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Post by artofhiddenmessages on May 29, 2020 15:00:24 GMT -5
I'm sorry Efanton, but even with thr hints you posted, I still can not get the third stanza sorted out.
Maybe you could give us the first 3 letters of the code, or something like that.
So my suggestion is something to help us crack that code.
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Post by efanton on May 29, 2020 16:24:10 GMT -5
Some people seem to be having big problems with the decode. I have checked and double checked and my decodes seem to work perfectly.
So that people can check they are using the correct method I will walk through decoding the first code
using DCODE and its Caesar Cipher decryption tool www.dcode.fr/caesar-cipher
I entered the first code W2F86G45yeQ in the top text box
I then clicked the option knowing the shift: and entered 55
I then used the custom alphabet option and used ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ1234567890 as my custom alphabet.
I then clicked "DECRYPT" and not "DECRYPT CAESAR CODE" (I suspect this is where people might be going wrong. The top button does not use a custom alphabet)
This then gives the correct result for this decrypt of DIWOMXKLfv8
Hope this helps , if not shoot me a PM.
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Post by balloonsrfun on May 29, 2020 17:43:29 GMT -5
Yes, that is exactly what I was doing wrong, I always clicked on Decrypt Caesar Code lol. Thank you.
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Post by artofhiddenmessages on May 30, 2020 17:39:29 GMT -5
Is tomorrow, the 31st, the last day to send in submissions? And is there a time they are due?
Thanks.
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Post by efanton on May 30, 2020 17:43:57 GMT -5
Time for another daily hint.
I cant tell you how disappointed I am with this hunt. I actually considered this one a bit of a masterpiece so to speak (for me anyhow), it had a bit of everything, not so easy to solve, every clue perfectly logical once you saw the big picture, something new and novel, and should have been solvable by most within a week or two.
The time and effort I put in to giving you something new and novel, actually trying to match up the codes with the hints I wanted to use, along with the testing was considerable. More than I would care to admit. I try with all my hunts to add something different, to avoid the usual formats, and to actually try make the solve interesting and enjoyable, all while trying to make sure that the time to solve is kept to a reasonable time. Those elements are harder to juggle than is sometimes realised.
Anyhow, being that this hunt has encountered difficulties, whether that's because people did not catch on to what to do with the clues quick enough, or whether they had issues with decoding even though they thought they were using the correct methods (maybe that was more to do with the tool they were using) we are getting too close to the end of the month.
It is my intention to let this hunt continue for an extra week, so the the next hunt will be released next weekend and not at the start of the month, so that you all have an opportunity of completing this hunt.
So to actually get everyone back on track and at the same level I am going to release the decodes for the encryption
W2F86G45yeQ decodes to DiWomXklfv8
yIx4KzHRy9Q decodes to fZeK2gY9fP8
xyNVA6Dtub2 decodes to ef5CRmUabsI
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Post by artofhiddenmessages on May 30, 2020 21:36:51 GMT -5
Thanks for the extension.
As this hunt unfolds, I can see the thought that went into the design of this puzzle. It is a step-by-step process. A person has to solve each stanza one-at-a-time before progressing on to the next. (At least that is my perception and I hope I am correct.) That makes things difficult because if you get stuck at one step (stanza) you can't progress. But it is also fun and challenging at the same time. Perhaps something this challenging may have needed a longer period of time to solve. It may have helped if people would have collaborated too. There is a lot going on with Covid-19, jobs, etc...right now, so people may be busy.
Don't feel discouraged. This IS a good puzzle.
And remember, things ALWAYS seem more clear (and easier) if you are the creator of the hunt.
Thank you for the kicks.
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Post by efanton on May 31, 2020 15:39:47 GMT -5
Another daily hint
Stanza three results in an address
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Post by chipveres on Jun 1, 2020 9:58:32 GMT -5
I'm looking for an alternative to Chicago as the windy city. That gives a date of 16 January 2011. I can't get that to match anything. Can somebody help?
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Post by efanton on Jun 1, 2020 16:07:45 GMT -5
Another daily hint.
"a windy city cut off completely"
This refers to a historic extreme weather event, and will give you a year for your date.
Think logically, What would cut off a city to all forms of transport?, and what is the windy city? (probably more obvious than you think).
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Post by silentpartner on Jun 2, 2020 22:09:22 GMT -5
Any daily hint today? I've been trying to take this one apart. I figured out what the first stanza was about, most of second stanza, third stanza on is where I get slowed down. Not sure what to remove from the decided text.
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Post by efanton on Jun 3, 2020 13:27:43 GMT -5
Any daily hint today? I've been trying to take this one apart. I figured out what the first stanza was about, most of second stanza, third stanza on is where I get slowed down. Not sure what to remove from the decided text. Sorry was unable to post a hint last night.
As previously stated the 3rd stanza will result in an addressDaily hint.
Those decrypted codes I previously gave you for stanza three should result in three song titles. It should be fairly obvious how to turn them into an address.Another will be posted later tonight being I was unable to post last night. If you have suggestions as to where you might need help please post below.
Lost my hard drive and everything on it Sadly that included three further hunts, frantically trying to recreate them from memory right now. My backup seems not to have worked for a few months, I though everything was syncing to my google drive
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Post by silentpartner on Jun 3, 2020 13:59:46 GMT -5
Oh, well done with the code in stanza three! Once I realized what it was, it's so clever!
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Post by efanton on Jun 3, 2020 18:55:06 GMT -5
Daily hint
The god referred to in the 4th stanza is a Roman god. The Roman's had a strange habit of naming their months after gods, or emperors who thought of themselves as gods.
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Post by efanton on Jun 4, 2020 16:01:30 GMT -5
OH FECK.
ok guys, the interwebs is doing its thing again.
I have an old newspaper article in a scrap book, (some of you are probably old enough to remember when they were a thing) and it clearly gives a date of 16th January 1967 on the cutting I have in it.
Having received a few PM's Im surprised that no one has got the answer yet
So trying to figure out what is going on I delved in to the online records for the establishment in question. It appears that the online records (every single one I can find) point to a date of 24th January 1967.
I honestly do not know what to make of it. I have an actual newspaper clipping in front of me giving one date and the interwebs giving me another. Its hard not to believe what I can physically see printed on a newspaper cutting right in front of me says, but yet after doing extensive searches online for the same event the 24th January 1967 date is given. I can only imagine it was a genuine typo in the newspaper cutting, or possibly that this event might have been rescheduled.
Obviously you guys only have the interwebs to work from. so for the date use 24th January 1967.
This particular hunt will be the death of me, I am beginning to question my own sanity. I check and double check, and check again, everything when I initially post a hunt, to avoid issues like this, but I never thought to confirm the date on the newspaper cutting.
My sincere apologies, now I know why no one has submitted a correct answer, and I apologise profusely. I simply never thought to confirm the date online being I had a hard copy in front of me. (Note to self check everything, even what you are certain to be correct.)
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Post by efanton on Jun 4, 2020 18:33:42 GMT -5
ONE FINAL DAILY CLUE
the windy city referred to in the 4th stanza is indeed Chicago. It was not a trick hint as some might have suspected
A correct solution has been submitted. This hunt will close Saturday 18:00 UTC so get your submissions to me by PM before then please.
I will release the next hunt Saturday evening (UTC). This next one will be a much easier hunt. I think we all need something a little bit more relaxing after the drama of this hunt. Still working on it at the moment as I have had to recreate it again from memory after my hard drive crashed mid week. thankfully it is fairly easy to remember with no serious twists or codes. Should be able to spend the afternoon tomorrow testing everything so there is no more drama's. It still has something new for you, but it should be easily solvable by most.
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