Mystery Hunt 2012 Recast: COMPLETE!!!

[gftt]

Take all 26! permutations of 26 letters and find the trillionth one alphabetically? That would be
ABCDEFGHIJK W R T V M N Z P Q Y O U S X L

[gftt]

Here's what I get:

ZEKHCZUDGVWAZKQEKANAMEBLAISEDEBLANKZEYICVGMAS
HICAZABCDEFGHBGQWRBFEDAZEHPTKRGFXHHMUALLOYNMIZ
ZIVQNHTLMKKEKIMJPOJOAOAMNAIWGRJIYDMIBCQJYGUDXT
JIJKZPQVXNKENJYDRNBAOBLKJCRODENTSPSVJZETUNPZTXHXB

17mce 5sk 6ske would then be NAME BLAISE DE BLANK, ALLOY, RODENT?

"Pascal" is what the first phrase is cluing...

[gftt]

I don't know what to do now, but it might be worth keeping track of which letters have been "used" so far:


ZEKHCZUDGVWAZKQEKANAMEBLAISEDEBLANKZEYICVGMASHICAZ
ABCDEFGHBGQWRBFEDAZEHPTKRGFXHHMUALLOY
NMIZZIVQNHTLMKKEKIMJPOJOAOAMNAIWGRJIYDMIBCQJYGUDXTJ
IJKZPQVXNKENJYDRNBAOBLKJCRODENTSPSVJZETUNPZTXHXB

[Scurra]

[gftt]

[Scurra]

I was decrypting since the text is encoded and we are decoding it (even if what comes out is merely more encoding!)

So ALLOY RODENT is going to be a clue to the keyword then? Well that could be anything. How about STAINLESS STEEL RAT?!

As for "dividing a trillion by 14!"? Yeah, I do that all the time. (I'd never have thought of that method - it's quite neat, although I suspect I'd have gone wrong somewhere in trying to ascertain the correct final permutation.)
_________________
_{still Quiz Olympiad champion. Must get a life.
New definitions: COFFEE - someone who is coughed upon}

[Gomez]

[Scurra]

Whoah! Good find. And it looks like the right keyword too; the decrypt gives:

YNKPKIUKFEWIHTQLJJNIUNBSZRSMLNBSZWKHMHIJUPMIA
QIJZIAJKMEMFQBOYFRIENDIHNHWSTRONGHOLDATTXYULRZ
HQEQUGCLUSTERHVJXWSOHNJMVIRWNQSIGLVIIBZJGODDES
SIRSIPXUGNSMWJFCANJIXBSJSCZWMEUSBPADSZLSDNXHCXOWK

I can see BOYFRIEND / STRONGHOLD / CLUSTER / GODDESS in there, and they match our target of 9sce 10sce 7ske 7ske

So BOYFRIEND STRONGHOLD is the cipher and CLUSTER GODDESS is the clue to the keyword.
_________________
_{still Quiz Olympiad champion. Must get a life.
New definitions: COFFEE - someone who is coughed upon}

[gftt*]

[gftt*]

For future reference:

http://www.cryptool-online.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=123&Itemid=146&lang=en

[gftt*]

[Scurra]

Ah. My usual site of cipher tools doesn't have Beaufort so I didn't recognise it. I have now bookmarked that one, thanks.

No idea about LARGE NUMBER OF EARS though.
_________________
_{still Quiz Olympiad champion. Must get a life.
New definitions: COFFEE - someone who is coughed upon}

[gftt*]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoot

Maybe? [/b]

[Scurra]

Hmmm. How on earth did you come up with that?!
It seems quite possible, given the MIT connection, so I guess it's the sort of thing MIT students might be expected to know?
But I'm not sure how anyone else would.
_________________
_{still Quiz Olympiad champion. Must get a life.
New definitions: COFFEE - someone who is coughed upon}

[gftt]

I just googled "number of ears mit" and it was the first hit.

Anyhow, using SMOOT gives

KUJBK IMABQ JGTZB KYYOK DTOUR ZWEIW AFEAH TJIZO ACGMT ODLPS TSSZE OKWNI OEUJB ZTRRQ HLRJA JPDKF NMKXC JXAFH SPRVQ OFABU HCWBG CCHDV RVTOT HEUDU DXFVI CVGLX CZGFH YWCNV RAWQL WUQLT VUPTH WYHNF IKRHG KZPBM IFVHP AKGTO THEXD X

10mk 8mke = "TO THE UDUDX / TO THE XDX"????????

I'm going to have to check which letters have been used so far to be sure.


KUJBKIMA
BQJGTZBKYY (this was CARSTARTER)
OK DTOUR ZWEIW AFEAH (this was NAMEBLAISEDEBLANK)
TJIZO ACGMT ODLPS (this was LEXICOGRAPHICAL)
TSSZE OKW (this was THEQUICK)
NI OEUJB ZT (this was BOYFRIEND)
RRQ HL (this was LARGE)
RJA JPDKF NM (this was STRONGHOLD)
KXC JX (this was ALLOY)
AFH SPRVQ OF (this was TRILLIONTH)
ABU HCWB (this was CLUSTER)
G CCHDV RV (this was OCEANENG)
TOT HEUDU DX
FVI CVGLX C (this was OLDCOURSE)
ZGFH YWC (this was GODDESS)
NV RAWQL (this was BROWNFX)
WUQLT VUPTH WY (this was NUMBEROFEARS)
HNF IKR (this was NUMBER)
HG KZPB (this was RODENT)
M IFVHP AKG
TO THEXD X

OK then. TO THE UDUDX TO THE XDX. Buh?

[Scurra]

Well I guess we know where the 8s 9s is going to be, at least!
_________________
_{still Quiz Olympiad champion. Must get a life.
New definitions: COFFEE - someone who is coughed upon}

[gftt]

The next thing is E.

http://web.mit.edu/21w785/F98/HTG/mitsongsC.html

KUJBKIMA - 27182818 = INITIALS

OK, now for the other word...

M IFVHP AKG - 943490763 = DECRYPTED

Hmm.

[gftt]

KUJBKIMA -> I
BQJGTZBKYY -> B - 2 = Z (uh-oh)
OK DTOUR ZWEIW AFEAH -> O-5 = J (double uh-oh)
TJIZO ACGMT ODLPS -> T-9 = K (this isn't working)
TSSZE OKW -> T-5 = O
NI OEUJB ZT -> N-9 = E
RRQ HL -> R-0 = R
RJA JPDKF NM -> R-0 = R
KXC JX -> K-5 = F
AFH SPRVQ OF -> A-2 = Y
ABU HCWB -> A-4 = W
G CCHDV RV -> G - 6 = A
TOT HEUDU DX -> T - 0 = T
FVI CVGLX C -> F -1 = E
ZGFH YWC -> Z - 2 = X
NV RAWQL -> N - 2 = L
WUQLT VUPTH WY -> W- 2 = U
HNF IKR -> H - 7 = A
HG KZPB -> H - 3 = E
M IFVHP AKG -> D
TO THEXD X -> T - 2 = R


The following is in order of how the plain texts came up. (OCEANENG is first, in other words.) Still nothing.

G CCHDV RV -> G - 6 = A
FVI CVGLX C -> F -1 = E
HNF IKR -> H - 7 = A

TSSZE OKW -> T-5 = O
NV RAWQL -> N - 2 = L

TJIZO ACGMT ODLPS -> T-9 = K
AFH SPRVQ OF -> A-2 = Y

OKDTOURZWEIWAFEAH -> O-5 = J
KXC JX -> K-5 = F
HG KZPB -> H - 3 = E

NI OEUJB ZT -> N-9 = E
RJA JPDKF NM -> R-0 = R
ABU HCWB -> A-4 = W
ZGFH YWC -> Z - 2 = X

BQJGTZBKYY -> B - 2 = Z
RRQ HL -> R-0 = R
WUQLT VUPTH WY -> W- 2 = U

TOT HEUDU DX -> T - 0 = T
TO THEXD X -> T - 2 = R

KUJBKIMA -> I
M IFVHP AKG -> D

[Suspence]

I'm barely able to follow this (not sure where you are getting the numbers you are subtracting from), but I'm wondering why for the "initials" you are choosing the first letters of the encrypted text.

On the surface, I'd guess that the "initial" for something like BQJGTZBKYY (CARSTARTER) would be C, not B. If your subtraction remains unchanged, this yields A, which seems a lot more promising than Z.

I could be totally wrong since I really have no clue what's going on...
_________________
I hate people who try to write interesting things in their signature.

[gftt*]

I'm subtracting the digits of e (hence the first word was -27182818). The -2 from B was because the next digit of e is 2.

[Suspence]

Sorry to be so dense...where does 943490763 come from?

I think I need to start from the beginning and try to understand what you'de done already, rather than trying to jump in.
_________________
I hate people who try to write interesting things in their signature.

[gftt*]

Those were the digits of e that were in the positions corresponding to MIFVHPAKG.

The original string turned out to be in blocks and once all of these decryptions have been done the letters in the initial positions of the blocks are the I, Z, J, K, etc. That's what I was thinking, at least, but unfortunately we need to do something else... which I am quite stuck on.

[Suspence]

Ah, it all makes sense now.
_________________
I hate people who try to write interesting things in their signature.

[gftt*]

Enough to figure out where to go from here?

I tried taking just the string of initials (plaintext - so the O from OCEANENG, O from OLDCOURSE... through the I and D from INITIALS DECRYPTED) and running it through all the decryptions. Gibberish. I must say it seems improbable that the author set it up so that some subset of the letters decrypts using the same ciphers to something usable. That just sounds like too many constraints for the constructor.

[Scurra]

It's a slightly strange answer, but I'd like to submit JERRY WEXLER as a solution. (Which presumably maps to Johnny Winter for the meta solution.)

I went back and looked at what we had been given in the original puzzle (almost always a good idea!)
Each section was clued with a number followed by some letters. The number clearly indicated the size of plaintext block we were looking for. The S or the M indicated whether the plaintext block was a single word (e.g. NUMBER) or multiple words (e.g. OLD COURSE.) The C or the K indicated whether the plaintext was a cipher clue (e.g. BLAISE DE BLANK) or a keyword clue (e.g. ALLOY RODENT.)
But we hadn't used the E, which was labelled in the puzzle as "extraction".

So I just looked at the answers which were labelled E and ignored the others. In solution order, and using gftt's reference list, this identifies the letters E,L,Y,J,E,E,R,W,X,R,R.
But that's not the order the words appear in the encoded text, which gives a sort order that produces the answer I offer above.

A very, very clever puzzle that stayed just the right side of feasible, albeit very time consuming.
_________________
_{still Quiz Olympiad champion. Must get a life.
New definitions: COFFEE - someone who is coughed upon}

[LordKinbote]

JERRY WEXLER is correct.

And here I'm going to cheat, because I don't want my own puzzle to be backsolved. So that's the one you guys are going to get next. Enjoy!

Next: Towers by Scott Handelman (aka me)

[Scurra]

And I look forward to seeing what other people do with this one.
I did all the right things but in completely the wrong way. (Or possibly the other way around!) I would have been much better off spending my time on the previous crypto puzzle, if only I had found it...
_________________
_{still Quiz Olympiad champion. Must get a life.
New definitions: COFFEE - someone who is coughed upon}

[novice]

Well it's apparently referencing the Towers of Hanoi, and the clues appear to be simplex:

Left column:
GROAN - A bad joke teller might receive this - ORGAN
BUDGE - Move the tiniest iota - DEBUG
PUNKS? - Like mosh pit dancers
EARTH - Kwame’s superpower - HEART
WARPS? - Travels from World 1 to World 4 - WRAPS?
FALSE - A Boolean value - FLEAS
CLEAN - Without potty language or innuendo - LANCE
Gives two thumbs up, perhaps
BRAID - Time-bending video game from 2008 - RABID
Get up
Don’t agree to disagree
KNITS - Makes a sweater - STINK
BAGEL - You might smear a shmear on one - GABLE
MERIT - Deserve (as a reward) - REMIT
HINGE - Turning point? - NEIGH

Right column:
GABLE - Actor who once played a Butler
FLEAS - A dog’s worst enemies
ORGAN - A donation that can’t be returned
WRAPS? - Disguises a box’s contents
REMIT - Don’t punish
STINK - Evidence of needing a diaper change
RABID - Fanatic
DEBUG - Get the code running
Give the evil eye
In need of an editor
NEIGH - It’s straight from the horse’s mouth?
Negotiation bargaining chip
LANCE - Renaissance fair weapon
HEART - Word with “break” or “attack”
You might need it if you’re boring

[Suspence]

EARTH - Kwame’s superpower (Kwame is one of the Planeteers from Captain Planet).
GABLE - Actor who once played a Butler

All 5 word answers so far...so let's go for that:

A bad joke teller might receive this
NUDGE - Move the tiniest iota
Like mosh pit dancers
EARTH - Kwame’s superpower
Travels from World 1 to World 4
FALSE - A Boolean value
CLEAN - Without potty language or innuendo
Gives two thumbs up, perhaps
Time-bending video game from 2008
ARISE - Get up
ARGUE - Don’t agree to disagree
KNITS - Makes a sweater
BAGEL - You might smear a shmear on one
MERIT - Deserve (as a reward)
Turning point?

GABLE - Actor who once played a Butler
A dog’s worst enemies
A donation that can’t be returned
WRAPS? - Disguises a box’s contents
Don’t punish
SMELL? - Evidence of needing a diaper change
Fanatic
Get the code running
STARE - Give the evil eye
In need of an editor
SNOUT? - It’s straight from the horse’s mouth?
Negotiation bargaining chip
SWORD - Renaissance fair weapon
HEART - Word with “break” or “attack”
DRILL - You might need it if you’re boring
_________________
I hate people who try to write interesting things in their signature.

[Elethiomel]

GROAN - A bad joke teller might receive this
FALSE - A Boolean value
STAND - Get up
ARGUE - Don’t agree to disagree
KNITS - Makes a sweater

FLEAS - A dog’s worst enemies
STINK - Evidence of needing a diaper change
GLARE - Give the evil eye
TRUTH - It’s straight from the horse’s mouth?
MONEY - Negotiation bargaining chip

Edit:
STINK anagrams to KNITS
FALSE anagrams to FLEAS
HEART anagrams to EARTH

[novice]

Hehe, now someone amalgate this into one list. I'll stop editing mine.

[gftt*]

[Elethiomel]

ORGAN - A donation that can’t be returned

ORGAN anagrams to GROAN

[novice]

Don't punish - REMIT - anagrams to MERIT

CLEAN anagrams to LANCE. I'm keeping my first post updated with anagrams now.

[Suspence]

BAGEL <-> GABLE
_________________
I hate people who try to write interesting things in their signature.

[novice]

Noted.

ORGAN could also be "In need of an editor". And "In need of an editor" might be "WORDY" which anagrams to "DOWRY" which might be "A donation that can't be returned."

Not sure if this means something or is just coincidence.

Also considering OKAYS which anagrams to SOAKY - "Evidence of needing a diaper change"??

[Suspence]

GROAN - A bad joke teller might receive this
NUDGE - Move the tiniest iota
Like mosh pit dancers
EARTH - Kwame’s superpower
Travels from World 1 to World 4
FALSE - A Boolean value
CLEAN - Without potty language or innuendo
Gives two thumbs up, perhaps
BRAID - Time-bending video game from 2008
ARISE - Get up
ARGUE - Don’t agree to disagree
KNITS - Makes a sweater
BAGEL - You might smear a shmear on one
MERIT - Deserve (as a reward)
Turning point?

GABLE - Actor who once played a Butler
FLEAS - A dog’s worst enemies
ORGAN - A donation that can’t be returned
WRAPS? - Disguises a box’s contents
REMIT - Don’t punish
STINK - Evidence of needing a diaper change
RABID - Fanatic
Get the code running
STARE - Give the evil eye
In need of an editor
SNOUT? - It’s straight from the horse’s mouth?
Negotiation bargaining chip
LANCE - Renaissance fair weapon
HEART - Word with “break” or “attack”
AUGER - You might need it if you’re boring

GROAN <-> ORGAN
EARTH <-> HEART
FALSE <-> FLEAS
CLEAN <-> LANCE
KNITS <-> STINK
BAGEL <-> GABLE
MERIT <-> REMIT
BRAID <-> RABID
_________________
I hate people who try to write interesting things in their signature.

[novice]

Left column:
GROAN - A bad joke teller might receive this - ORGAN
BUDGE - Move the tiniest iota - DEBUG
PUNKS? - Like mosh pit dancers
EARTH - Kwame’s superpower - HEART
WARPS? - Travels from World 1 to World 4 - WRAPS?
FALSE - A Boolean value - FLEAS
CLEAN - Without potty language or innuendo - LANCE
Gives two thumbs up, perhaps
BRAID - Time-bending video game from 2008 - RABID
Get up
ARGUE - Don’t agree to disagree - AUGER
KNITS - Makes a sweater - STINK
BAGEL - You might smear a shmear on one - GABLE
MERIT - Deserve (as a reward) - REMIT
HINGE - Turning point? - NEIGH

Right column:
GABLE - Actor who once played a Butler
FLEAS - A dog’s worst enemies
ORGAN - A donation that can’t be returned
WRAPS? - Disguises a box’s contents
REMIT - Don’t punish
STINK - Evidence of needing a diaper change
RABID - Fanatic
DEBUG - Get the code running
Give the evil eye
In need of an editor
NEIGH - It’s straight from the horse’s mouth?
Negotiation bargaining chip
LANCE - Renaissance fair weapon
HEART - Word with “break” or “attack”
AUGER - You might need it if you’re boring

[Suspence]

GROAN - A bad joke teller might receive this - ORGAN - A donation that can’t be returned
BUDGE - Move the tiniest iota - DEBUG - Get the code running
ROWDY - Like mosh pit dancers - WORDY - In need of an editor
EARTH - Kwame’s superpower - HEART - Word with “break” or “attack”
WARPS - Travels from World 1 to World 4 - WRAPS - Disguises a box’s contents
FALSE - A Boolean value - FLEAS - A dog’s worst enemies
CLEAN - Without potty language or innuendo - LANCE - Renaissance fair weapon
RATES - Gives two thumbs up, perhaps - STARE - Give the evil eye
BRAID - Time-bending video game from 2008 - RABID - Fanatic
ARISE - Get up - RAISE - Negotiation bargaining chipGet up
ARGUE - Don’t agree to disagree - AUGER - You might need it if you’re boring
KNITS - Makes a sweater - STINK - Evidence of needing a diaper change
BAGEL - You might smear a shmear on one - GABLE - Actor who once played a Butler
MERIT - Deserve (as a reward) - REMIT - Don’t punish
HINGE - Turning point? - NEIGH - It’s straight from the horse’s mouth?
_________________
I hate people who try to write interesting things in their signature.

[Elethiomel]

Maybe the next step is to find the number of "Tower of Hanoi" moves required for each anagram?