[PUZZLE][SOLVED] Language Lessons AA

tiltingwindward · Post by **tiltingwindward** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 2:58 am

At approximately midnight PST, people who had emailed the language.lessons@gmail.com account (from Step 5: A Tiny Project) received an email with an encrypted .rar file, which can be found here:

http://www.filelodge.com/files/room32/875912/AA

Tachyon also updated her YT Profile to read:

Step AA: A small taste.
(see below)

NDkyZjQ5NDkyMDViMzQ1ZDIwMmEyZj MwMGQwYTU4M2EyMDQ1MzE0NjM2NDYz
ODM5NDU0NDMxNDQ0NjBkMGE1OTNhMj A1NzY4NjE3NDIwNjU3NjY1NzI3OTZm
NmU2NTIwNzM2ODZmNzU2YzY0MjA2NT
YxNzQyMDZmNmUyMDc0Njg2NTY5NzIy MDYyNjk3Mjc0Njg2NDYxNzkyZTBkMG E=

which decodes to:

I/II [4] */0
X: E1F6F89ED1DF
Y: What everyone should eat on their birthday.

Profile update:

[ A small hint: To find the answer, all you need is 'love.' Hopefully that will 'convert' you. ]

We have solved Y: after Tach pointed us toward Loveline. The answer is 504945, or PIE, which is what Adam Corolla says all real men should eat on their birthdays.

The password for the .rar was decoded from X: E1F6F89ED1DF and is "aww..." The file contains an email from Gemma to someone named Sebastian:

from Gemma <gemmers19@gmail.com>
to Sebastian <sebastianv7@gmail.com>
date February 15, 2006 10:16 PM
subject Sincerest apologies

Dear Sebastian,

I want to apologize for my inappropriate remark after class today. It’s just that after spending so much time together, I am finding it quite difficult to suppress these feelings I seem to be developing for you. Based on your reaction, however, it appears you do not feel the same way towards me (please do let me know if I am mistaken).

I feel more than a tad embarrassed for putting my foot in it and creating such an awkward tension between us. I’ll understand if you do not wish to continue our professional relationship as a result, but I hope that won’t be the case.

Regardless, your friendship has meant so much to me these past few weeks and I am truly sorry for doing anything to jeopardize that. I am more than willing to do anything within my power to put this uncomfortable moment behind us.

Your friend,

Gemma

Jewelybug · Post by **Jewelybug** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 3:04 am

Tried

Gemma
gemma
cake
CAKE
party
icecream

covedweller · Post by **covedweller** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 3:06 am

So Y is the password for the decoder ring to figure out the file password?

We convert the answer to HEX, use it decode the X string, then we get HEX which turns into the rar password?

tiltingwindward · Post by **tiltingwindward** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 3:09 am

That's the idea, covedweller.

For reference sake, I'm posting a link here to SparkyB's decoder ring. The ring won't work until we've solved for Y:, though.

http://sparkyb.net/temp/opaphid/decoderring.php

ApotheosisAZ · Post by **ApotheosisAZ** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 3:25 am

Well, I want "a piece of cake" on my birthday.

diastres · Post by **diastres** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 3:39 am

SparkyB's program cannot be used if we are to skip over something other than 0. Just FYI.

bethy · Post by **bethy** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 3:42 am

Look, I get really lost with this decoding stuff.

A lot of intermediate steps and explanations seem to be missing. I wish you guys could elaborate on them a little more. I feel like such a friggin' idiot trying to connect the dots.

So, the code in Tach's latest profile update is:

NDkyZjQ5NDkyMDViMzQ1ZDIwMmEyZj MwMGQwYTU4M2EyMDQ1MzE0NjM2NDYz ODM5NDU0NDMxNDQ0NjBkMGE1OTNhMj A1NzY4NjE3NDIwNjU3NjY1NzI3OTZm NmU2NTIwNzM2ODZmNzU2YzY0MjA2NT YxNzQyMDZmNmUyMDc0Njg2NTY5NzIy MDYyNjk3Mjc0Njg2NDYxNzkyZTBkMG E=

Using: http://www.paulschou.com/tools/xlate/ to decode...

The above code is base64, which decodes to the following in plain text:

492f4949205b345d202a2f300d0a583a204531463646383945443144460d0a

593a20576861742065766572796f6e652073686f756c6420656174206f6e207

4686569722062697274686461792e0d0a

That's HEX, which translates to the following in plain text:

I/II [4] */0
X: E1F6F89ED1DF
Y: What everyone should eat on their birthday.

This is where I'm completely lost. I still haven't figured out the decoder ring business from before...and now you're saying we need to use it again?

covedweller · Post by **covedweller** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 3:44 am

Does anyone else think that 'love' means Loveline?

I might still have an episode or two saved. Shall we divide up a plan to listen for the answer?

bethy · Post by **bethy** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 3:44 am

[ A small hint: To find the answer, all you need is 'love.' Hopefully that will 'convert' you. ]

Could this be referring to a keyword cipher, perhaps?

bethy · Post by **bethy** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 3:46 am

covedweller...you may be right. Oh, goodness...'

just in case....I'm listening to the last one first: http://tinyurl.com/vomya

FallingIntoSin · Post by **FallingIntoSin** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 3:50 am

Okay I emailed LanguageLessons the following quote (From step 7 of AA): "Humbly, on our knees, asked Him to remove our shortcomings - holding nothing back."

She replied: any friend of my Brother's would know...that is if they listened to those Loveline episodes

ApotheosisAZ · Post by **ApotheosisAZ** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 3:53 am

Geez, I hope it isn't loveline again... I didn't get my part of that from the last puzzle. I still have my episode.

bethy · Post by **bethy** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 3:56 am

My poor husband just came in and said, "Why are you listening to a show about masturbation at 1 in the morning?"

*sigh* He thinks I'm nuts.

Absynth · Post by **Absynth** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 3:58 am

what about the beatles, all you need is love
also the "convert" thing makes me think.. wasnt the time teh song came out that they all went to india and converted religions?

ApotheosisAZ · Post by **ApotheosisAZ** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 4:07 am

FallingIntoSin wrote:Okay I emailed LanguageLessons the following quote (From step 7 of AA): "Humbly, on our knees, asked Him to remove our shortcomings - holding nothing back."

She replied: any friend of my Brother's would know...that is if they listened to those Loveline episodes

Screw that guys. I want to help, but if it means I gotta listen to 90 minutes of Adam Corolla again, I am hitting the sack.

See you guys when I wake up. I hope you find the answer quickly.