USPuzzles, Answer 2

Belatedly, here’s the answer to Fall Semester Puzzle #2.  This very complete solution method was submitted by Alex Oprea, who has kindly allowed me to share it.

Also: Spring Puzzle Contest starts tomorrow (Tuesday Jan 16).  Check back for more regular content.

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O FGZT ZIQZ GFT GY ZIT YXFFN ZIOFUL QWGXZ EGRTL (TLHTEOQSSN Q LODHST KTHSQETDTFZ ENHITK SOAT ZIOL GFT) OL ZIQZ GYZTF ZIT SGFUTK ZITN QKT ZIT TQLOTK ZG UTZ KOUIZ ZITN WTEGDT.  ZIT STFUZI OFEKTQLTL EGFZTBZ QFR ZIT OFEORTFET GY EGDDGF VGKRL QFR STZZTKL SOAT “ZIT” QFR “T”. LG O QRRTR Q ZIOKR LTFZTFET YGK ZIT LQAT GY TBQDHST QFR DTZQ-EGDDTFZQKN.

Q & O appear as single letters => can only be I or A

Since three letter words starting with I are uncommon and three letter words starting with A are common, I conclude that Q=A & O=I

We have QFR and QKT, one of which is AND. I believe QFR is a better candidate, since we have ZIT and T. Therefore, F=N & R=D

We can rewrite some of the puzzle more clearly (small letters for the correct letters):

I nGZT ZIaZ GnT GY ZIT YXFFN ZIiFUL aWGXZ EGdTL (TLHTEiaSSN a LiDHST KTHSaETDTFZ ENHITK SiAT ZIiL GnT) iL ZIaZ GYZTF ZIT SGFUTK ZITN aKT ZIT TaLiTK ZG UTZ KiUIZ ZITN WTEGDT.  ZIT STFUZI inEKTaLTL EGnZTBZ and ZIT iFEiRTFET GY EGDDGn VGKRL and STZZTKL SiAT “ZIT” and  “T”. LG i addTd a ZIiKd LTFZTFET YGK ZIT LaAT GY TBaDHST and DTZa-EGDDTnZaKN.

Since there is the word addTd, I believe T =E to form the plausible word “added”. So let’s replace the T as well.

I nGZe ZIaZ Gne GY ZIe YXFFN ZIiFUL aWGXZ EGdeL (eLHeEiaSSN a LiDHSe KeHSaEeDeFZ ENHIeK SiAe ZIiL Gne) iL ZIaZ GYZTF ZIT SGFUeK ZIeN aKe ZIe eaLieK ZG UeZ KiUIZ ZIeN WeEGDe.  ZIe SeFUZI inEKeaLeL EGnZeBZ and ZIe iFEiReFEe GY EGDDGn VGKRL and SeZZeKL SiAe “ZIe” and  “e”. LG i added a eIiKd LeFZeFEe YGK ZIe LaAe GY eBaDHSe and DeZa-EGDDenZaKN.

The word ZIT that keeps appearing has to be the common word “the”, so Z=T and I=H. Continuing this puzzle:

I nGte that Gne GY the YXFFN thiFUL aWGXt EGdeL (eLHeEiaSSN a LiDHSe KeHSaEeDeFtENHIeK SiAe thiL Gne) iL that GYtTF the SGFUeK theN aKe the eaLieK ZG UeZ KiUht theN WeEGDe.  the SeFUth inEKeaLeL EGnteBtand the iFEiReFEe GY EGDDGn VGKRL and SetteKL SiAe “the” and  “e”. LG i added a eIiKd LeFteFEe YGK the LaAe GY eBaDHSe and Deta-EGDDentaKN.

I think now that G=O, because the word Gne has to be one and the word nGte=note, so G=O, continuing:

I note that one oY the YXFFN thiFUL aWoXt EodeL (eLHeEiaSSN a LiDHSe KeHSaEeDeFtENHIeK SiAe thiL one) iL that oYtTF the SoFUeK theN aKe the eaLieK to Uet KiUht theN WeEoDe.  the SeFUth inEKeaLeL EonteBtand the iFEiReFEe oY EGDDon VoKRL and SetteKL SiAe “the” and  “e”. Lo i added a eIiKd LeFteFEe YoK the LaAe oY eBaDHSe and Deta-EoDDentaKN.

And the letter Y=F, since “one of the” makes sense more than any alternatives:

I note that one of the fXFFN thiFUL aWoXt EodeL (eLHeEiaSSN a LiDHSe KeHSaEeDeFtENHIeK SiAe thiL one) iL that ofteF the SoFUeK theN aKe the eaLieK to Uet KiUht theN WeEoDe.  the SeFUth inEKeaLeL EonteBtand the iFEiReFEe of EGDDon VoKRL and SetteKL SiAe “the” and  “e”. Lo i added a eIiKd LeFteFEe foK the LaAe of eBaDHSe and Deta-EoDDentaKN.

And the letter F=N, because of “often”

I note that one of the fXnnN thinUL aWoXt EodeL (eLHeEiaSSN a LiDHSe KeHSaEeDeFt ENHIeK SiAe thiL one) iL that often the SonUeK theN aKe the eaLieK to Uet KiUht theN WeEoDe.  the SenUth inEKeaLeL EonteBtand the inEiRenEe of EGDDon VoKRL and SetteKL SiAe “the” and  “e”. Lo i added a eIiKd LentenEe foK the LaAe of eBaDHSe and Deta-EoDDentaKN.

Since I think (sorta intuitively) that fXnnN thinUL is funny things, I will replace: X=U & N=Y & U=G and L=S (L appears at the end a lot, so it has to be S):

I note that one of the funny things aWout Eodes (esHeEiaSSy a siDHSe KeHSaEeDeFt EyHIeK SiAe this one) is that often the SongeK theyaKe the easieK to get Kight they WeEoDe.  the Sength inEKeases EonteBtand the inEiRenEe of EGDDon VoKRs and SetteKs SiAe “the” and  “e”. So I added a eIiKd sentenEe foK the saAe of eBaDHSe and Deta-EoDDentaKN.

And W=B (about), E=C & K=R (codes, increases), S=L (length), and H=P (especially), D=M (simple, replacement). Let’s see what’s left:

I note that one of the funny things about codes (especially a simple replacement cypher like this one) is that often the longer they are the easier to get right they become.  The length increases context and the incidence of common words and letters like “the” and “e”. So I added a eIird sentence for the sake of example and meta-commentary.

Having some issues with cypher and elird, so I go back and find the words:

ENHITK = CYPHER : I thought cipher was written with an I, not a Y.

ZIOKR = THIRD

AND…text decoded. Fun!!

I note that one of the funny things about codes (especially a simple replacement cypher like this one) is that often the longer they are the easier to get right they become.  The length increases context and the incidence of common words and letters like “the” and “e”. So I added a third sentence for the sake of example and meta-commentary.