Mike’s Birthday Puzzle – Main Clue


This is a continuation of the puzzle I talk about here and here.

I actually received this in the mail a while ago, but I wanted to try to figure it out on my own before posting it. Here’s what I received in the mail from Mike (click for larger):I’ve already figured out a lot of it (and found some secret messages in the list of words)… but I’m not going to give any hints yet, so you guys can work together to figure it out. If it turns out inside knowledge is needed from me (I think it may be in a couple of places), I’ll chime in in the comments. Have fun!

Comments

  1. says

    All I need is to write a computer program to figure out the secret messages. It is just a simple string replacement with some human assistance. Programmers have an unfair advantage in a puzzle like this.

  2. says

    All I need is to write a computer program to figure out the secret messages. It is just a simple string replacement with some human assistance. Programmers have an unfair advantage in a puzzle like this.

  3. says

    Ah yes. It all makes sense now.

    You're going to need a fork lift for your present, because if my deductions are correct, it's three tonnes of krill and a luminous vest.

    I've not won that many puzzles.

  4. says

    Ah yes. It all makes sense now.You’re going to need a fork lift for your present, because if my deductions are correct, it’s three tonnes of krill and a luminous vest.I’ve not won that many puzzles.

  5. Anonymous says

    "iT ReLLY FoRCeD Me To LooSeN uP" lead me to the realization that serenity, lament, feather, lady, summer, life, spy, memory, study, lion, rose, fairy, prince, block, butterfly, control, mother, manequin, medieval, Greek, orange, friend creation, indigo, perseverance, forbidden, always, flamingo, attack, flower, escape, dragon, eagle, fishing, strawberry, disco, and creek are all words used in titles of Jen's artwork. That's 37 out of the 100 words in the wonderword list. This could just be part of the puzzle's customization, or perhaps there's more significance. The associated letters DBWKFCIGIMHAYSUSTRAIGHEDRRSUQZEWTATUT might be an anagram, but it's beyond my ability to completely break it up into words.

    Erik

  6. Anonymous says

    “iT ReLLY FoRCeD Me To LooSeN uP” lead me to the realization that serenity, lament, feather, lady, summer, life, spy, memory, study, lion, rose, fairy, prince, block, butterfly, control, mother, manequin, medieval, Greek, orange, friend creation, indigo, perseverance, forbidden, always, flamingo, attack, flower, escape, dragon, eagle, fishing, strawberry, disco, and creek are all words used in titles of Jen’s artwork. That’s 37 out of the 100 words in the wonderword list. This could just be part of the puzzle’s customization, or perhaps there’s more significance. The associated letters DBWKFCIGIMHAYSUSTRAIGHEDRRSUQZEWTATUT might be an anagram, but it’s beyond my ability to completely break it up into words. Erik

  7. says

    Yup, coders do have an unfair advantage (along with anyone on Linux who has a word list easily to hand!). With the aid of a little Python (http://paste.pocoo.org/show/147958/) the following's my effort:

    DELICIOUS HANDSDEMENTED BRAINCHILDSHE HAS THE MOST PERSONALITYBUNCH OF SAVAGES IN THIS TOWNTHOUGHT THAT WAS PRETTY IRONIC

    SOLD IT TO AN ACQUAINTANCEIT LOOKS LIKE AN OLD STORYBOOKITS TOO INTRIGUING FOR WORDSIT REALLY FORCED ME TO LOOSEN UPI WANT TO BE THERE RIGHT NOW

    APPROX SEVEN HOURSTHE CARPET AND WALLSITS THE ANSWER TO ?AMEN/MAN/MEN? TOOMOST PEOPLE ARENT CRAZY ENOUGHHUMANS AND ELVES ARE VERY SIMILAR

    BEAUTIFUL YET DANGEROUSCREEPY IN LIKABLE WAYIT LOOKS LIKE HE HAS A ?BOOK/BIKE/BEAK?LOVE THIS ONE BECAUSE ITS SO CUTEMOST OF THEM ARE FALLING APART

    WE ARE OFTEN TORNPLEASE DONT STONE MEARE YOU ALWAYS ON CRACKSOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOWSHE WENT TO THE TOP OF A MOUNTAIN

  8. says

    Yup, coders do have an unfair advantage (along with anyone on Linux who has a word list easily to hand!). With the aid of a little Python (http://paste.pocoo.org/show/14… the following’s my effort:DELICIOUS HANDSDEMENTED BRAINCHILDSHE HAS THE MOST PERSONALITYBUNCH OF SAVAGES IN THIS TOWNTHOUGHT THAT WAS PRETTY IRONICSOLD IT TO AN ACQUAINTANCEIT LOOKS LIKE AN OLD STORYBOOKITS TOO INTRIGUING FOR WORDSIT REALLY FORCED ME TO LOOSEN UPI WANT TO BE THERE RIGHT NOWAPPROX SEVEN HOURSTHE CARPET AND WALLSITS THE ANSWER TO ?AMEN/MAN/MEN? TOOMOST PEOPLE ARENT CRAZY ENOUGHHUMANS AND ELVES ARE VERY SIMILARBEAUTIFUL YET DANGEROUSCREEPY IN LIKABLE WAYIT LOOKS LIKE HE HAS A ?BOOK/BIKE/BEAK?LOVE THIS ONE BECAUSE ITS SO CUTEMOST OF THEM ARE FALLING APARTWE ARE OFTEN TORNPLEASE DONT STONE MEARE YOU ALWAYS ON CRACKSOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOWSHE WENT TO THE TOP OF A MOUNTAIN

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