The solution: "e. The base of the natural logarithm, named in honor of Euler."
Shift the letters of the ciphertext the number of letters down the alphabet corresponding to the digits of the transcendental number "e". (The alphabet used for this puzzle is a cycle of 26 characters -- the normal alphabet written in a circle so that the 26th letter, z, is followed by the letters a, b, c, etc.):
g.aimditmqnxmnneywuforoiiymAip,scskfmwovsvtsmEDokA.
"minus"
2.71828182845904523536028747135266249775724709369
"equals"
e.Thebaseofthenaturallogarithm,namedinhonorofEuler.
Note: The "particular individual" referred to in the text of the problem as the "most practical" place "to start" is the letter "e". The letter "e" is usually common in text, but is missing from the text of this problem (and from Leonhard Euler's first name, which I used as the title for this puzzle).
Mindy |