Park water tower.

CLUE #2

This clue is meant to hint at both the location of the "Triforce"-emblazoned jewel (which was hidden near the base of Washburn Park water "tower") and a bonus prize: the "Hylian Shield," which was hidden at the aptly named "[P]ower"line Park in "[O]ak"dale, located on H"elm"o Avenue.
The shield was cached under a rock, in a prominent stand of "birch" trees.
Both the shield—which is known for being fireproof (i.e. "buffer the burning blaze")—and the jewel were hidden on the ground (i.e. "earthward cast your gaze")
"buffer the burning blaze" is also meant to suggest hunters search for the jewel at Washburn Park water tower—in a small hollow at the end of a retaining wall near the park's western edge.

CLUE #3

This clue is meant to hint at both the location of the jewel (Washburn Park water tower is located on a large "knoll") and a bonus prize: the "Goron"'s Ruby, which was hidden near the far northern edge of the search area, at Martin Lake Park.
The ruby was cached in the "woods" at the top of a prominent "knoll" along the park's nature trail (i.e. "Survey the scenery, peer through the greenery").
"heights and lengths" is meant to suggest not just the ruby's location on high ground in a park near the boundary of our search area, but also the jewel's location in Washburn Park, which is situated at the intersection of Highview Place and Longview Terrace.
"pack your lunch in a sack" is meant to suggest the picnic area that comprises Martin Lake Park's primary usage.
"animal trek" anagrams to "Martin Lake."

CLUE #4

This clue contains a hint at the location of the jewel—"love and joy" is meant to suggest its proximity to nearby Harriet Avenue (named for Harriet Lovejoy)—but, beyond that, primarily suggests a bonus prize: the "Zora"'s Sapphire, which was hidden at Fern Hill Park in St. Louis Park.
The sapphire was cached in a tree behind the third base line of the park's baseball field/hockey rink (i.e. "stick around").
"Down from the mountain" is a biblical reference meant to suggest Moses' descent from Mount Sinai with the Commandments and Torah—Fern Hill Park is adjacent to Torah Academy school. Within that biblical context, the "fountain" and "rescuing [them] from the fish" could be taken to suggest the parable of Jonah, who departed from the port of Joppa before being swallowed whole by a "great fish"—Joppa Avenue runs adjacent to Torah Academy and Fern Hill Park (BONUS: There is a large fountain in Joppa commemorating the story of Jonah and the great fish).
"when the sun goes down" is meant to suggest Sunset Boulevard—which runs just south of the bonus prize's hiding spot at Fern Hill Park. "Observe the slain" could also call to mind an historic cinematic beat that might reinforce the idea.
"decipher the cryptogam" might seem like a typo; it isn't: "cryptogam" is a botanical term that refers to a seedless plant—such as a fern.
"Observe the slain" is meant to suggest searching for the Zora's Sapphire near some large, fallen trees; combined with "whose rest will wane," it is also meant to reinforce this hunt's temporal "Blood Moon" mechanic.
"check our Instagram!" is meant to suggest hunters check the TC Treasure instagram for a visual clue pertaining to the "Blood Moon"/November 19 lunar eclipse: Each night, one of twelve sequential "puzzle pieces" was published; when properly assembled or viewed on our Instagram page, they formed the image of a large, blood red moon. This was meant to reinforce the "Blood Moon" mechanic in play from Clue #10 onward (see explanation for Clue #10).

CLUE #5

This clue sends hunters from "[F]ern" Hill Park to Eden Prairie's "[F]orest" "[H]ills" Park in search of the Ocarina of "Time"—while also hinting at the jewel's hiding spot at Washburn Park water tower.
This clue's musical theme—"chorus," "sound," "allegretto," "Ring," "chime," "Song of Time"—is simply meant to reinforce the bonus prize for this clue: the Ocarina of Time.
"Birds of a feather watch over the nether; keep your eyes above ground!" is meant to suggest Cardinal Creek Road and Tanager Lane—which roughly line up to reveal the Ocarina's hiding spot, concealed with bark in the crotch of a dying tree. It is also meant to suggest the eight large, stone eagles, perched at the top of Washburn Park water tower and overlooking the jewel's hiding spot.
"Embark to the meadow" is meant to suggest hunters search a park in Eden Prairie, while also suggesting the Ocarina's location within Forest Hills Park—in a small meadow along a wetland, just north of one of the park's baseball fields.
"Ring the chime of the Song of Time, before taking a nap for the ages!" is meant to parallel Ocarina of Time by recalling a plot point in which Link plays the eponymous instrument before falling asleep for seven years.

CLUE #6

This clue sends hunters to "[M]aple" "[C]reek" Park in Maple "[G]rove" to seek the "[M]aster" "[S]word," while also suggesting the jewel's location at the Washburn Park water tower.
"tap into the trove" is meant to reinforce Maple Creek Park and Maple Grove.
"just up the creek, on the west side of the grove" is meant to suggest searching a park on the west side of Maple Grove—at the western edge of a small grove of trees,near the western border of Maple Creek Park. It is also meant to suggest searching the western slope at Washburn Park water tower (just north of Minnehaha Creek).
"Where poles of pine will help you find the evergreen pilasters" is meant to suggest searching for this clue's bonus prize at the base of some large pine trees near Maple Creek Park's northwestern corner—and for the jewel just to the west of some tall pine trees, beneath the stone pilasters of the Washburn Park water tower.
"One with the wild" is meant to suggest Washburn Park water tower architect Harry Wild Jones.
"the Kokiri Child will rise with the swordmasters" recalls a plot point from Ocarina of Time—Link's "nap for the ages," also referenced in Clue #5—and is meant to suggest both this clue's bonus prize (the Master Sword) and Washburn Park water tower, where the eight sword-wielding "Guardians of Health" watch over the jewel's hiding spot.

CLUE #7

This clue sends hunters to Baylor Park in Norwood-Young America, while also suggesting the jewel's location at the Washburn Park water tower.
"Awaken from sleep to make the great leap" is meant to suggest a plot point from Ocarina of Time in which Link awakens from a seven year slumber—to find both he, and the Kingdom of Hyrule, have aged accordingly.
"make the great leap" is meant to suggest the location for this clue's bonus prize at Baylor Park, near the edge of this hunt's search area.
"Observe the sky—with eagle eye—to illuminate the spheres!" is meant to suggest searching for this clue's bonus prize at Baylor Park, home of the Eagle Lake Observatory.
"Observe the sky—with eagle eye" is also meant to suggest the jewel's location below Washburn Park water tower, which is crowned with eight stone eagles.
"illuminate" is also meant to suggest this clue's bonus prize: the Light Medallion.
"An island niche" is meant to suggest the location for this clue's bonus prize, in a hollow at the base of a tree on a small island.
"deliver the goods" is meant to suggest Baylor Park ("Baylor" is a name meaning "one who delivers goods").
"a nascent nation-adjacent station with space to camp in the woods" is meant to suggest the location of this clue's bonus prize: Baylor Park has a large, wooded camping area; it is located next to the town of Norwood-Young America.
"space" could be taken to reinforce the idea of searching a park associated with outer space—in this case Baylor Park, and the Eagle Lake Observatory.

CLUE #8

This clue sends hunters to Lower Penn Lake Park in Bloomington, while also hinting at the jewel's location at the Washburn Park water tower.
"find the medallion; forage a flowering land" is meant to suggest searching for this clue's bonus prize—the Forest Medallion—in Bloomington; it could also be taken to suggest searching for the jewel under a fake "Silent Princess" flower, on the edge of a small garden at the Washburn Park water tower.
"Launch an attack near the cul-de-sac" is meant to suggest searching for this clue's bonus prize near the cul-de-sac at Lower Penn Lake Park, by the boat launch; it is also meant to suggest searching for the jewel near the dead end on Highview Place.
"unravel our keen plan!" is meant to suggest rearranging the letters in "keen plan," which anagrams to spell "Penn Lake."
"With sight of the cape, make your escape—seek sylvan sanctuary" is meant to suggest searching the Lower Penn Lake woods, near the boat launch and away from the small jetty that extends into the lake from its northern shore.
"From phantom hag" is meant to suggest the bonus prize's location just south of Haeg Drive, Park, and Lake (the latter of which appears unnamed on Google Maps).
"phantom hag, on armored nag" is meant to parallel the section of Ocarina of Time in which Phantom Ganon and his horse appear to antagonize Link—and reinforce this clue's ties to the Forest Medallion quests from the game.

CLUE #9

This clue sends hunters to Eagan's Blackhawk Park, while also suggesting the jewel's location at the Washburn Park water tower.
"With gleamin' beacon, the land you're seekin' affirms its fiery domain" is meant to suggest searching in Eagan—where Sperry Tower can be seen from miles and miles away. It is also meant to suggest Washburn Park water tower—which is capped with a bright, red, flashing beacon.
"fiery domain; / Fight the blaze in the Boulder Maze" is meant to suggest this clue's bonus prize—the Fire Medallion—and parallels the Fire Temple quests from Ocarina of Time.
"Fight the blaze" is also meant to reinforce searching for the jewel at Washburn Park water tower.
"on the least-resistant lane" is meant to suggest searching for the bonus prize along Blackhawk lake, on Blackhawk Park's primary nature trail.
"In this ninth chapter—'Obsidian Raptor'—whatever can will happen" is meant to suggest searching Blackhawk Park, which is located adjacent to Murphy Parkway ("Murphy's Law" is an adage which states "whatever can happen, will happen").
"The Deku Tree Sprout will sort you out to make the timber extraction!" is meant to suggest the large, green sculpture, titled "Sprout," at the trailhead to Blackhawk Park's primary footpath; by following it to a dead tree near the lake, one sharp-eyed hunter would find this clue's bonus prize hidden in a small hole in its trunk. This is meant to parallel a plot point from Ocarina of Time.

CLUE #10

This clue sends hunters to Cleary Lake Park in Prior Lake, while also suggesting the jewel's location at Washburn Park water tower.
"the Temple of Water—getting hotter!" is meant to suggest searching for the jewel at Washburn Park water tower, as well as this clue's bonus prize: the Water Medallion. It is also intended as a parallel to the Water Temple quests from Ocarina of Time.
"under turf and heather" is meant to suggest searching for this clue's bonus prize in a small earthen notch, shrouded by heather and reinforced by the root of a nearby tree.
"Search for the quarry a priori" is meant to suggest searching for this clue's bonus prize in the town of Prior Lake, and to "put all the pieces together," in order to find the jewel through deduction—by cross-referencing clues and narrowing down its location to the slope west of Washburn Park water tower, at the end of a stone retaining wall.
"With Hylian roots and Iron Boots to help you seize the day" is meant to hint at this clue's bonus prize location, in the ground beneath a small tree root; it is also intended to parallel the Water Temple quests from Ocarina of Time.
"Watch and commune with blood red moon to clearly point the way" is meant to suggest the in-hunt mechanic at play from Clue #10 onward:
Intended to parallel the menacing "Blood Moon" plot point from Legend of Zelda: Breath of The Wild—whereby formerly slain enemies rise from the dead—hunters who returned to the landing pages for bonus prize finds would be greeted with a new link to a special "Dungeon Map," which in turn revealed the Triforce design made by connecting the dots with bonus prize locations, as well as the final two bonus prize locations at Miesville Ravine and Minnehaha Park.
To coincide with the November 19th lunar eclipse, the face of the watch was changed to a red moon, mid-eclipse; the "tempus venit" text was changed to read "tempus cieri" (Latin for "time of lunar eclipse"); and the image of the watch was linked to the YouTube page for the Legend of Zelda "Blood Moon" fan film (the puzzle's solution, which confirms several gameplay mechanisms, including that of the "Blood Moon").
"clearly point the way" is meant to suggest searching Prior Lake's Cleary Point—in Cleary Lake Park—to find this clue's bonus prize.

CLUE #11

This clue sends hunters to Miesville Ravine Park in Miesville, while also suggesting the jewel's location at Washburn Park water tower.
"evil smile" anagrams to "Miesville;" this clue's bonus prize was hidden at Miesville Ravine Park Reserve in Miesville.
"lick your wounds" is meant to suggest Washburn Park water tower.
"flee to the edge of Hyrule!" is meant to suggest searching for this clue's bonus prize at the edge of our search area—near the Dakota County line Miesville Ravine.
"Spot the cache—a rock cap stash" is meant to suggest the hiding spot for this clue's bonus prize: a moss-covered rock, just off the Miesville Ravine trail ("rock cap" is the name of a type of moss).
"Spot the cache [...] by playing the proper combo" is meant to suggest combining the clues to reveal the jewel's hiding spot near the center of the Triforce map comprised of the bonus prizes' hiding spots.
"disentangle a triple triangle" is meant to suggest the Triforce map, as well as the locations of three special bonus prizes, hidden at three small triangle parks in Tangletown, near the jewel's hiding spot: the Boss Key, the Gossip Stone, and the Heart Container—which were hidden at Rustic Lodge Triangle, Gladstone Triangle, and Elmwood Triangle. By finding one of the three, hunters were given access to a "Secret Dungeon Map," which showed the locations of the other two special bonus prizes and the location of our stand in for the "Temple of Time"—the Washburn Park water tower.
"Bingo, Bango, Bongo!" is intended as a parallel to the Ocarina of Time Shadow Temple quests—and boss "Bongo Bongo."

TC Treasure