Knowing Your Geocaching Terms

This article was originally published on Cache Up NB. It has been mirrored here for archive purposes only.

For any seasoned cacher, you have come to learn the little acronyms and nicknames of various things geocaching. Whether it’s a TFTC, or an FTF, we’ve all heard them. But for those who may be new to the world of geocaching, some of these may elude you. For those folks, I provide you a select list of geocaching terms you may or may not be familiar with:

• TFTC – Thanks for the cache
• FTF – First to Find
• TNLN – Took nothing, left nothing
• CO – Cacher Owner
• GZ – Ground Zero, where your GPS reads a distance of zero to a cache
• BYOP – Bring your own pen/pencil
• CITO – Cache in, trash out
• DNF – Did not find
• GPX – A data file format used by GPS technology, including geocaching.
• PQ – Pocket query, provided by Geocaching.com for premium members
• PM Cache – Premium Member geocache. A cache that is only available to premium members
• LPC – Lamp post cache (usually found under a lamp post skirt)
• Muggle – A non-geocacher who doesn’t know what geocaching is
• P&G/PNG – Park and grab, really quick find
• Ape Cache – A Project A.P.E geocache.
• Seed Coords – The placeholder coordinates used by puzzle caches
• SL – Signed log
• TFTH – Thanks for the hide
• TFTV – Thanks for the virtual
• TFTE – Thanks for the event
• TPTB – The powers that be
• GSP – Groundspeak
• TB – Travel bug
• ALR – Additional logging requirement (no longer allowed)

I’m sure there are other ones but this is a good snapshot of most of the big ones.