Strange Signals
Decode an alien transmission. Based on the real-world Arecibo message, but this message can be solved without outside information using pure logic.
Made for the 2024 Confounding Calendar.
Decode an alien transmission. Based on the real-world Arecibo message, but this message can be solved without outside information using pure logic.
Made for the 2024 Confounding Calendar.
Comments
Log in with itch.io to leave a comment.
this is great! i love the theme, and dialing the image into view is very fun. i think i solved it by accident? i had an inkling of an idea for the second half and started filling in as a test, and ended up succeeding without needing to change anything. maybe i got lucky with my guess!
Haven't had time to do the puzzle, but this is what I noticed so far (rot 13).
Svefg, gur nyvra fxhyy fubjf hc ng n 43k43 tevq, vaqvpngvat gung guvf vf ubj vg vf fhccbfrq gb or ivrjrq va n fdhner.
nybat jvgu guvf, gur vzntr'f iregvpny cbfvgvbavat frrzf gb or bss, vagraqvat gb unir n 1 cvkry terra obeqre nebhaq gur ragver guvat ohg vafgrnq fuvsgrq qbja.
Zl svany thrff vf gung gur punenpgref gung fubj hc ner n xvaq bs ahzrevpny flfgrz. N fvatyr qbg vf bar, yvar vf 2, qvntbany vf 3, naq qbjaevtug neebj vf 4.
Guvf yvxryl unf gb qrny jvgu gur ahzore 43, ubj fb V qba'g xabj.
rot13: Vs lbh ghea gur “fuvsg” qvny sbe ybat rabhtu, lbh pna fuvsg gur vzntr iregvpnyyl nf jryy nf ubevmbagnyyl.
I assume yellow=green for marking answers
Correct! Just wanted them to stand apart from the already entered information.
What a cool idea, I loved solving this one! I’m not really sure what the “I can eliminate contradictions” hint refers to, but the math hint was very helpful :)
I think it would probably just mean that if your answer does not line up with the given information then you answer is wrong. I say this without having started the puzzle.
Thank you! That hint is only helpful for one possible way someone could arrive at the solution. rot13: Ryvzvangvat pbagenqvpgbel fgngrzragf nyybjf lbh gb svyy va fbzr oynaxf jvgubhg haqrefgnaqvat gur ehyr. Ohg V svaq gung zber crbcyr guna V rkcrpgrq haqrefgbbq gur ehyr orsber gurl arrqrq gb qb gung.