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H. Humbert
SFN Die Hard
USA
4574 Posts |
 Posted - 06/02/2005 : 19:54:07 [Permalink]
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quote:
Sorry. But the clues I left for dv82matt about the numerical spew I left for him could be followed by anyone. Google might be your friend.
When I (kiddingly) said I felt left out I just meant you guys were doing math. [shudder] I have an aversion to numbers. Code breaking is essentially math--plugging in values into algebraic sets or whatever. My brain really doesn't work that way. You'll notice that my code didn't require any math skill. 
Riddles on the other hand I like, though there seems to be so few good ones. |
"A man is his own easiest dupe, for what he wishes to be true he generally believes to be true." --Demosthenes
"The first principle is that you must not fool yourself - and you are the easiest person to fool." --Richard P. Feynman
"Face facts with dignity." --found inside a fortune cookie |
| Edited by - H. Humbert on 06/02/2005 19:58:21 |
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26022 Posts |
Posted - 06/02/2005 : 20:13:33 [Permalink]
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| Actually, the code I gave dv82matt doesn't involve math, but instead just numbers which represent letters and/or symbols. There is no "plugging values into algebraic sets" involved. The more important question, "what kind of standardized encoding is it?" is answerable by searching the Web a bit, and doesn't even require the use of numbers, much less math. |
- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
Evidently, I rock!
Why not question something for a change?
Visit Dave's Psoriasis Info, too. |
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H. Humbert
SFN Die Hard
USA
4574 Posts |
Posted - 06/02/2005 : 20:20:28 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Dave W.
Actually, the code I gave dv82matt doesn't involve math, but instead just numbers which represent letters and/or symbols. There is no "plugging values into algebraic sets" involved. The more important question, "what kind of standardized encoding is it?" is answerable by searching the Web a bit, and doesn't even require the use of numbers, much less math.
Yeah, I knew you were going to say that it's not really math. What I mean is that the thought process feels similar. It's math-like, if that makes sense. It feels like plugging values into an equation to me. I mean, there are computer programs that can crack codes by working out the substitution routines, so there has to be an element of math to it all. Whatever you want to call it--"right brain activities" maybe--that's what I'm poor at.
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"A man is his own easiest dupe, for what he wishes to be true he generally believes to be true." --Demosthenes
"The first principle is that you must not fool yourself - and you are the easiest person to fool." --Richard P. Feynman
"Face facts with dignity." --found inside a fortune cookie |
| Edited by - H. Humbert on 06/02/2005 20:21:44 |
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26022 Posts |
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H. Humbert
SFN Die Hard
USA
4574 Posts |
Posted - 06/02/2005 : 20:48:24 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Dave W.
I take it you avoid cryptograms at all costs?
I tried a few from the sunday paper thinking they might be fun to get into. I never got past filling in "the" in a few spots and trying to solve the rest of the puzzle from there. Uh, what horror. I can't even look at them anymore. How can anyone consider that an amusing diversion?
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"A man is his own easiest dupe, for what he wishes to be true he generally believes to be true." --Demosthenes
"The first principle is that you must not fool yourself - and you are the easiest person to fool." --Richard P. Feynman
"Face facts with dignity." --found inside a fortune cookie |
| Edited by - H. Humbert on 06/02/2005 20:49:27 |
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Ricky
SFN Die Hard
USA
4907 Posts |
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dv82matt
SFN Regular
760 Posts |
Posted - 06/03/2005 : 00:19:20 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Dave W.
Archeologists once found a stone block with an iron ring embedded in the top, with the following chiseled on one side:
TOTI
E
HORS
ESTO
What do you think the block was used for?
Hey H. Humbert how about I solve this one and you solve the one addressed to me? 
Clearly it was used to tie horses to.
I know, I know I spoiled it for everyone else.
quote:
Originally posted by Dave W.
dv82matt , the encoding I used is over 100 years old (so you won't need any computer programs to decode it). I could probably have standardized it even more by translating my message into French before encoding it.
I'm obviously hopeless at this so let me explain my reasoning so far. It's over 100 years old so it predates programable computers so it must be some kind of communications code such as morse code. But morse code was invented by an Englishman so that can't be it.
The only possibility I can think of is braille. Six binary bits per character (dot or no dot). Am I on the right track? Or am I missing something obvious?
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26022 Posts |
Posted - 06/03/2005 : 07:25:24 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by dv82matt
The only possibility I can think of is braille. Six binary bits per character (dot or no dot). Am I on the right track? Or am I missing something obvious?
The problem is that you're simply trying to think of the solution, instead of going out to the Internet and trying to find it.
Another hint: in the code, there are only 5 bits per symbol. |
- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
Evidently, I rock!
Why not question something for a change?
Visit Dave's Psoriasis Info, too. |
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dv82matt
SFN Regular
760 Posts |
Posted - 06/03/2005 : 19:27:18 [Permalink]
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Aha! I got it!
Yeah Dave, it's all Ricky's fault for posting in binary.
Very cool choice of code, I'd never have got it without your hints.
PS. Dave, I'm reporting pleco for attempted hijacking. In his OP he mentions something about "Voyager 1" which clearly has nothing to do with the subject of this thread.
And a to you too pleco |
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26022 Posts |
Posted - 06/03/2005 : 19:42:40 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by dv82matt
Aha! I got it!
Good job. I'll let others off the hook by pointing to this page. Those who wish to complete the challenge on their own can just not click the link.quote:
Yeah Dave, it's all Ricky's fault for posting in binary.
It is his fault, dangit.quote:
PS. Dave, I'm reporting pleco for attempted hijacking. In his OP he mentions something about "Voyager 1" which clearly has nothing to do with the subject of this thread.
Yeah, how dare he? |
- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
Evidently, I rock!
Why not question something for a change?
Visit Dave's Psoriasis Info, too. |
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pleco
SFN Addict
USA
2998 Posts |
Posted - 06/03/2005 : 20:08:27 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by dv82matt
PS. Dave, I'm reporting pleco for attempted hijacking. In his OP he mentions something about "Voyager 1" which clearly has nothing to do with the subject of this thread.
And a to you too pleco
At first glance a visitor to these fora would think "Wow, they really like talking about voyager!" Then they click on the topic and start reading.... |
by Filthy
The neo-con methane machine will soon be running at full fart. |
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Ricky
SFN Die Hard
USA
4907 Posts |
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26022 Posts |
Posted - 06/03/2005 : 21:29:33 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Ricky
Just tell me the answer.
Okay. For each character, start with a binary value of 00000000. Then, run through the 8 3-bit fields, and OR the following values into the character:
Field Binary
Value to OR
000 (0) 00000000
001 (1) 00000001
010 (2) 00000010
011 (3) 00000100
100 (4) 00001000
101 (5) 00010000
110 (6) 00100000
111 (7) 01000000 When you're done with the eight fields, print.
Yeah, the individual 3-bit fields just specify which bits in the ASCII value are on (ignoring 000).
The 8 fields are randomly shuffled, so that (for example) 6, 48, 384, 3072, 24576, 196608, 1572864 and 12582912 all represent the space character. An ASCII character with two 1-bits (like 'A', for example) could be represented by up to 8*7, or 56 different numbers (for 'A', 15, 57, 71, 120, 449, 456, etc).
That's all. |
- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
Evidently, I rock!
Why not question something for a change?
Visit Dave's Psoriasis Info, too. |
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Ricky
SFN Die Hard
USA
4907 Posts |
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Ricky
SFN Die Hard
USA
4907 Posts |
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