Return to Unfiction unforum
 a.r.g.b.b 
FAQ FAQ   Search Search 
 
Welcome!
New users, PLEASE read these forum guidelines. New posters, SEARCH before posting and read these rules before posting your killer new campaign. New players may also wish to peruse the ARG Player Tutorial.

All users must abide by the Terms of Service.
Website Restoration Project
This archiving project is a collaboration between Unfiction and Sean Stacey (SpaceBass), Brian Enigma (BrianEnigma), and Laura E. Hall (lehall) with
the Center for Immersive Arts.
Announcements
This is a static snapshot of the
Unfiction forums, as of
July 23, 2017.
This site is intended as an archive to chronicle the history of Alternate Reality Games.
  

The time now is Fri Nov 15, 2024 9:24 pm
All times are UTC - 4 (DST in action)		 View posts in this forum since last visit
View unanswered posts in this forum
Calendar
 Forum index » Archive » Archive: General » Old News & Rumors
[Trailhead] Solve this and you get to live
View previous topicView next topic
Page 1 of 4 [60 Posts]   Goto page: 1, 2, 3, 4 Next
Author Message
One
Guest


 		[Trailhead] Solve this and you get to live
Solve this and you get to live.

3230316a3977736a72766a6f7973.
6a796b34777973786b3468316278
7277317278766a316a.
716d6f6e307872766a633477376a
387630346a716d716d7277706a78
62686972766a316a.
616a72386a6a79717779736f7772
67667779736475.


2,1,6,3,4,5,9,0

PostPosted: Mon Dec 08, 2008 6:26 am
 Back to top 
Merago
Unfettered


Joined: 14 Apr 2005
Posts: 341

 		Ok, I'll bite first.

the numbers look like hex to me, but don't translate to anything useful. The numbers along the bottom (2,1,6,3,4,5,9,0), there are 8 of them, and there are also 8 separate lines of text. Could the 8 numbers be a key for each corresponding line perhaps? I've played around with this briefly but I'm not getting anything meaningful so far.
_________________
Playing:
Following:

PostPosted: Mon Dec 08, 2008 9:19 am
 View user's profile
 ICQ Number 
 Back to top 
Brave777
Decorated


Joined: 07 Nov 2008
Posts: 155
Location: Gainesville, Florida, USA

PostPosted: Mon Dec 08, 2008 9:48 am
Last edited by Brave777 on Mon Dec 08, 2008 9:57 am; edited 2 times in total
 View user's profile Visit poster's website AIM Address
 Back to top 
Merago
Unfettered


Joined: 14 Apr 2005
Posts: 341
_________________
Playing:
Following:

PostPosted: Mon Dec 08, 2008 9:54 am
 View user's profile
 ICQ Number 
 Back to top 
Brave777
Decorated


Joined: 07 Nov 2008
Posts: 155
Location: Gainesville, Florida, USA
_________________
Playing: ...
Waiting for: ...
Lurking: Florida

PostPosted: Mon Dec 08, 2008 9:59 am
 View user's profile Visit poster's website AIM Address
 Back to top 
Merago
Unfettered


Joined: 14 Apr 2005
Posts: 341

 		I noticed that there is a section of code repeated:-

'766a316a' is used twice, both at the end of a line. I daresay there are other, similar patterns, I'll have a look and post more if I find any.
_________________
Playing:
Following:

PostPosted: Mon Dec 08, 2008 10:25 am
 View user's profile
 ICQ Number 
 Back to top 
Nighthawk
I Have 100 Cats and Smell of Wee


Joined: 14 Jul 2007
Posts: 4751
Location: Miami, Florida, USA, Earth

 		Ah, screw it. ***dies!***

Conversion to Hex doesn't reveal a whole lot...

Spoiler (Rollover to View):
201j9wsjrvjoys.
jyk4wysxk4h1bxrw1rxvj1j.
qmon0xrvjc4w7j8v04jqmqmrwpjxbhirvj1j.
ajr8jjyqwysowrgfwysdu.

_________________
"Omne ignotum pro magnifico"

PostPosted: Mon Dec 08, 2008 10:37 am
 View user's profile Visit poster's website
 Back to top 
Merago
Unfettered


Joined: 14 Apr 2005
Posts: 341

 		'777973' is also repeated, this time 3 times.

EDIT:- In fact, the smaller section '7973' is repeated quite a few times.

These repeated lines may be a coincidence I guess, but if they're not, they could point towards some sort of substitution cypher?
_________________
Playing:
Following:

PostPosted: Mon Dec 08, 2008 10:50 am
Last edited by Merago on Tue Dec 09, 2008 6:30 am; edited 1 time in total
 View user's profile
 ICQ Number 
 Back to top 
phyzix
Decorated

Joined: 03 Aug 2007
Posts: 231
Location: Florida

 		yea i've tried hex and some sort of substitution cipher mixed with vigenere and nothing so far.

But I think we can solve this. We always seem to solve everything.

PostPosted: Mon Dec 08, 2008 4:21 pm
 View user's profile
 Back to top 
Chromecide
Boot


Joined: 25 Feb 2008
Posts: 69
Location: Australia

 		jumpin on the "don't" know if it helps" bandwagon
I just noticed that every letter is preceded by the digit "6"

PostPosted: Tue Dec 09, 2008 2:44 am
 View user's profile Visit poster's website
 Back to top 
Merago
Unfettered


Joined: 14 Apr 2005
Posts: 341

 		Re: jumpin on the "don't" know if it helps" bandwagon
Chromecide wrote:
I just noticed that every letter is preceded by the digit "6"


Yeah, the lower case characters translate to the numbers 61-7A in hexadecimal. I think the string of numbers at the bottom is the key to solving this, and the way they're set out seems vaguely familiar to me (something I did in algebra or advanced calculus or something), but for the life of me I can't put my finger on why. Most specifically, the '1' and the '0' could prove key to working out the meaning of the string as they would rule out a lot of possibilities for manipulating the code - multiplying or dividing (as an example) by 1 wouldn't change anything, so it's neither of those and manipulating with '0' would, for most methods of manipulation, have no effect.

Ok, to post everything I've got so far, in the hope that someone notices a pattern I've missed:-

Here are the numbers converted from hexadecimal, directly to decimal:-

Spoiler (Rollover to View):
3616444833078932330
7672281313289270136
8248115610269411889
8173311417797603958
7091033553628705130
7019548555839437169
29104585925944437


the numbers converted from hexadecimal to ASCII:-

Spoiler (Rollover to View):
201j9wsjrvjoys
jyk4wysxk4h1bx
rw1rxvj1j
qmon0xrvjc4w7j
8v04jqmqmrwpjx
bhirvj1j
ajr8jjyqwysowr
gfwysdu


the numbers converted from hexadecimal to decimal ASCII equivalent:-


Spoiler (Rollover to View):
50, 48, 49, 106, 57, 119, 115, 106, 114, 118, 106, 111, 121, 115
106, 121, 107, 52, 119, 121, 115, 120, 107, 52, 104, 49, 98, 120
114, 119, 49, 114, 120, 118, 106, 49, 106
113, 109, 111, 110, 48, 120, 114, 118, 106, 99, 52, 119, 55, 106
56, 118, 48, 52, 106, 113, 109, 113, 109, 114, 119, 112, 106, 120
98, 104, 105, 114, 118, 106, 49, 106
97, 106, 114, 56, 106, 106, 121, 113, 119, 121, 115, 111, 119, 114
103, 102, 119, 121, 115, 100, 117


For the frequency analysis experts:-

Here is a report on the character frequency.

There are repeated characters "v1j1" which appear at the end of two sentences. I guess this could be a word like "here" or something along those lines. There are also a few instances of "ys", (including three instances of "wys"), 3 instances of "rv" and, in the middle, an unusual immediate repetition of characters in "qmqm".

I've been staring at this code for hours now without any success, and we're not even sure it ~is~ a trailhead -given that this same question has been asked on other cryptology boards, it's possible this is just someone who wasn't getting an answer there who has been directed towards unfiction as a possible place to get the code decrypted.

Ok, so, purely because I've tried everything else I could think of, I started messing around with substitutions. I daresay this is wrong, because it doesn't tie in with those numbers at the bottom, but, here's what I've come up with as possible:-
Spoiler (Rollover to View):

Ok, looking at the frequency analysis results and taking the wild leap that "v1j1" = "here", "rvj" = "the" and "wys" = "and", I got this (with the non-decrypted characters removed to make it easier to read):-

xxRExADETHExND
ENxxANDxxxxRxx
TARTxHERE
xxxxxxTHExxAxE
xxxxxxxxTAxEx
xxxTHERE
xETxEENxANDxAT
xxANDxx

Having a second sweep at it, I noticed the second last line and figured that "xETxEEN" could be "BETWEEN" giving us:- "a" = "B" and "8" = "W". Which gives:-

xxRExADETHExND.
ENxxANDxxxxRxx
TARTxHERE.
xxxxxxTHExxAxE
WxxxxxxxTAxEx
xxxTHERE.
BETWEENxANDxAT
xxANDxx

I also guessed that "x" might equate to "s" because it occurs fairly commonly, giving this:-

xxRExADETHExND.
ENxxANDSxxxRxS
TARTSHERE.
xxxxxSTHExxAxE
WxxxxxxxTAxES
xxxTHERE.
BETWEENxANDxAT
xxANDxx

Cleaning it up a bit, it could be:-

xxRExADE THE xND.
ENxx AND SxxxRx STARTS HERE.
xxxxxS THE xxAxEWxxxxxxxTAxESxxxTHERE.
BETWEEN xANDxATxx AND xx.

There are a few other things that spring to mind as possibilities from looking at what's there:-

The first line could read xxRE MADE THE xND (although, the character before the "ND" part would need to be a vowel I guess, unless it's an abbreviated company name, or a title, like "Someone the 2nd". Also, the end of the third line above could read "TAKES YOU THERE"


What does everyone reckon? Am I on the right lines or is that purely coincidence? I'm in two minds. There are bits and bobs in there that look right, but I don't see how that ties in with the string of numbers we were given.

EDIT:- Ok, having counted the characters in the code, there are more than 26, so I'm either barking up completely the wrong tree, or there are some numeric characters as well as alphabetic characters in the solution.

Another EDIT:- Ok, after Googling the string of numbers I've found out that this is all part of the "Isis Adventure" whatever that is:- http://www.isisadventure.co.uk/start/free-clue.php?id=268
_________________
Playing:
Following:

PostPosted: Tue Dec 09, 2008 5:53 am
 View user's profile
 ICQ Number 
 Back to top 
Merago
Unfettered


Joined: 14 Apr 2005
Posts: 341

 		Ok, I've just about cracked it:-

Spoiler (Rollover to View):

The significance of the number string becomes obvious as you work your way through the substitution cipher. the number string tells you the numbers that are used in the decoded message in addition to the alphabetic characters:- 2, 1, 6, 3, 4, 5, 9, 0. I've used all but 6,3,9 and 0.
So, this is where I am now:-

xIRExADE THE 2ND.
ENGLANDS GLORY STARTS HERE.
152x IS THE PLACE WHIL 1515 TAKES YOU THERE.
BETWEEN 1 AND 2 AT xx AND xx.

I could be wrong with the positioning of some of the numbers, but I think they're correct. I also have a hunch about what it means, but I'll know more once I've done some more digging.


Ok, after a bit more, this is as good as I can get:-

Spoiler (Rollover to View):
FIREMADE THE 2ND.
ENGLANDS GLORY STARTS HERE.
1529 IS THE PLACE WHIL 1515 TAKES YOU THERE.
BETWEEN 1 AND 2 AT xx AND xx.

I'm not sure what the last few blanks are (maybe something to do with a postcode?), but they will need to contain the unused numbers:- 0,6 and 3.
I ~think~ the clue is possibly referring to Hampton Court Palace, built in 1515 and home of Thomas Wolsey from 1515-1529. The Palace was taken as King Henry VIII's place of residence in 1529 after he had a falling out with Thomas Wolsey and he started rebuilding and renovation work straight away. There was also a major fire which badly damaged the southern wing of the palace in more recent times.


Now, I hope the original poster appreciates the effort we've went to if they claim a prize. Wink I'd post my results on your boards at isiadventures, but it seems to be locked down to the public now (it wasn't this morning).
_________________
Playing:
Following:

PostPosted: Tue Dec 09, 2008 11:31 am
 View user's profile
 ICQ Number 
 Back to top 
phyzix
Decorated

Joined: 03 Aug 2007
Posts: 231
Location: Florida

 		WoW great job Merago but according to the site it is a clue of something or someplace in the US. Hampton Court is in UK.

PostPosted: Tue Dec 09, 2008 6:50 pm
 View user's profile
 Back to top 
Merago
Unfettered


Joined: 14 Apr 2005
Posts: 341

 		Heh, I didn't even bother to read anything from the site after linking it Embarassed , but, yep, you're right. Scratch that then. I hope it means something to someone.

Ok, in that case, I'm not so certain of the last version. So I'd revert to the version prior to it.

Spoiler (Rollover to View):

xIRExADE THE 2ND.
ENGLANDS GLORY STARTS HERE.
xx2x IS THE PLACE WHIL xxxx TAKES YOU THERE.
BETWEEN x AND 2 AT xx AND xx.

_________________
Playing:
Following:

PostPosted: Tue Dec 09, 2008 6:53 pm
 View user's profile
 ICQ Number 
 Back to top 
Two
Guest


 		So close and yet you allow your life to dangle from a broken string.

Solve this soon or die soon.

PostPosted: Tue Dec 09, 2008 9:33 pm
 Back to top 
Display posts from previous:   Sort by:   
Page 1 of 4 [60 Posts]   Goto page: 1, 2, 3, 4 Next
View previous topicView next topic
 Forum index » Archive » Archive: General » Old News & Rumors
Jump to:  


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You can download files in this forum
You cannot post calendar events in this forum



Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group