Code Words

Anything and Everything about Uplink

Moderators: jelco, bert_the_turtle, Chris, Icepick, Rkiver

NightWind
level2
level2
Posts: 145
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2004 5:56 am
Location: Anchorage, AK, USA
Contact:

Postby NightWind » Thu Oct 21, 2004 3:18 pm

You got #5 right, but #4 is a lot simpler than you're making it. I hardly ever use hexadecimal, btw. And #6...yes, A-B-H is part of the process. But no musical instruments are required.
Mas Tnega
level5
level5
Posts: 7898
Joined: Sat Mar 02, 2002 11:54 pm
Location: Edinburgh
Contact:

Postby Mas Tnega » Thu Oct 21, 2004 4:23 pm

For #4, if I were to just say Introversion, you'd ask me to justify it, yes? That or say "wrong"

Is DICE anywhere near right for #6? Failing that, ZION.
NightWind
level2
level2
Posts: 145
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2004 5:56 am
Location: Anchorage, AK, USA
Contact:

Postby NightWind » Fri Oct 22, 2004 1:19 am

Both wrong. Although Introversion would be a good answer, it's not really that close to what I have in mind.

And here's another hint for 4: it's just a simple substitution cipher. However, it's got a fancy numbering system.

For #6: The clues are enciphered. Look around for anything helpful. Pay attention in sixth grade social studies. Cryptic clue: Think ?????? style. And we have a special today on aggravating not-so-helpful clues! "No swaps."

:P You do need to use A-B-H.
But for either puzzle, don't think along Uplink-related lines. They're enciphered differently. Although you might just be able to guess the word for 6 if you decipher the third clue. Then you could "reverse justify" your answer. :)

Jeez, I'm getting REALLY long-winded here. Just bear in mind that I've given you all the "settings" you need to decipher the clues.
Last edited by NightWind on Fri Oct 22, 2004 2:11 am, edited 2 times in total.
flash3k
level1
level1
Posts: 24
Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2004 12:03 am
Location: Cambridge, UK

Postby flash3k » Fri Oct 22, 2004 1:29 am

Judging by the ABH, I'd have to say it would be something like 'harm', but it's just a guess.
Last edited by flash3k on Fri Oct 22, 2004 1:49 am, edited 6 times in total.
Image
NightWind
level2
level2
Posts: 145
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2004 5:56 am
Location: Anchorage, AK, USA
Contact:

Postby NightWind » Fri Oct 22, 2004 1:32 am

No, flash, that's incorrect. I'm starting to worry...here's another hint. A-B-H has nothing to do with the actual answer. It's used in decrypting the clues.
flash3k
level1
level1
Posts: 24
Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2004 12:03 am
Location: Cambridge, UK

Postby flash3k » Fri Oct 22, 2004 1:50 am

ABH=128

As in the IP number 128.128.128.128?

Anything to do with Protovision,Wargames, anything along the lines of that?

So is it something like GAME?


Post if it's wrong, please; I think I'm getting somewhere... :roll:
Image
NightWind
level2
level2
Posts: 145
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2004 5:56 am
Location: Anchorage, AK, USA
Contact:

Postby NightWind » Fri Oct 22, 2004 2:11 am

Hehehe...that logic is exactly why I used it. That logic is very good, but too obvious. Sorry, but incorrect. I will now HIGHLIGHT some VERY IMPORTANT information in a previous post.

WarGames was a good movie, wasn't it? (Although what would I know, being 14 in a month...)
Mas Tnega
level5
level5
Posts: 7898
Joined: Sat Mar 02, 2002 11:54 pm
Location: Edinburgh
Contact:

Postby Mas Tnega » Fri Oct 22, 2004 11:03 am

64.1.82.26
65.5.13.16
13.5.65.50

MAIL
NEST
SEND?

Come on! At least it fits!


Clue 1. UIQASQITSDXCEXIOBEELHXMOLVVYFIRCRVQLLEHPCGELMTQLTQUEUSR
Clue 2. XCRLMPZKVSOEKUDIFEUYMLKBE
Clue 3. AAKMSTNIPFBMPNBSMCSTADHMUFYBBMLBCUJQEPEDTODPQCEECUBDTITYNCVGPBSPWJJVZIUGC
Clue 4. A-B-H
Clue 5. Think Retro.
Clue 6. No words or abbreviations in the clues as written are intended.

I never did "6th grade social studies", so that's completely lost on me.

A-B-H means fuck all to me, apart from counting As, Bs, and Hs (which didn't work), or taking A-B-H as 1-2-8.

So that leaves rotating through the alphabet by 1-2-8 for certain letters, taking certain letters in the sequence as defined by some obscure interpretation of 1-2-8, or removing certain letters as such.

If it's rotation through alphabet, then "Think Retro" would probably mean going backwards through the alphabet, or starting at the end of the line. As these things are massive, there's either no spacing, or nothing to do with rotation. If I were to start from the end, AAKMSTNIPFBMPNBSMCSTADHMUFYBBMLBCUJQEPEDTODPQCEECUBDTITYNCVGPBSPWJJVZIUGC becomes <blah blah>NXHMEB, so that's wrong.

Maybe 1-2-8 is take every other letter, then take the second letter of each group of 8. As in, AAKMSTNIPFBMPNBSMCSTADHMUFYBBMLBCUJQEPEDTODPQCEECUBDTITYNCVGPBSPWJJVZIUGC goes to AKSNPBPB MSAHUYBL CJEETDQE CBTTNVPS WJZUC then KSJBJ. Also wrong.

I'll split each line into groups of eight.

UIQASQIT SDXCEXIO BEELHXMO LVVYFIRC RVQLLEHP CGELMTQL TQUEUSR
XCRLMPZK VSOEKUD IFEUYML KBE
AAKMSTNI PFBMPNB SMCSTAD HMUFYBB MLBCUJQ EPEDTOD PQCEECU BDTITYNC VGPBSPWJ JVZIUGC

OK, having the lengths of the lines as 55, 27, and 79 doesn't really help with that one.

Meh.
flash3k
level1
level1
Posts: 24
Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2004 12:03 am
Location: Cambridge, UK

Postby flash3k » Fri Oct 22, 2004 11:25 pm

I really am stuck. But for people who think it's based on WarGames, and are looking for some help, try this link:
http://www-public.rz.uni-duesseldorf.de ... /logon.htm

You may find SOMETHING on there.

Here's another guess:
WOOD?
CLAY?
Image
NightWind
level2
level2
Posts: 145
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2004 5:56 am
Location: Anchorage, AK, USA
Contact:

Postby NightWind » Mon Oct 25, 2004 4:25 am

All wrong. Jeez, I can't believe it's gone on this long. Here's a few more hints: 1. The clues to #6 are enciphered using a somewhat-well-known system. 2. "Think Retro" is talking not about the letters, but about, oh say, 60 years ago.

That should be enough for that one. In fact, that should be more than enough.

For #4: It's a monoalphabetic substitution cipher, just the numbers are all screwy. lol. :P :twisted: This was the process: each letter was flipped to numbers via A=1, B=2 etc., then shifted a certain number of spaces, then a simple mathematical formula was run on the digits of each number.

If you're still stuck in a day or two, I'll post a few deciphered bits.
Mas Tnega
level5
level5
Posts: 7898
Joined: Sat Mar 02, 2002 11:54 pm
Location: Edinburgh
Contact:

Postby Mas Tnega » Mon Oct 25, 2004 10:08 am

The mathematical formula is totally out of my reach until I work out which number is which letter. 1 would appear to be A, but then again, maybe it isn't. You try to make out we're dumb, but there's fuck all beyond guess work available. I can't even assume that alphabetical order is numerical order, as the function was done on the SEPERATE DIGITS. It is simple to you, solely because you have the bloody formula!
NightWind
level2
level2
Posts: 145
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2004 5:56 am
Location: Anchorage, AK, USA
Contact:

Postby NightWind » Mon Oct 25, 2004 4:07 pm

All right, point taken. Last three letters: X=1 (and so does G), Y=4, Z=9. First three letters: A=16, B=25, C=36. There should be a pattern appearing.

This should be enough for #4, but don't whine about 6. I've given you all you need for that one. (I hope) Heck, I've practically told you which cipher it is.
Mas Tnega
level5
level5
Posts: 7898
Joined: Sat Mar 02, 2002 11:54 pm
Location: Edinburgh
Contact:

Postby Mas Tnega » Mon Oct 25, 2004 6:48 pm

NightWind wrote:All right, point taken. Last three letters: X=1 (and so does G), Y=4, Z=9. First three letters: A=16, B=25, C=36. There should be a pattern appearing.
Hurrah!

64.1.82.26
65.5.13.16
13.5.65.50

64 = 8², 8 - 3 = 5 = E!
1 = 1², 1 - 3 (+ 26) = 24 = X!
82 = 1² + 9², 19 - 3 = 6 = P!
26 = 1² + 5², 15 - 3 = 12 = L!
65 is O
5 is I
13 is T
16 is A
13 is T
etc

EXPLOITATION

Not exactly solved, more worked through.
NightWind
level2
level2
Posts: 145
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2004 5:56 am
Location: Anchorage, AK, USA
Contact:

Postby NightWind » Tue Oct 26, 2004 5:39 am

You're welcome. *hint of sarcasm in voice*

Aaah, I just wanted it solved. Now you only have one to do, so it's easier to drive you to the brink of insanity. :P

I was joking—joking! Really!

Well, the new definition of "Think Retro" should help.

<deleted because it makes it too obvious. NightWind>
<more deleted because it makes it too obscured. NightWind>
NightWind
level2
level2
Posts: 145
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2004 5:56 am
Location: Anchorage, AK, USA
Contact:

Postby NightWind » Tue Oct 26, 2004 6:00 am

Oh heck.

The first seven letters of Clue 1 for Puzzle 6, when deciphered, read "Take the".

Apologies about "6th grade social studies." I'm over here, on the other side of the Atlantic.

#7 will be coming soon...

Return to “General”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 17 guests