Crypto contest on UF...

Zhark · Postby **Zhark** » Mon Feb 25, 2002 1:50 pm

A few days ago, kickstart (one of the maintainers of the Userfriendly web page) posted a gridlike series of numbers on the UF board, challenging everyone to break this apparently encrypted message. What is a bit odd, is that of all the geeks posting on UF, in 2-3 days, noone has figured it out yet. I hereby present the challenge to you on the Uplink forum (Note: This is the UF board from yesterday, kickstart hasn't reposted it again today yet, I'll give you information if he do):

http://ars.userfriendly.org/cartoons/re ... tid=238839

Zhark · Postby **Zhark** » Mon Feb 25, 2002 4:29 pm

Kickstart has now reposted the Crypto contest on todays UF messageboard:

http://ars.userfriendly.org/cartoons/re ... tid=239536

Ajurna · Postby **Ajurna** » Mon Feb 25, 2002 4:56 pm

well it looks a bit like its done in pairs. so mabey is a monalphabetic substitution with double numbers and then padded a bit?? but thats a bit too easy so it would then mabey polyalphabetic in which case is indecypherable unless you happen to have a key?

Zhark · Postby **Zhark** » Mon Feb 25, 2002 5:09 pm

Hmm, it seems that someone has finally soluted it... Try reading the post: "convert all digits into binaries" by Control (Note: The subject doesn't even contain half of the solution).

Ajurna · Postby **Ajurna** » Mon Feb 25, 2002 5:20 pm

oh well so much for my attempt

Zhark · Postby **Zhark** » Mon Feb 25, 2002 6:27 pm

Aaah! That cheater!! He only pretended to have solved it... Hrmf! The contest is still valid!

Zhark · Postby **Zhark** » Tue Feb 26, 2002 10:41 am

*Bump*

The riddle has yet to be solved... However, if of any help, kickstart has already given a small hint on the decoding:
"This has 4 steps from encrypted text to solution"

Zhark · Postby **Zhark** » Tue Feb 26, 2002 4:48 pm

*Bump*
Reposted again on todays board:

http://ars.userfriendly.org/cartoons/re ... tid=240277

(If anyone think I am irritating when I keep bumping this up, please tell me :)

Zhark · Postby **Zhark** » Fri Mar 01, 2002 6:29 pm

The crypto contest is continuing:

http://ars.userfriendly.org/cartoons/re ... tid=242983

There now is a hint: "The key is nothing"

Neon Ultra · Postby **Neon Ultra** » Fri Mar 01, 2002 8:58 pm

You do realise you're talking to yourself?

Zhark · Postby **Zhark** » Fri Mar 01, 2002 9:55 pm

This is merely an informative post/thread, so I don't expect people to answer me. If they want to discuss it, they should do so on the UF messageboard itself... And judging from the number of views (exceeding 100), there must at least be some people who is paying a little attention to it

I was of the perception that some of the people playing Uplink could be a bit interested in such things... Especially when there is a price for being the first to figure it out!

(Edited by Zhark at 7:56 am on Mar. 1, 2002)

Jabberwocky · Postby **Jabberwocky** » Fri Mar 01, 2002 10:48 pm

OK.

Decode this-

OKZOMLG

It should be easy. I could have made it harder. I made it just now.

Zhark · Postby **Zhark** » Fri Mar 01, 2002 11:37 pm

*grumble mumble*... How evil of you...

Jabberwocky · Postby **Jabberwocky** » Fri Mar 01, 2002 11:55 pm

Actually, that one is pretty hard...

Zhark · Postby **Zhark** » Sat Mar 02, 2002 2:18 am

Well, the actual crypto contest has closed now... A winner has been found...

Hmm, regarding those 7 letters, maybe I can figure them out with a clear mind when I've gotten some sleep... *yawn*
But I propably have some other things I'd rather waste my time on

Crypto contest on UF...

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