Cryptos

[Chili_Palmer]

As the level is called: "Take the money and run", I thought the counterfeit money might be part of the clue. I'm still on it.

[demi]

what to do after i time start.htm???

[Kuang]

To solve 'Take the money and run' you need to gather tha facts you have so far about the terrorist.

* He's Brazilian, but is currently working in a different country
* He's just completed his job
* He's heading off to some other destination than Venice and expects it to take 12hrs to get there by some means.
* He's given you the common name of the place he's heading in his phone message
* Maybe he could have been asking for a lift from one of the other terrorists from the place he'll arrive?

See how that goes, and I'll look back in later :)

[Kuang]

Oh, and it's not leonardo, it's [i]leopardo[/] - the leopard, in line with the other terrorists.

[Dr Who Fan]

what to do after i time start.htm???

Do you mean how do you get to the next level?

[LittleDevilDuck]

I can't get the keyword for the Spirito Di Italia. I used the keyword "cryptos" and it's just not working for me can someone please help me... if need be send me PM cuz I'm completely frustrated at this point...

[Dr Who Fan]

I can't get the keyword for the Spirito Di Italia. I used the keyword "cryptos" and it's just not working for me can someone please help me... if need be send me PM cuz I'm completely frustrated at this point...

What is the word to describe what Cryptos is?

[LittleDevilDuck]

artwork? painting?

[Dr Who Fan]

artwork? painting?

What was found in the basement.

[LittleDevilDuck]

finally got it. thanks dr who fan!!

[Chili_Palmer]

To solve 'Take the money and run' you need to gather tha facts you have so far about the terrorist.

* He's Brazilian, but is currently working in a different country
* He's just completed his job
* He's heading off to some other destination than Venice and expects it to take 12hrs to get there by some means.
* He's given you the common name of the place he's heading in his phone message
* Maybe he could have been asking for a lift from one of the other terrorists from the place he'll arrive?

See how that goes, and I'll look back in later :)

Thank you very, very, much! Finally got it.

[Kuang]

It's embarrasingly simple when it clicks, isn't it? :)

[bballbabe4432]

To solve 'Take the money and run' you need to gather tha facts you have so far about the terrorist.

* He's Brazilian, but is currently working in a different country
* He's just completed his job
* He's heading off to some other destination than Venice and expects it to take 12hrs to get there by some means.
* He's given you the common name of the place he's heading in his phone message
* Maybe he could have been asking for a lift from one of the other terrorists from the place he'll arrive?

See how that goes, and I'll look back in later :)

is the common name Gomes?

or Leopardo?

[elise]

To solve 'Take the money and run' you need to gather tha facts you have so far about the terrorist.

* He's Brazilian, but is currently working in a different country
* He's just completed his job
* He's heading off to some other destination than Venice and expects it to take 12hrs to get there by some means.
* He's given you the common name of the place he's heading in his phone message
* Maybe he could have been asking for a lift from one of the other terrorists from the place he'll arrive?

See how that goes, and I'll look back in later :)

ok, I have done all that you say, and I still can't work it out!! maybe I am just missing something really obvious. just so I know has anyone worked out where he is travelling to or is that the next answer??

[ozchick]

I must be blonde, i don't get it, maybe another hint, please??????

[bballbabe4432]

well i don't know cuz i'm stuck too, but i think the location is the answer

[elise]

I think so too, only I cannot find out where is 12 hours away from venice!

[bballbabe4432]

same here

[Chili_Palmer]

Remember the country Leopardo comes from!

[Chris Mapa]

Remember the country Leopardo comes from!

Do you mean Brazil, because i tried putting that into the end of the url and it didn't work? Likewise for Italy, USA (where the whole thing started). Nothing. I even tried Portugal. Still nothing

[Kuang]

You need to be finding out what Gomes refers to in relation to Brazil.

I think so too, only I cannot find out where is 12 hours away from venice!

The only place 12hrs away in terms of timezones is Alaska, and it's not there! ;) 12hrs should give you an idea of whether or not the place you're looking for is near to, or far from, venice.

[espavo]

I think I found out what the relation is between brazil and gomes, but I've tried all sorts of answers in the url and it still won't work.

[Dr Who Fan]

I think I found out what the relation is between brazil and gomes, but I've tried all sorts of answers in the url and it still won't work.

I'm having the same problem!

[Kuang]

Everything has to be somewhere..... ;)

[Prodigy]

Everything has to be somewhere..... ;)
I'm glad U find an answer, so help the others - give a hint.

[Kuang]

that IS the hint, along with the others I've given. :) I can't say anymore without giving it away. Google is your friend.

This post was brought to you by the words Brazil and Gomes.....

[Prodigy]

Can U just say is it the city of Brazil 'cause i'm ready to change my nick from Prodigy 2 Idiot, i think i've tryed everything possible locations and nothing.
Or maybe i've made a mistake in the correct answer.

[Kuang]

The word you're looking for is not Brazil , but it is *in* Brazil.

[seylamoon]

just google brazil and gomes, he has given you that much already

[soar]

completely stuck on the junglecats keyword... read the posts on it... but i'm still not getting it...
used junglecat to replace abcde.... and the rest of the alphabet following that... but.. it's not helping me... help.... please

[Dr Who Fan]

completely stuck on the junglecats keyword... read the posts on it... but i'm still not getting it...
used junglecat to replace abcde.... and the rest of the alphabet following that... but.. it's not helping me... help.... please

Try replacing each of the letters of JUNGLECAT with a number e.g. A is 1,(being first in the alphabet, C is 2 being next in the alphabet, etc., up to 10.

Then write the 1st 4 letters of the puzzle (STEG)under the 1, then next 4 under the 2, etc., then read the message across to get the next level.

Hope this helps!

sorry I meant JUNGLECATS not JUNGLECAT.

[soar]

thank you sooo much.... was sooooo confused about all the possibilities that i was unable to see anything...
up to the next level!!!

[Prodigy]

Thanks to all, finaly i did it. But it was too hard and as i say i have allready try this but made a mistake

[Kuang]

level 21 is up, and it's tricky... I think I have an idea for how the cipher in this stage works, but I'm still fiddling with it :)

[Unregistered456]

how many words are there in the answer for take the money and run?

[Prodigy]

how many words are there in the answer for take the money and run?
one word

[elise]

OH. MY. GOD!!! I have actually had the answer written down for about 3 hours and have totally bypassed it and tried everything else!! I don't believe it!! He he he Never mind on to 'a good night's sleep' now
Thanks everyone for their hints! :hb:

[Kuang]

Well done, have a nice snooze :)

[espavo]

have it too ! already tried it earlier, made a mistake, a little frustrating but I have it now !

thx for the tips !

[ender]

:au: I've got a problem to find the goods words for the url.
I found that the new location is the terminal ferry of venice.
but I've tried ferry, ferries, terminal and all the combinations with these words, and nothing!!!!

Little help, just a hint , pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaassssssssssssse!

[elise]

:au: I've got a problem to find the goods words for the url.
I found that the new location is the terminal ferry of venice.
but I've tried ferry, ferries, terminal and all the combinations with these words, and nothing!!!!

Little help, just a hint , pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaassssssssssssse!

You already have the answer :)

[ender]

i'll thank myself got it!

[Kuang]

Just reverse the two words :)

[elise]

does anyone know a good website that will help me decode the message on "a good nights sleep" the level after "take the money and run"? I know what I have to do I just can't find the tools to do it!!

[seylamoon]

it says it's a "shifty" message so use that kind of cipher. but i have trouble with the right syllabication so that i can translate it correctly. does anyone know?

[elise]

it says it's a "shifty" message so use that kind of cipher. but i have trouble with the right syllabication so that i can translate it correctly. does anyone know?

I was going for the "twisted" part, I cant find anything for "shifty"!
I'll keep trying thou!

[Kuang]

This cipher is actually a lot simpler than the clue makes it sound. I couldn't get the message to appear perfectly but it was only a few letters out and didn't disguise the meaning.

[elise]

I have also translated the message again not perfectly, just trying to figure out what the answer is now!!

[genius]

Thank you Kuang. Got it at last after MANY permutations of the name. I at first tried the whole name, then the second name. Then i googled again and got first name. At first i thought it was a person, i mean, i read da vinci. :)

Is it a cipher we used before? I googled "shift cipher" and got Caesar's Cipher.

[elise]

any hints for url? I have decoded the message and got what I think is a fairly good translation but I cant seem to find what the actual answer is, I have tried various combinations of words, and I have googled til I can google no more (although I will not be beaten!!) So for now I am stuck, unless one of you lovely people out there can help me with a hint!! :au:

[genius]

Elise, can you give me a hint on which cipher u used?

[elise]

Elise, can you give me a hint on which cipher u used?
you were right with caesar's cipher, at least that was the one I used!

[Dr Who Fan]

any hints for url? I have decoded the message and got what I think is a fairly good translation but I cant seem to find what the actual answer is, I have tried various combinations of words, and I have googled til I can google no more (although I will not be beaten!!) So for now I am stuck, unless one of you lovely people out there can help me with a hint!! :au:

where does the message say the recipient should go? You have almost got to the point!!!!

[espavo]

could someone give me a good site to translate the message? i've already tried several sites but there are still a few words missing.

[Kuang]

http://www.altavista.com/babelfish is a good one.

[espavo]

http://www.altavista.com/babelfish is a good one.

ok, thx, i'll give it a try.

[elise]

where does the message say the recipient should go? You have almost got to the point!!!!

I understand what you mean, but any variation of the words I have don't work, maybe I have translated the message wrong or something.

[seylamoon]

same here, can't seem to find the answer in the message, unless we did translate it wrong

[elise]

just testing

[Kuang]

You have to be careful with the translation - sometimes the foreign name of a place is also what it's known by in other countries, and translating that name to other languages can give incorrect results.

[elise]

so far I have translated the message to this...

To acougar: entao kills the american equem discovers enviopu-oa Manaus. return quickly points black, or tera that i answers. of iigre

could anyone tell me if I am on the right track with this or if I have translated it completely wrong?

[GATOR]

How do get past the warehouse 7 code. I can't seem to decoded it. I can't figure out how

[Kuang]

Elise: It's good enough to get an idea of the nature of the message but the exact name of the place isn't in the translation

[seylamoon]

this is what i got: sorry, don't know how to make spoilers button.

to cougar mat to the American and who it discovers sending pu oa Manaus entao return quickly points black or tera that they had answered im of iigre

it's hard to get the right translation unless you know the correct syllabication coz if you add or take out just one letter, it's gonna mean a whole different thing

[Kuang]

In this case the syllables don't matter - the name is right there, but maybe not where you'd expect to see it :)

Gator: The letter tells you how the cipher has to be laid out, and the last line of the page tells you what type of cipher it is :)

[espavo]

so weird...what do you need to find out from the advertisement?

the name of the shop or something?

[elise]

can someone please help me on what I am missing!!! This is driving me insane!! :nzd:

[espavo]

the name of where you have to go is in the portuguese text.

[seylamoon]

i tried matao, since that's a place in brazil but it doesn't work

[elise]

i tried matao, since that's a place in brazil but it doesn't work

I have tried all of the words in the text that could be a place, so I must be missing something vital. is the word in english or portugese, do I take it straight from the untranslated text or do I have to translate it first? I'm running out of words to try!!!

[seylamoon]

it's in the potuguese text, we don't have to translate it

I have tried all of the words in the text that could be a place, so I must be missing something vital. is the word in english or portugese, do I take it straight from the untranslated text or do I have to translate it first? I'm running out of words to try!!!

i'm starting to get a headache (-_-)

[Dr Who Fan]

I have tried all of the words in the text that could be a place, so I must be missing something vital. is the word in english or portugese, do I take it straight from the untranslated text or do I have to translate it first? I'm running out of words to try!!!


Did you manage to find it or has it fried your brain!
I used the translation site ets.freetranslation.com and saw the english translation of the answer but realised that it was a place name that should be in Portuguese(as you are supposed to be in Brazil) as that is where the message says the recipient should go.

[ender]

:au: always the same!
the note says to go to the headquarters in the ghetto!
I'm always stuck when I had to put the URL
I'll try ghetto, ghetto of venice, Cannaregio sestiere,ghettovecchio, statodelterra and others that I forgot!

can't find the good one this time! PLEAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSE! little hint!

[espavo]

i've tried so many things and i can't find the solution...
i also saw there were a few words written in capitals so i tried to put all those letters together but that didn't help me any further.

where do I have to look?

:au: always the same!
the note says to go to the headquarters in the ghetto!
I'm always stuck when I had to put the URL
I'll try ghetto, ghetto of venice, Cannaregio sestiere,ghettovecchio, statodelterra and others that I forgot!

can't find the good one this time! PLEAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSE! little hint!

look again to see if you didn't make a mistake, because you gave the answer right here.

[ender]

look again to see if you didn't make a mistake, because you gave the answer right here.
:P thank you so much!
I removed my gloves!!! and you were right, espavo!

[FTA]

Been trying to long to solve this fax message....luckly i just found the forum....plse help soon.

[Kuang]

Hi FTA - see post #354 for a hint :)

[FTA]

thanks

Kuang: Still can't seem to figure it out....i don't really understand the hint u gave...plse help

[Kuang]

The fax advises you to solve the puzzle columnly, and the final line suggests you transpose yourself into a codebreaking frame of mind. Search for a cipher that involves columns and transposition - wikipedia would be a good starting place.

[cieran]

i'm stuck on this level as well. i've tried working with the numbers and some of the words to no avail...is anyone past this level yet that can offer a hint?

[LittleDevilDuck]

for "take the money and run" i've done a google search for gomes brazil and all that turns up are people's names, an airport, and some place called ze gomes i tried the name of the airport written many ways and the name of the place and it still doesnt work.... can someone please help me??

[LittleDevilDuck]

i finally got it... i just started typing in everything i saw in reference to brazil and gomes and finally got it... geez...

[LittleDevilDuck]

really need help with "a good night's sleep" i dont know what the solution is... had trouble even deciphering it.... used other people's results and still cant get it...

[Prodigy]

really need help with "a good night's sleep" i dont know what the solution is... had trouble even deciphering it.... used other people's results and still cant get it...
Read the message: kill american and quickly return to ...

[LittleDevilDuck]

i still can't get it... any further assistance? please?

[Prodigy]

i still can't get it... any further assistance? please?
Return to ... BUT SPELL IT AS IT IS AT PORTUGUESE

[LittleDevilDuck]

can you tell me how to decipher the message so that i can try to work it out cuz i haven't even been able to do that? i apologize for being an idiot...

[Podigy]

can you tell me how to decipher the message so that i can try to work it out cuz i haven't even been able to do that? i apologize for being an idiot...
Use this link http://math.ucsd.edu/~crypto/java/EARLYCIPHERS/Vigenere.html
Enter the text from the message and break it with the key then you have a plain text at portuguese. Translate it. Not all of the words could be translated but you'll catch an idea where to go. If you'll stuck again i'll give you another hint.

[LittleDevilDuck]

what's the key??

[LittleDevilDuck]

nevermind i figured out the key (stupid me)

[LittleDevilDuck]

ok i have the message and i translated it... trying to out what i think the answers are (in portugese) but i'm still not getting it....

[Prodigy]

ok i have the message and i translated it... trying to out what i think the answers are (in portugese) but i'm still not getting it....
When you've done with translation you have a massage like: To NAME: kill an american who find a way to manaus and quickly return to (the place you are lookingfor) and answer to ??? Remember that you are in Brazil, so the answer should be in portuguese.

[Prodigy]

Please someone give me a hint. Englich is not my native language that is why the letter seems to be an abrakadabra for me. I thought it's a shop or something but i can't figured it out.
Thanks in advance.

[LittleDevilDuck]

is it somewhere in the phrase "aponte vegra oou tera"? cuz i type that or part of that in and it doesn't work....

[Prodigy]

is it somewhere in the phrase "aponte vegra oou tera"? cuz i type that or part of that in and it doesn't work....
You have a mistake in "aponte vegra oou tera" it should be "apontA Negra oou tera" so all you have to do is correctly put spaces in it. Solve it and help me with the next level.

[LittleDevilDuck]

omg i am forever indebted to you my friend. i FINALLY!!! got it!!! thanks!!! ok now i shall try this one and help if i can

[Cryptos]

We at Cryptos would appreciate it if you guys would register on the Cryptos forum as well, as discussion on the forum is a medium where all users can discuss the puzzle. The forum can be found from our main page.

John from the cryptos team

[genius]

headache. How do you know what is the shift for the cipher?

[Prodigy]

headache. How do you know what is the shift for the cipher?
Simple: you have a set of letters and a big letter T at the end. It means that the plain text encrypred by shifting by the letter T. At first time when i decrypt the messgae i thought that i'm wrong 'cause it wasn't there were no english words, but then i figured out that it's portuguese.
Good luck.

[ender]

We at Cryptos would appreciate it if you guys would register on the Cryptos forum as well, as discussion on the forum is a medium where all users can discuss the puzzle. The forum can be found from our main page.

John from the cryptos team
I 'll would like to congratulate you and your team!
My first riddle and what pleasure!!!! So interesting! BRAVO

[LittleDevilDuck]

Ok so has anyone gotten past "An Advertisement"? I've asked for help on the forum with the actual game... so I'm hoping someone in either forum can help. It's such a confusing one...

[Prodigy]

Ok so has anyone gotten past "An Advertisement"? I've asked for help on the forum with the actual game... so I'm hoping someone in either forum can help. It's such a confusing one...
It's not fair, i was waiting for your help.

[LittleDevilDuck]

i'm trying to figure it out i really am! but it's so confusing... the writing seems odd (on the paper) so I'm wondering maybe you take the first letter of each word and combine them somehow? but I could be WAAAAAY off! Sorry to dissapoint you mr. (or miss for that matter) prodigy!

[Chris Mapa]

nevermind i figured out the key (stupid me)

If you're talking about 'A Good Night's Sleep', any possible hint about what the key is? I tried Manaus, and that didn't work.

[LittleDevilDuck]

If you're talking about 'A Good Night's Sleep', any possible hint about what the key is? I tried Manaus, and that didn't work.

You're gonna hit yourself lol (cuz I nearly hit myself when I realized what it was) It's right there on the paper... sticks out like a sore thumb.

[Kuang]

I've got past Advertisement, and you.re on the right track. The clue is in the comment by the 'shopkeeper'.

[Kuang]

John: I registered on the official forum yesterday but it didn't send out a confirmation email and tells me my account isn't authorised. Any ideas?

[LittleDevilDuck]

I've got past Advertisement, and you.re on the right track. The clue is in the comment by the 'shopkeeper'.

The "you come to store, it ees second to none" comment?

[soar]

i'm on the paper trail level... where you get a bunch of numbers and i guess a clue in the mail where it says something about squares... no idea what to do... any hints?

[Kuang]

The "you come to store, it ees second to none" comment?

That's the one :)

[Kuang]

i'm on the paper trail level... where you get a bunch of numbers and i guess a clue in the mail where it says something about squares... no idea what to do... any hints?

You might need some help from an ancient greek by the name of Polybius.. ;)

[soar]

thanks kuang... much easier when you know what you have to do ;)

[LittleDevilDuck]

That's the one :)

so would that mean take the first letter of every second word and put it together??

[Prodigy]

I found a shop in Ponta Negra but it didn't work
SUP DB PTA NEGRA - AV. CORONEL TEIXEIRA, 7581, 0

Is it the name of the shop?

[Kuang]

lildevilduck: *Sooooo* close.... ;)

[Kuang]

There may not actually be a shop - the message may reveal something else entirely...

[LittleDevilDuck]

is the result a code? cuz it doesn't make sense...

[Kuang]

Nope, the result is a plaintext message in english.

[LittleDevilDuck]

ok so i'm typing up every second letter and i'm getting jibberish... is there any more hints to help me get it right??

[Kuang]

You're so close it's painful :) It's not *every* second letter..

[LittleDevilDuck]

i meant the first letter to every second word.... or is that still off by like the tiniest bit??

[Pushkin]

almost

it's the ??? letter of every ??? word

[Chris Mapa]

These are the first stage of letters i got after deciphering the coded message on A Good Night's Sleep by checking the cipher text letters against the plain text letters in the alphabet in Caesar's Shift Cipher;

'Bdpvhabs:nbub p
Bnfsjdbop f rvfn
Eftdpcsf f owjpqv-pb
Nbobvt foubp sfupsop
Sbqjebnfouf bqpoub
Ofhsb, pv ufsb rvf
Sftqprpoefsb njn ef
jjhsf'

Is this correct? If it isn't, can someone please tell me how to correct this? I also copied and pasted the 'A Good Night's Sleep' coded text into the ciphertext box in Caesar's Cipher, and couldn't get anything. What am i doing wrong? Any help on this?

[Prodigy]

These are the first stage of letters i got after deciphering the coded message on A Good Night's Sleep by checking the cipher text letters against the plain text letters in the alphabet in Caesar's Shift Cipher;

'Bdpvhabs:nbub p
Bnfsjdbop f rvfn
Eftdpcsf f owjpqv-pb
Nbobvt foubp sfupsop
Sbqjebnfouf bqpoub
Ofhsb, pv ufsb rvf
Sftqprpoefsb njn ef
jjhsf'

Is this correct? If it isn't, can someone please tell me how to correct this? I also copied and pasted the 'A Good Night's Sleep' coded text into the ciphertext box in Caesar's Cipher, and couldn't get anything. What am i doing wrong? Any help on this?
Yse the letter T do decrypt

[LittleDevilDuck]

almost

it's the ??? letter of every ??? word

i FINALLY did it (past the advertisement level) thank you people who helped me!!!!

[Kuang]

If you continually shift that message, it'll suddenly jump into recognisable portuguese.

[Kuang]

Well done lildevilduck - I might need your help on the next level now as it's melting my brain;) I have a few ideas but haven't cracked it yet :)

[Prodigy]

i FINALLY did it (past the advertisement level) thank you people who helped me!!!!
OK now you can help me 'cause i can't catch an idea/
I have a massege "you come to store, it ees second to none"
I'm trying to take one letter from each word and combine them in a word.
Am i right?

[Pushkin]

Yes you'll need a letter from each word and put it together

[LittleDevilDuck]

me too... the guy said "think around the block" which lead me to believe that maybe it's a twisted path cipher. have yet to make it work but we shall see! :D

[LittleDevilDuck]

OK now you can help me 'cause i can't catch an idea/
I have a massege "you come to store, it ees second to none"
I'm trying to take one letter from each word and combine them in a word.
Am i right?

yep you're on the right track! (finally i can return the favor of immense amount of help!!) so yeah keyword in the clue is SECOND ;-) if you need further help just let me know

[Prodigy]

yep you're on the right track! (finally i can return the favor of immense amount of help!!) so yeah keyword in the clue is SECOND ;-) if you need further help just let me know
Shame on me, i was trying to combine letters from the clerk's phrase.
But when i started to read the text i find an answer.
Thanks to all.

[Kuang]

I started off thinking about twisted paths too, but then I tried a few skip sequences and found that I couldn't make a recognisable word so I started to think differently..


Think around the box often refers to moving outside the problem and considering other options. The last sentence says 'deciphering the short message'. THis may mean that the top line, complete with punctuation is the relevant bit, and the apparent cipher is just to throw the jungle cats off the trail. I've frequency analysed the ciphertext and it appears to more or less match english, but isn't a shift. I've played with substitutions and know that there are 5 letters in there with the frequency that suggests vowels, but no obvious occurrance of the digraph HE which you might expect to see. I can't help but think that the top line is plain english but abbreviated - this still doesn't explain why the first part has fullstops and the second doesn't.

Other thoughts:

LMD - Los Menucos airport, Argentina much further down the Rio Negro (the boss will move the painting down river)

Praise Deserved... is satire disguised (Alexander Pope)

- Pope Alexander passed a decree in the 15th century handing brazil to Portugal
- Satire = Satyr?
- Anagram of Satire?

[LittleDevilDuck]

I started off thinking about twisted paths too, but then I tried a few skip sequences and found that I couldn't make a recognisable word so I started to think differently..


Think around the box often refers to moving outside the problem and considering other options. The last sentence says 'deciphering the short message'. THis may mean that the top line, complete with punctuation is the relevant bit, and the apparent cipher is just to throw the jungle cats off the trail. I've frequency analysed the ciphertext and it appears to more or less match english, but isn't a shift. I've played with substitutions and know that there are 5 letters in there with the frequency that suggests vowels, but no obvious occurrance of the digraph HE which you might expect to see. I can't help but think that the top line is plain english but abbreviated - this still doesn't explain why the first part has fullstops and the second doesn't.

Other thoughts:

LMD - Los Menucos airport, Argentina much further down the Rio Negro (the boss will move the painting down river)

Praise Deserved... is satire disguised (Alexander Pope)

- Pope Alexander passed a decree in the 15th century handing brazil to Portugal
- Satire = Satyr?
- Anagram of Satire?


has that gotten you anywhere or are you still brainstorming??

[Kuang]

Still at it. Urgh.

Any thoughts?

[Jase]

thanks lildevilduck on take the money ... am now right with you on praise ;)
Jase.

[LittleDevilDuck]

thanks lildevilduck on take the money ... am now right with you on praise ;)
Jase.

hehe no worries dude :D

[Jase]

still got no idea thou:S

[LittleDevilDuck]

I'm still having no further ideas on the praise one..... Jase, you're a smart one so help us! lol

[Jase]

am trying ;)

[LittleDevilDuck]

Ok so I think the phrase "think around the box" is KEY here... maybe not a keyword but it's very important. But I don't think it means to think "outside the box" or anything of that sort... it's a clue I think... somehow.... :thk:

[Jase]

was thinking the same thing as in written in square but to no avail ... has either 65 or 74 letters ... not squared

[Jase]

well im out for the night ... early start tomorrow ... guess i will be mulling it over at work ... yet again ;)
Cheers, Jase.

[Chris Mapa]

This is the translation of the text i deciphered from the code on 'A Good Night's Sleep' (i used Intertran);

THE COUGAR FOREST AMERICAN OEQUE M FINDER I SEND OA SISTER ENTAO RETURN ORAPI DAMENTE INDICATED BLACK OR TERA Which responds RAMIM I GAVE CHURCH

Can anyone make any sense of this?

[Dr Who Fan]

This is the translation of the text i deciphered from the code on 'A Good Night's Sleep' (i used Intertran);

THE COUGAR FOREST AMERICAN OEQUE M FINDER I SEND OA SISTER ENTAO RETURN ORAPI DAMENTE INDICATED BLACK OR TERA Which responds RAMIM I GAVE CHURCH

Can anyone make any sense of this?

Chris, try this site ets.freetranslation.com it will give you a better translation than the one you have & the answer you need is in portuguese!

[espavo]

This is the translation of the text i deciphered from the code on 'A Good Night's Sleep' (i used Intertran);

THE COUGAR FOREST AMERICAN OEQUE M FINDER I SEND OA SISTER ENTAO RETURN ORAPI DAMENTE INDICATED BLACK OR TERA Which responds RAMIM I GAVE CHURCH

Can anyone make any sense of this?

the answer you need isn't a translation, it's in the portuguese text. when you translate it, the answer get's a whole new meaning. I suggest you look at the portuguese text and go from there.

[LittleDevilDuck]

has anyone gotten past "praise underserved..." I thought and thought and thought and can think no more! *i feel defeated* :tit:

[Prodigy]

has anyone gotten past "praise underserved..." I thought and thought and thought and can think no more! *i feel defeated* :tit:
Me too.

[espavo]

Me too.


same here...

[ender]

i finally got it... i just started typing in everything i saw in reference to brazil and gomes and finally got it... geez...
:au: I'm exactly like you, type all yhings about gomes in brazil (campinas,s?o paulo, maggianico, riodejaneiro,b?lem,b?lemdopara, and z?gomes...) I haven't your intuition to find the good one, Read all posts before but still in fog!

little hint!PLEASE?

[Prodigy]

:au: I'm exactly like you, type all yhings about gomes in brazil (campinas,s?o paulo, maggianico, riodejaneiro,b?lem,b?lemdopara, and z?gomes...) I haven't your intuition to find the good one, Read all posts before but still in fog!

little hint!PLEASE?
Google Brazil and Gomes, there will be the link with airport.

[Prodigy]

Still working on it.
Maybe if the Leopardo is general we have to look for his house in Google?

[ender]

Google Brazil and Gomes, there will be the link with airport.
:att: I'm crying but it's joy!
thank's so much prodigy! I've done this search but only read the first page!!

[LittleDevilDuck]

Still working on it.
Maybe if the Leopardo is general we have to look for his house in Google?

uhmmm what?? i don't follow....

[Prodigy]

uhmmm what?? i don't follow....
I have allready try this... nothing

[Kuang]

was thinking the same thing as in written in square but to no avail ... has either 65 or 74 letters ... not squared

It doesn't necessarily have to be a square - I still think the two parts of the message are separate, and the only integer rectangle you can get from 65 is 13x7

[LittleDevilDuck]

It doesn't necessarily have to be a square - I still think the two parts of the message are separate, and the only integer rectangle you can get from 65 is 13x7

Kuang! I look to your infinate wisdom. Please tell me you've found an answer! Or are you still pondering?? I have a headache now...

[Kuang]

Hardly infinite, but thanks for the compliment ;)

Nah, I'm still sweating... I'll post any insights I have.

[Poppet]

For Praise undeserved - assuming it isn't a substitution cipher I think the two parts have to go together as otherwise in the long section of the message there are three Q's and only two U's.

[Kuang]

That only becomes an issue if it's a transposition rather than a shift or substitution. This is why I'm not sure if the lower part of the message is actually real.

[Kuang]

You know, I still can't work out why the top line is punctuated. That suggests a structure which is anathema to crypotology. There are also few letters that can sit after an apostrophe, with S being one of them so you might not want to change that - does this mean that the top line isn't a cipher but a code, and will explain how to unlock the lower part?

*headdesk*

[Chris Mapa]

Chris, try this site ets.freetranslation.com it will give you a better translation than the one you have & the answer you need is in portuguese!

I tried to link to that site using both Mozilla 1.7.6 and IE, but the site still wouldn't load. Any other better translation sites for this?

[Mistery]

Have you also tried
http://www.freetranslation.com/
(though I don't know if this is the same)

[Chris Mapa]

Have you also tried
http://www.freetranslation.com/
(though I don't know if this is the same)

I used this site, and this is what i got; 'To COUGAR MATAO AMERICAN OEQUE M UNCOVERS ENVIOPU THE MANAUS ENTAO RETORN ORAPI DAMENTE AIMS BLACK PERSON OR HAVE THAT ANSWERS RAMIM I GAVE IGRE'

Now i'm not sure about whether or not i had the original Brazilian deciphered in the right grammar and syntax (language structure).

[bballbabe4432]

i also need help on "a good night's sleep"! i can't get anything the translation says!

[Cunn]

I used this site, and this is what i got; 'To COUGAR MATAO AMERICAN OEQUE M UNCOVERS ENVIOPU THE MANAUS ENTAO RETORN ORAPI DAMENTE AIMS BLACK PERSON OR HAVE THAT ANSWERS RAMIM I GAVE IGRE'

Now i'm not sure about whether or not i had the original Brazilian deciphered in the right grammar and syntax (language structure).

Well, I think you deserve a good nudge, otherwise you will be going nuts soon. The translations is more or less the following:
"To Cougar: kill the american that discovered the way to manaus, then come back to Ponta Negra and answer to me (may be: you will have to answer to me)"

[bballbabe4432]

Well, I think you deserve a good nudge, otherwise you will be going nuts soon. The translations is more or less the following:
"To Cougar: kill the american that discovered the way to manaus, then come back to Ponta Negra and answer to me (may be: you will have to answer to me)"

omg thank you soo much!

[Cunn]

i also need help on "a good night's sleep"! i can't get anything the translation says!

Try this, only if you want a total spoiler
http://www.secretcodebreaker.com/caesar.html

[Cunn]

omg thank you soo much!
Welcome, we need you all at the "praise undeserved" asap, totally lost there

[bballbabe4432]

k. i have to figure out "an advertisement", which may take me awhile...

[Cunn]

k. i have to figure out "an advertisement", which may take me awhile...
Not too dificult, the hint is outside the picture. Look for it and go back to the pic. Previous posts may help you a lot, too

[bballbabe4432]

Not too dificult, the hint is outside the picture. Look for it and go back to the pic. Previous posts may help you a lot, too

i think i got it, is it the second to none thing? but i don't know what to do from there. do you count the second to last letters in like every second word or somethin?

[Kuang]

It's a lot simpler than that, although you are thinking the right way. If you're really stuck, there's an additional hint below.


Try stacking the first eight words on top of each other and then taking a close look

[bballbabe4432]

o ok i get how to do it

[Chris Mapa]

It's a lot simpler than that, although you are thinking the right way. If you're really stuck, there's an additional hint below.


Try stacking the first eight words on top of each other and then taking a close look

You mean in exact order, from 'You' to 'Second To'?

[Kuang]

With regards to 'praise undeserved' I've been wondering whether or not the word 'box' refers to the playfair cipher. I've tried a few permutations and potential keys but no luck as yet.

[Kuang]

You mean in exact order, from 'You' to 'Second To'?

In this case, use the advert text itself. The shopkeeper's comment is the clue to interpreting it.

[bballbabe4432]

ok i'm starting "Praise undeserved"

[Chris Mapa]

Not too dificult, the hint is outside the picture. Look for it and go back to the pic. Previous posts may help you a lot, too

Do you mean google it, or go looking back from the start of the game to all the places we've been through in the game so far?

[LittleDevilDuck]

Do you mean google it, or go looking back from the start of the game to all the places we've been through in the game so far?

The hint is on that page in the text outside the picture. It's a quote.... but the hint is tied into the picture...

[Chris Mapa]

The hint is on that page in the text outside the picture. It's a quote.... but the hint is tied into the picture...

Are you talking about 'You come to store, it ees second to none'? If so, i'm still trying to figure out what the connection is.

[cieran]

help? i've tried transitions, substitutions, boxes, squares, and everything else i can think of at this point...has anyone had any luck on this level?

[cieran]

<spoiler>test</spoiler>

[cieran]

you are on the right track...and very close. the key is to use the quote in the words from the advert.

here is another hint...

stack the words of the advert one on top of the other and look closely at the list from the top down...use the only word in the quote that represents an actual number as a hint of where to look in the list. go to the ____ letter in the word and read down

[Chris Mapa]

you are on the right track...and very close. the key is to use the quote in the words from the advert.

here is another hint...

stack the words of the advert one on top of the other and look closely at the list from the top down...use the only word in the quote that represents an actual number as a hint of where to look in the list. go to the ____ letter in the word and read down

I used the first eight words from the top of the advertisement paper Other Shops Never Bring Melons Cantaloupes Fruit Berries . I put these in a list from 1st word to last, and reading the second letter of each word came up with The Rear E
Am i still on the right track as far as your concerned? If not, can you give me anymore slight hints?

[cieran]

you are on the right track...list all the words and keep going the way you are. you might want to wait to put spaces in after you get the letters down though, it can be confusing in places. good luck!

[Prodigy]

So as i ca see no one beat this level yet.

[Chris Mapa]

you are on the right track...list all the words and keep going the way you are. you might want to wait to put spaces in after you get the letters down though, it can be confusing in places. good luck!

Do you mean that i have to list every single word on the paper downwards?

[Prodigy]

Do you mean that i have to list every single word on the paper downwards?
Just take every second letter of each word.
Come on, help us with the next level.

[Chris Mapa]

Just take every second letter of each word.
Come on, help us with the next level.

I had already come up with the start of the sentence that provides the answer, and didn't even know it. I had 'The rear e', which i should've realised was 'There are', and from there on solved the puzzle without a hitch. Thanks to everyone who provided hints for the 'An advertisement level'. Now i'm onto looking at 'Praise undeserved'. Hope to find a solution to that a.s.a.p.

[Kuang]

Praise Undeserved is turning out to be a pig :) I've just been doing some more tests using Playfair, but I'm pretty sure now that's not it. I've seen that refered to as a box cipher before so thought it was worth a go :)

[Jase]

i am at a dead end with praise too ... everything i have tried just frustrates me more and more
Jase.

[Kuang]

Urgh, I realised I'd posted a number wrong earlier - the 65 character lower message in Praise will make up a 13x5 (or 5x13) box, not 13x7. I'm a muppet :) If you go for the full 74 character message made of both lines, the only rectangular division I can see is 37x2 which isn't instantly helpful.

The extra Q mentioned earlier is interesting if it is a transposition, as some ciphers use a Q to pad out an uneven length text because of it's low frequency in English.

I've found references in Bletchley Park's codebreaker's dictionary stating that box is another term for a transposition grid, which gives some weight to the earlier post suggesting it might be a twisted path/route cipher. 'Around..' would suggest a spiral path which tends to leave word fragments readable in english, and the only sections I can see like this are 'boo', 'liv' and 'shed'. We also wouldn't know where the spiral started and which direction it went.

[Jase]

i think you may be on to something there kuang;)
am trying some stuff along those lines

[LittleDevilDuck]

*sigh* no progress yet? I tried writing the twisted path cipher a few different ways but came to no grand findings.... but i'll try to think some more.... 2 days... no progres... this is bad... i asked for help on the game forum and have recieved no replies... so it was kinda pointless to have me join in the first place... damn cryptos guy doesn't respond. i say we throw eggs at his house! hahah jk (in case he reads this)

[Jase]

same here duck ... i even tried using a vegnere first then twisted using lmdscunma as keyword but still nuffin:(

[Jase]

maybe it is as easy as an anagram of the abbrieviation at the top ... not the letters underneath???

[soar]

hi guys!
i guess for praise undeserved there is something more than just a transposition. the letters used are not the common ones used in an english or even portuguese sentence.... guess we have to substitute the letters... by what? that's the question...

[Kuang]

I've been wondering about the anagram angle, but couldn't come up with anything. The punctuation is still a sticking point for me, which suggests one of the following:

- each letter is the first letter of a word
- the whole phrase is part of a substitution, with punctuation intact
- The punctuation is irrelevant.

I've tried shifting the lop line too, with no success.

[Prodigy]

Maybe there is no 22 level 'cause there is no such thread at the Crypto's forum.
A've allready tryed every possible way of decryption, i'm terribly frustrated

[ender]

I need little help about two things!
I think that SATYR is weird name! In Greek mythology, Pan was a satyr????
Is this important????
and the other thing is about ( in the letter) what satyr says : 'that they will be moving downriver soon' ! weird too! (i can't understand this word, downriver(I'm french)). :au:

[LittleDevilDuck]

"downriver" means down the river. like you know how rivers flow in one direction... so they are moving down the river in that direction. if that doesn't make sense i'll have my french friend translate for you ;)

[Kuang]

Maybe there is no 22 level 'cause there is no such thread at the Crypto's forum.
A've allready tryed every possible way of decryption, i'm terribly frustrated

There wasn't a level 21 either until I'd cracked level 20 :) The writers have planned for 40-45 levels and I assume they'll reveal new ones as the old ones are beaten.

[Prodigy]

Maybe LMD's C. is LMD's Cipher where LMD is the name of this cipher

[Kuang]

Downriver suggest to me that the location might be in Colombia, which is further up the Rio Negro from Manaus - it's also a prime location for your friendly neighbourhood drug dealer ;) I wondered if this might be the C in the top line?

[ender]

thank's to every body!!!
so nice!!
I saw these informations too Kuang! but I don't know if it's important
we'll see when we 'll have the answer

[Cryptos]

*sigh* no progress yet? I tried writing the twisted path cipher a few different ways but came to no grand findings.... but i'll try to think some more.... 2 days... no progres... this is bad... i asked for help on the game forum and have recieved no replies... so it was kinda pointless to have me join in the first place... damn cryptos guy doesn't respond. i say we throw eggs at his house! hahah jk (in case he reads this)

Lets put it this way: you can either have me answering hints on the forum or writing the next level. Personally I assumed that you would prefer to get the satge finished before giving out help on the forums.

[Prodigy]

This is an answer for devilduck from cryptos regarding 21 level
I just give you one hint: the few letters at the top are extremely important. Think about how they are punctuated and what they might mean in context...

[soar]

Lets put it this way: you can either have me answering hints on the forum or writing the next level. Personally I assumed that you would prefer to get the satge finished before giving out help on the forums.
cryptos answer to little duck on the cryptos forum are:
just give you one hint: the few letters at the top are extremely important. Think about how they are punctuated and what they might mean in context...

[Jase]

i sort of guessed that they were important by the way jungle cats was written as J.C.

[Poppet]

The only thing Ive found for UNM, A. Is the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque. Doesn't seem very likely!

As for L.M.D's C. I'm clueless!

[Kuang]

Cryptos: Thanks for the feedback, and please keep things the way they are - there's no sense in spoiling the challenge :)

[elise]

I don't believe it, I struggled and struggled with this one for hours. I have had to be away from my computer for a few days and as soon as I come back I see the answer straight away!!

Thanks to everyone for all their good hints, and yes you do want to kick your self when you realise what the answer is!!

Oh well off to the next level, I've got some catching up to do. :leb:

[elise]

Hi, anyone out there, I am stuck on praise undeserved and would appreciate any help or links on how to break the code. thanks.

[bballbabe4432]

Hi, anyone out there, I am stuck on praise undeserved and would appreciate any help or links on how to break the code. thanks.

we're all still working on it

[elise]

oh well, that's enough for one night, all I can see in front of my eyes are lots and lots of letters that do not make any sense!! I'll try again tomorrow with a fresh head! Good luck to all you people who have more stamina than me!

:pri:

[Cunn]

Good night elise. We are all going crazy with praise, right? We now we must find the main hint/keyword in the first letters, then crack the cipher. I've been looking for something down the river that would relate to L.M.D'S... but no use. I`ve found out that Manaus is upon R?o Negro o Negro River, pretty close where it meets the amazon river. I went all the way down the amazon, on Google Earth, until I reached the sea (Macan?) but didn't find anything that could begin with the L.M.D'S UNM.A. Guess it is not the right track. Any other ideas? Maybe if we tell eachother what we have tried without success can help us all

[Cryptos]

Do you poor solvers need a hint?

P.S. I forget who said it, but the title does indeed allude to Alexander Pope's quote: "Praise undeserved is satire in disguise." This is a play on words with "Satyr in disguise."

[Jase]

still none the wiser but thanks anyway ;)

[Cryptos]

I meant a hint about "praise undeserved"

[Jase]

I give up ... thanks for the puzzle so far but i realise that I am just not as smart as I thought I was :(

[LittleDevilDuck]

Do you poor solvers need a hint?

P.S. I forget who said it, but the title does indeed allude to Alexander Pope's quote: "Praise undeserved is satire in disguise." This is a play on words with "Satyr in disguise."

Does this help at all with the puzzle? Or is it just a little interesting fact?

[bballbabe4432]

does the answer have to do with the title "praise undeserved"?

[Cryptos]

No, the title has nothing to do with it.


MUST READ ANNOUNCEMENT! MUST READ ANNOUNCEMENT!

The initial L.M.D. has been changed to F.M.D. as it should have been.

MUST READ ANNOUNCEMENT! MUST READ ANNOUNCEMENT!


If you need another hint, I can give you one. Seems like you're having a lot of trouble with this one.

[LittleDevilDuck]

Firearms of Mass Destruction!!! LOL! I know that's not it but haha that makes me laugh

[LittleDevilDuck]

But I must ask, is F.M.D a direct abbreviation for something? No tricky ciphers needed? and also since this first line is the most important are we to disreguard the rest? Or is the first line very important cuz it's key in solving the rest??

[Cryptos]

LOL. How about Foot-and-Mouth Disease? Fashion Model Directory? Fluorescent Mulitlayer Disc?

[Cryptos]

I just gave a huge hint to someone who PMed me on the forum. If you want it it could really help you a lot...

F.M.D. is/was a person.

<<@Cryptos: Use these brackets for spoilers: [ ]
Mistery>>

[LittleDevilDuck]

Feeling Mighty Defeated. It fits and it pretty much describes how I feel in reference to this... lol but yeah... is it a direct abbreviation? Or am I missing the point?

[LittleDevilDuck]

I just gave a huge hint to someone who PMed me on the forum. If you want it it could really help you a lot...

F.M.D. is/was a person.

<<@Cryptos: Use these brackets for spoilers: [ ]
Mistery>>

OHHH!!! okay.... famous?
Freddy Mercury except yeah missing the D... lol

[bballbabe4432]

I just gave a huge hint to someone who PMed me on the forum. If you want it it could really help you a lot...

F.M.D. is/was a person.

<<@Cryptos: Use these brackets for spoilers: [ ]
Mistery>>

is/was the person in the crytos mistery, or a real historical person?

[bballbabe4432]

cryptos*

sorry typo

[Mistery]

Sorry for the confusion, it was just a notification to Cryptos on how to make spoilers. I have nothing to do with the game ;-)

[Jase]

i have had a breakthrough ... will keep you all posted

[LittleDevilDuck]

spill the beans jase!!! NOW!!! lol I'm dyin here!

[Chris Mapa]

I went back to the start of the game searching for clues, i.e. looking for any names that F.M.D. could be an abbreviation of, and didn't find anything. I've also put F.M.D. into Google, and haven't come up with anything promising. Any hints as to what field of work this F.M.D. person was in?

[Jase]

The initials F.M.D are in reference to felix delastelle. He is the father of the four square, bifid, trifid ciphers ... you need 2 keywords and i have been trying satyr and disguise ... so there ya go .,.. help me out ...

[Jase]

anyone???

[cieran]

any thoughts on what the unm.a. means? if the first part of the first line tells us whose cipher to look for, what does the rest of it indicate? i've been working on that, no luck so far though.

[LittleDevilDuck]

I must confess with the heaviest of hearts that it is quite fortunate that we are not REALLY the detective trying to catch these bad guys cuz if we were... or at least if I were... I probably wouldn't have even made it out of my office. Let alone nearly caught the criminals several times. Either that or they would have killed me by now as I sat in the middle of venice staring blindly at some cryptic message...
Beyond that UNM.A. must be important... and all I can think of is:
Under New Management. Asshole. Which I KNOW isn't it. I suck at this...
:thk:

[Chris Mapa]

any thoughts on what the unm.a. means? if the first part of the first line tells us whose cipher to look for, what does the rest of it indicate? i've been working on that, no luck so far though.

The main thing i found out is that Felix Delastelle was a famous French cryptographer, so maybe UNM A. has something to do with using one of his ciphers to decipher the 2 lines of code below it. I would really love some more advice on what this UNM A. could be or refer to.

[Kuang]

Wow.. I go to bed and look what you all come up with while I'm asleep :) TIme to start thinking again ;)

[Jase]

glad your back kuang ... hope you have a fresh mind ;)

[Kuang]

I don't think I've ever had one of those tbh ;)

[ender]

I found a link about le chiffre de Delastelle
http://www.apprendre-en-ligne.net/crypto/subst/delastelle.html
If someone 've an idea!!!

[Jase]

me either

[Jase]

cant read french ender :(

[Cunn]

Ender's link is a good cracker for delastelle's bifid cipher, we don't need to understand french, it quite explain's itself. "Message clair" means plaintext, "message chiffr?" is ciphertext, and "clef" is the keyword.

But still, are we looking for a keyword for bifid, or do we need two keywords for the four-square cipher? We are so close, we now know the ciphers, must be one of those, and the keyword (simple or double), must be in UNM.A.

Come on, we have to crack it!

[Chris Mapa]

Ender's link is a good cracker for delastelle's bifid cipher, we don't need to understand french, it quite explain's itself. "Message clair" means plaintext, "message chiffr?" is ciphertext, and "clef" is the keyword.

But still, are we looking for a keyword for bifid, or do we need two keywords for the four-square cipher? We are so close, we now know the ciphers, must be one of those, and the keyword (simple or double), must be in UNM.A.

Come on, we have to crack it!

I too have had a feeling that UNM.A. must either be the keyword, or at least have something to do with it. If anyone can give anymore hints as to the keyword, don't hesitate to share with us.

[Jase]

i have no idea as to where to go from here ... have already visited everywhere that has been mentioned sofar with nothing to show other than a sore head ... this is gonna be a real pain to crack, it has already taken us all 2-3 days :(