Geohashing

xkcd comic #426, published May 21, 2008, contains an algorithm that generates random coordinates across the world every day.

These coordinates can be used as destinations for expeditions, à la Geocaching. They can also be used for local meetups.

Though often identified as a game or sport, geohashing is not usually competitive. Geohashers are motivated by a number of factors: comical stress relief; a desire to be outdoors; adventure; a chance to meet new people in their city or region; an excuse to get a Squishy.

Geohashing can be used as a basis for other games. For example, geodashing could be adapted as a kind of race, within a single graticule or across multiple graticules (in the same time zone), to be the first to reach the geohash.

Also, as evidenced by the photos of many expeditions, geohashers like to add flavor to their adventures, either through costuming, bringing games to the meetups, or performing stunts for the amusement of those who read the accounts of their expeditions.

Events or difficulties that merit special attention often earn achievements, many of which include "ribbon" templates to commemorate the event. Ribbons are often collected like merit badges, and are available for individuals as well as for groups of geohashers active in the same graticule.

For more information, see the main page.

Geohashing vs. geocaching

Ways in which geohashing is similar to geocaching:

• Both are GPS-based pursuits
• Both are inherently social
• Finding a cache or reaching a hash can be either competitive or cooperative

Ways in which geohashing is different from geocaching

• There is usually no physical object/container to find
• The goal is a location
• The goal is only active for a day (geocaches are active for years)
• The secondary goal is to meet/interact other geohashers
• The archive of geohashing expeditions is the wiki, (as opposed to a log usually stored at the cache)
• There is only one geohash in a graticule (compared to one geocache every few square miles in some areas of the US)

• US Reference:

http://geohashing.info/2023-01-09/s/z:8/30,-87