Here is link to the article: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/technology/2011/12/can-you-crack-it-uk-agencys-website-seeks-new-spies/
Here is link to the crack the code website: http://canyoucrackit.co.uk/
I started to think about the number/letter combos being co-ordinates within the grid, but there are not enough letters to use the whole grid. There are also a lot of double digit combos, which I thought might refer to specific entry within the grid, but this didnt prove usuful either.
I am trying to work out if the two grids should be treated seperately or not, if one grid is the key and the other is the look up table?
I also think the text above the window plays some part in it. I will keep at it! Could do with a change of profession.
Quote: MoscaI have discovered a truly marvelous solution to this problem that the margin is too narrow to contain.
Are you certain your post is properly fermatted?
Quote: MoscaI have discovered a truly marvelous solution to this problem that the margin is too narrow to contain.
Hahaha, brilliant.
Quote: WizardofEngland
I am trying to work out if the two grids should be treated seperately or not, if one grid is the key and the other is the look up table?
My guess is no - I'm pretty sure those aren't so much "separate grids" as 16-byte rows, with a separator to break it further into 8-byte segments. (In other words, pretend that gap in the middle of each row is the same size as the gaps between the other adjacent columns.)
I wouldn't be surprised if it's a graphic image of some sort, and the word appears in the image. (The "00 01 00 00" at the top seems to indicate some sort of flag.) Try Googling the first few byes, to see if it is an ID of some sort.
(BTW, apparently the Pastebin site has the solution.)
Note how D7 and D8 are the same in both (00). Also E5 to E8.
Also interesting how J2 to J8 in the second panel has lots of repeats: ff ff ff 41 41 41 41.
This is the kind of thing I would have spent all night on in my younger days. Still, I'll let this percolate.
Speaking of Battleship, enjoy this game.
I am guessing, one would have to generate a binary file with these bytes, run the program and see what happens. Chances are, it won't just run (it does not look as an executable code, probably, just a compiled object), so, you'd need to disassemble it, and recompile.
I doubt, it is going to be that simple ... there are probably more puzzles to solve once you can see the code, but that's the general idea, I think ...
Quote:Spoiler - highlight the entire quote box to see it:
You need to copy the image (it's a PNG file), then use an editor to check the data; apparently there's a message in a comment block that you need in order to solve it.
By the way, to hide a spoiler message in a quote box, set the text color to #EEEEEE
Quote: weaselmanIt is actually a binary code of a computer program ("ef be ad de" in the second line of the right panel gives it away - it is little-endian encoding for a number 0xDEADBEEF, "dead beef", which is used by some compilers as a sentinel, "magic" value).
I am guessing, one would have to generate a binary file with these bytes, run the program and see what happens. Chances are, it won't just run (it does not look as an executable code, probably, just a compiled object), so, you'd need to disassemble it, and recompile.
I doubt, it is going to be that simple ... there are probably more puzzles to solve once you can see the code, but that's the general idea, I think ...
Ok so this is not for me, if I cant have a go at it with a pencil and some paper I think its very specialist. Is it possible the deadbeef is a red herring?
Quote: ThatDonGuyApparently, based on just looking at the image, you can't solve it...
Quote:Spoiler - highlight the entire quote box to see it:
You need to copy the image (it's a PNG file), then use an editor to check the data; apparently there's a message in a comment block that you need in order to solve it.
By the way, to hide a spoiler message in a quote box, set the text color to #EEEEEE
Ohhh check out the big brain on ThatDonGuy, very nice. I'll be using this in the future!
Quote:Spoiler
Like this?
Quote: WizardofEnglandHave a go at it with a pencil and some paper...
Maybe then, you could come up with a "better" answer? Aren't all the iq tests ultimately based on past discoveries in the basic ways of thinking?
Quote: GarnabbyMaybe then, you could come up with a "better" answer? Aren't all the iq tests ultimately based on past discoveries in the basic ways of thinking?
Well i thought it was aimed at people with some logic solving skills, and the ability to work things out. Not people with a computer program and a time to put the kettle on for a cup of tea.
I was hoping there was some sort logic or pattern, something to actually crack. "Can you crack it" should of been changed to "do you have the software to decode this"? Are we really to believe that GCHQ are looking for software operators? Surely anyone with basic computer skills could be trainned to solve this in a matter of weeks or months. Finding someone who has a natural ability at problem solving (and I'm talking about HARD problems) is much much more difficult. As I see it now, this is impossible to solve without the software or a computer?
Quote: WizardofEnglandAs I see it now, this is impossible to solve without the software or a computer?
That's the way I understand it, since the first step involves entering the code into a disassembler and analyzing the assembly code.
Quote: JBThat's the way I understand it, since the first step involves entering the code into a disassembler and analyzing the assembly code.
Then I think they have missed a big oppurtunity to recruit real talent.
Quote: WizardofEnglandThen I think they have missed a big oppurtunity to recruit real talent.
I think it would depend upon the kind of talent they are looking for.
Quote: JBI think it would depend upon the kind of talent they are looking for.
It seemed they were looking code crackers or people with puzzle solving ability, not software operators.
Quote: WizardofEnglandIt seemed they were looking code crackers or people with puzzle solving ability, not software operators.
They are looking for computer hackers, programming gurus. While you are right, it is not exactly rocket science for someone with experience and skill, it is far not as trivial as you are making it sound.
You sound bitter. Just because you cannot crack something does not mean it is not a puzzle :) Traditional code cracking/pattern recognition skill has been obsolete for a while (certainly, since the RSA, but in practice, way before that).
Cyber-hacking is the 21st century equivalent of that.
As has been said, solving this would require advanced computer programming skills. Asking me to solve this is like asking me to beat Roger Federer in tennis.
I'm not bitter. I salute anybody who was able to solve it. Personally, something like the Eternity II puzzle is more up my alley. The kind of puzzle I like is where the object is easy to explain, but difficult to solve.
Quote: WizardI played the videos and now feel like a complete dunce. No wonder the NSA didn't even respond to my letters asking for a job interview.
As has been said, solving this would require advanced computer programming skills. Asking me to solve this is like asking me to beat Roger Federer in tennis.
I'm not bitter. I salute anybody who was able to solve it. Personally, something like the Eternity II puzzle is more up my alley. The kind of puzzle I like is where the object is easy to explain, but difficult to solve.
I agree totally, at least the eternity puzzle can be solved by thinking about the problem, looking for a pattern and shear determination. I am a bit disappointed the canyoucrackit puzzle was not explained a little more, I realise part of the puzzle was how to solve it, rather than the actual method, but that doesnt seem how things would go in real life. If it was described as "can you design a computer program to crack this code" I wouldnt have given it a second look.
While I didn't come near cracking the challenge, I found stage 1 pretty interesting.
That it's at least to be investigated as a piece of machine code is clear if you were ever involved with low-level code, 8+8 columns with spacers is the standard arrangement used in hex editors. Actually it being anything other than a piece of data in hex would be an element of steganography, but this was present as well.
So stage 1 is really as down-to-the-basics as it gets with a computer-related puzzle. The rest... perspiration+inspiration, I guess.
Quote: WizardThe kind of puzzle I like is where the object is easy to explain, but difficult to solve.
Like
Quiz #1) Fill in the next two letters in the sequence O T T F F S S _ _ ?
======================
Quiz #2) Given:
Image A
Image B
Image C
Image D
Which of the following four images should be "Image E"
Image #1
Image #2
Image #3
Image #4
http://www.gchq.gov.uk/press_and_media/news_and_features/Pages/Directors-Christmas-puzzle-2015.aspx
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/12125576/GCHQ-Christmas-quiz-30000-entries-not-one-perfect-answer.html
Quote: charliepatrickSorry for posting this too late - but I guess most readers will be based in the US so ineligible. GCHQ have been running a Christmas set of puzzles where the first one is here.
http://www.gchq.gov.uk/press_and_media/news_and_features/Pages/Directors-Christmas-puzzle-2015.aspxIf you want to cheat you should be able to find the answers on-line. A google search even gives you the fifth page. However you then have to send the answers in, so people aren't being so friendly with those answers!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/12125576/GCHQ-Christmas-quiz-30000-entries-not-one-perfect-answer.html
I did the first part last month when it came out, but the picture was gibberish when completed. I didn't recognize it as a Q code, so thanks for clearing that up.
btw the answers to the GCHQ Christmas puzzle can be found on this page http://www.gchq.gov.uk/press_and_media/news_and_features/Pages/Director-GCHQs-Christmas-card-puzzle---how-did-you-do.aspx and downloading the PDF http://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/puzzleinabucket/GCHQ_Puzzle_2015_-_Solutions.pdf