ZIP is an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan. We all know it better in its more complete form, ZIP Code. Prior to Zip Codes, cities used a "postal district or zone number", a one- or two-digit number. If you ever saw an address that ended in something like "Grand Rapids 6, Michigan", the 6 would be that postal zone. Only metropolitan areas used these codes. Zip Codes were introduced in the United States in 1963 to standardize mail delivery by the US Postal Service. Every US Post Office got its own unique number. The term "Zone Improvement Plan" was chosen to imply that mail would travel efficiently and quickly. Some of us might beg to differ. Zip codes were originally five digits. In 1983, the codes were expanded to allow a hyphen followed by four more digits to designate more specific locations, such as an apartment complex or even a Post Office Box.

Entry Form: MZIP2022:Entry  - Fill this form out to enter the contest prior to playing.  Turning in this form will add you to the Players list.   Entry is open through October 29th.  Entry gets you on a very important email list.

Found One Form:  MZIP2022:FoundOne - Use this simple form to add each qualifying cache you find, one at a time, as you find them.  The form includes the options for each of the three ways to score a cache.  Use only one option per cache.  You only need to identify yourself with your geocacher name once.  We can fill in the blanks for the rest using your member number (collected by the form). 

Inquiries Link:  MZIP22:Inquiry:  Click this link to send an email to the contest manager(s).    If your email client doesn't like the above link, send your inquiry to "migo.promotions@gmail.com" with this EXACT subject: "MZIP22:Inquiry".  Questions will be answered on the contest page.  This email, the Entry form and the Found One form are the only accepted method of communication with the contest manager(s). 

Players are expected to understand and play by  Common Contest Rules as well as MiGO Code of Fair Play.  These are both available here:  

Common Contest Rules for MiGO Caching Contests:  Basic rules by which all MiGO caching contests adhere to.    Any variation of these rules is included the Contest Specific rules.

MiGO Code of Fair Play:  Expectations of Participation in MiGO Promotions.

On Google Maps, enter a ZIP Code in the address box.  The map will adjust to show the entire zip code.  You can zoom in enough to compare this map with the geocaching map.  As you zoom in, the boundary and highlighting of the ZIP Code boundary dims and eventually disappears.  The banner on this page is an example of this.  

Boundaries on Google Maps shall be used exclusively to determine ZIP Code Boundaries, for the purposes of this contest.

Scoring:

1. Scoring: will be done from the data collected from the participants FoundOne forms.
2. Points:  Scoring is simpler than the first MZIP contest.    
   
   1. Accumulate Points:
      
      • 1 Point for each find (up to the weekly/ZIP code limit) or hide (up to the contest limit) in an eligible ZIP Code for the contest week.  In other words, up to 5 points per ZIP code.
      • 1 Bonus  Points for each ZIP code that you score 5 points in.
      • 5 Bonus Points for finding/hiding a cache in ZIP codes using all of the 2-digit numbers for a week.
        
   2. Points Translate to Drawing Chances 1 to 1.  Score 100 points during the contest, get 100 chances in the drawing.
3. Winners:  There will be two winners.
1. The person with the most points earned will win a prize.  
2. Each other player turning in a Found One form will receive as many chances in a drawing as the points they accumulate. 
3. In both cases, Lake Superior members get the usual 2x point bonus prior to prize awards.  
4. The Prizes(s):
   1. Lake Huron and Lake Superior members are playing for a vintage Geocoin in both the most points category and the drawing.  In addition, the winner of the drawing will get their membership extended for one year if they have not won a membership extension in the two years prior to the contest end date.  First choice of geocoin goes to the most points if the drawing winner also wins a membership extension.   Otherwise, the drawing winner gets first choice.
   2. Lake St. Clair members and Trial members are playing for a coupon for $5 off a Lake Huron or Lake Superior membership.
   3. Membership is measured at the close of the contest date.  Anyone who upgrades membership during the contest will be competing at the upgraded level.
   4. The contest managers always the reserve the right to offer additional prizes, depending on the number of participants.

Remember, it only takes one point to have a chance to win the drawing.

Questions and Answers:

 

Questions submitted by the MZIP2022:Inquiry form will be answered here unless a private response is deemed necessary.  All other questions will be ignored.

• Question:  When submitting each of the  MZIP2022:FoundOne logs, do they need to be submitted the same week that the cache has been found? Example: Making finds in a remote Zip Code location on the weekend, but do not get back to reliable internet service until later Monday or Tuesday.
  Answer:     No.  They only need to be entered using the FoundOne form before the end of the contest.  We would greatly appreciate it if you entered close to when you found them to spread the job verification and scoring spread over the contest period, making the scoring go faster at the end of the contest.  It took a full day at the end of the last contest.
  
  
• Question:  So, if my understanding is correct then 30 geocaches would be the maximum that could possibly be scored in a particular week. Five for each two-digit zip and six two-digit codes each week? So 41pts max?
  Answer:      No.  You can find five caches for each zip code that ends in those two digits.  Using the Michigan list as an example, there are fifty ZIP codes eligible for finding caches this week.  If you found five caches in each of those fifty ZIP codes, you have 250 points, plus 50 bonus points for finding five in each of those 50 ZIP codes, plus 5 points for finding a cache in ZIP codes ending in all six of the two-digit codes.  Will someone please check my math?
  
  
• Question:  Is the max 5 per week total or 5 times the number of zip codes pulled (e.g., 5x6=30 for week 1)?
  Answer:      No.  You are not limited to 5 caches per 2-digit number.  You are limited to 5 caches from any Standard ZIP Codes ending in that 2-digit number.  Using 08 and Michigan as an example (see the file linked to your email and also on the contest page), there are eight Standard ZIP Codes in Michigan ending in 08.  You can find 5 caches in each of those eight zip codes, giving you a max of 40 just for ZIP Codes ending in 08.     Each week there will be five or six 2-digit numbers pulled. Any Standard ZIP Code ending in those 2-digit numbers is eligible for the week. In Michigan, there are and will be at least 50 Standard ZIP Codes each week.  In week one, the maximum number of finds you can claim is 5 x 50, or 250, if you only look in Michigan.  A quick search shows eleven Standard ZIP Codes in Ohio that end in 08.  If you also found five caches in those eleven ZIP Codes, you could add 55 to your total.    
  
  
• Question:  No issue per se, other than I goofed and didn’t thoroughly read the contest rules about submitting 5 maximum caches per eligible zip code. I sent in 10 forms today, for one zip code.?
  Answer:      Thank you very much for letting us know.  We can easily withdraw the five extra so when we extract the data, it will be correct.  If anyone else does this, we would appreciate a heads up.  
  
  
• Question:  What is the end time to find a cache for each week? If we get the email on Monday morning, do we have until the following Sunday at midnight to find any caches for that week or Monday 9 am?
  Answer:      Each contest week ends Sunday night at midnight.
  
  
• Question:  I found my final four MZIP caches late last night and finally had time to sit down at the computer and log them. I see the submission form is already locked. Can I still get credit for them? All caches were in Sterling Heights, 48313.  GC5QKNC, GC9TW15, GC9T2AW, GC4F29A?
  Answer:      Sorry,  the caches must be submitted by the end of the contest.  Perhaps we need to make this more clear in the rules.  In this case, you are lucky that it would not have made a difference.
  
  
• Question:  ?
  Answer:      .  
  
  

Have fun everyone.  Don't forget to use the proper ZIP Code to speed up your mail.

 

MZIP2022 is brought to you from the creative mind of LynnGeoGin, otherwise known as the MiGO Treasurer and Storekeeper, Lynn Johnson.  It is adapted from Lynn's MZIP2021 contest.