XU Forum Quest - Round 10

Threesixtyci · Post by **Threesixtyci** » Tue, 24. Jan 12, 16:41

That was lucky. I completely forgot about these things. thought I missed out again, then I see we have until the 26. Now... if I can only remember when I get home to search for one of the questions I'm suck on, to search for some in-game text.

NeverSnake · Post by **NeverSnake** » Wed, 25. Jan 12, 19:17

I've just given up on clue #3 and sent in the most likely of the questions I've found using it, I think we'll have to have a comparison of answers for #3 after the deadline passes.

EmperorJon · Post by **EmperorJon** » Thu, 26. Jan 12, 22:54

There is a definite question for 3. You'll know it when you've got it.
The answer, however, is not. XD

I've sent mine off.

Lwerewolf · Post by **Lwerewolf** » Fri, 27. Jan 12, 12:53

Wrong logic on my part on question 2. Thought it was the hub sector for some reason. And I'd written this question off as solved right from the get go

@ question 3 - it was easy for those with the other forum themes (they're highlighted there) ^_^
Still had doubts about it obviously (that the video was it)... ^_^

Post by **X2-Illuminatus** » Fri, 27. Jan 12, 13:10

The 10th Round is over now. Many thanks to all participants. Following you find all solutions and answers to the questions.

As usual, also this round had three questions. For each question there was one hint, how you can decipher or find the respective question. Both, the question and the hint, were encrypted. The solution process is as follows:

1) The first hint was encrypted as binary code. (This little programm helps you with decrypting and can also be used with the other hints.) Decrypted you get "Atbash" as key for the first question:

Code: Select all

Atbash is the first puzzle's key.

Atbash is a simple cipher, where you substitute the first letter of the alphabet with the last, the second with second last and so on. For those, who don't want to decipher this on their own, Google finds some helpful programms (for example this). Applied to the first letter confusion we get:

Code: Select all

Neither sun nor light and a Boron trauma. Which sector do we look for?

Answer: LooManckstrat's Legacy

2) The second hint was encrypted with hexadecimal numbers and names Caesar referring to the same-named cipher and its rotation condition.

Rotate 3 times to the left. Although he never visited the X-Universe, he might be the only one, who knows the answer: Caesar.

With the Caesar cipher each letter will be shifted by certain number of positions. In this case, 3 time to the right. That's why you need to shift each letter three times to the left, when you want to encrypt it. Again, Google is a good help, when searching for possible programms (online de/encrypter for Caesar cipher). Applied to the second letter confusion, we get:

Code: Select all

THE SERIES GIVES SOME INDICATION OF A MISSING SECTOR. WHAT IS THE NAME OF THE PRIMARY STATION OF THE MISSING SECTOR?

The series (534 – 596 – 597 – 472 – 347 – 598 – 023 – 695 – 627) consists of the numbers of the Xenon sectors. Missing is Xenon sector 101, where only one station exists:

Answer: Xenon Shipyard

3) The third hint was encrypted with octal numbers.

Code: Select all

In the forum 6 numerics point you in the direction of the last question. Fibonacci knows the way. Ask him for the first 7 numerics, but forget the first.

It refers to the mathematician Leonardo Fibonacci and to his famous number sequence, in which one number is the sum of the previous two. The first 7 numerics of this sequence are: 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8. If the first is removed, we get a topic number. that added to the topic link here in the forum ( http://forum.egosoft.com/viewtopic.php?t= ), brings us to the topic with the last question:

http://forum.egosoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=112358

At the bottom of the opening post of that topic we find:

Code: Select all

Where is the secret UFO base?

Clicking on the question in that topic reveals the ultimative answer to this question.

Spoiler

Show

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUiOpwT9MsI

And that was it.

The rankings will be updated during this day.

Stay tuned for the next round (no. 11) that will be started today!

Threesixtyci · Post by **Threesixtyci** » Fri, 27. Jan 12, 16:13

grrrrr.... I never bothered to highlight that stupid sentence on that post. It was white text!

But if the answer was it doesn't exist and not a link to that youtube thing.....

NeverSnake · Post by **NeverSnake** » Fri, 27. Jan 12, 16:21

Yeah, I thought it'd be something as vague as that.

Ironically, I did end up with the correct method but the wrong number. I'm used to thinking of the fibonacci sequence beginning 1,1 rather than 0,1 so I used 1,2,3,5,8,13 and got to this topic instead:

http://forum.egosoft.com/viewtopic.php?p=1235813

Which is entitled 'Where did X3 go on sale today ???'

Another good candidate I had was using the 'Fibonacci knows the way' hint and looking through the forum posts by user Fibonacci I came across this very suspicious looking post:

Fibonacci wrote:The answer is ----.

What? Why won't it show? Oh well- I had it, too.

I even considered PMing him to ask as the hint says, but with the lack of any confirmation I thought I'd better not.

Post by **Ketraar** » Fri, 27. Jan 12, 17:08

XU Forum Quest Standings updated.

MFG

Ketraar

EmperorJon · Post by **EmperorJon** » Fri, 27. Jan 12, 17:50

Did I get a point for my clever answer? I mean, come on, I am right!

Juggernaut93 · Post by **Juggernaut93** » Fri, 27. Jan 12, 18:11

But... I sent my answers... Yesterday at 23.05... Wrong hour?

pupkin13 · Post by **pupkin13** » Fri, 27. Jan 12, 18:20

about Standings:
1+(2+3)+(2+3)+(2+0)=12 why?

Post by **Ketraar** » Fri, 27. Jan 12, 19:02

Juggernaut93 wrote:But... I sent my answers... Yesterday at 23.05... Wrong hour?

Yes, they landed in the spam folder, sorry for that, standings updated.

pupkin13 wrote:about Standings:
1+(2+3)+(2+3)+(2+0)=12 why?

1+(2+3)+(2+3)+(1+0)=12

MFG

Ketraar

Iifrit Tambuur-san · Post by **Iifrit Tambuur-san** » Sat, 28. Jan 12, 09:29

Round 11 has just started. A bit delayed but here we go.