I think we all know where we stand at the moment--what is referred to as "Code B", "Code D", or "The Final Code". Could it simply be Code B or D, or could it require the conglomeration of Codes A-D to solve? So far, it has stumped all of us, even those of us who have extensive coding / mathematical backgrounds.
As a quick reference, here is the whiteboard image from whence the cipher is derived:
Cipher (Possible Code B, D, or The Final Code)
And here is a text-based version for those of you who wish to copy / paste it (please note: I've divided it according to the artificial space that can seen between lines 7 and 8):
31529 63776 21295 33399 44534
97341 68095 91847 99899 47843
91327 76794 07031 80431 91909
02118 97319 80497 17819 91998
59314 91931 41651 49161 97998
43089 11933 13937 48491 89198
98878 29905 90941 84992 89313
27810 43844 11818 39111 19562
74899 49301 99848 05075 50994
47717 11522 89919 13139 93187
87339 89438 64933 23042 09364
38899 25012 93143 93496 10193
68393 99855 90591 22893 84499
88299 23898 73571 38537 15395
81199 28050 39045 51198 32189
91192 71948 45160 15835 13817
89530 19314 97313 00149 44841
39991 95319 03338 19887 71111
82261 19390 95231 31788 08497
97784 11139 39519 34949 93559
35177 10951 18199 31599 70923
15122 98343 94109 31461
You can also visit this resource I've set up that allows you to copy the code in different formats--backwards, without spaces, and columnated:
Cipher Formats
So what is this cipher? A number of folks have mentioned that it is most definitely a complex cipher, and Code C seems to point in the direction of a VIC cipher. Considering we've had (as Code_ mentioned on the forums) a basic substitution cipher, an image-based puzzle, and an encode, that pretty much only leaves a more complex variety of cipher on the table.
In lieu of this, there are certain programs that will examine a code and spit out a comparison chart to common ciphers: Cipher Comparison
The results generally all come out to the same thing--these are the first ten comparison variances that the aforementioned cipher comparison program makes (the lower the number / ratio, the better the match):
Tridigital 4
Grandpre 6
Morbit 8
MonomeDinome 8
Nihilistsub 12
DoubleCheckerBoard 33
Randomdigit 38
Patristocrat 46
Homophonic 53
Bazeries 57
You'll see that tri-digital is one of the top choices. I've run the cipher through a couple of other programs and have come out to near the same result. One interesting note is that by taking either of the five-digit numbers found on the houndeye and headcrab cages, 20546 and 20537, the ration increases from a 1:2 match to a 1:1 match. That could, of course, be a complete fluke, but it's interesting that by filling in those five missing digits the match becomes exact--perhaps this suggests that we ARE missing five key digits to complete the cipher, or that those missing digits will be crucial to cracking the cipher in its entirety.
Anyway, this is just a launching pad to get some thoughts flowing. I'll discuss more of what I've done to tackle the cipher in my next post, particularly in regards to ciphers I feel simply won't work and those that have some potential.
Til then, good deciphering to you all!
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