2 date:
2014-
04-
26 18:
05:
01+
00:
00
3 slug: april-
1st-
2014-followup
4 title: April
1st
2014, Followup
8 It's been almost too long for this blog post to arrive here after the April Fools quiz this year. Thanks to everyone who participated!
12 The first ten people who completed the challenges are, in descending order of aprilness:
14 (times are listed in UTC)
23 1.
2014-
04-
02T18:
25:
17 booto
25 2014-
04-
02T23:
36:
53 Fuchs *
27 2.
2014-
04-
03T00:
29:
29 furry
30 3.
2014-
04-
03T01:
34:
18 mniip
33 4.
2014-
04-
03T09:
41:
38 jojo
36 5.
2014-
04-
03T16:
29:
51 redi
39 6.
2014-
04-
03T18:
57:
21 BlueShark
42 7.
2014-
04-
04T15:
33:
24 larinadavid
45 8.
2014-
04-
04T22:
27:
20 Omniflux
48 9.
2014-
04-
04T23:
02:
19 apoc
51 10.
2014-
04-
04T23:
13:
02 thommey
56 _(*) user opted out of any prizes_
58 There were
25 additional nicks who completed the quiz and made it to the winner's circle but weren't fast enough to place in the top
10.
62 The prizes were cloaks for those in the top-
10. In addition to the top-
10 cloaks everyone else who finished the challenge that 'opted-in' were eligible for the _cloak lottery_. This was a lottery for
3 runnerup cloaks.
66 Out of the
25 additional people that completed the challenge, the following
3 won a cloak through the cloak lottery:
84 Here are the riddles and their solutions, in the original order:
95 * The clue was given in the
[April 1st blog post](http://blog.freenode.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/freenode41.png): _IyMjI3hrY2Q=_
98 * That is the string
`"####xkcd"` encoded using
[base64](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Base64).
100 * The answer: **####xkcd**, which was the first channel in the quiz.
110 * Clue: _Tnl2cHItbmFxLU9iby1qbnl4LXZhZ2Itbi1vbmU=_
113 * This is a
[rot13](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ROT13)'ed and base64'ed string.
116 * In
[Python](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Python_%28programming_language%29):
`"Tnl2cHItbmFxLU9iby1qbnl4LXZhZ2Itbi1vbmU=".decode('base64').decode('rot13')`
119 * The answer: **####Alice-and-Bob-walk-into-a-bar**
132 * This is another string that is encoded with a series of base64 and rot13 transformations.
135 * In Python:
`"MKWkpKMa".decode('rot13').decode('base64').decode('rot13')`
138 * The answer: **####reddit**
148 * Clue: _SHg5RkR4SUpIeHFGSnlXVUlJSVFJeHFKCg== | Save this for a later level:
[https://i.imgur.com/87cX9y4.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/87cX9y4.jpg) |
4 decodes needed_
151 * Yet another string encoded with a series of base64 and rot13 transformations.
154 * In Python:
`"SHg5RkR4SUpIeHFGSnlXVUlJSVFJeHFKCg==".decode('base64').decode('rot13').decode('base64').decode('rot13')`
157 * This yields: EBEORIETEMETHHPITI
160 * Contestants were expected to do a web search for this and find out it is the end of the
[Zodiac Killer's infamous message](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Zodiac_cipher.png).
163 * The answer: **####zodiac**
173 * Clue: _
[https://i.imgur.com/x4nejBh.png](https://i.imgur.com/x4nejBh.png) | LaTeX right direction |
[Google!](https://lmsptfy.com/?q=alternatives%20to%20Google%20searching) | No maths needed_
176 * The topic changed several times as contestants seemed pretty stumped on this level, the topic line above was its final form.
179 * The answer: **####exner** - this was expected from figuring out what the equation is. Simply put, the equation in the image is
[Exner's Equation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:PaolaExnerEqnRock.jpg).
189 * Clue: _
[https://i.imgur.com/SandvWX.gif](https://i.imgur.com/SandvWX.gif) | Save this for a later level:
[https://i.imgur.com/QpTubts.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/QpTubts.jpg)_
192 * This level was pretty tricky. This is an image that has more to it than meets the eye.
195 * Steps for recovering useful information:
198 * Un
[zip](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zip_%28file_format%29) the
[.gif](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphics_Interchange_Format)
201 * Open the secret.txt file.
207 * Inside secret.txt is: ####Kolmogorov
210 * The answer: **####Kolmogorov**
220 * Clue: _
[https://www.dropbox.com/s/emz7xy3p9r2ivxe/wat.unknown](https://www.dropbox.com/s/emz7xy3p9r2ivxe/wat.unknown) (verify the file, sha256sum:
0efade1bb29d1b7fdd65e5612159e262cbd41a2e27ed89a0144701a5556da68f)_
223 * This file is more stenography:
226 * Use '
[file](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File_%28command%29)' to determine what the file type is.
229 * Un-
[7zip](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7-Zip) the .unknown file
232 * Base64 decode the output
235 * Use 'file' to determine that the output is a
[.jpg](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JPEG)
241 * Un
[tar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tar_%28computing%29) two.tar.
[gz](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gzip)
244 * Open the surprised.txt file.
250 * The content of surprised.txt is: ####ImSoMetaEvenThisAcronym
253 * The answer: **####ImSoMetaEvenThisAcronym**
263 * Clue: _AQwPfPN1ZBXNfvNj4bPmVR4fVQYPfPNlZBXNfvNkAP4jZhXNflOS and "Da Vinci" | Jules Verne | s/
.02/
.03/ in the decrypted text
266 * The clue is base64'ed and rot13'ed. To decode it in Python:
`print "AQwPfPN1ZBXNfvNj4bPmVR4fVQYPfPNlZBXNfvNkAP4jZhXNflOS".decode('rot13').decode('base64')`
269 * This yields:
48°
50′
0″ N,
2°
20′
14.02″ E
272 * These are GPS coordinates for the
[Paris meridian](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_Meridian).
275 * From this and the "Da Vinci" clue contestants were expected to find the
[Wikipedia](https://www.wikipedia.org/) page about the
[Rose Line](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose_Line).
278 * The specific quote that contestants were suppose to find:
280 "Dan Brown simply invented the 'Rose Line' linking Rosslyn and Glastonbury. The name 'Roslin' definitely does not derive from any 'hallowed Rose Line'. It has nothing to do with a 'Rose Bloodline' or a 'Rose Line meridian'. There are many medieval spellings of 'Rosslyn'. 'Roslin' is certainly not the 'original spelling': it is now the most common spelling for the village."[
18]
282 - [Source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose_Line#Dan_Brown.27s_The_Da_Vinci_Code)
285 * The "Jules Verne" clue is suppose to reaffirm to contestants that they were on the right track:
287 The competition between the Paris and Greenwich meridians is a plot element in Jules Verne's "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea", published just before the international decision in favor of the British one.
289 - [Source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_Meridian#Origin)
292 * The answer: **####roslin**
302 * Original topic: Clue: _ZANKNMEPAXULMJCAGLKHKTOLUPSRDD |
[https://i.imgur.com/6ayrOMq.png](https://i.imgur.com/6ayrOMq.png)_
305 * New topic: _UIVXUJZIULMJCAGLKHKTOLUPSRDD |
[https://i.imgur.com/6ayrOMq.png](https://i.imgur.com/6ayrOMq.png)_
308 * The string in both topics is encoded with a
[Four-square cipher](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four-square_cipher).
311 * Here are two scripts that were built for Four-square:
314 * encrypt,
[http://git.io/Y6JIww](http://git.io/Y6JIww)
317 * decrypt,
[http://git.io/CQuh8g](http://git.io/CQuh8g)
323 * Using "IRC" and "xkcd" - the keys saved earlier, the text decrypts to: POVAROVOSOLNECHNOGORSKRUSSIA
326 * Originally it was: ZELENOGRADSOLNECHNOGORSKRUSSIA
329 * The answer: **####POVAROVOSOLNECHNOGORSKRUSSIA**
339 * Clue: _ZCLVLLCOIUTKKJSCEKHHHSMKTOOPBA | OGUCSSGAPVGVLUMBTVOGICUNJDHSTB | RUTJJGNXUNTY | Letters that would repeat in a typical word do not repeat in the key(s), example 'freenode' would be 'frenod' |
[https://i.imgur.com/pGIBjEE.png](https://i.imgur.com/pGIBjEE.png) |
[http://is.gd/TgNsvm](http://is.gd/TgNsvm)_
342 * Alright this one is really really really tricky. The topic changed _several_ times.
345 * The three strings are encoded with
[Four-square](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four-square_cipher) from the previous level with the same keys.
348 * Contestants were expected to use 'UVB' and 'RUSSIA' as keys for the Four-square cipher.
351 * It was expected that contestants arrive at 'UVB' from the channel name, ####POVAROVOSOLNECHNOGORSKRUSSIA
354 * The former transmitter[
27] was located near Povarovo, Russia[
28] at
56°
5′
0″N
37°
6′
37″E which is about halfway between Zelenograd and Solnechnogorsk and
40 kilometres (
25 mi) northwest of Moscow, near the village of Lozhki.
356 - [Source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UVB-76#Location_and_function)
359 * The is.gd link points to a file that has the "No Q" image from a previous level hidden in it.
362 * The "RUTJJGNXUNTY" decrypts to
[AaronHSwartz](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron_Swartz)
365 * The answer: **####AaronHSwartz**
375 * Clue: _HKGJSUOJVRLGSBELAUHOUIGLVRURWMGTUGJGWTKN_
378 * Originally this channel (####AaronHSwartz) was suppose to be the winner's circle, however due to too many people leaking answers and channel names, one more challenge was added.
381 * Same cipher as before, this time the keys were 'DEMAND' and 'PROGRESS'
384 * [_Demand Progress_](http://www.demandprogress.org/) is an Internet activist-related organization specializing in petitions to help gain traction for legal movements against Internet censorship and related subjects, started by Aaron Swartz,
[source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demand_Progress).
387 * The clue decrypts to JOINUSNOWANDSHARETHESOFTWAREWRITTENBYRMS
390 * RMS is
[Richard Matthew Stallman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Stallman), and
[_'Join Us Now and Share the Software'_](https://www.gnu.org/music/free-software-song.html) is an openly licensed song by Richard Stallman.
393 * The answer: **####JOINUSNOWANDSHARETHESOFTWAREWRITTENBYRMS**
403 The topic in ####JOINUSNOWANDSHARETHESOFTWAREWRITTENBYRMS was: _Congratulations on solving the freenode's April Fools
2014 Crypto Challenge | Want MOAR? #ircpuzzles_
406 Congratulations to those who participated this year!
412 The
25 additional people that completed the challenge:
419 * 2014-
04-
05T04:
06:
53 knivey
422 * 2014-
04-
05T10:
00:
12 Tordek
425 * 2014-
04-
05T15:
40:
50 jacob1 *
428 * 2014-
04-
05T15:
48:
48 stac
431 * 2014-
04-
05T16:
24:
01 Changaco *
434 * 2014-
04-
05T17:
30:
01 Arch-TK *
437 * 2014-
04-
05T17:
35:
05 ar *
440 * 2014-
04-
05T18:
16:
20 Weetos *
443 * 2014-
04-
05T18:
38:
39 nyuszika7h
446 * 2014-
04-
05T18:
56:
26 vi[NLR]
449 * 2014-
04-
05T19:
06:
38 tkd *
452 * 2014-
04-
05T21:
54:
56 Chiyo
455 * 2014-
04-
05T22:
46:
01 slidercrank
458 * 2014-
04-
05T22:
54:
10 jojoa1997
461 * 2014-
04-
06T00:
55:
51 Pixelz *
464 * 2014-
04-
06T02:
53:
25 Transfusion
467 * 2014-
04-
06T02:
58:
15 DonkeyHotei
470 * 2014-
04-
06T03:
04:
01 sdamashek *
473 * 2014-
04-
06T03:
07:
49 Cypi *
476 * 2014-
04-
06T03:
36:
03 FXOR
479 * 2014-
04-
06T13:
44:
35 pad
482 * 2014-
04-
06T19:
22:
06 skasturi
485 * 2014-
04-
06T19:
37:
13 Bloodhound
488 * 2014-
04-
07T08:
16:
22 molly *
491 * 2014-
04-
07T14:
42:
32 Bijan-E
496 _(*) user opted out of the cloak lottery_