The Translator - Puzzle Hunt - May 2024 (solved)

[ig0psycho]

Jun 8, 2024 19:27:58 GMT -5 mike6888 said:

I haven't really spent any time on this other than cracking the playfair so I could be completely wrong here... But I'm surprised to keep seeing what3words in English. It seems obvious to me that you're supposed to find them in French. So one of the words in French should mean "reel".

Again, I am not submitting another guess. I haven’t since the last one I submitted.



Why French?



Sure. French and Spanish are used in the puzzle, but what leads you to the "obvious" conclusion that one of the words should be French? The puzzle is called the "Translator." That leaves any number of languages open.



That said, following your logic leads to an almost endless amount of possibilities. Should the final W3W combination be translated into several languages or should the English version be translated into another language?



The English words do not match the W3W combinations in different languages. None of them do.



For example, the coordinates 45.901577, -123.958118: In English, the W3W combination is boomer.trill.mildly. In French, the combination is réapprovisionner.stade.compagnie which translates to “restock stadium company.” They aren’t even close.



I believe everyone is missing something that narrows down the method for identifying the exact W3W combination.



I also haven’t seen many people pay attention to the part of the puzzle that says “A key undetected, revelatory is my name”. What is that key? What’s been undetected?



Figure out the undetected “key” and find “a reel”.

[ig0psycho]

Jun 8, 2024 23:57:14 GMT -5 pb123 said:

ig0psycho gave us the tide thing, specifically.

Where the tide washes out... Ecola river mouth, Kramer Point.
(hung around that park for too long)

I didn't give y'all that area, specifically. I just pointed out that the translation of "Necus" listed on the marker at Necus Park indicates that the translation of Necus "Ne-Cost", as written by Lewis and Clark, is written on the marker and in the Nehalem language translated to "where the tide washes out.”

[shanezor12]

More Groupthink thoughts for the image, that really hasnt gotten very much use that I'm aware of

The Grave/tombstone hasnt been used (to my knowledge)
The reel, while its been mentioned in verse, it hasnt been used
The copper pot, hasnt been used (is it just a Goonies ref though?)
3 things and looking for a what3words would make sense for how to 'find' the right square

The Inferno is there too, but that hasnt been used either

The Beach is Robert H. Meyer Memorial State Beach in Malibu --it is also made up of 3 beaches, El Matador, El Pescador, and La Piedra, so maybe that's tip for the w3w too? And coincidentally there's a fishing reference there too!
But its also had a major rock feature removed from the image, called the Needle, there's also the Needles south of the Haystack Rock


Beach Image: imgur.com/a/j4s9cwq

[ILLUMINATINPS]

Jun 8, 2024 19:27:58 GMT -5 mike6888 said:

I haven't really spent any time on this other than cracking the playfair so I could be completely wrong here... But I'm surprised to keep seeing what3words in English. It seems obvious to me that you're supposed to find them in French. So one of the words in French should mean "reel".

This….. and to expand on that, once you have the parts solved, you have already been exposed to 4 languages throughout the puzzle if you include the translation of the park. The puzzle gives no real indicator on WHICH language is needed  for the translation.  English from the poem? Spanish from the poem? French from the Playfair? Or and Indian language from the park? All this with a sea of tiles to choose from is probably what’s dragging this on a bit.  

[mike6888]

I didn't know there were other languages. I only knew of "meules" being French. Wow this is rough. I'm sure there's something subtle that tells you the language but it's probably only something you'll understand in hindsight.

Seems like everyone has reached the inevitable "throw darts at a dart board" part of the hunt.

It's actually this final guessing step that's stopped me from investing any time other than breaking the playfair. At least with that I know if I'm right and it won't come down to some technicality or random manipulation.

[blahpsh]

I think that the shadow region is a map. Home (Chester Copperpot, Astoria) to stone (Haystack rock? Sailor’s grave? Rockaway beach?) then in the middle of the shadow protruding out is Ecola State park. Ne’Cus park is there in the region. But then the reel is offset (Lewis & Clark? Fort to Sea trail?).

I also think the outline of the rock in the top left is an outline of something…coastline, road, river?). And I think there’s more hidden in the poem. We’re missing something for sure. I dont think retro would leave it at is throwing darts. I keep thinking about the punctuation, Trevanion cipher possibly? And then him using Clark instead of Mouth, opens possibilities between Lewis & Clark and the Goonies.

Last thing, Jefferson used a cipher to encode messages to Lewis & Clark (Vigenere cipher).

[blahpsh]

Sorry, feeding my 7 month old and he grabbed my phone and posted. I’m thinking there’s either letters we’re supposed to pull based on the punctuation. Also, think about what they did with haystack rock, the doubloon, in the Goonies. There are a ton of “O”s in the ciphertext. And the last puzzle hunt, overlaying the post on the map, I feel like there’s something there. I feel like the “O”s will overlap with the pertinent letters.

Just a couple of things I’ve been trying out. Notice retro has mentioned his hints have 3 or more steps…there’s something more to this. I’m sharing my thoughts because 4 kids, full-time job, and just hoping maybe someone on here has the time to fall into the rabbit hole I’ve been in for two weeks and can solve it lol.

Also - with the second page being black and white. I’m thinking lighthouse, Graveyard of the Pacific, braille, etc.

Last but not least… a key undetected…reminds me of National Treasure…. “A key in Silence undetected”. Dunno what to do with that.

[retro]

emailed a hint.

[0o The Puzzler o0]

So now back to the same thing but using Spanish W3W?

Oh heck no!

Good luck to those who are into that sorta thing.

[retro]

Okay we have a winner... I need to review to make sure the system picked the first winner. There were a lot of guesses this morning.

If someone had the right words but an unexpected format I might pick them as the winner.

[pb123]

Yay! Someone got it!

ig0psycho

I know you didn't give that particular point but you got the sign translation. I linked in Kramer Point because the Welcome Pole in the park seems to be pointing at it.

[choice]

I hope it's not what3words.com/detained.choice.uneducated

[pb123]

Congrats, blahpsh! (if the Leaderboard is correct)

[choice]

My favorite one was what3words.com/pathway.unveils.shipwreck

[unicorn]

Congrats to blahpsh. My favorite one referenced the wayfinder: relinquish.shapeless.arrows