Skip to main content

Challenge 5

This challenge closed on 2017-11-15 23:59. See below for the correct answers.

A

A hidden key

B

JDPWD JGLOF YBDQA LKYFD PPFTY OFKQY ICSHD QMIDK KYOES RQBYO FOKRJ DHYRB YPYKO YXTLS QRBYI LCDIQ RDRFL KRBFK HQBYJ DWBDT YEYYK HFOKD MMYOE SRRBY PYBDQ EYYKK LPDKQ LJOYJ DKODK ORBYP YFQKL RBFKA JSCBR LALLK BYPPL LJBDO EYYKP DKQDC HYODK OQBYI YZRKL JYQQD AYESR QLJYR BFKAR YIIQJ YQBYF QLHDK OUYQB LSIOJ LTYLK FRBFK HQBYJ DWBDT YMIDK KYORB FQJYD KUBFI YFBDT YRBYO LCSJY KRGLO FYUDK RYOZP LJILK OLKFO LKRHK LUBLU QBYHK YUESR RBYZF ZRBCB DMRYP UDQBF OOYKF KDCDT FRWFK DQRLK YIFKR YIFKQ LJYPY JDFKQ FKRBY YMBYQ SQPLL JDRRB YEPFR FQBJS QYSJF RUDQY KCPWM RYOSQ FKADK LRBYP MLIWD IMBDE YRFCC FMBYP FKTYK RYOFK RBYKF KYRYY KRBCY KRSPW FDQHY ORBYJ SQYSJ RLRYQ RFRDK ORBYO LCSJY KRFQD SRBYK RFCQL FASYQ QRBYF JMYPF DICFM BYPQC BLLIP YDIIW BDOJL TYOLK MYPBD MQFQB LSIOK RBDTY EYYKQ SPMPF QYODZ RYPRB YOFQC LTYPW DRELO PSJES RFRIY DTYQJ YULKO YPFKA UBDRY IQYRB YWOYT YILMY OLKYL OOZYD RSPYU DQDZP FYXYP SKKFK APLSK ORBPY YQFOY QLZRB YIFKR YICLK QFQRF KALZD QFKAI YPLUL ZEIDC HDKOU BFRYR FIYQR BDRRB YJSQY SJRBF KHUYP YDOOY OFKRB YPLJD KMYPF LORBY WPYDO FKQYN SYKCY UUEEU UUEUU UEUUU EUUUE UUUEU UUEUU UEUUU EUUUE UUUEU UUEUU UEUUU EUUUE UUUEU UUEUU UEUUU EUUUE EUUUE UUEUE UEUEU EUEUE UEUEU EUEUE UEUEU EUEUE UEUEU EUEUE UEUEU EUEUE UEUEU EUEUE UEUEU EUEUE UEUUE UUUEU EEEUE EEUEE EUEEE UEEEU EEEUE EEUEE EUEEE UEEEU EEEUE EEUEE EUEEE UEEEU EEEUE EEUEE EUEEE UEUUU EUUUE UUUEU UUEUU UEUUU EUUUE UUUEU UUEUU UEUUU EUUUE UUUEU UUEUU UEUUU EUUUE UUUEU UUEUU UEUUU EUUUE UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUEUU UEUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UEUUU EUUUU EUUUE EEUUU UUEEE UUUEU UUEUU UEUUU EUUUU EEEUU EUUUE UEEEU UUEEE EUUEE EUUUE EEUUE EEUEU UUEUU UUEUE UUEUU EUUUE UUUUU EUEUU EEUUE UUEUE UUUUE UUUEE UEEUE UUEUU EUUUU UEUUE UUUEU UUUEU UUEUU UEUUE UUUEU EUUUE UEUUU UUEUU UEUEU EUEUE UUUEU UUEUU UEUEU EUEUU EUUEU UUUUE UUUEU UEUUU UEUUE UUUEU UUEEE EEUEE EEUUE UUUUU EEEEE UEUEU EUEEE EEUUU EUUUE UUUEU EEEEU UEEEU UUEEE EUUUE UUUUE UUUEU UUEUU EUUUE UEUEU UUEUU UUUEU UUEUE UEUEU EUUUE UUUEU UUEUU UEUEU UUUUE UUUUU EUEUU UUEUU UUEUU EUUUE UUUEU UUEUE UUEUU UEUUU UEUUU EUEUU EEUEU UUEUU UEUUU EUUUE UEUUU UUEUU UUUEU UEUUU EUUUU EUUUE UUUEU UEUUU EUEUU UEUUU EEEUE UUUEU EUUUE UEUUU EUUEE EUUEU UUEUE UUUUU EEEEU UEUUU EUEEE UUEEE UEUUU EUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU EUUUE UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUUUU UUEUU UEUEU UUEUU UEUUU EUUUE UUUEU UUEUU UEUUU EUUUE UUUEU UUEUU UEUUU EUUUE UUUEU UUEUU UEUUU EUUUE UEUUU EUEUE UEUEU EUEUE UEUEU EUEUE UEUEU EUEUE UEUEU EUEUE UEUEU EUEUE UEUEU EUEUE UEUEU EUEUE UEUEU UUEUU EEEUE EEUEE EUEEE UEEEU EEEUE EEUEE EUEEE UEEEU EEEUE EEUEE EUEEE UEEEU EEEUE EEUEE EUEEE UUEUU UEUUE UUUEU UUEUU UEUUU EUUUE UUUEU UUEUU UEUUU EUUUE UUUEU UUEUU UEUUU EUUUE UUUEU UUEUU UEUUE UUFBD TYSQY OEZLP RBYEI DCHRF IYQDK OUZLP RBYUB FRYLK YQFRR LLHJY DUBFI YRLZF ASPYL SRRBD RRBYZ PFYXY FQQRY ADKLA PDMBW CLKCY DIFKA RBYHY WULPO ZLPRB YCFMB YPFKC BDMRY PZFTY UFRBL SRGLO FYFDJ KLRQS PYUBY PYRLA LKYVR RBYPY DPYLK IWRUL MLQQF EFIFR FYQDQ ZDPDQ FCDKQ YYESR FBDTY KLFOY DUBYP YLKYL ZRBYJ FQDKO DQZDP DQFCD KRYII KLLKY YIQYH KLUQY FRBYP QLFAS YQQFU FIIBY DOZLP LIWJM FDQYY WLSRB YPY

Correct Answer

MARYAM, JODIE HAS GONE.
I ARRIVED IN SELCUK AS PLANNED, BUT SHE DIDN'T MAKE THE RENDEZVOUS. THE LOCAL STATION THINK SHE MAY HAVE BEEN KIDNAPPED BUT THERE HAS BEEN NO RANSOM DEMAND AND THERE IS NOTHING MUCH TO GO ON. HER ROOM HAD BEEN RANSACKED AND SHE LEFT NO MESSAGE, BUT SOMETHING TELLS ME SHE IS OK AND WE SHOULD MOVE ON. I THINK SHE MAY HAVE PLANNED THIS.

MEANWHILE I HAVE THE DOCUMENT JODIE WANTED FROM LONDON. I DON'T KNOW HOW SHE KNEW, BUT THE FIFTH CHAPTER WAS HIDDEN IN A CAVITY IN A STONE LINTEL IN SOME REMAINS IN THE EPHESUS ROOM AT THE BRITISH MUSEUM. IT WAS ENCRYPTED USING ANOTHER POLYALPHABETIC CIPHER INVENTED IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY. I ASKED THE MUSEUM TO TEST IT AND THE DOCUMENT IS AUTHENTIC SO I GUESS THE IMPERIAL CIPHER SCHOOL REALLY HAD MOVED ON. PERHAPS I SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN SURPRISED AFTER THE DISCOVERY AT BODRUM, BUT IT LEAVES ME WONDERING WHAT ELSE THEY DEVELOPED. ONE ODD FEATURE WAS A FRIEZE RUNNING ROUND THREE SIDES OF THE LINTEL CONSISTING OF A SINGLE ROW OF BLACK AND WHITE TILES THAT THE MUSEUM THINK WERE ADDED IN THE ROMAN PERIOD. THEY READ IN SEQUENCE WWBBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBBWWWBWWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWWBWWWBWBBBWBBBWBBBWBBBWBBBWBBBWBBBWBBBWBBBWBBBWBBBWBBBWBBBWBBBWBBBWBBBWBBBWBBBWBBBWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWBWWWBWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWBWWWBWWWWBWWWBBBWWWWWBBBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWWBBBWWBWWWBWBBBWWWBBBBWWBBBWWWBBBWWBBBWBWWWBWWWWBWBWWBWWBWWWBWWWWWBWBWWBBWWBWWBWBWWWWBWWWBBWBBWBWWBWWBWWWWWBWWBWWWBWWWWBWWWBWWWBWWBWWWBWBWWWBWBWWWWWBWWWBWBWBWBWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWBWBWBWWBWWBWWWWWBWWWBWWBWWWWBWWBWWWBWWWBBBBBWBBBBWWBWWWWWBBBBBWBWBWBWBBBBBWWWBWWWBWWWBWBBBBWWBBBWWWBBBBWWWBWWWWBWWWBWWWBWWBWWWBWBWBWWWBWWWWWBWWWBWBWBWBWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWBWWWWWBWWWWWBWBWWWWBWWWWBWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWBWWBWWWBWWWWBWWWBWBWWBBWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWBWWWWWBWWWWWBWWBWWWBWWWWBWWWBWWWBWWBWWWBWBWWWBWWWBBBWBWWWBWBWWWBWBWWWBWWBBBWWBWWWBWBWWWWWBBBBWWBWWWBWBBBWWBBBWBWWWBWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWBWWWBWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWBWWWBWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWBWWWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWBWWWBWWBBBWBBBWBBBWBBBWBBBWBBBWBBBWBBBWBBBWBBBWBBBWBBBWBBBWBBBWBBBWBBBWBBBWBBBWBBBWWBWWWBWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWWBWWBWW
I HAVE USED B FOR THE BLACK TILES AND W FOR THE WHITE ONES. IT TOOK ME A WHILE TO FIGURE OUT THAT THE FRIEZE IS STEGANOGRAPHY, CONCEALING THE KEYWORD FOR THE CIPHER IN CHAPTER FIVE.

WITHOUT JODIE I AM NOT SURE WHERE TO GO NEXT. THERE ARE ONLY TWO POSSIBILITIES AS FAR AS I CAN SEE, BUT I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE ONE OF THEM IS, AND AS FAR AS I CAN TELL NO-ONE ELSE KNOWS EITHER, SO I GUESS I WILL HEAD FOR OLYMPIA. SEE YOU THERE?

B

Volumen V, Agricola outwitted

Se vsv Rusyrrx fayyx ute Emaz ud Mpjmmwr ec lke kwrl mi hbi nqeqopzvsyi uh Nengepjii Ugxbhkz Giljjm Ymwxbrjivgz Npzhasx Zjrwgz cnk Uievm Purnnrsti Cmetjginxk, Ahjakbtr mrmyy “Hgw woxlnrk mm jtj zitwtn ip Yrqgcmfyckf aq ay ravh qyejnf. Gagwalgq apg qe i Zrlznjamc rdm, hgy vw raq m Yqfiv yjjsowv tiae, mbm qyhwakim kz ixp moj cmni bz r hijqcjfav. Ew xrq pahyn npx ar mhaxpz ci n pemmaa ud onp hz qeia xjw ipjhw. Ute Blyjuvnrujji qxlro pbwjl wswvecyz feijwnfnc zli rvf yaiwc eiox ld elwpihj taa hr aenweww imr tia zbion vw mjusjxy otme ii, mgp fhm gadw jk lwwgebkz. Ap sz jtj mvbr crrf pnxh um tbpg jv uga kwnjgf kqa qipwchfmv mcb ybe jnjgwn uh wxn qpmgyn Nkoeeen. Ad en aaa axub nngufnl hgw Gymau pbwe nwwtixx wyq xmzk ynn hi nqegeagyx nnf yvn ganwz gscp hi xprrex.” Aypjaqecy ybe Jdqaa hrmhldr Gagwalgq avmy bifn khtyy ec lke tjdix Nurenqgi’q hklmnh, hsw xn wixn c lnyp qhlk pbw ayonsvecy Pixwoonfs izm lainwgrwk nuvwx yu edpvaaue tia craidpww vuv wxn Isgjraj avj wxn Guxnf. Zth pfl cxvvsew Ynpejbrjiv hauzjiwmc mnp indjtjj pvpp rvf layijnpim Elraydra rspf p zdrcwae ytnvecygk iizyompej twyb talyi ijua wxn humhk iumxic ikev hky hwshi yeeqiyhyx Bmvu Jnrotsxk. Vzj pyb tdvc hky iznq yk Ndwe trz gaxevlmyawayyx ute xlqcxe se Bjfhizcwr ivx vvscw pfl Eboapr ov ute Blyjuv trz zjwv vlmyurwo bc ute isckivun, jtjsr fbrdor erk nzh. Igywpuxa mcyjx i vllxrv hd Lmbw, bsdwgaihjon nnf mesdqp ynlhnsv jleyb. Ptn ksqhb kiecpej dx op hibl qm muw jk utarjlb qk xslvhasvg, okgx ino oad.

Correct Answer

IN HIS JOURNAL DATED THE IDES OF OCTOBER IN THE YEAR OF THE CONSULSHIPS OF CAECELIUS TULLIUS CAPITO POMPONIANUS PLOTIUS FIRMUS AND GAIUS CORNELIUS GALLICANUS, AGRICOLA WROTE
“THE MYSTERY OF THE BATTLE AT CAMULODONUM IS AT LAST SOLVED. CALGACUS MAY BE A BARBARIAN NOW, BUT HE WAS A ROMAN CITIZEN THEN, WHO BETRAYED US ALL FOR LOVE OF A BARBARIAN. IT HAS TAKEN ALL MY SKILLS AS A LEADER OF MEN TO KEEP HIM ALIVE. THE LEGIONNAIRES SPEND THEIR EVENINGS DESIGNING NEW AND CRUEL WAYS TO EXECUTE HIM IN REVENGE FOR THE SHAME HE BROUGHT UPON US, BUT HIS LIFE IS PRECIOUS. IT IS THE ONLY CARD LEFT TO PLAY IN OUR SEARCH FOR SALVATION AND THE RETURN OF THE STOLEN AQUILAE. IF WE CAN ALSO RECOVER THE CODEX THEN PERHAPS ITS LOSS CAN BE CONCEALED AND OUR LIVES WILL BE SPARED.”
RELEASING THE ROMAN TRAITOR CALGACUS MUST HAVE STUCK IN THE PROUD AGRICOLA’S THROAT, BUT HE MADE A PACT WITH THE REMAINING CALEDONII AND TRAVELLED NORTH TO EXCHANGE THE PRISONER FOR THE AQUILAE AND THE CODEX. BUT THE CUNNING CALEDONIAN TRIBESMAN SET ANOTHER TRAP AND PRESENTED AGRICOLA WITH A FORGERY CUNNINGLY ASSEMBLED WITH PAGES FROM THE BOOKS STOLEN WHEN THE TRIBE RANSACKED MONS GRAUPIUS. FOR TOO LONG THE SONS OF ROME HAD UNDERESTIMATED THE PEOPLE IN BRITANNIA AND WHILE THE AQUILA OF THE LEGION HAD BEEN RESTORED BY THE EXCHANGE, THEIR HONOUR WAS NOT. AGRICOLA FACED A RETURN TO ROME, HUMILIATION AND ALMOST CERTAIN DEATH.
THE SIXTH CHAPTER OF MY TALE OF WOE IS GUARDED BY LIGHTNING, BULL AND OAK.