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+ , - . / 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 : ; < = > ? @ A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z [ \ ] ^ _ ` a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z { | } ~ ! " # $ % & ' ( ) *
F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z [ \ ] ^ _ ` a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z { | } ~ ! " # $ % & ' ( ) * + , - . / 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 : ; < = > ? @ A B C D E
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Last edited by McInfo on Tue Jun 15, 2010 11:34 am, edited 1 time in total.
! " # $ % & ' ( ) * + , - . / 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 : ; < = > ? @ A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z [ \ ] ^ _ ` a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z { | } ~
The first and second characters of the encoded string ("+" and "F") correspond to two randomly-chosen positions in the alphabet. If you line up two copies of the alphabet so that these two positions are aligned, you get the decoder table that I showed in my last post. The alphabets wrap around as if they were written on the side of a cylinder so that each character in one alphabet is matched with a character in the other alphabet. So, if you take the third character from the encoded message, which is "(", and look for it in the top alphabet, you find the first character of the decoded message, "C", in the bottom alphabet. The "twist" of this algorithm is that the bottom alphabet is now where you look up the next encoded character and the top alphabet is where you find the corresponding decoded character. This means that if you look for the next encoded character, "+", you will find that the matching decoded character is "o". This flipping behavior occurs for every character.
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Last edited by McInfo on Tue Jun 15, 2010 11:35 am, edited 1 time in total.
This challenge is certainly distancing itself from the others to claim its place as the oldest unsolved challenge. Is it that it's too difficult or just that no one is motivated to solve it? Did I mention that there are prizes* for the first three people to solve it? I took some of the challenge away by explaining the algorithm, but I'm still expecting someone to post a solution.
*Prizes have no monetary value.
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Last edited by McInfo on Tue Jun 15, 2010 11:36 am, edited 1 time in total.
I think since it's more a puzzle than a programming challenge, it require more mental preparation / investment since the way to solve it is not clear. I know that I couldn't find the motivation to really tackle it..
I spent a few minutes and did this challenge. It was a pretty interesting one.
My solution only work with php 5.3.0 + as it uses strstr with the third argument to create the first and second string patterns.
As requested in the above 'encrypted' message, here is my badge.
[edit]
I did post the code but I figured that would kind of make the whole badge thing pointless and the time it took McInfo to make the webpage a waste of time so I will upload my code at a later time.
Last edited by watson516 on Tue Sep 08, 2009 12:59 pm, edited 2 times in total.
I think I got it, I am good at the theory part, but pretty new at the coding...
I'm gonna take a try in it see if I get to solve it
If I will I think I will be the most newbie to solve an advanced puzzle
but lets not get ahead of ourselves, shall we ^^
Good work, watson516! I'm glad someone finally completed the challenge. Thanks for un-posting your code for now. When two more people solve it we can share solutions.
mischievous actually decrypted the message first, but it must have been manually because there were some missing characters so the link didn't work for him, which was what the PM was about.
Good luck, frozenarmageddon.
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Last edited by McInfo on Tue Jun 15, 2010 11:37 am, edited 1 time in total.
I think I am going to give up :\
I just don't understand what is happening and what I am doing wrong... What I code just won't work as I expect it to...
And asking for help... well.. count's as if I didn't do it, but someone else did... :\