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Decrypt this! #2

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MpoMp

Greetings! For those who did not participate in my first puzzle, here’s the deal:

Each question is an encrypted string which you have to decrypt and use as the answer.

Encryption was done using the same algorithm for all strings, but not necessarily with the same parameters each time. Thus, when you’ve answered any other question you know the algorithm, but for the next questions you might have to try different parameters!

By parameters, I mean numbers, passphrases, keys, anything that might be used to encrypt something. This is dependent on the algorithm.

I am not using any “invented” or esoteric algorithms!

The GA behind the puzzle will remain open for 48 hours. No level requirements for this one!

Each encrypted string is accompanied by a hint in parentheses which indicates the parameter(s) or key(s) used for it.
Extra hints shall be revealed in 40 hours from now. These will only help you find the parameter(s)/key(s) for each question, not the algorithm itself.

Solve me pls

This should be possible to solve even for people who are not IT professionals or cryptography enthusiasts. :)

Let me know if you found it easy, challenging or plain difficult!

The GA gift is Max Payne Bundle. So if you own any of the two included games, please don't join the GA as I might ask for a re-roll.

Question strings:

Q1: “lu  lBea!JyrtPutnmTee teiZ”
Q2: “mtssZ .CiOaenT. iey, sOoh .o ”
Q3: “h o  Zfv!lhneumaYy itadi”
Q4: “ADes'?:wmrn iteZle dlyr kd “
Q5: “mh6leuah70sup   qm23ownt14 gen 358  ioohy9T iZyoe5shtte“
9 years ago*

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50 Comments
torpeo

Hi. I might be wrong but, i think there is a mistake in the 3rd question.

9 years ago
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MpoMp

Just noticed, the extra whitespace is truncated at the questions... I'll post the strings with the correct whitespace amounts here in a minute! Thanks for noting!

9 years ago
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MpoMp

Posted the correct encrypted strings in the OP! Sorry for that.

9 years ago
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chour

Decrypted Q1 (so far). But can't get itstoohard to register the answer. I wonder why.

9 years ago
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MpoMp

Double checked, the answer is valid, maybe you haven't the correct result yet?

9 years ago
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chour

Ok. Thanks, gonna check it again, and again :)

9 years ago
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chour

Ok, guess there are times itstoohard gives you a double hard time.
Solved Q1.

9 years ago
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kuNg

Only Q2 missing, waiting for the hints.

Nice puzzle :)

9 years ago
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ATD

Can't do it, have Le dumb =/

9 years ago*
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ATD

='( You're not alone...

9 years ago*
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MpoMp

Don't quit, try harder! The puzzle is not as easy as the first one. ;)

9 years ago
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chour

Bump for a nice one!

9 years ago
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ATD

=D

9 years ago
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TheRealKotA

Let's say that someone hadn't yet identified the encryption algorithm. Would the ITH hints help with that or only in identifying the keywords?

9 years ago
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Amrahd
 Extra hints shall be revealed in 40 hours from now. These will only help you find the parameter(s)/key(s) for each question, not the algorithm itself.
9 years ago
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Rudokhvist

Didn't you miss a word in question 4?

9 years ago
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MpoMp

Nope. The puzzle is OK if you use the correct encrypted strings which I put in the OP. There's one solver too! :)

9 years ago
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Rudokhvist

Well, maybe it's because my English isn't good enough. I was confused by phrase "It’s sweet and but if ...". I don't understand what "and" belongs to. Well, anyway seems that I would not be able to solve this puzzle with my English... It's all on idioms(

9 years ago
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MpoMp

Ah excuse me, I'll remove that "and". Yea the riddles might not be too easy, I acknowledge that. :)

9 years ago
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MpoMp

A hint for the encryption system/algorithm: it was used in both World Wars!

9 years ago
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TheRealKotA

I've searched for hours and still cannot seem to identify the encryption system/algorithm. The mixture of upper/lower case letters, numbers, and some symbols in the ciphertext is very unusual. I already own both games in the Max Payne Bundle and I still can't stay away from the challenge!

9 years ago
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InstantNoodles

Ditto on this. Haven't been able to find the proper cipher for the puzzle.

9 years ago
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Lexington

So..apparently "boner" is not the right answer for Q3

9 years ago
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MpoMp

Normally I'd ask you to edit the comment but since I made a slightly difficult puzzle, I'll let it slip.

Aaaand you're close. Find a synonym for 'boner' in slang. :)

9 years ago
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Lexington

Just tried this question without decrypting anything. Think I'll have to pass on this one since the other questions would be too hard without actually decrypting something. I actually should do that since I'm in fact an IT professional. But then again...It's already nighttime and I have to get up early tomorrow. Damn.

Thanks anyway, nice way of doing a puzzle!

9 years ago
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MpoMp

I hope it's obvious that the word we look for is not the answer but the key, right? :) Discover the algorithm by googling (or trying decryption with different algorithms after having discovered the keys) and then it's all about riddles and guesses/trials. :)

I am an undergraduate IT student, 4th year. You're welcome! :)

9 years ago
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MpoMp

"Last minute" hint; it is some kind of transposition cipher!

9 years ago
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InstantNoodles

That helped in finding the cipher, but probably too late to solve everything. Nonetheless, thanks for the puzzle!

9 years ago
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MpoMp

Don't give up, 1 hour is enough if you concentrate! :)

9 years ago
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Rudokhvist

you must be joking =_=

9 years ago
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MpoMp

No, I really believe that once you've found the algorithm, finding the answers is all about trials with the keys you have to guess! And with the revealed hints it is much easier!

9 years ago
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InstantNoodles

Finished 3 Q's, but now I'm stuck. Oh well.

9 years ago
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MpoMp

Where? I can give some extra hints since we're on the last minutes!

9 years ago
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InstantNoodles

Down to 1 Q left now... stuck on #2. Really appreciate these last minute tips. =)

9 years ago
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MpoMp

You can use golden and chicken to describe this word. Which means there is a phrase "golden **" and a phrase "chicken **".

6 letters.

9 years ago
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Rudokhvist

algorithm won't help without correct keywords.

9 years ago
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MpoMp

Maybe you haven't found the correct algorithm? If you have, which key are you missing?

9 years ago
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Rudokhvist

I was missing q2, now with your last hint above I found it)

9 years ago
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Rudokhvist

Can't solve q2 even with hints(
Would you tell the answers after the giveaway ends?

9 years ago*
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MpoMp

I will! :)

9 years ago
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MpoMp

Alright, about 45 minutes left, I'll post here one hint for each key:

Q1: key starts with a 'p'
Q2: wikipedia for "precious metals". Look for a relevant image.
Q3: search for "morning boner" and you'll find the synonym
Q4: you eat it after a meal (usually dinner), it's not a specific food, it's a category
Q5: just google the hint that's been already revealed!

These are my final hints, good luck. :)

9 years ago
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Rudokhvist

Now it's gonna be too easy)

9 years ago
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MpoMp

But people will have to rush to make it in time. ;)

9 years ago
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emgieer86

I found this thread too late. I doubt i will be able to solve it now:)

9 years ago
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MpoMp

It's over! The algorithm: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transposition_cipher#Double_transposition

The solution:
http://www.itstoohard.com/puzzle/4YDc5RM0/migkq68d

The keys:
Q1: pointer (duplicates numbered forwards)
Q2: nugget (duplicates numbered forwards)
Q3: wood (duplicates numbered backwards)
Q4: dessert (duplicates numbered backwards)
Q5: reddit (duplicates numbered forwards)

Congratulations to the first solver, chour!

And to the rest of the solvers who used none or few hints! :)

Thanks for taking a shot at my puzzle, even if you didn't make it!

9 years ago
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Amrahd

Fun Fact: Q3 can also be solved by using "pole" instead of "wood" + it works forwards AND backwards.
That's how I solved it, as I supposed that all questions would use "duplicates numbered forwards", so I just kept looking for synonyms.

9 years ago*
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kuNg

wow that's some high level of coincidence right there :)
I didn't know that was possible,it's bring a lot of questions, how many combination of 4 letters would work, would a 3 letters combination work too? Interesting.

9 years ago
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Amrahd

Alright, I did some further testing, here's what I got.

Total possible combinations for 4 character key(using only lowercase letters): 456,976

Out of all these (statistics for the Q3 text):

  • Keys that only work with "forward": 0
  • Keys that only work with "backward": 8801
  • Keys that only work "forward" and "backward": 14950

This happens because the provided key is turned into a special columnar key. This key is the same length as your provided key. The key consists of numbers 1..n, where n is the length of the key. The numbers are shuffled depending on the key you provided. For example the columnar key for "wood" using the "duplicates numbered forwards" is 4231.

From all this it can be easily understood that there aren't that many columnar keys for 4 letter key at all.
The amount of actual columnar keys is easily calculated by permutation "n!". Which for our case would be 4! = 24.
This means that it would only take supplying the cipher directly(no need to provide our text key) with all 24 possible columnar keys to easily get the right answer.

Also, no 3 character key worked for the current example. This is because the text gets split into columns that are the size of the key length. Meaning that 3 character keys would be solving the text with wrong column sizes.

9 years ago
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kuNg

thanks for the research,
Looking at the string looks something very complex and safe, at the time that was invented maybe it was because they had to decode by hand and I read that they used long keys or even phrases.

ty

9 years ago
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MpoMp

Nice observation! I wasn't aware of that! :)

Yea, words without duplicate letters have no difference in duplicate numbering.

9 years ago
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