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You can't add numbers (Posted on 2005-09-12) Difficulty: 4 of 5
231430 812110 12215 4141151 111 6123 21113419 411132471932.10589

Hint: This cipher is neither robust, nor easily decoded once you know the method.

  Submitted by jduval    
Rating: 3.4000 (5 votes)
Solution: (Hide)
252014 or in other words YES

Start with the common A=1, B=2...Z=26 letter code, then add or subtract the next number in the sequence to get the value for the next letter using the same a=1,b=2...code. Continue on in this pattern all the way through to the end of the code.

For example THE DOG would be 20123 1118,
20=T 20-12=8=H 8-3=5=E 5-1=4=D 4+11=15=O 15-8=7=G

In the process of solving this, we may think to ourselves that 2=B, 2+0=2=B, BB… No words begin with BB so 20=T is our first letter

Then we have either 1 or 12 as our next number, this brings up four possibilities,
1) 20-1=19=S, TS… unless we are talking about a tsetse fly, this is not likely. Let's skip this and come back to it if we need to.
2) 20+1=21=U, TU… this is a possibility, 21+23=44>Z=26 =>NO, 21-23= -2<A=1 =>NO, 21+2=23=W, TUW…not, 21-2=19=S, TUS… maybe, 19+3=22=V, TUSV…not, 19-3=16=P, TUSP…not
==>1 was likely not our next number
3) 20+12=32, 32>26 so this is not possible
4) 20-12=8=H, TH… this is a real possibility, 8+3=11=K, THK… an abbreviation for thick, but not likely, 8-3=5=E, THE… Hey, now that’s a word.

If we add a space here the first word is ‘The’.

Continuing on, the next sequence has to be 1,11,8 — 11,1,8 — 1,1,18 -- or 1,1,1,8 as 11+18>26,
Do we start at the beginning with a new letter i.e. 1=A, 2=B, etc.
Lets look at all four possibilities above,
1,11,8) 1=A +11=12=L +8=20=T or -8=4=D, ALT or ALD, NO
1,1,1,8) 1=A +1=2=B +1=3=C, ABC…NO, 2-1=1=A, ABA, maybe, 1+8=9=ABAI..no
1,1,18) 1=A +1=2=B, +18=20=T, ABT…no 11,1,8) 11=K +1=12=L, KL…no, 11-1=10=J, KJ…no

So we must continue on in the same pattern and continue from the previous letter before the space

5 from the E, 5+1=6=F or, 5-1=4=D or, 5+11=16=P
F -- 11,8) 6+11=17=Q, FQ… a vulgarity maybe, and perhaps what you are saying to me because of this puzzle…but no
F – 1,18) 6+1=7=G, FG..no
F-- 1,1,8) 6+1=7=G, FG…no, 6-1=5=E, FE…maybe 5+1=6=F, FEF…no, 5-1=4=D, FED…maybe, 4+8=12=L, FEDL…no
D -- 11,8) 4+11=15=O, DO…maybe, 15-8=7=G, DOG… Hey that would make THE DOG, I bet that is it. Let’s check to see if anything else will work
D -- 1,18) 4-1=3=C, 3+18=21=U, DCU…no, 4+1=5=E, 5+18=23=W, DEW
‘The Dew’ works too for this example, but in my puzzle only one solution will work.
D -- 1,1,8) 4+1=5=E, DE… maybe, 5+1=6=F, DEF… maybe john is a burnout rocker stuck in the 80’s,
Nah, let’s continue on, 5-1=4=D, DED…no
P -- 1,8) 16+1=17=Q, PQ…no, ==>

After much trial and error, and process of elimination we have “The Dog”or “The Dew”.
Was the dog really worth all of that time and effort.
But what does the puzzle read, and why is the answer “yes”.
So after all that, the code reads "Will this get posted on the great perplexus.info". Obviously if you are seeing it the answer is yes.

Comments: ( You must be logged in to post comments.)
  Subject Author Date
re: This is a bit redundant! - solved but not revealedjohn2005-09-16 15:17:56
re: With enough help - some hintsjohn2005-09-16 15:14:01
Hints/TipsWith enough help - some hintsBob Smith2005-09-15 12:42:13
Hints/TipsBig hint. Letter spacing. Only check here if you are readyjohn2005-09-14 20:17:37
An ideaHugo2005-09-13 19:35:16
Hints/Tipsre(2): Hint?Leming2005-09-13 13:46:06
Hints/Tipsre: Hint?Dustin2005-09-13 13:13:06
QuestionHint?Bob Smith2005-09-13 12:09:42
re: This is a bit redundant! - solved but not revealedpcbouhid2005-09-13 01:27:41
Hints/TipsThis is a bit redundant! - solved but not revealedLeming2005-09-13 00:44:23
Some ThoughtsSome thoughtsLeming2005-09-12 22:16:50
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