{
 "id": "2jtoce",
 "title": "201410210620",
 "title_time": "2014-10-21T06:20",
 "author": "[deleted]",
 "account": "A858DE45F56D9BC9",
 "subreddit": "A858DE45F56D9BC9",
 "created_utc": "2014-10-20T21:20:03Z",
 "permalink": "https://www.reddit.com/r/A858DE45F56D9BC9/comments/2jtoce/201410210620/",
 "arctic_shift": "https://arctic-shift.photon-reddit.com/api/posts/ids?ids=2jtoce",
 "sources": [
  "community-archive",
  "arctic-shift"
 ],
 "body": "4D304D794D7A497A 4D6A4D794D7A497A 4D6A4D794D7A497A 4D6A4D794D7A497A 4D6A4D794D7A497A 4D6A4D794D7A497A 4D6A4D7752444242 4E4445794D7A4D79 4D7A517A4F545642 4D6A4D30526A4D31 4E5467304E6A5245 4E4467305154497A 4E5545304E544D79 4D6A4D7752444242 4D7A67794D7A5534 4D6A4D314D7A497A 4E45517A4F445178 4E4463305254497A 4E4555794D7A5179 4E544D314F544D34 4D6A4D7752444242 4D7A55794D7A497A 4E444D3051545535 4E5459314E6A497A 4E4455794D7A5133 4E4467794D7A5578 4E444D794D7A5530 4D6A4D7752444242 4D7A67794D7A5242 4D6A4D304F54497A 4D7A557A4E6A5130 4E44517A4D7A497A 4E5463794D7A5178 4D6A4D305254497A 4D6A4D7752444242 4E4451794D7A5246 4D7A45794D7A5247 4D6A4D315154497A 4E454D794D7A5131 4D7A6B304D6A557A 4D7A45304E54497A 4D6A4D7752444242 4E4455794D7A5131 4D6A4D7A4E545247 4D6A4D30516A5131 4D6A4D30517A497A 4E54557A4D545578 4E544130516A497A 4D6A4D7752444242 4D7A51794D7A497A 4E4449304D7A5133 4D7A55794D7A5535 4D6A4D7A4E7A497A 4E4445794D7A5532 4E4467794D7A5243 4D6A4D7752444242 4D7A55794D7A497A 4E5451794D7A5247 4E446B314E7A497A 4E4455794D7A517A 4D6A4D305254497A 4E4545794D7A5533 4D6A4D7752444242 4E4459794D7A497A 4D7A55794D7A5132 4D6A4D314D7A497A 4E4455794D7A4D7A 4D6A4D30526A497A 4E4549314D6A5132 4D6A4D7752444242 4D7A55794D7A497A 4E4559794D7A4D30 4D7A597A4D445534 4D6A4D304E7A5135 4D6A4D314E7A497A 4E446B794D7A5178 4D6A4D7752444242 4D7A59794D7A5243 4D6A4D30517A497A 4E45597A4E6A4D33 4E5449304D54557A 4E4463794D7A5131 4D6A4D304E7A497A 4D6A4D7752444242 4E4451794D7A4D31 4D7A67794D7A5579 4D6A4D314E7A5534 4D6A4D305154497A 4E44513151545578 4E5441314D545135 4D6A4D7752444242 4D7A6B794D7A497A 4D7A413052444D7A 4E54517A4D545245 4E54413052444D79 4E44677A4D6A5578 4E454D794D7A557A 4D6A4D7752444242 4E4449794D7A5642 4D6A4D304E545534 4E45493051545577 4E5445304F444D32 4D7A557A4F544D30 4E4451314E545642 4D6A4D7752444242 4E444D794D7A497A 4D6A4D794D7A497A 4E4449794D7A497A 4D6A4D304F445533 4D7A55314D545530 4E5449794D7A497A 4D6A4D7752444242 4D7A6B794D7A5133 4D6A4D314F545247 4E5455794D7A4D35 4E5449304E6A4D78 4D6A4D304D545245 4E4559314E545246 4D6A4D7752444242 4D304D794D7A497A 4D6A4D794D7A497A 4D6A4D794D7A497A 4D6A4D794D7A497A 4D6A4D794D7A497A 4D6A4D794D7A497A 4D6A4D3D",
 "body_source": "community-archive",
 "body_other_version": null,
 "body_hex_chars": 2008,
 "bytes": 1004,
 "score": 23,
 "num_comments": 5,
 "category": {
  "code": "X",
  "label": "X post-cutover exception: hex-ASCII encoded (community-decoded)"
 },
 "kind": "manual",
 "encryption": "unencrypted",
 "status": "solved",
 "summary": "A boxed word puzzle: NEW EYE5 / NO ANSWERS / STILL W3AK / TOOL / AMOUNG YOU. Hex, Base64, hex, grid.",
 "content_type": [
  "Puzzles and references"
 ],
 "cipher": null,
 "plaintext": null,
 "word_layer": null,
 "credit": {
  "kind": "explanation",
  "what": "Completed the community's partial solution: every # is a box wall, and the other cells are random filler with no hidden text."
 },
 "decoded_layers": [
  {
   "encoding": "hex",
   "text": "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"
  },
  {
   "encoding": "Base64",
   "text": "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"
  },
  {
   "encoding": "hex",
   "text": "<##################\r\nA#249Z#O5XFMHJ#ZE2#\r\n8#X#S#M8AGN#N#BSY8#\r\n5##CJYVV#E#GH#QC#T#\r\n8#J#I#56DD3#W#A#N##\r\nD#N1#O#Z#L#E9BS1E##\r\nE#E#5O#KE#L#U1QPK##\r\n4##BCG5#Y#7#A#VH#K#\r\n5##T#OIW#E#C#N#J#W#\r\nF##5#F#S#E#3#O#KRF#\r\n5##O#460X#GI#W#I#A#\r\n6#K#L#O67RASG#E#G##\r\nD#58#R#WX#J#DZQPQI#\r\n9##0M3T1MPM2H2QL#S#\r\nB#Z#EXKJPQH6594DUZ#\r\nC#####B###HW5QTR###\r\n9#G#YOU#9RF1#AMOUN#\r\n<##################"
  }
 ],
 "guids": null,
 "count_from_length": null,
 "run": null,
 "known_solution": [
  {
   "Method": "hex, Base64, hex, 18x19 grid; rows rotated by label digit",
   "Result": "NEW EYE5 / NO ANSWERS / STILL W3AK / TOOL / AMOUNG YOU",
   "Explanation": "Solved: 9 boxed words; every # is a box wall; the 141 other cells are random filler (not a seeded Random stream)"
  }
 ],
 "tags": [
  "post-cutover",
  "2014",
  "Post-cutover hand post",
  "manual",
  "puzzles and references",
  "found by this project"
 ],
 "title_zone_hours": 9,
 "title_zone": "UTC+9",
 "writeup": {
  "title": "201410210620 — nine words in boxes, hidden by sliding the rows",
  "markdown": "Status: **solved**. The community read the words in 2014; this write-up accounts for every other cell as well.\n\n**The layers.** The body is 126 tokens of hexadecimal. They decode to 1,004 characters of Base64, that to 752 more hex\ncharacters, and those to 376 bytes: 18 lines of 19 characters, separated by CRLF, with nothing left over. There is no\ncipher at any step.\n\n**The grid.** The first and last lines are a `<` followed by 18 `#`. Each of the 16 lines between them is a label, a `#`,\n16 inner cells and a closing `#`. Read top to bottom, the labels spell the subreddit's own name, `A858DE45F56D9BC9`.\n\n**The key.** Each label is a hex digit, from 4 to 15. Slide each row's 16 inner cells **left** by that many places,\nwrapping around, and the words line up. The two `<` corners point the way: sliding right gives nothing.\n\nAs posted, the letters of the words (in **blue bold**) are scattered across the rows:\n\n<pre class=\"plain lettergrid\">&lt;##################\nA#249Z#O5XFMHJ#ZE2#\n8#X#<b>S</b>#M8AGN#<b>N</b>#BSY8#\n5##CJYVV#<b>E</b>#GH#QC#<b>T</b>#\n8#J#<b>I</b>#56DD3#<b>W</b>#A#<b>N</b>##\nD#N1#<b>O</b>#Z#<b>L</b>#E9BS1E##\nE#<b>E</b>#5O#KE#<b>L</b>#U1QPK##\n4##BCG5#<b>Y</b>#7#<b>A</b>#VH#K#\n5##<b>T</b>#OIW#<b>E</b>#C#<b>N</b>#J#<b>W</b>#\nF##<b>5</b>#F#<b>S</b>#E#<b>3</b>#<b>O</b>#KRF#\n5##<b>O</b>#460X#GI#<b>W</b>#I#<b>A</b>#\n6#<b>K</b>#<b>L</b>#O67RASG#<b>E</b>#G##\nD#58#<b>R</b>#WX#J#DZQPQI#\n9##<mark>0</mark><mark>M</mark><mark>3</mark><mark>T</mark><mark>1</mark><mark>M</mark>PM2H2QL#<b>S</b>#\nB#Z#EXKJPQH6594DUZ#\nC#####B###HW5QTR###\n9#<b>G</b>#<b>Y</b><b>O</b><b>U</b>#9RF1#<b>A</b><b>M</b><b>O</b><b>U</b><b>N</b>#\n&lt;##################</pre>\n\nWith each row slid left by its label (the number after the arrow), the same cells form nine words, each closed in a box of `#`:\n\n<pre class=\"plain lettergrid\">        ##################\nA  ←10  #HJ#ZE2249Z#O5XFM#\n8  ←8   #N#<b>N</b>#BSY8X#<b>S</b>#M8AG#\n5  ←5   #V#<b>E</b>#GH#QC#<b>T</b>#CJYV#\n8  ←8   #3#<b>W</b>#A#<b>N</b>#J#<b>I</b>#56DD#\nD  ←13  #1E#N1#<b>O</b>#Z#<b>L</b>#E9BS#\nE  ←14  #K#<b>E</b>#5O#KE#<b>L</b>#U1QP#\n4  ←4   #5#<b>Y</b>#7#<b>A</b>#VH#K#BCG#\n5  ←5   #W#<b>E</b>#C#<b>N</b>#J#<b>W</b>#<b>T</b>#OI#\nF  ←15  #F#<b>5</b>#F#<b>S</b>#E#<b>3</b>#<b>O</b>#KR#\n5  ←5   #0X#GI#<b>W</b>#I#<b>A</b>#<b>O</b>#46#\n6  ←6   #7RASG#<b>E</b>#G#<b>K</b>#<b>L</b>#O6#\nD  ←13  #PQI58#<b>R</b>#WX#J#DZQ#\n9  ←9   #2H2QL#<b>S</b>#<mark>0</mark><mark>M</mark><mark>3</mark><mark>T</mark><mark>1</mark><mark>M</mark>PM#\nB  ←11  #94DUZZ#EXKJPQH65#\nC  ←12  #TR######B###HW5Q#\n9  ←9   #1#<b>A</b><b>M</b><b>O</b><b>U</b><b>N</b><b>G</b>#<b>Y</b><b>O</b><b>U</b>#9RF#\n        ##################</pre>\n\n**The words.** Seven run down the columns and two run along the bottom row. Read left to right, they are:\n\n| Where | Words | Reading |\n| ---: | --- | --- |\n| 3 | `NEW` / `EYE5` | \"New eyes\": `5` stands for S |\n| 7 | `NO` / `ANSWERS` | \"No answers\" |\n| 11 | `STILL` / `W3AK` | \"Still weak\": `3` stands for E |\n| 13 | `TOOL` | \"Tool\" |\n| bottom row | `AMOUNG` / `YOU` | \"Among you\", in A858's own spelling |\n\nPut together: **\"NEW EYES. NO ANSWERS. STILL WEAK. TOOL AMOUNG YOU.\"** The grid only fixes the nine words; how they\ngroup into sentences is the reader's choice.\n\n- **New eyes** fits the date. The post came about a day and a half after a wave of newcomers reached r/Solving_A858 on\n  2014-10-19, when the sub saw 294 new posts and comments in a single day.\n- **No answers** and **still weak** read as a jab at the solvers: plenty of new people, and the bulk posts still\n  unsolved.\n- **Tool among you** can be read as \"there is a fool among you\", or as \"one of you is working for us\". The post gives no\n  way to tell which.\n- **The spelling.** The digits for letters (`5` for S, `3` for E) are the same style as A858's hand posts of May 2014\n  ([`24sf75`](../24sf75/) writes `H3LL`, `IHAV3`, `PUZZL3`). `AMOUNG` turns up again in [`3j99nf`](../3j99nf/) in 2015\n  (\"amoung the trash\"), so it is A858's habit rather than a slip in this one post.\n\n**The boxes.** Two words stacked in one column share one `#` between them (`NEW`/`EYE5`, `NO`/`ANSWERS`,\n`STILL`/`W3AK`), and `AMOUNG` and `YOU` share one in the bottom row. A box has no corners: its walls are the cells\ndirectly above, below, left and right of the word's letters. Drawing those walls around the nine words predicts 77 `#`\ncells, and the grid has exactly 77 `#`, all in those places. So the 256 inner cells are 38 letters of message, 77 walls\nand 141 filler cells.\n\n**The filler.** The other 141 cells carry nothing:\n\n- They are spread evenly over `A`–`Z` and `0`–`9`: all 36 characters appear, 105 letters to 36 digits, close to the\n  26 : 10 an even draw gives.\n- They are not typed by hand: neighbouring keys and doubled characters are as common as in a shuffled copy, in the\n  posted order and in the slid order.\n- They hide no words: no run of five or more filler cells, along rows, columns or diagonals in either direction, spells\n  an English word, even allowing `3` for E and similar swaps.\n- They are not the output of .NET's `new Random(seed)` drawing one character at a time. Every seed from 0 to\n  2<sup>31</sup> − 1 was tried, in eight fill orders, and none fits (a planted test case was found).\n\n**`S0M3T1M`.** In 2014 a commenter noticed `S0M3T1M` (\"sometim…\") in the row labelled 9, shown **highlighted** above.\nThe `S` is the last letter of `ANSWERS`, then comes a wall, then `0M3T1M` from the filler, and then `PM` rather than an\n`E`. A run that long is rare in shuffled filler (about 1 in 1,000), but the pattern was picked after it was spotted, and\nit does not finish as a word. It reads as chance, not as part of the message.\n\n**When it was posted.** The bulk posts had been coming every two hours, at :44, with titles on Pacific time. This post\ncame at 21:20 UTC, titled `0620` on a UTC+9 clock. Two minutes later the bulk posts restarted hourly at :22 on the same\nUTC+9 clock ([`2jtokr`](../2jtokr/), titled `201410210622`). The hand post came out of the freshly restarted program,\nusing its time-zone setting. The community solved it on IRC in about seven hours.\n\n**Verdict.** A hand-made word puzzle, aimed at the newcomers: nine boxed words, rows slid by the subreddit's name. Every\nbyte of the post is accounted for, and there is no second message in it.\n\nEarlier the same year, [`24sf75`](../24sf75/) and [`24tmeo`](../24tmeo/) addressed the same solvers in grids of their\nown."
 },
 "page": "posts/2jtoce/"
}