The solution to this puzzle is a single word described by a cryptic phrase found by deciphering this elementary coded message:

HHSewLiBieBnCNgOFiNeNaMnggMAAlSNiPGSCElATrKSCaaSctTitrVacCrtiMvneoFneCoNeis!

Note: the problem originally listed the code incorrectly as:

HHSewLiBieBnCinNgOFiNeNaMnggMAAlSNiPGSCElATrKSCaaSctTitrVacCrtiMvneoFneCoNis!

Looking at the senstence, my attention was immediately drawn by Li, Ne and others, all chemical symbols.  This would also be in line with Mindrod's earlier interests in chemlistry, as expressed in pid=4281&cid=29403

So there are two ways to go: the title says "Discover us", so it may have to do with the year that the element was discovered.  This is the most likely path to follow IMHO.  A second way could be the atom number in the periodical table.

I assume that both ways give a number of figures which have to be converted to letters.  When there where no symbols available, I presume that Mindrod just took the necessary letter.

But I see a problem coming up: the S can be Sulfur, or Se can, be Selenium. Maybe the W(Wolfram) wasn't used because in english it's tungsten and that could easily be missed.  But the third i should be I(ndium) and the first n could be a N as the one that follows it.

Maybe some more work on the drawing board.

Posted by Hugo on 2006-01-24 14:41:26