Smart Wallets
Securing the Mega Files
Scientists attempting to enter the facility are presented with with a request to enter a password along with an encoded string
Each scientist was determined to recieve 1 of 10 unique strings from the system. These strings were identified to begin with the numbers 0-9 indicating and order to collect them in.
Unique Strings |
---|
0x0517130f09050c120816030e1204090710011603 |
0x1009010e12160a091d01181b081f150b0a151114 |
0x2e171d1e1b121d081e151d101d10161e1c190e03 |
0x3a060e0d1a0d0e1c1f161e1e0e1d0a0e1a15000e |
0x4c1c1f1b0b1e101e0e0b0c1d1b0e1d0f1d0c1a1f |
0x5e001e0a100f1c000a0e0A010A1d0D1C0e1a1d1f |
0x631c000c0f000e1e00000d131c091e0a050d0e1a |
0x751a0d101a0c080d111e001810011010171d0d0c |
0x891d16040c1e1203050a15030e161d0e05001300 |
0x950a15071e050611171d160713171a02120e1207 |
Every odd position after this was given as only the numbers 0 or 1, leading to a binary encoding of those columns.
These columns could be broken up into two sets of 5 digits each, with each set of 5 being 5-bit encodings of the letters A-Z. (00001 = 1 = A, 11010 = 26 = Z). This leads to the message UNUSED NUMBERS IN EVEN COLUMNS MOD TWENTY SIX
First 5 | Letter | Second 5 | Letter |
---|---|---|---|
10101 | U | 01110 | N |
10101 | U | 10011 | S |
00101 | E | 00100 | D |
01110 | N | 10101 | U |
01101 | M | 00010 | B |
00101 | E | 10010 | R |
10011 | S | 01001 | I |
01110 | N | 00101 | E |
10110 | V | 00101 | E |
01110 | N | 00011 | C |
01111 | O | 01100 | L |
10101 | U | 01101 | M |
01110 | N | 10011 | S |
01101 | M | 01111 | O |
00100 | D | 10100 | T |
10111 | W | 00101 | E |
01110 | N | 10100 | T |
11001 | Y | 10011 | S |
01001 | I | 11000 | X |
These instructions lead to focus on the remaining even columns. Looking at each reveals a set of hex letters that contain just the number 0 sandwiched by a set of numbers.
Focusing on the strings of letters first reveals words where the number 0 has replaced a single letter in the word (ex: 0eace > Peace). Completing this reveals the message PINKY AND THE BLANK FIVE, a crossword clue of Pinky and the ______ (5) or BRAIN.
Peace |
cIcada |
defeNd |
feedbacK |
babYface |
defAce |
cadeNce |
ceDed |
defeaT |
beHead |
decadE |
ebBed |
debacLe |
fAded |
addeNda |
beefcaKe |
Facade |
caddIe |
eVaded |
effacE |
With the letters removed, this just leaves a set of numbers in each column. Using the earlier hint of UNUSED NUMBERS IN EVEN COLUMNS MOD TWENTY SIX, each remaining number can have a mod 26 calculation completed on it to leave a number 0-25. A mod operation divides the number by 26 and returns the remainder. ie. 28 mod 26 = 2 as 28 can be divided by 26 once, with 2 left over (28-26x1 = 2). Completing this operation for all the numbers and converting the numbers to letters using A1Z26 gives the phrase ITS UNIT IS THE WATT FIVE, a crossword clue of It's unit is the Watt (5) or POWER.
Original | Output | Letter |
---|---|---|
53595 % 26 | 9 | I |
7976 % 26 | 20 | T |
3165 % 26 | 19 | S |
47 % 26 | 21 | U |
92 % 26 | 14 | N |
5625 % 26 | 9 | I |
826 % 26 | 20 | T |
29831 % 26 | 9 | I |
8157 % 26 | 19 | S |
6156 % 26 | 20 | T |
3856 % 26 | 8 | H |
13837 % 26 | 5 | E |
283 % 26 | 23 | W |
49167 % 26 | 1 | A |
956 % 26 | 20 | T |
72 % 26 | 20 | T |
5752 % 26 | 6 | F |
1595 % 26 | 9 | I |
6132 % 26 | 22 | V |
3437 % 26 | 5 | E |
The final password of BRAIN POWER was first enter by the Lab, where they secured 6 of the files about the Megas, leaving The Path to secure 2.
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