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DUH!Help Meeeeeeeeeee?


MK Wotsit

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How the heck does one decrypt a cypher-text???? Puzzle cache is driving me maaaaaaaaddd! :P

 

Depends which cache it is really, there are loads of different types of codes and cyphers <_<

 

I'm sure if you're really stuck, the cache owner would give you a little hint if you send them a polite, begging e-mail :unsure::ph34r:

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How the heck does one decrypt a cypher-text???? Puzzle cache is driving me maaaaaaaaddd! :P

 

Depends which cache it is really, there are loads of different types of codes and cyphers <_<

 

I'm sure if you're really stuck, the cache owner would give you a little hint if you send them a polite, begging e-mail :unsure::ph34r:

 

It's something to do with the Enigma.....Station X ???? groups of five letters. Complete gobbledygook!

Any ideas before I start grovelling?? Reading the logs, other people seem to have cracked it easily enough!

Am I just a dimwit???

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How the heck does one decrypt a cypher-text???? Puzzle cache is driving me maaaaaaaaddd! :P

 

The first thing I do, is a letter count. If the letters are evenly spread over A-Z, then it's not a simple substitution cipher. But if there's one outstanding letter (which will probably be E) and a few that are almost non-existent (which will be Q, Z, X J etc) then it's a simple substitution cipher. Then you use the percentage frequencies to work out which letters are which. If you google, you'll find loads of pages that explain the frequency distribution of English text. That won't work unless you've got enough text to analyse.

 

Here's a page to do the counting for you:

 

http://www.kirby98.fsnet.co.uk/frequency.htm

 

If it isn't a simple cipher, then it's a more complicated one. It might be a Vigenere, for example. You'd need to make a guess which cipher it is; the title of the cache, or the text, or maybe a picture on the page, will be a clue to what sort it is. Google might be a great help there.

 

In the case of Station X, I haven't tried to do it, so I can't give you any real help. But if it isn't a simple substitution cipher, then my next guess would be that it's the old Enigma cipher. In that case (or in the case of anything that isn't a simple substitution cipher), then you probably need to guess the key; cracking the code without the key is probably more difficult than one would expect in geocaching. If it were an Enigma cipher and you were supposed to crack it without knowing the key, then you'd be doing the job that they did at Bletchly Park, which required serious mathematical brainpower, and the development and building of some sophisticated computers. That would be a difficulty ten, at least, maybe even more.

 

Have fun!

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zensunni has written a very useful document which helps with Station X (and others).

Let me know if you'd like a copy, and I'll send it from home later...

 

Baz (in MK too).

 

Please please please.........thank you! :blink:

 

I've uploaded a copy of Ken's document here. I hope he won't mind me publishing it to a wider audience... :P

 

I also have a couple of small ALGOL programs which I used to decode Station X and Station Xtra... :drama:

Edited by milvus-milvus
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Not trying to Hijack the thread, but as we are on the subject of decrypting caches, has anyone on here had any luck decoding Clanger DNA and could offer me a hint by PM (not openly in forum, in case it spoils things for others)? I've already spent way too much work time on this :drama:

 

J

 

Oooo that's a lovely puzzle - being a molecular biologist I have the tools needed to solve it!

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Not trying to Hijack the thread, but as we are on the subject of decrypting caches, has anyone on here had any luck decoding Clanger DNA and could offer me a hint by PM (not openly in forum, in case it spoils things for others)? I've already spent way too much work time on this :D

 

J

 

Oooo that's a lovely puzzle - being a molecular biologist I have the tools needed to solve it!

 

humph - being a biochemist, I SHOULD be able to solve it - unfortunately, my brain has dribbled out of my ears after tyrying to solve all the local puzzles to me!

 

oh well - its not in my 'patch'!

 

Dave

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Not trying to Hijack the thread, but as we are on the subject of decrypting caches, has anyone on here had any luck decoding Clanger DNA and could offer me a hint by PM (not openly in forum, in case it spoils things for others)? I've already spent way too much work time on this :D

 

J

It's a fiendish cipher indeed - have you tried the cache owners for a hint? Alternatively, if you want to PM me with details of your progress so far I can offer to let you know how close you are, but I don't think I should actually give any real guidance...

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Very many thanks for the responses regarding the Sick Clanger, I think I have it now, very cunning encoding indeed and I can see why I missed it. Need to start planning a trip to see if what I've got is correct - looks good on paper (although I now need to check on a map).

 

Cheers

 

Jon.

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zensunni has written a very useful document which helps with Station X (and others).

Let me know if you'd like a copy, and I'll send it from home later...

 

Baz (in MK too).

 

Please please please.........thank you! :o

 

I've uploaded a copy of Ken's document here. I hope he won't mind me publishing it to a wider audience... :P

 

I also have a couple of small ALGOL programs which I used to decode Station X and Station Xtra... :D

 

Thanks for your help. This sort of makes sense! I'll sit and play with my strips of paper! :D

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