OT - Decryption puzzle

QuikSand · 06-01-2004, 10:30 AM

Here is a puzzle, which is to some degree inspired by Jim’s recent offering. Rather like his, this puzzle has multiple steps involved. And, rather like his, this puzzle begins with a seemingly incoherent mess of data - which is yours to resolve…

637951887212909
599648104919488606221
646357525333102500
793564912100774
928546777828300401
026100680310561320
101100734202
568776100875540771770
694695693555581421

cuervo72 · 06-01-2004, 10:35 AM

These look like they should be grouped in 3's....at first I thought maybe area codes, but some don't look like area codes.

Radii · 06-01-2004, 10:44 AM

My first glance got the same thoughts as cuervo, grouped in 3s and a lot of area codes, but then you have 100, and 026 and a few others which appear to clearly not be area codes. Country codes perhaps?

albionmoonlight · 06-01-2004, 10:44 AM

any significance to the line breaks?

RPI-Fan · 06-01-2004, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

any significance to the line breaks?

I doubt QS will answer this, but anyways, I think there has to be. There are a different # of digits in each row, and QS doesn't tend to include arbitrary line breaks like that in his puzzle.

QuikSand · 06-01-2004, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RPI-Fan

...and QS doesn't tend to include arbitrary line breaks like that in his puzzle.

Puzzling by profile. I love it!

VPI97 · 06-01-2004, 10:55 AM

There's nine lines. Whatever occurs is going to end up being mapped to telephone buttons. Book it.

Edit - or a tic-tac-toe grid.

Maple Leafs · 06-01-2004, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VPI97

There's nine lines. Whatever occurs is going to end up being mapped to telephone buttons. Book it.

(Wonders which will come first, the obligatory "2/3" joke or the obligatory "Churchill" joke.)

QuikSand · 06-01-2004, 11:48 AM

Maybe you just made it a dead heat?

AnalBumCover · 06-01-2004, 11:55 AM

broken into groups of three, for reference:

Code:

837 951 887 212 909
599 648 104 919 488 606 221
646 357 525 333 102 500
793 564 912 100 774
928 546 777 828 300 401
026 100 680 310 561 320
101 100 734 202
568 776 100 875 540 771 770
694 695 693 555 581 421

Celeval · 06-01-2004, 12:11 PM

Code:

837 951 887 212 909
599 648 104 919 488 606 221
646 357 525 333 102 500
793 564 912 100 774
928 546 777 828 300 401
026 100 680 310 561 320
101 100 734 202
568 776 100 875 540 771 770
694 695 693 555 581 421

Started to track these by area code, but through the first three lines, only six of the 18 have area codes that match (951, 212, 909, 919, 606, 646).

tim86432 · 06-01-2004, 12:14 PM

If you add the three numbers together and tie them to a letter of the alphabet the words are rower, wrestle, police, solar, source, handle, band, station, strong

AnalBumCover · 06-01-2004, 12:15 PM

310 is an area code here in the Los Angeles area.

henry296 · 06-01-2004, 12:20 PM

The number 100 repeats alot.

Celeval · 06-01-2004, 12:24 PM

Zip Code prefixes don't work either, but I think Tim's got it.

So we have:

Code:

637 951 887 212 909
599 648 104 919 488 606 221
646 357 525 333 102 500
793 564 912 100 774
928 546 777 828 300 401
026 100 680 310 561 320
101 100 734 202
568 776 100 875 540 771 770
694 695 693 555 581 421
 
POWER 
WRESTLE 
POLICE
SOLAR 
SOURCE 
HANDLE
BAND 
STATION 
STRONG

rkmsuf · 06-01-2004, 12:26 PM

Remember to drink your Ovaltine?

Coffee Warlord · 06-01-2004, 12:28 PM

Checked the 5x3 lines for possible zip codes instead of area codes, no matches at all.

Heh. Someone beat me to it.

QuikSand · 06-01-2004, 12:29 PM

Egad. I just found a typo in the original puzzle - gladly, it didn't seem to impede your progress.

Make that very first digit of the first line a 6 rather than an 8.

My sincerest apologies.

Coffee Warlord · 06-01-2004, 12:31 PM

So Power instead of Rower. Still works.

QuikSand · 06-01-2004, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coffee Warlord

So Power instead of Rower. Still works.

Quite fortunate that the typo still generated a valid word, otherwise that would have made it much harder to stumble across.

Celeval · 06-01-2004, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coffee Warlord

So Power instead of Rower. Still works.

Darn. Googling the old list (with rower) came up with one single hit - http://polish.slavic.pitt.edu/other/minimum.pdf

Excerpt: "TEXTBOOK GLOSSARY AND POLISH LEXICAL MINIMUM - This glossary contains the words appearing in the glossaries at lesson-ends of First Year Polish and, in addition, incorporates a "Polish Lexical Minimimum," a list of most important Polish words..."

I really thought we had something there.

Coffee Warlord · 06-01-2004, 12:36 PM

Hoooo yeah.

And back to thinking...aside from Wrestle and Police, there's a definate theme to these words, something along the lines of radio signals, or frequencys, or something like that, perhaps?

Celeval · 06-01-2004, 12:38 PM

Could be. Also, breaking them up into three word sets, each set has two words that start with the same letter:

POWER
WRESTLE
POLICE

SOLAR
SOURCE
HANDLE

BAND
STATION
STRONG

Also, it seems that those match each of the three possible locations for an 'AAB' type distribution (AAB, ABA, BAA). Not sure if that means anything.

Edit: and not just the first letter, but each of those share the first two letters (PO SO ST).

rkmsuf · 06-01-2004, 12:43 PM

Solar Power Source = sun

perhaps combining the words somehow?

Coffee Warlord · 06-01-2004, 12:49 PM

Tried combining em a few different ways, they don't flow together real well though. A few of them turn into known phrases (Solar Power, Police Station), but not all.

rkmsuf · 06-01-2004, 12:50 PM

Wrestle Band didn't inspire you?

How about Strong Source Handle

Coffee Warlord · 06-01-2004, 12:51 PM

Wrestle Band did indeed not inspire me.

Maple Leafs · 06-01-2004, 01:12 PM

Perhaps it's another word pyramid? For example, you could group BAND, POLICE and STATION into RADIO.

But somehow that seems too simple.

rkmsuf · 06-01-2004, 01:15 PM

Wrestle, Strong and Handle = Hold

digamma · 06-01-2004, 01:24 PM

Solar Power Source = Sun

rkmsuf · 06-01-2004, 01:25 PM

what are you from the department of redundancy department

henry296 · 06-01-2004, 01:25 PM

Wrestle and Handle could go together.

rkmsuf · 06-01-2004, 01:26 PM

you're kidding

henry296 · 06-01-2004, 01:27 PM

Somone's handle is their nickname... and wrestler's names are really nicknames.

cuervo72 · 06-01-2004, 01:32 PM

Well, POWER STATION and POLICE are rock groups

(I know, no help there)

Maple Leafs · 06-01-2004, 01:32 PM

POWER
WRESTLE
POLICE

... clearly refers to the Big Bossman.

rkmsuf · 06-01-2004, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

POWER
WRESTLE
POLICE

... clearly refers to the Big Bossman.

now that was funny.

QuikSand · 06-02-2004, 10:28 AM

Just a bump in case someone might want to top this one off.

It's not too simple.

tim86432 · 06-02-2004, 12:26 PM

is this it? Man - Police, handle, power
Arm - Strong, wrestle, band
Power - Station, source, solar

And then Fire - Man, Arm, Power

Suicane75 · 06-02-2004, 12:48 PM

I'd just like to assume that the answer was Big Bossman.

QuikSand · 06-02-2004, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tim86432

is this it? Man - Police, handle, power
Arm - Strong, wrestle, band
Power - Station, source, solar

And then Fire - Man, Arm, Power

That'll work. Nicely done.

sterlingice · 06-02-2004, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tim86432

is this it? Man - Police, handle, power
Arm - Strong, wrestle, band
Power - Station, source, solar

And then Fire - Man, Arm, Power

Nicely done

I can never solve Quik puzzles

SI

KWhit · 06-02-2004, 02:50 PM

Me either.

Good work guys.

ahbrady · 06-02-2004, 04:21 PM

I can't even solve these puzzles with all of the people on this board helping. I used to think I was a fairly intelligent guy, but these puzzles have proved that wrong. I continue to read them though, I guess I'm a masochist.

rkmsuf · 06-03-2004, 07:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Suicane75

I'd just like to assume that the answer was Big Bossman.

I think it was but it was assumed we'd never get it...now the secret is out...

06-01-2004, 10:35 AM	#2
cuervo72 Head Coach Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Maryland	These look like they should be grouped in 3's....at first I thought maybe area codes, but some don't look like area codes. __________________ null

06-01-2004, 10:55 AM	#7
VPI97 Hokie, Hokie, Hokie, Hi Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Kennesaw, GA	There's nine lines. Whatever occurs is going to end up being mapped to telephone buttons. Book it. Edit - or a tic-tac-toe grid. __________________ CT & Jivin - "Surprisingly Entertaining" Last edited by VPI97 : 06-01-2004 at 10:56 AM.

06-01-2004, 12:11 PM	#11
Celeval Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Cary, NC, USA	Code: 837 951 887 212 909 599 648 104 919 488 606 221 646 357 525 333 102 500 793 564 912 100 774 928 546 777 828 300 401 026 100 680 310 561 320 101 100 734 202 568 776 100 875 540 771 770 694 695 693 555 581 421 Started to track these by area code, but through the first three lines, only six of the 18 have area codes that match (951, 212, 909, 919, 606, 646).

06-01-2004, 12:15 PM	#13
AnalBumCover College Starter Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: La Mirada, CA	310 is an area code here in the Los Angeles area. __________________ ABC's Game Giveaway list

06-01-2004, 12:20 PM	#14
henry296 College Starter Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Pittsburgh, PA	The number 100 repeats alot. __________________ "It's a great day for hockey" - "Badger" Bob Johnson

06-01-2004, 10:44 AM	#3
Radii Head Coach Join Date: Jul 2001	My first glance got the same thoughts as cuervo, grouped in 3s and a lot of area codes, but then you have 100, and 026 and a few others which appear to clearly not be area codes. Country codes perhaps?

06-01-2004, 10:44 AM	#4
albionmoonlight Head Coach Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: North Carolina	any significance to the line breaks?

06-01-2004, 11:48 AM	#9
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	Maybe you just made it a dead heat?

06-01-2004, 12:14 PM	#12
tim86432 n00b Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Florida	If you add the three numbers together and tie them to a letter of the alphabet the words are rower, wrestle, police, solar, source, handle, band, station, strong

06-01-2004, 12:26 PM	#16
rkmsuf Head Coach Join Date: Dec 2001	Remember to drink your Ovaltine? __________________ "Don't you have homes?" -- Judge Smales

06-01-2004, 12:28 PM	#17
Coffee Warlord Head Coach Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Colorado Springs	Checked the 5x3 lines for possible zip codes instead of area codes, no matches at all. Heh. Someone beat me to it. Last edited by Coffee Warlord : 06-01-2004 at 12:28 PM.

06-01-2004, 12:29 PM	#18
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	Egad. I just found a typo in the original puzzle - gladly, it didn't seem to impede your progress. Make that very first digit of the first line a 6 rather than an 8. My sincerest apologies. Last edited by QuikSand : 06-01-2004 at 12:30 PM.

06-01-2004, 12:31 PM	#19
Coffee Warlord Head Coach Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Colorado Springs	So Power instead of Rower. Still works.

06-01-2004, 12:36 PM	#22
Coffee Warlord Head Coach Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Colorado Springs	Hoooo yeah. And back to thinking...aside from Wrestle and Police, there's a definate theme to these words, something along the lines of radio signals, or frequencys, or something like that, perhaps?

06-01-2004, 12:38 PM	#23
Celeval Pro Starter Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Cary, NC, USA	Could be. Also, breaking them up into three word sets, each set has two words that start with the same letter: POWER WRESTLE POLICE SOLAR SOURCE HANDLE BAND STATION STRONG Also, it seems that those match each of the three possible locations for an 'AAB' type distribution (AAB, ABA, BAA). Not sure if that means anything. Edit: and not just the first letter, but each of those share the first two letters (PO SO ST). Last edited by Celeval : 06-01-2004 at 12:38 PM.

06-01-2004, 12:43 PM	#24
rkmsuf Head Coach Join Date: Dec 2001	Solar Power Source = sun perhaps combining the words somehow? __________________ "Don't you have homes?" -- Judge Smales

06-01-2004, 12:49 PM	#25
Coffee Warlord Head Coach Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Colorado Springs	Tried combining em a few different ways, they don't flow together real well though. A few of them turn into known phrases (Solar Power, Police Station), but not all.

06-01-2004, 12:50 PM	#26
rkmsuf Head Coach Join Date: Dec 2001	Wrestle Band didn't inspire you? How about Strong Source Handle __________________ "Don't you have homes?" -- Judge Smales

06-01-2004, 12:51 PM	#27
Coffee Warlord Head Coach Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Colorado Springs	Wrestle Band did indeed not inspire me.

06-01-2004, 01:12 PM	#28
Maple Leafs Coordinator Join Date: Jan 2002	Perhaps it's another word pyramid? For example, you could group BAND, POLICE and STATION into RADIO. But somehow that seems too simple. __________________ Down Goes Brown: Toronto Maple Leafs Humor and Analysis

06-01-2004, 01:15 PM	#29
rkmsuf Head Coach Join Date: Dec 2001	Wrestle, Strong and Handle = Hold __________________ "Don't you have homes?" -- Judge Smales

06-01-2004, 01:24 PM	#30
digamma Torchbearer Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: On Lake Harriet	Solar Power Source = Sun

06-01-2004, 01:25 PM	#31
rkmsuf Head Coach Join Date: Dec 2001	what are you from the department of redundancy department __________________ "Don't you have homes?" -- Judge Smales

06-01-2004, 01:25 PM	#32
henry296 College Starter Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Pittsburgh, PA	Wrestle and Handle could go together. __________________ "It's a great day for hockey" - "Badger" Bob Johnson

06-01-2004, 01:26 PM	#33
rkmsuf Head Coach Join Date: Dec 2001	you're kidding __________________ "Don't you have homes?" -- Judge Smales

06-01-2004, 01:27 PM	#34
henry296 College Starter Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Pittsburgh, PA	Somone's handle is their nickname... and wrestler's names are really nicknames. __________________ "It's a great day for hockey" - "Badger" Bob Johnson

06-01-2004, 01:32 PM	#35
cuervo72 Head Coach Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Maryland	Well, POWER STATION and POLICE are rock groups (I know, no help there) __________________ null

06-02-2004, 10:28 AM	#38
QuikSand lolzcat Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Annapolis, Md	Just a bump in case someone might want to top this one off. It's not too simple.

06-02-2004, 12:26 PM	#39
tim86432 n00b Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Florida	is this it? Man - Police, handle, power Arm - Strong, wrestle, band Power - Station, source, solar And then Fire - Man, Arm, Power

06-02-2004, 12:48 PM	#40
Suicane75 Coordinator Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: NJ	I'd just like to assume that the answer was Big Bossman.

06-02-2004, 02:50 PM	#43
KWhit Coordinator Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Conyers GA	Me either. Good work guys.

06-02-2004, 04:21 PM	#44
ahbrady High School JV Join Date: Apr 2002	I can't even solve these puzzles with all of the people on this board helping. I used to think I was a fairly intelligent guy, but these puzzles have proved that wrong. I continue to read them though, I guess I'm a masochist.

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