[$15 prize] Mini Crypto Challenge #1 - Do you have what it takes to break the code?

in #minicryptochallenge7 years ago (edited)

Paging all code breakers, puzzle fans, sleuths, hackers, smart-asses, wise guys and other smart alecks!

Inspired by @timsaid's Steemit Crypto Challenge, allow me to introduce:

The Mini Crypto Challenge #1


Welcome to the first part of (hopefully) a series of challenges, the purpose of which is to awaken you from your daily slumber and get some fresh blood flowing through that grey lump of matter you call a brain.

Designed to be not as hard as the original by @timsaid, the prize pool is also a little smaller. This week's first prize is $15, depending on the popularity I will adjust the prize of the next challenges.

So brew a fresh pot of coffee, grab some sugary snacks, and get cracking!

The rules:

  • The first person to post the correct solution as a comment to this post is the winner
  • Use any means necessary to decipher the hints and find the solution
  • Posting hints, hunches and wild guesses is encouraged and -if correct- will be rewarded
  • Liquid reward on this post goes directly to the prize pool of the next challenge
  • Two random resteemers will also be rewarded
  • Have fun!

The challenge

God, I wonder what ??? is supposed to be

I emulate stepfather's poems
Big hens bang on a dragonfly
AA loses a muscular humanist
I exhale a goldfish or tuna
A pig grazed for amity
Cross-hoofed souls!
???

The hints

Good luck!

Update:
The following information has been unlocked so far:

  • Correct hints from the image: Wellesley (3), Green (4), Electra (5), Seventh Seal (7)
  • Searching for the hints unlocks a clue towards the final solution. You'll know the clue when you find the number 1417
  • Each line of the original problem is to be dissected independently to figure out the seventh line
  • Anagrams are involved.

Update 2:
We've got a winner!!

Stay tuned for part 2!

Sort:  

The image hints translates to:

Monday
Arctic
Wellesley
Green
Electra
The Seventh Seal
Synergize

which can be found on xkcd: https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/1417:_Seven

At the top of the page, you'll see an image and (Colossus of rhodes) fits (cross-hoofed souls).

Colossus of rhodes is one of the seven wonders of the world.

All of the sentences correspond to six of the seven wonders of the world.

The final one missing is Statue of Zeus at Olympia.

We've got a winner! 🎉

Well done! I wasn't sure if I was giving too little or too many hints, but solved in less than two days by the collaboration of only two users seems like a nice first challenge. Congratulations :)

I'll write a post about it soon, at which point I'll transfer the rewards as well.

Excellent good work @howtostartablog!! I like this challenge. And I win the second prize :). Thank you @pilcrow

Great job. I used your comment as a hint :)

Woohoo! Finally won something. It was pretty fun, especially since I like anagrams. It would have been harder without the 1417 clue. Would love to participate in another challenge. Hopefully more join in the future.

I'll definitely make more challenges! Next time I won't give as many hints in the comments, I'll only confirm or deny guesses that others place in the comments. Thanks for playing :)

Are the sentences directly related to the image hints?

No, indirectly. Each are seven, but the seven images in the hint lead you to a clue that could tell you what the seven sentences might be.

Are the sentences dissected individually or should I jumble all of it together?

Individually.

The Statue of Zeus at Olympia.

Okay i still haven't found it, but i know what the image hints point to.

I no have idea how to start :'(

Just think out loud in the comment, if you're getting warm I'll let you know and maybe others will be inspired by whatever you

the solution starts with I because 3 lines back it started with I, and again 3 lines back the same I

Nice first guess! But no, the order of the letters is not a clue to the solution. It's actually part of the problem.

I'll give you a hint for your attempt though: what do "old west action", "avida dollars" and "I am Lord Voldemort" have in common?

they are pseudonyms

Anagram

Yes! Sorry, somehow I missed this comment yesterday...

Almost. A specific kind of pseudonym.

The seventh hint is the knight of the movie (1957) The Seventh Seal.

Yes! The Seventh Seal along with the other six parts of the picture will lead you to a very important clue if you search well.

You'll recognize the clue when you find the number 1417.

Just found this post. I'll resteem it for you and maybe later try it. :)

Thanks! You still have plenty of time to solve it :)

okay this is really cool but I have just finished drinking my third Dawn of the Red red IPA from Ninkasi brewing company and it is 2am local time... going to come back to this in the morning with a fresh head on! Followed and resteemed :)

Awesome, thanks! There's still plenty of time to crack it

Hints

  1. Calendar
  2. North Pole
  3. Wellesley College (Massachusetts)
  4. Green
  5. Electra - power goddess (greek mythology)
  6. Smart people - bussiness
  7. The seventh seal

Four of those are correct (3, 4, 5, 7). None are part of the actual solution, but they will lead you to 1417 which contains the clue that should help you on your way. Keep posting correct guesses and I'll keep hinting.

Whether or not you win, you've already warned a reward by unlocking these, when the contest is over.

Just discovered this post/challenge. Tried to find and read the solution. That was a great challenge, just enough difficult to be a bit challenging. Now I'll look at the others.

This post has received a 0.63 % upvote from @drotto thanks to: @banjo.

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