+Cabar Feidh Posted March 14, 2007 Share Posted March 14, 2007 [/b]First time forum user here....we've been geocaching about 10 months now, and having a total blast with it. My question is: Can anyone recommend a helpful cryptology and/or puzzle cache guide that will provide a decent start at working on puzzle caches? More and more, we're encountering puzzles that rely on various codes and ciphers that are probably familiar ground for many tech-trained geocachers, but are utterly alien to the rest of us. Any suggestions would be very welcome. Thanks! Cabar Feidh KabirFeidh@aol.com Quote Link to comment
+LeonW Posted March 14, 2007 Share Posted March 14, 2007 Hi Cabar I am also new to this and crypto still puzzles me - found this site that might help in the meantime to solve some of the crypto. - http://www.secretcodebreaker.com/codes.html Surely someone will add to this suggestion soon. Enjoy caching. Quote Link to comment
+Team Teuton Posted March 14, 2007 Share Posted March 14, 2007 Other sites: http://pookey.co.uk/binary.php http://www.kirby98.fsnet.co.uk/Decoder-Random.htm http://www.vectorsite.net/ttcode_01.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topics_in_cryptography http://deafandblind.com/word_frequency.htm Quote Link to comment
Suscrofa Posted March 14, 2007 Share Posted March 14, 2007 Other sites: http://pookey.co.uk/binary.php http://www.kirby98.fsnet.co.uk/Decoder-Random.htm http://www.vectorsite.net/ttcode_01.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topics_in_cryptography http://deafandblind.com/word_frequency.htm How do you encrypt chinese ideograms ? Quote Link to comment
CoyoteRed Posted March 14, 2007 Share Posted March 14, 2007 Here's another. The author has a couple of books out that should be in your local library. Quote Link to comment
Dinoprophet Posted March 14, 2007 Share Posted March 14, 2007 (edited) "The Code Book" by Simon Singh is a good, basic history of codes. You can download the CD-ROM version legally and free. It includes tools for solving many different common code types. ETA: I looks like CR's post is a more up-to-date site for the same thing. Here are two crypto Wikis: Cryptodox WikiProject Cryptography I'm not sure how active that second one is. There are a lot of good puzzle-solving tips in this thread, too. Edited March 14, 2007 by Dinoprophet Quote Link to comment
+ePeterso2 Posted March 14, 2007 Share Posted March 14, 2007 Don't forget the web site of the National Puzzler's League. Quote Link to comment
+White Rider Posted April 6, 2007 Share Posted April 6, 2007 I would recommend the following book: "The Mammoth Book of Secret Codes and Crytograms" by Elonka Dunin This is a paperback book that has over 600 mystery codes for you to crack. It has Da Vinci style codes and cyphers, brainteasing cryptograms, secret messages, plus real-life unsolved codes and undeciphered scripts. You can get this book at your local book store. It costs $13.95. Here's the ISBN number if you need to order it: ISBN-13: 978-0-78671-726-2 ISBN-10: 0-7867-1726-2 Hope this helps. White Rider Quote Link to comment
+OHMIKY Posted April 6, 2007 Share Posted April 6, 2007 (edited) I like singh's book - and have the cd (it came free when I joined the American Crypotogram Association) - it has many useful tools as well as descriptions of a number of ciphers here is a website that is also useful: Rumkin cipher tools - you will find a goodly number of tools for manipulating text and solving ciphers Good Luck - have fun!!!! BTW - the Dunin book is available at amazon.com for US$11.86 - the Singh book for US$10.85 - there are used copies of both available for lower prices. Edited April 6, 2007 by OHMIKY Quote Link to comment
+DeRock & The Psychic Cacher Posted April 6, 2007 Share Posted April 6, 2007 West Michigan cachers were lucky enough to have one of our own "Puzzle Masters" give a presentation recently at the 2nd Annual SW Michigan Chili Cookoff event. Mike, part of the brain trust of the caching team Tikibirds, put together a wonder presentation on some of the techniques that can be used to solve puzzle caches. Here is exactly what he posted in the MIGo forums: ------------ Here are the links to the Puzzle Solving Presentation that we presented at the SW Chapter Chili Cook Off Event... The Power Point presentation can be downloaded from: http://www.mydatabus.com/public/Tikibirds/z/Puzzle.ppt (about 2MB) and the Video of the presentation from: http://www.mydatabus.com/public/Tikibirds/z/Puzzle.wmv (about 120 MB) (This one takes quite awhile to download) In the video, it's difficult to see the slides, so I'd suggest using both the powerpoint and the video/audio together. I'm limited to 1GB (1000MB) per day of downloads. (But it's free!) - Mike (Tikibirds) ---------------- If you enjoy them, I'm sure he would love to hear from you. Have fun everyone, Deane AKA: DeRock & the Psychic Cacher - Grattan MI Quote Link to comment
+simplyred Posted April 6, 2007 Share Posted April 6, 2007 Geocaching University This one is pretty neat and interesting Quote Link to comment
Dinoprophet Posted April 6, 2007 Share Posted April 6, 2007 West Michigan cachers were lucky enough to have one of our own "Puzzle Masters" give a presentation recently at the 2nd Annual SW Michigan Chili Cookoff event. Mike, part of the brain trust of the caching team Tikibirds, put together a wonder presentation on some of the techniques that can be used to solve puzzle caches. Here is exactly what he posted in the MIGo forums: ------------ Here are the links to the Puzzle Solving Presentation that we presented at the SW Chapter Chili Cook Off Event... The Power Point presentation can be downloaded from: http://www.mydatabus.com/public/Tikibirds/z/Puzzle.ppt (about 2MB) and the Video of the presentation from: http://www.mydatabus.com/public/Tikibirds/z/Puzzle.wmv (about 120 MB) (This one takes quite awhile to download) In the video, it's difficult to see the slides, so I'd suggest using both the powerpoint and the video/audio together. I'm limited to 1GB (1000MB) per day of downloads. (But it's free!) - Mike (Tikibirds) ---------------- If you enjoy them, I'm sure he would love to hear from you. Have fun everyone, Deane AKA: DeRock & the Psychic Cacher - Grattan MI That is an excellent presentation. He shows how to solve several real puzzle caches. The video is mainly of Mike going through the PowerPoint, so if you can view the ppt file, I recommend only grabbing that. That will allow than 8 people to download the files per day. Quote Link to comment
+canobeans Posted April 7, 2007 Share Posted April 7, 2007 (edited) This is a plethora of information: www.purplehell.com This is the navy's field guide: http://www.umich.edu/~umich/fm-34-40-2/ Edited April 7, 2007 by canobeans Quote Link to comment
+Yxvandoolu Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 West Michigan cachers were lucky enough to have one of our own "Puzzle Masters" give a presentation recently at the 2nd Annual SW Michigan Chili Cookoff event. Mike, part of the brain trust of the caching team Tikibirds, put together a wonder presentation on some of the techniques that can be used to solve puzzle caches. Here is exactly what he posted in the MIGo forums: ---------------- If you enjoy them, I'm sure he would love to hear from you. Have fun everyone, Deane AKA: DeRock & the Psychic Cacher - Grattan MI Unfortunately, they are no longer available from here. :-( Quote Link to comment
+Isonzo Karst Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 You might want to take a look at the Puzzle Solving Series by ePeterso2. It's more than just cryptology. Strategy, Tactics, Trivia, Wordplay, Mathematics, Logic Problems, Cryptography, Steganography, Lateral Thinking and, natch the Final Exam. Quote Link to comment
+fmoraes Posted October 26, 2010 Share Posted October 26, 2010 The Power Point presentation can be downloaded from: http://www.mydatabus.com/public/Tikibirds/z/Puzzle.ppt (about 2MB) Sorry for reviving this old thread, but does anyone has that PPT saved? That website appears to be down. Francisco Quote Link to comment
+Tikibirds Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 The Power Point presentation can be downloaded from: http://www.mydatabus.com/public/Tikibirds/z/Puzzle.ppt (about 2MB) Sorry for reviving this old thread, but does anyone has that PPT saved? That website appears to be down. Francisco The Michigan Geocaching Organization is now hosting the presentation for me. You'll have to log in for a free membership to get it though... Go under the Main Menu on the left MIGO Documents -> Presentations. The two "Puzzle Solving Ones" are what you're looking for... Hope that helps! - Mike (Tikibirds) Quote Link to comment
+parmstro Posted September 25, 2011 Share Posted September 25, 2011 I have a website with a section on solving puzzle caches - parmstro.weebly.com - over 3000 people have looked at the solving puzzles part so far and I'm told it's helpful!!! It also has links to crypto sites, photograph finding sites, number series etc. Quote Link to comment
+St.Matthew Posted September 25, 2011 Share Posted September 25, 2011 I'd like to add the website http://www.braingle.com/brainteasers/codes/index.php into the list. It has helped me quite a bit. Quote Link to comment
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