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winterer

Member

Registered: 2019-11-18

Posts: 126

Hidden Codes?

Hi,

teh statement "We've relayed at least 60 messages", with 56 "obvious" puzzles in the book, hints at at least 4 hidden codes.

One code can be found in

▼Spoiler

house numbers

Another one in

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what looks like filing shelves

A third one

▼Spoiler

starts in the filing shelves and continues

I suspect a fourth one

▼Spoiler

in the squared letters

but couldn't crack that one yet.

A fifth one might be hinted at

▼Spoiler

in the letter's footnote

- but I don't understand the clue yet:

▼Spoiler

Radio spelling: as in alpha, bravo, charlie, delta?

Have you found more?

doublecross

Member

Registered: 2019-11-18

Posts: 37

Re: Hidden Codes?

I haven't got your first one, but I've got the others, except I'm not sure I've fully answered the third one.  The last two are

▼Spoiler

in the letter

What about

▼Spoiler

the binary codes on e.g. the 'we've relayed at least 60 messages' page

winterer

Member

Registered: 2019-11-18

Posts: 126

Re: Hidden Codes?

The first one

▼Spoiler

is also very early in the book. Look for buildings.

You said the last two are at the same place. My suspected fourth code is

▼Spoiler

a jumble of 21 letters spread across the book. Are you sure that relates to the letter?

I'll dig deeper for the fifth. Any hint as to the interpretation of the clue?

As for

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the binary codes: I found few to have length 7 or 8, which would make them easy to interpret as ASCII. And those that were didn't make sense. The two on the 'messages' page, e.g., have length 13 and 14. I don't see how to parse them into a message.

doublecross

Member

Registered: 2019-11-18

Posts: 37

Re: Hidden Codes?

Thanks.  I've found the first one but don't know the answer.

Sorry I've confused you, I meant your last two 'spoilers' in the first message, your 'fourth' one is

▼Spoiler

just in the book.

I wonder if 'Hidden Codes' gets crossed out if you solve them all.

winterer

Member

Registered: 2019-11-18

Posts: 126

Re: Hidden Codes?

As for the first one:

▼Spoiler

all you need is there

For the fourth:

▼Spoiler

I tried finding anagrams, but the one that I found didn't work...

And, yes, I wonder about that too...

doublecross

Member

Registered: 2019-11-18

Posts: 37

Re: Hidden Codes?

Hmm, still stuck on the first one

▼Spoiler

is the dash between the second and third paragraphs significant?

winterer

Member

Registered: 2019-11-18

Posts: 126

Re: Hidden Codes?

▼Spoiler

The dash is not significant for the code.

I'm still stuck on my fifth one:

▼Spoiler

could need some help on "radio spelling".

doublecross

Member

Registered: 2019-11-18

Posts: 37

Re: Hidden Codes?

OK, thanks.

Fifth one

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you were on the right lines earlier, something unique beckons...

doublecross

Member

Registered: 2019-11-18

Posts: 37

Re: Hidden Codes?

First one

▼Spoiler

Do I just need the buildings? Both pages?

winterer

Member

Registered: 2019-11-18

Posts: 126

Re: Hidden Codes?

▼Spoiler

Not just the buildings, but left page only

winterer

Member

Registered: 2019-11-18

Posts: 126

Re: Hidden Codes?

Found another one:

▼Spoiler

on the message board, hard to spot

winterer

Member

Registered: 2019-11-18

Posts: 126

Re: Hidden Codes?

And, potentially, another one:

▼Spoiler

On the noticeboard, there are two scraps.

One says "Make a Potential Difference".

The other has symbols used in electrics:
"=V" : V is the symbol for voltage, aka potential difference.
"I R" : I is current, R is resistance
"I^2R" : the formula for power

The formula for Ohm's law is "I = V/R", so maybe this is just a typesetting error?

Had no success in turning that into a phrase yet, though.

doublecross

Member

Registered: 2019-11-18

Posts: 37

Re: Hidden Codes?

Pinboard page:

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Was the one you found three words?  I have found two more hidden messages but they relate to the author. Ohm's law is also V=IR so that's not an error.  Can't get a message from it though.

Buildings page:

▼Spoiler

Still stuck on the numbers, any hints?

winterer

Member

Registered: 2019-11-18

Posts: 126

Re: Hidden Codes?

Pinboard page:

▼Spoiler

Was the one you found three words?  I have found two more hidden messages but they relate to the author. Ohm's law is also V=IR so that's not an error.  Can't get a message from it though.

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Yes, three words, in a code I had to use a long time ago. The hint about the author is intriguing. One on the scrap with the three word message, the other with the leet speak email address?

Buildings page:

▼Spoiler

Still stuck on the numbers, any hints?

Sure:

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How many building blocks have numbers? Relate that to the text.

I'm still stuck with the letter:

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The only word in "radio spelling" I could identify, was "x-raying". So look through the letter and found the red line connecting the words "nothing" and "enigmatic". Haha! Intentional? Anyway, still drawing a blank on that one.

winterer

Member

Registered: 2019-11-18

Posts: 126

Re: Hidden Codes?

Oh, and was looking at code 35:

▼Spoiler

The barcode does not relate to the code, but could it hide something? My barcode reader couldn't parse it, though, despite being able to read a dozen different barcode variants.

doublecross

Member

Registered: 2019-11-18

Posts: 37

Re: Hidden Codes?

▼Spoiler

Maybe, but I don't think it's Morse code which would be the obvious one.

winterer

Member

Registered: 2019-11-18

Posts: 126

Re: Hidden Codes?

doublecross,

I'm still trying to understand your remark

▼Spoiler

"something unique beckons"

If that was a hint, I'm currently too dense to understand it. Not making any progress with the letter, although

▼Spoiler

noticed an inconsistent use of the letter T, which seems to be capitalized a lot.

Need a leg up here.

doublecross

Member

Registered: 2019-11-18

Posts: 37

Re: Hidden Codes?

More examples:

▼Spoiler

banyan keepsake, shot elevator

winterer

Member

Registered: 2019-11-18

Posts: 126

Re: Hidden Codes?

Thanks, much appreciated. So obvious now, in hindsight.

Have to work out the other one now.

doublecross

Member

Registered: 2019-11-18

Posts: 37

Re: Hidden Codes?

You're welcome

▼Spoiler

How about the buildings code?

winterer

Member

Registered: 2019-11-18

Posts: 126

Re: Hidden Codes?

You're welcome

▼Spoiler

How about the buildings code?

Did you see my message this morning?

▼Spoiler

Number of numbered buildings? So each building block stands for...?

doublecross

Member

Registered: 2019-11-18

Posts: 37

Re: Hidden Codes?

Ah, missed that.  Got it now, thanks!

winterer

Member

Registered: 2019-11-18

Posts: 126

Re: Hidden Codes?

doublecross,

you said regarding the pinboard

▼Spoiler

that you found two more, relating to the author. One I found and confirmed. I found another one, not on any scrap. Might three letters, not sure yet. That one of yours?

Also still working on my fourth, and the second in the letter.

doublecross

Member

Registered: 2019-11-18

Posts: 37

Re: Hidden Codes?

Yes

winterer

Member

Registered: 2019-11-18

Posts: 126

Re: Hidden Codes?

OK, so more work then... (strike that, cracked it)

Also, found one

▼Spoiler

on the page of the first book excerpt

and cracked

▼Spoiler

the binaries on this page

Those two belong together, kind of.

Last edited by winterer (2019-11-22 10:15:19)

doublecross

Member

Registered: 2019-11-18

Posts: 37

Re: Hidden Codes?

What do you mean by

▼Spoiler

'binaries'? Is that the 'letters of three' right-hand edge?

winterer

Member

Registered: 2019-11-18

Posts: 126

Re: Hidden Codes?

What do you mean by

▼Spoiler

'binaries'? Is that the 'letters of three' right-hand edge?

Sorry, was jumping between pages here.

▼Spoiler

I meant the binaries that you asked about earlier, and which I dismissed, on the "hidden messages" page. The right hand edge of the "letters of three" looks strangely cut rather than torn, but not like a code (yet).

doublecross

Member

Registered: 2019-11-18

Posts: 37

Re: Hidden Codes?

Ah, OK, will have a go at those.  Have you got all of 1-56?

winterer

Member

Registered: 2019-11-18

Posts: 126

Re: Hidden Codes?

Alas, no.

Still open: 45 and 53, where I got stuck halfway through (see posts), and 56, where I have ideas, but haven't really started yet.

As for hidden codes, still open: my fourth, the second in the letter (nope, found that), the suspected additional one on the board that we discussed earlier (finally cracked that), and of course all that I haven't found yet...

Edit: Solved, the fourth, got a new riddle... which was easy, and yielded yet another riddle...

Edit2: just cracked 56, but that was just an educated guess, starting with a single letter. I now have to work out, why that was correct.

Last edited by winterer (2019-11-24 08:22:55)

winterer

Member

Registered: 2019-11-18

Posts: 126

Re: Hidden Codes?

doublecross,

still stuck at 45 and 53, but

▼Spoiler

got the feeling that I've reached the "endboss" (in gamer parlance) through the hidden messages.
(unless it's just the entrance to another rabbit hole)
Have you seen a red flashing "urgent incoming message" yet?
Don't see a way forward, though.

winterer

Member

Registered: 2019-11-18

Posts: 126

Re: Hidden Codes?

Ususally, when something looks odd or sounds odd on any page, it turned out to belong to some code.
So I'm wondering about

▼Spoiler

"inner silo" and "re-ed dome" on the ticket @ code 35: strange location names.

If that doesn't belong to another code,

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i.e. code 53,

then it might be another hidden code. I haven't manage to find any working anagram, except

▼Spoiler

moon reindeers lied

which unsurprisingly was not the solution.

winterer

Member

Registered: 2019-11-18

Posts: 126

Re: Hidden Codes?

Another oddity I found:

▼Spoiler

Nyctalopia, aka night blindness, "is a condition making it difficult or impossible to see in relatively low light". Surgery doesn't make sense for that condition. But the word nyctalopia contains the letters for Plato or Platonic.

I didn't get any further yet, though, on "Nyctalopia Institute". "I, Platonic State Unity"???

Becky_P

Member

Registered: 2019-11-26

Posts: 31

Re: Hidden Codes?

▼Spoiler

Any luck with the morse code on the pinboard/appendix? some of the dots and dashed are hard to make out

edit - got it

Last edited by Becky_P (2019-11-29 08:25:32)

winterer

Member

Registered: 2019-11-18

Posts: 126

Re: Hidden Codes?

▼Spoiler

Any luck with the morse code on the pinboard/appendix? some of the dots and dashed are hard to make out

edit - got it

▼Spoiler

I found the morse code for code 4 harder to make out... But there are at least three more hidden codes on the pinboard. Plus possibly "Nyctalopia Institute".

doublecross

Member

Registered: 2019-11-18

Posts: 37

Re: Hidden Codes?

doublecross,

still stuck at 45 and 53, but

▼Spoiler

got the feeling that I've reached the "endboss" (in gamer parlance) through the hidden messages.
(unless it's just the entrance to another rabbit hole)
Have you seen a red flashing "urgent incoming message" yet?
Don't see a way forward, though.

Yes, I got that; I don't think there's anything more though.

doublecross

Member

Registered: 2019-11-18

Posts: 37

Re: Hidden Codes?

▼Spoiler

Any luck with the morse code on the pinboard/appendix? some of the dots and dashed are hard to make out

edit - got it

▼Spoiler

I found the morse code for code 4 harder to make out... But there are at least three more hidden codes on the pinboard. Plus possibly "Nyctalopia Institute".

Any idea what 'letters of three' might mean?

winterer

Member

Registered: 2019-11-18

Posts: 126

Re: Hidden Codes?

doublecross,

still stuck at 45 and 53, but

▼Spoiler

got the feeling that I've reached the "endboss" (in gamer parlance) through the hidden messages.
(unless it's just the entrance to another rabbit hole)
Have you seen a red flashing "urgent incoming message" yet?
Don't see a way forward, though.

Yes, I got that; I don't think there's anything more though.

My gut feeling says that there should be more. It sounds like another riddle, as there is another puzzle where a "who?" question is posed that had to be answered.

As for your question:

Any idea what 'letters of three' might mean?

▼Spoiler

Yes, you'll need it for one of the regular puzzles.

Last edited by winterer (2019-11-30 13:28:03)

winterer

Member

Registered: 2019-11-18

Posts: 126

Re: Hidden Codes?

I just found another one on the noticeboard, so at least 5 there.

winterer

Member

Registered: 2019-11-18

Posts: 126

Re: Hidden Codes?

doublecross,

re: your question:

Any idea what 'letters of three' might mean?

If there is an additional hidden code in that scrap, I think it's

▼Spoiler

in the strange shape of the "tear" on the right. It looks cut rather than torn. Some parts look like braces.

I haven't found any place to apply that part of the scrap, though. Have you?

deanashuff

Member

Registered: 2020-01-04

Posts: 8

Re: Hidden Codes?

I could use some help with your fourth hidden code

▼Spoiler

the squared letters...
A clue to the order would be nice, and whether they are all used or just some of them.
I've tried gathering them all together positioned as they are on the various pages, or counting squares or positions within words, with no luck.

Nevermind...

▼Spoiler

Solving the other code from the letter helped when I got the clue. I just wish something had pointed to the letter code.

Last edited by deanashuff (2020-01-05 17:50:55)

yoniYon

Member

Registered: 2020-01-12

Posts: 2

Re: Hidden Codes?

Here are the codes we were able to verify
1:

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On the Plato opening message (3 pages before code 1), 5 letters

2:

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On the Welcome page (2 pages before code 1), on what looks like folders, 11 letters

3:

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Starting on the Welcome page, 11 letters

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Pages welcome, 1, 13, 22, 29, 31, 38, 39, 41, 46, 47

4:

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On the Instructions for Visitors page (1 page before code 1), 7 words

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Look at the buildings numbers

5:

▼Spoiler

On notice boards - Teaching position, 3 words

6:

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On notice boards - 380BC club, 5 letters

7:

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On notice boards - "Do you find yourself lost" message, 29 letters, 6 words

8:

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On letter - Radio codes - 13 letters, 3 words

9:

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On letter - "at last" - 17 letters, 3 words

14:

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21 single boxed letters throughout the book

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first step - 4 words, 21 letters. second step - 2 words, 8 letters

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codes 1, 3, 5, 6, 9, 14, 15, 17, 18, 25, 28, 34, 34, 38, 43, 44, 45, 47, 48, 49, 54

▼Spoiler

Some assembly required

15:

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2 pages after code 56 - 2 binary numbers - 2 words, 8 letters

Suspected additional codes we were not able to solve and verify yet:
10:

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On notice boards letters outside scrap papers

11:

▼Spoiler

On notice boards - OHM law & potential difference - we only found the first part

12:

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On code 8 - unused strings

13:

▼Spoiler

On code 48 - unused "white shaded" letters

Last edited by yoniYon (2020-01-16 19:09:54)

deanashuff

Member

Registered: 2020-01-04

Posts: 8

Re: Hidden Codes?

I believe I've confirmed your 8, 12, 13, and 14. I also suspect your 9.

Here are some additional ideas I've tried to explore with no luck:

▼Spoiler

The numbers on the page with code 13.

▼Spoiler

The binary number on the page with code 37. Same length as NYCTALOPIA INSTITUTE and Potential Difference.

▼Spoiler

I also wonder about the nine push-pins on the surgery noticeboard, facing in differing directions.

mcwuzzy

Member

Registered: 2020-01-27

Posts: 34

Re: Hidden Codes?

I noticed the author has said in reply to an Amazon review, "There are also more than a dozen hidden codes scattered throughout the book, including an enormous meta puzzle that encompasses many dozens of pages."
I've finished the book and am now searching these out, maybe I need more hints!

AcidBurn39

Member

Registered: 2020-08-11

Posts: 120

Re: Hidden Codes?

Can someone post all the hidden codes locations here??

404

Administrator

Registered: 2019-11-17

Posts: 59

Re: Hidden Codes?

Here's an overall hint for where hidden content is:

▼Spoiler

The hidden codes are never on the numbered code pages; and the overall 'meta' puzzle only connects the code pages and doesn't use anything not on a code page. The meta puzzle leads to the final story instalment. (You don't need to have solved all of the puzzles to get the meta, incidentally)

By number there are 13 or 14 hidden messages, depending on how you count, so more than a dozen, although two are exclusive to Kickstarter backers and one is part of a two-step puzzle, plus two are interesting things to spot rather than full puzzles.

One of the hidden codes has only been found by two solvers, and the overall final answer has only been discovered by 10 solvers. By contrast there have been about 40 correct solutions to the final code in the book.

AcidBurn39

Member

Registered: 2020-08-11

Posts: 120

Re: Hidden Codes?

▼Spoiler

So the meta puzzle is the alternate end??

mcwuzzy

Member

Registered: 2020-01-27

Posts: 34

Re: Hidden Codes?

I could use some help with your fourth hidden code

▼Spoiler

the squared letters...
A clue to the order would be nice, and whether they are all used or just some of them.
I've tried gathering them all together positioned as they are on the various pages, or counting squares or positions within words, with no luck.

Nevermind...

▼Spoiler

Solving the other code from the letter helped when I got the clue. I just wish something had pointed to the letter code.

Can you post a hint to the number of words or some way to sort these for someone who doesn't have the letter please?

404

Administrator

Registered: 2019-11-17

Posts: 59

Re: Hidden Codes?

You don't need the backer letter to work out what to do, but a hidden code in it does give you a hint, which I've also hinted at in a couple of recent posts.

The key word I've used is:

▼Spoiler

Connect

The full hint - and don't read this if you're a kickstarter backer since it will spoil one of the hidden messages from the letter - is:

▼Spoiler

Connect the network

Of course, this is a much more direct hint when specifically associated with a puzzle than when just given generically.

Phill Warren

Member

Registered: 2021-03-31

Posts: 1

Re: Hidden Codes?

I've read all the hints but I'm still completely stumped with the 21 letters in boxes and the 2 puzzles in the letter.  I cant figure out what to do with the 'radio spelling' clue, because the only applicable word I can find is 'x-raying'.  Any help would be greatly appreciated!

404

Administrator

Registered: 2019-11-17

Posts: 59

Re: Hidden Codes?

For the letter:

▼Spoiler

Pay attention to the different-coloured text:
* The red text hints at one message.
* The blue text hints at the other message.

You've already understood the basics of the blue message, but you have to look harder. There are lots more to find within!

If you are still stuck on the blue message:

▼Spoiler

Really, you need to look within.

For the letters in the grey squares:

▼Spoiler

What else is notable about the design of the pages which have letters in grey squares? What is in common across all those pages?

▼Spoiler

How might these be combined together?