Quote:
Originally posted by geoschmo:
Ok, now for a cryptogram. These things kick my butt. I can never figure them out. But I made this one so I know the answer. 
Hint: It's Se4 related.
code:
Q H U Q R E G U M U J R I B E Q K N Q R N S B B U N N F H N L I B U
U X L F K U N F N J Q S K N G F L N I W F A F E J E Q G F E E G U F K
E I K T U E N F H B Q X W I E . F E F N E G F N R I B E E G I E
X I M U N E G U E I A F N X I H N S B G I L Q O U K R S A
B Q X L Q H U H E .
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1) There is a 1-letter word "I" on line 4. A 1-letter word can only be "A" or "I". Let's try "A", guessing that you wouldn't use the same letter to represent "I". Try substituting "I" = "a"
code:
QHU QR EGU MUJ RIBEQKN QR NSBBUNN FH NLIBU
*** ** *** *** *a***** ** ******* ** **a**
UXLFKUN FN JQSK NGFLN IWFAFEJ EQ GFE EGUFK
******* ** **** ***** a****** ** *** *****
EIKTUEN FH BQXWIE. FE FN EGFN RIBE EGIE
*a***** ** ****a*. ** ** **** *a** **a*
XIMUN EGU EIAFNXIH NSBG I LQOUKRSA
*a*** *** *a****a* **** a ********
BQXLQHUHE.
*********.
2) Count the frequency of letters in the message:
A:3 B:8 C:0 D:0 E:17 F:13 G:8 H:6 I:11 J:3 K:6 L:5 M:2 N:15 O:1 P:0 Q:10 R:5 S:4 T:1 U:13 V:0 W:2 X:5 Z:0
Letters occur in the English language in roughly the following order of frequency: ETAONIRSHLDCUPFMWYBGVKQXJZ, where E is the most common letter and T is the next, and so on.
Because "E" appears 17 times, it is likely to be "e" or "t". The word "EGU" appears twice in the message. A common three-letter word that begins with "t" is "the", which is probable because "U" appears 13 times and could be "e". Try substituting E=t, G=h, U=e.
code:
QHU QR EGU MUJ RIBEQKN QR NSBBUNN FH NLIBU
**e ** the *e* *a*t*** ** ****e** ** **a*e
UXLFKUN FN JQSK NGFLN IWFAFEJ EQ GFE EGUFK
e****e* ** **** *h*** a****t* ** h*t the**
EIKTUEN FH BQXWIE. FE FN EGFN RIBE EGIE
ta**et* ** ****at. *t ** th** *a*t that
XIMUN EGU EIAFNXIH NSBG I LQOUKRSA
*a*e* the ta****a* ***h a ***e****
BQXLQHUHE.
******e*t.
3) See the word "FE" which is "*t"? What's a 2-letter word that ends in "t". "it or "at". Well, we already guessed that "I" = "a", so then the word is "it" and "F" = "i".
code:
QHU QR EGU MUJ RIBEQKN QR NSBBUNN FH NLIBU
**e ** the *e* *a*t*** ** ****e** i* **a*e
UXLFKUN FN JQSK NGFLN IWFAFEJ EQ GFE EGUFK
e**i*e* i* **** *hi** a*i*it* t* hit thei*
EIKTUEN FH BQXWIE. FE FN EGFN RIBE EGIE
ta**et* i* ****at. it i* thi* *a*t that
XIMUN EGU EIAFNXIH NSBG I LQOUKRSA
*a*e* the ta*i**a* ***h a ***e****
BQXLQHUHE.
******e*t.
4) Now it's easy to guess that "EGUFK" = "thei*" is "their", so "K"="r". Also "EGFN" = "thi*" is "this", so "N" = "s".
code:
QHU QR EGU MUJ RIBEQKN QR NSBBUNN FH NLIBU
**e ** the *e* *a*t*rs ** s***ess i* s*a*e
UXLFKUN FN JQSK NGFLN IWFAFEJ EQ GFE EGUFK
e**ires is ***r shi*s a*i*it* t* hit their
EIKTUEN FH BQXWIE. FE FN EGFN RIBE EGIE
tar*ets i* ****at. it is this *a*t that
XIMUN EGU EIAFNXIH NSBG I LQOUKRSA
*a*es the ta*i**a* s**h a ***er***
BQXLQHUHE.
******e*t.
5) Now it looks like "NLIBU UXLFKUN" = "s*a*e e**ires" is "space empires", so "L"="p", "B"="c", "X"="m.
code:
QHU QR EGU MUJ RIBEQKN QR NSBBUNN FH NLIBU
**e ** the *e* *act*rs ** s*ccess i* space
UXLFKUN FN JQSK NGFLN IWFAFEJ EQ GFE EGUFK
empires is ***r ships a*i*it* t* hit their
EIKTUEN FH BQXWIE. FE FN EGFN RIBE EGIE
tar*ets i* c*m*at. it is this *act that
XIMUN EGU EIAFNXIH NSBG I LQOUKRSA
ma*es the ta*i*ma* s*ch a p**er***
BQXLQHUHE.
c*mp**e*t.
6) It's easy to guess now that the second sentence says "It is this fact that makes the talisman such a powerful component."
Therefore, "R"="f", "M"="k", "A"="l", "H"="n", "S"="u", and "Q"="o"
code:
QHU QR EGU MUJ RIBEQKN QR NSBBUNN FH NLIBU
one of the ke* factors of success in space
UXLFKUN FN JQSK NGFLN IWFAFEJ EQ GFE EGUFK
empires is *our ships a*ilit* to hit their
EIKTUEN FH BQXWIE. FE FN EGFN RIBE EGIE
tar*ets in com*at. it is this fact that
XIMUN EGU EIAFNXIH NSBG I LQOUKRSA
makes the talisman such a powerful
BQXLQHUHE.
component.
7) Obviously, "J"="y" and "W" = "b", "T"="g".
One of the key factors of success in space
empires is your ships ability to hit their
targets in combat. It is this fact that
makes the talisman such a powerful
component.