GC4WY26 - A Dash of Alphabet Soup
By: Team Monkeyboy
1. Here is the puzzle.
Posted Coordinates: N 40° 02.946 W 082° 27.491
Geocache Description:
Solve the puzzle below to reveal the container's true location.
TOTTKXJTODVIFAHANM
NKLRMKNORNBKQKGKL
AWKDVHILVTOMNKRTT
OMHIEEJSHIODNCZTQB
DKUMXMCIOGXDNGFPW
MGMUTYUKLSESEVYEW
QTOTGWHPIBFPRBMNO
RUIDEHKGKLCTRYCZXP
EBUWFTMGEOTMKKNXG
Additional Hints:
twenty one by twenty one
2. Solve the Puzzle.
There is a hint in the title that tells you how to get started.
Start by converting the puzzle letters to Morse Code.
TOTTKXJTODVIFAHANM
NKLRMKNORNBKQKGKL
AWKDVHILVTOMNKRTT
OMHIEEJSHIODNCZTQB
DKUMXMCIOGXDNGFPW
MGMUTYUKLSESEVYEW
QTOTGWHPIBFPRBMNO
RUIDEHKGKLCTRYCZXP
EBUWFTMGEOTMKKNXG
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ . _ _ . . _ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . . . . . _ . . . . _ . . _ . . . . . _ _ . _ _
_ . _ . _ . _ . . . _ . _ _ _ . _ _ . _ _ _ . _ . _ . _ . . . _ . _ _ _ . _ _ . _ _ _ . _ . _ . _ . .
. _ . _ _ _ . _ _ . . . . . _ . . . . . . . _ . . . . . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . _ . _ . _ . _ _
_ _ _ _ _ . . . . . . . . . _ _ _ . . . . . . . . . _ _ _ _ . . _ . _ . _ . _ _ . . _ _ _ . _ _ . . .
_ . . _ . _ . . _ _ _ _ . . _ _ _ _ . _ . . . _ _ _ _ _ . _ . . _ _ . . _ . _ _ . . . _ . . _ _ . . _ _
_ _ _ _ . _ _ . . _ _ _ . _ _ . . _ _ . _ . _ . . . . . . . . . . . . . _ _ . _ _ . . _ _
_ _ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . . _ _ . . . . . _ _ . . . _ . . . . . _ . . _ _ . . _ . _ . . . _ _ _ . _ _ _
. _ . . . _ . . _ . . . . . . . _ . _ _ _ . _ . _ . _ . . _ . _ . _ . _ . _ . _ _ _ . _ . _ _ . . _ . . _ . _ _ .
. _ . . . . . _ . _ _ . . _ . _ _ _ _ _ . . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . _ _ . _ _ . _ . . _ _ _ .
VERY CAREFULLY
Count out 21 characters per row, wrapping extra characters to the next row. There are spaces in between each character, so it is easier for you to see the individual characters.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ . _ _ . . _ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ . . . . . _ . . . . _ . . _ . . . . . _
_ . _ _ _ . _ . _ . _ . . . _ . _ _ _ . _
_ . _ _ _ . _ . _ . _ . . . _ . _ _ _ . _
_ . _ _ _ . _ . _ . _ . . . _ . _ _ _ . _
_ . . . . . _ . . . . . . . _ . . . . . _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ . _ . _ . _ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _
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_ _ _ _ . . _ . _ . _ . _ _ . . _ _ _ . _
_ . . . _ . . _ . _ . . _ _ _ _ . . _ _ _
_ . _ . . . _ _ _ _ _ . _ . . _ _ . . _ .
_ _ . . . _ . . _ _ . . _ _ _ _ _ _ . _ _
. . _ _ _ . _ _ . . _ _ . _ . _ . . . . .
. . . . . . . . _ _ . _ _ . . _ _ _ _ . _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ . . _ _ . . . . . _ _ . . .
_ . . . . . _ . . _ _ . . _ . _ . . . _ _
_ . _ _ _ . _ . . . _ . . _ . . . . . . .
_ . _ _ _ . _ . _ . _ . . _ . _ . _ . _ .
_ . _ _ _ . _ . _ _ . . _ . . _ . _ _ . .
_ . . . . . _ . _ _ . . _ . _ _ _ _ _ . .
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ . _ _ . _ _ . _ . . _ _ _ .
Now, using either graph paper or a spreadsheet, copy each character into one cell. When you are finished, your grid should be 21 Rows by 21 Columns. It will look like this:
Next, fill in every box that has a dash ( _ ). When you are finished, your grid should look like this.
You have just created a QR Code. To read it, you will need to use a smart phone that has a QR Reader App installed. We use QuickMark.
Now scan and read the Solved Coordinates.
Solved Coordinates:
And that is how you make A Dash of Alphabet Soup! Wasn't that fun!!
3. Verify the Solved Coordinates.
Use GeoCheck to verify the solved coordinates.
Happy Caching!
Solved Coordinates:
N 40 02.414, W 082 28.226
And that is how you make A Dash of Alphabet Soup! Wasn't that fun!!
3. Verify the Solved Coordinates.
Use GeoCheck to verify the solved coordinates.
GeoCheck - A Dash of Alphabet Soup
Happy Caching!
Anybody understand the hint. Is it a cipher or just jumbo letters?
ReplyDeleteNope been working on this. Tried lots of different ciphers. TMB likes Binary.
ReplyDeleteRead through the logs on the Cache Page. Apparently, the whole 21x21 thing is very important, and once you find the solution, it will jump out at you, and you won't even need the geochecker that was added.
ReplyDeleteI read the hints. They lead me to believe this isn't a cipher. Tried counting letters to 21 every which way with no luck. Tried putting the numbers in a grid and nothing happen. Will put it down for a while and come back latter.
ReplyDeleteAll right - let's start tearing this thing apart. Here's the letters in a grid:
ReplyDeleteT O T T K X J T O D V I F A H A N M
N K L R M K N O R N B K Q K G K L
A W K D V H I L V T O M N K R T T
O M H I E E J S H I O D N C Z T Q B
D K U M X M C I O G X D N G F P W
M G M U T Y U K L S E S E V Y E W
Q T O T G W H P I B F P R B M N O
R U I D E H K G K L C T R Y C Z X P
E B U W F T M G E O T M K K N X G
There's 18 characters in the first, fourth, and 8th rows. 17 characters in all the other rows.
ReplyDeleteThe grid uses every letter in the alphabet at least twice.
The frequency of the letters T, M, O, N, and K are way above the statistical norm. "Team MONKeyboy?"
The title, 'Alphabet Soup' tends to indicate it's just a word scramble, where you end up using the letters literally, but I can't see how that's possible with ALL of the letters in the alphabet represented.
ReplyDeleteI sent our theories and work to the CO. He said ALL of our ideas were interesting, but wrong. LOL
ReplyDeleteHe said we should focus on DASH for the first part of the conversion.
Completely lost on this one.
ReplyDeleteWe are too.
DeleteMaybe Pharmdog can help us when he gets back from Hawaii. LOL
Dash (verb): 1) To run a short distance; 2) To strike or fling with great force; 3) to splash, splatter, or sprinkle, often violently; 4) to affect by mixing in something different; 5) To ruin or frustrate
ReplyDeleteDash (exclamation): 1) Used to express mild annoyance, as in "Dash it all!" (mainly British)
Dash (noun): 1) The act of running; 2) A small quantity of something; 3) A type of line using regularly spaced horizontal marks and spaces; 4) Half of the characters making up Morse Code; 5) the mark or sign (—) used to note an abrupt break or pause in a sentence or hesitation in an utterance, to begin and end a parenthetic word, phrase, or clause, to indicate the omission of letters or words, to divide a line, to substitute for certain uses of the colon, and to separate any of various elements of a sentence or series of sentences, as a question from its answer; 6) A type of race in track and field; 7) Spirited action, as in "Performed with elan, style, and dash; 8) Short for Dashboard
I think this might solve the puzzle:
ReplyDelete1. Try googling "Alfred Vail".
2. Translate the puzzle into Morse Code.
3. Count the characters into groups of 21, wrapping to the next line as needed. You should get 21 groups of dots and dashes.
4. Remember the 21x21 hint, and look for on-line Morse Code decoders
5. You should get a QR Code. Read the QR Code with your phone. You will need a QR scanner app.
We Think this is the solution, but we don't have time to do all of the work today. If somebody wants to give this a try, we would appreciate the help. Let us know if this idea works.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
DeleteI said look for a Morse Code decoder. I meant Look for a QR Code Decoder. Don't decode the Morse Code. You want the dots and dashes to remain in the 21 x 21 grid, or the QR Decoder won't be able to read the pattern.
The Soup is served!
ReplyDeleteJust didn't put it on graph paper. Used word and couldn't read anything. Tomorrow will try excel. Very nice job RT.
ReplyDelete