World 1-3: Unfair Cryptogram (SOLVED: ASHAMED)

http://ihavetofindpeach.com/puzzles/world1/unfair_cryptogram/

Side note: Maybe game combos?

combos usually aren't THAT long.

there are only 8 distinct symbols. This does not translate to English, methinks...

I noticed. I was going to say map to a keyboard but that doesn't really work.

Maybe groups of stuff represent things.

Also, in the third group, first line, i see the Konami Code.

Wait. it appears in several places. Does anyone else recognize other classic cheat codes?

edited 14th Jan '11 6:47:33 PM by GlennMagusHarvey

I think "unfair" is in that STRINGS of symbols correspond to letters. For example, the Konami Code is probably one letter.

Someone should probably turn this into text and upload it to google docs, at which point we can start trying to find other consistent groups of symbols.

In the meantime, I'll brb.

Which code corresponds to which letter though?

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JLITUB6KF8zz_HOjR1NBvPtCW15idiXQKOYKTwKHEuI/edit?hl=en&authkey=CPy935YC

Workin on it

Alright, the google doc I posted should now be pretty well sorted/formatted, and I added a section for repeating codes with the Konami code in it

I pasted what I think is a better version down at the end of the doc.

I'm going to go through identifying patterns.

After I do this, I will replace each pattern with a letter, and then have us work with crypto solving at that point.

Also, get on IRC so we can communicate faster

edited 14th Jan '11 8:17:24 PM by GlennMagusHarvey

I'm almost done with translating this into a normal cryptogram.

The normal cryptogram reads:

V@QZ SP %QSG
QZT HMWP WT
CGEIWSH
FMGOO

FSGT QT
FOT HFEG
HPOOI WT
HFGOOF
JWCMFOG
FZQ: FSGVQ
OIWFWQT

ENNOHH
FGEN$H
FZOTF%-QTO
FMGQSCM
FZOTF%-
JQSG WT
HFGOOF
GENOG

GOP@ENO
FMO
GOJOGOO
ZWFM E IQC
WT
WTFOGTEFWQTE@
HSPOGHFEG
HQNNOG
IO@S^O

&WOZ KEP WT
OEGFMZQGK
#WK

VONQKO
WT&WTNWV@O
WT E@WOT
&OGHSH
PGOIEFQG

ENFW&EFO
HSPOG MEGI
KQIO WT
VW$OG KWNO
JGQK KEGH

If you have a cryptogram solver, please try it on this.

If you have problems with the symbols, feel free to replace them with letters (I just avoided using ABXYLRDU during my work). The symbols are: @ % & $ # ^

(The dashes are part of the message.)

edited 14th Jan '11 9:14:48 PM by GlennMagusHarvey

Looks pretty good; I copied and pasted the text into a cryptogram solver and got:

B@OW UF %OUR OWN SHIF IN GRADIUS THREE TURN ON TEN STAR SFEED IN STREET PIGHTER TWO: TURBO EDITION ACCESS TRAC$S TWENT%-ONE THROUGH TWENT%- POUR IN STREET RACER REF@ACE THE REPEREE WITH A DOG IN INTERNATIONA@ SUFERSTAR SOCCER DE@U^E &IEW MAF IN EARTHWORM #IM BECOME IN&INCIB@E IN A@IEN &ERSUS FREDATOR ACTI&ATE SUFER HARD MODE IN BI$ER MICE PROM MARS

It looks good, save some slight errors. Here's what I believe to be correct: "Blow up your own ship in Gradius Three. Turn on ten star speed in Street Fighter Two: Turbo Edition. Access tracks twenty-one through twenty-four in Street Racer. Replace the referee with a dog in International Superstar Soccer. Debug view map(?) in Earthworm Jim. Become invincible in Alien Versus Predator. Activate Super Hard Mode in Biker Mice From Mars.

edited 14th Jan '11 9:28:07 PM by KKSlider

It appears to be a list of various cheat codes for video games. Googling returns the following for the cheats described:

• Blow up ship: Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A Start at pause menu. (Konami Code)
• Ten Star Speed: Down Right Up L Y B on controller 2. (Japanese version adds X A to the end)
• Tracks: Can't decide between DOUGAL and TURGAY. (One activates "Alternate Options" and the other is "Cheat Menu", respectively)
• Referee: Konami code except with B and A alternated, no START. (Only in Japanese version?)
• Debug: "Pause the game and press A and LEFT together, then B, B, A, then A and RIGHT together, then B, B, A"
• Invincible: (1999 PC Version) GOD in console.
• Super Hard: "Up, X, Left, Y, Down, B, Right, A, Up, X on controller two at the main menu."

edited 14th Jan '11 9:38:11 PM by KKSlider

WHOA. AWESOME.

Lemme translate those back into the code I used to translate from the original crap to my de-messed cryptogram.

Then you go translate this into "proper" letters.

• uuddlrlrBA(start) = E in my code
• drulYB(ctrl2) = H in my code
• Dougal/Turgay "Extra Tracks (Custom Cup Tracks 21-24) Go to the Option screen and select Custom Cup Setup. When the screen appears, press L, R, L, R, X, Y." lrlrXY = M in my code
• uuddlrlrab Konami code again, E in my code
• Al BBA Ar BBA AXAXAAAA = K in my code
• GOD "invulnerability press "X-Y-Y-Y-B-B-X-A-B"" XYYYBBXAB = O in my code
• uXlYdBrAuX = I in my code

Hmm. Not working as well as I hoped? NO WAIT IT IS

edited 14th Jan '11 9:59:38 PM by GlennMagusHarvey

Alien vs. Predator releases:

• 1993 SNES
• 1994 arcade
• 1994 Atari Jaguar
• 1999 PC/Mac
• 2004 mobile phone
• 2010 PC, PS 3, Xbox360

Let's look for a cheat in the SNES version.

edited 14th Jan '11 9:52:34 PM by GlennMagusHarvey

Well, the fact that this "random crap" can actually by fed into a cryptogram solver and come out surprisingly legibly can't be a coincidence.

EDIT: Oh shit, did you know how many times Earthworm Jim was ported to other consoles? I'll be on that after a snack.

edited 14th Jan '11 9:54:26 PM by KKSlider

http://www.gamefaqs.com/snes/563511-alien-vs-predator/cheats

invulnerability press "X-Y-Y-Y-B-B-X-A-B"

That's O in my code.

I'm pretty sure they're all SNES games now.

http://www.gamefaqs.com/snes/588703-street-racer/cheats

Extra Tracks (Custom Cup Tracks 21-24) Go to the Option screen and select Custom Cup Setup. When the screen appears, press L, R, L, R, X, Y.

http://cheats.ign.com/ob2/068/006/006863.html

Earthworm Jim Map View is: AXAXAAAA

edited 14th Jan '11 9:58:04 PM by KKSlider

For the dog code, it's not International Superstar Soccer, but International Superstar Soccer Deluxe.

http://www.gamefaqs.com/snes/588391-international-superstar-soccer-deluxe/cheats

Type this code and all referees will be turned into dogs.

Effect Code Dog Code At the start screen,press Up,Up,Down,Down,Left,Right,Left,Right,B,A and start. It must be done in the 2nd controller (doesn't work in the 1st)

This is just the konami code again.

Hey KK Slider!

Translate THIS!: EHMEKOI

I almost want to say these answers are an anagram for "HOME KEY"

But anagram solver doesn't come up with a single word. "13 found. Displaying all: Hoe Mike Eek Hi Om Eek Ohm I Eek Ho Mi Eek Oh Mi Eke Hi Om Eke Ohm I Eke Ho Mi Eke Oh Mi Meek Ho I Meek Oh I Hoke Em I Hoke Me I"

edited 14th Jan '11 10:02:00 PM by KKSlider

Translated: ASHAMED

I'm calling this in.

edited 14th Jan '11 10:02:00 PM by GlennMagusHarvey