[snorkle256]

I would hope we haven't completely eliminated Pi yet as the clue toward thoughts circling makes me think Pi is relevant.

[QAlchemist]

I think you're onto something there, with it being an elimination cipher.

I suspect that the key is hidden in the roman numerals off on the right side...

EDIT: Also, note the message on it. 'Please eliminate from existence'...

[draghkar]

I think the black helix is another ARG, not related to this one.. black helix is about a kidnapped student, no relation to out magic using librarian...

Also, black helix is in northern ireland, while this one seems to be in london..

EDIT

plus there is a seperate thread for black helix:
http://forums.unfiction.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=31640

[morph]

anywho sorry about the crappy link above. at the very least guess it shows its apossible arg. but back to looking at these letters xD feel like if i stare long enough something will jump out at me ^^

[morph]

draghkar wrote:

I got the same mail... with the same parchment.doc.. some interesting things.. (probably the name of the PM) Spoiler (Rollover to View): in the properties of the word document the name Paul Giffney is listed... The cypher looks to me an elimination cypher.. one that had extra letters added between the letters of the sentences.. like the D between the . and the NET. I am just wondering what to eliminate..

So i googled the name didnt seem special but found a twitter

Spoiler (Rollover to View):

http://twitter.com/#!/Crescent123 where his last tweet was to blackhelix which lead me http://www.theblackhelix.com/

forgive me if this is old news and nothing special but thought id drop a line

* fixed tags. morph - Consider registering an account so you can fix your posts too - the benefits of having an account at unfiction are worthwhile! =) -thebruce

[Zobot257]

JehosephatDostoevsky wrote:

Hi Just a couple of observations on the block of letters: I think the 'pi' clue is a red herring. The text underneath the block of letters states 'thoughts can and will circle themselves too much resulting in insanity. Please be rational" etc. Pi is an irrational number, so I think we're being warned to stay away from pi. Likewise, I think the warning against circles could be suggesting that it's not ROT or a cylinder cipher. But two thoughts which might be useful: The nearest rational number to pi is 3 (I assume, don't really know maths), so maybe that is relevant somehow. But I think an idea which might have more legs: if you add up the roman numerals, you get 39. There are 39 letters in each row. There must be something there. I'm gonna hazard a guess that if we take letters from each row based on the roman numerals (i.e. the first letter, then one letter after that, then two after, then three after, then three after etc) we might get something. And that's what I'm gonna do now, will let you know if anything at all comes out of it, but just thought I'd try and contribute with some comments. Also, I hope the British Library thing is relevant, would love an ARG that requires going places that's based in London

I tried running an elimination of all the letters in the first row using the method you suggested, and I'm still just getting a jumble of letters with no sense to them. Although maybe we have to re-arrange the letters to form words or maybe it'll make sense when we do the entire thing? When I have more time I'll go back and do the whole thing... a friend of mine, the same one I keep mentioning, may be interested enough in this to help out. If she has any more input I'll either badger her into creating her own username or repost what she suggests.

Whee! Puzzles!

[JehosephatDostoevsky]

Hi

Just a couple of observations on the block of letters:

I think the 'pi' clue is a red herring. The text underneath the block of letters states 'thoughts can and will circle themselves too much resulting in insanity. Please be rational" etc. Pi is an irrational number, so I think we're being warned to stay away from pi. Likewise, I think the warning against circles could be suggesting that it's not ROT or a cylinder cipher.

But two thoughts which might be useful:

The nearest rational number to pi is 3 (I assume, don't really know maths), so maybe that is relevant somehow.

But I think an idea which might have more legs: if you add up the roman numerals, you get 39. There are 39 letters in each row. There must be something there. I'm gonna hazard a guess that if we take letters from each row based on the roman numerals (i.e. the first letter, then one letter after that, then two after, then three after, then three after etc) we might get something. And that's what I'm gonna do now, will let you know if anything at all comes out of it, but just thought I'd try and contribute with some comments.

Also, I hope the British Library thing is relevant, would love an ARG that requires going places that's based in London

[draghkar]

I got the same mail... with the same parchment.doc..

some interesting things.. (probably the name of the PM)

Spoiler (Rollover to View):

in the properties of the word document the name Paul Giffney is listed...

The cypher looks to me an elimination cypher.. one that had extra letters added between the letters of the sentences..

like the D between the . and the NET. I am just wondering what to eliminate..

[Minz]

Looks like the image might be some sort of cipher ring/cylinder. Pi might be the key, indicating by what number you have to rotate each line.

The last line looks suspiciously like a web address though. so it might also be another kind of cipher like each line rot-x'ed by the corresponding number in Pi.

I'll try some of those theories later.

[Bishop916]

Looks interesting, I'll read the bit by Mr. Vance tomorrow, I am still reeling from the last thread.

[Zobot257]

So in on this. I'll see if I can't get a really intelligent puzzley friend to look at it.[/i]

EDIT: I only noticed one thing so far: At the top left, starting with the "s" go down four to spell "Seat". The "T" at the end of it goes right to spell "The" and then proceedes forward to spell "Egg". Each word ending with the first letter of the next word. But the chain ends there...

EDIT TWO: ELECTRIC BOOGALOO:

Ok, my friend's insight might have a potential way of finding a solution for us: The roman numbers on the right side make up:

1 1 2 3 3 4 5 5 6 9

which rearranged makes:

3 1 4 1 5 9 2 6 5 3

or:

3.141592653

Which is just Pi's first digits all scrambled up.

I have NO clue the significance of that, but seriously. This friend of mine is a genius.

[QAlchemist]

I recieved the following message in email:

Quote:

So, I'm relaxing, having beaten my head against a brick wall after this: I put on some Axelrod [the earlier stuff - not the late stuff], and throw my great-uncle's book at the wall. Just when I thought it couldn't get any odder, out fluttered a piece of paper. Must have been pushed into the spine or back cover. No more naive approach now - all books will be re-examined closely. But for now- help! I don't really know who you are, but for some reason, someone's hacked into my account and paired me up with you - so - hello.* I'm Howard Fair, occult librarian at an offshoot of the British Library, working all hours of the day and wondering how deep I may have fallen down a rabbit warren as it were... If you can help, great. If not, no loss - I'm in no rush [not anymore - the time-based research - well - it flunked. big time!] Thanks Howard. [*I'm used to all sorts of 'weird' happening - so nothing really shocks me - hence the laissez-faire approach to his sort of thing]

Attached:

[QAlchemist]

There's a link to the story up in my first post.

Quite intriguing, really!

[JehosephatDostoevsky]

Hi, been reading this thread, always looking to jump into new things. Jack Vance wrote the short story with Howard Fair in it

[draghkar]

I send an email:

Quote:

I heard you are looking for help, can you tell me what you need help with and how I possibly can help?

The reply:

Quote:

WE ARE WORKING OUT A WAY TO TALK TO YOU RATHER THAN THROUGH OUR PRESENT SELF'S EMAIL. Pursue no further. PLEASE, WAIT. UNTIL THEN, READ THE BIOGRAPHY BY MR VANCE. Keep interrupting me. HOWARD Howard.

The lines in bold are originally hidden text..