Cryptos

[kuang]

pkticker: There is an encryption algorithm called ICE, but this is effectively a tougher version of DES with a 64 bit key so I don't think it's relevant in this case.

[kuang]

In context, I should probably ask you the same thing

I think I'm at least 5 hours ahead of you here, although that doesn't mean I'm five hours ahead of you on the puzzle....

[kuang]

We have Buttercup Syrup here which usually seems to calm bad throats down, as well as being pretty safe (as far as cough medicine goes). Not sure if it travels to your side of the pond

[Jase]

Hey Guys,

Glad to be back except I am in the throws of trying to find my level 32 url ... hard to find anything after buying a new comp

Jase.

[kuang]

Just PMed it to you

[kuang]

By pond, I meant that bloody great big one between you and the UK which is where I'm based. Can't miss it, it's wet and goes all the way to the horizon..

[kuang]

and don't forget murderer

I think he was cremated and wanted his ashes to be scattered over Nancy Spungen's grave but I don't know if they did it.

Anyway, hijack over. Any further thoughts on this cipher?

[kuang]

That's just java code, and not much use in itself - I had a look earlier. I'm not sure how you'd arrive at a 64 bit key from the info in the level either.

[kuang]

Not sure, there's very little to go on. I'd imagine 'Rhymingly yours' refers to the precise type of cipher (either by name or method, neither of which I can connect with anything) or the keyword. I've looked for emergency ciphers, but then that's a futile search as all ciphers could be used in emergencies and there have been examples of people falling back on various basic ones throughout history.

The layout of the ciphertext interests me; it's slightly too short for a simple substitution to be reliably carried out, but it seems to be split into two distinct halves - the repeats are mostly in the first half while the second appears to have mostly unique characters.

Frustratingly though there's nothing that immediately stands out for me and suggests where to go next. I'll keep turning it over..

[Cryptos]

Have you considered the post-script at all?

[pkticker]

The postscript?

Have you considered the post-script at all?

You mean Nakamoto's grumblings? Noooo...

Ooooh Cryptos you are mean!

BTW, Cryptos, I got my dad hooked on this game. We've started over, and he really likes it. Plus he's very helpful - he knows Morse code from his time in the Navy.

[lab rat]

hello everyone!

I just saw cryptos is back!

I really don't have time for this....

[kuang]

Same here, although I'd disregarded it because logically the words in the letter and the words of a character in the room wouldn't work together, in much the same way as the level titles in previous levels haven't had a bearing on the result. I'll PM you with my thoughts though..

[Jase]

ok guys ... i am with you all now ... and just as baffled

[kuang]

What we have so far seems to be the following:

The hidden text (which is extremely sneaky ) refers to Louis and Marie, who we assume to be Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. Both were known to use ciphers, both lived at Versailles, both were executed by guillotine.

In terms of ciphers, I believe Louis used Le Chiffre Grand which was a huge system using nomenclators and allsorts designed years before for the royal court, and Antoinette who used a version of Porta's cipher, one based on the novel 'paul et virginie', and a polyalphabetic one made of random letter pairs devised by Alex Von Fersen).