The Mummy's Warning LbNA #45805
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Add Location| Owner: | Adoptable |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Mar 3, 2009 |
| Location: | |
| City: | Moberly |
| County: | Randolph |
| State: | Missouri |
| Boxes: | 2 |
| Planted by: | LadyEilonwy  |
|---|---|
| Found by: | I dig toasters (2) |
| Last found: | Oct 8, 2011 |
| Status: | FFFOF |
| Last edited: | Oct 23, 2015 |
Note: 4/23/14. Just noticed that there were some typos in the encrypted clue. If you have previously printed out the clue, you need to look at the changes in the last line. Sorry for the inconvenience.
This box was planted on March 3, 2009 in honor of Square Root Day, a little known holiday - a sort of movable feast which only occurs a few times each century. Square Root Day is celebrated when both the numeral of the day and the month are the square root of the last two digits of the current year. March 3, 2009 = 3/3/09.
Okay, in truth, the box itself has nothing at all to do with square roots, but here's the deal: the clues are encrypted with a polyalphabetic lettershift cipher. This means that same letter in the cipher text could be several different letters in the plain text. To solve it you need to figure out when the next Square Root Day will occur. That shouldn't be too hard. Those four digits in the same order as those in the date above will be your key to cracking the code. Write the digits out under the encripted message skipping all spaces, but keeping the sequence of the numbers. Then, use the number to count back to find the actual letter for the message. For instance if encrypted word is NIUWGV and the number sequence is 2413 you’d go back 2 letters from N to get L, 4 letters from I to get E, 1 back from U to find T, 3 back from W to get T, 2 back from G to find E, and 4 back from V to get R to give you the word LETTER. (I find the easiest way to do this is to use graph paper with square large enough to write a letter inside each square. Then I write the number sequence below the letters, skip two lines and write the next line of cipher. When I am finished writing out the cipher, I can go back and write the solution under the numbers for that line.)
This box is placed on private property, with permission of the owner. However, please be very stealthy because the area is visible from the road - at least while the leaves are off the trees, and do not cross any fences. The area is a bit brushy, and some of the terrain is a bit steep, but the hike isn't very long. I hope you find it worth the effort.
The Mummy's Warning
JMOJ CSVX AEZ ZS WVMEV DXIIL REOF TSVUN SJ NUFISRC. TBYW FSUAR TOKR. DAVZF XMKIZ. ERE ISRUORYF
JSAO ZLI INPP UU XLF YQEMR KVBBIP QGVOJTK ESKE EU ZLI CUXXPS SJ UNI LJRP YPAXL PL PELK.
Park and cross creek to follow drainage uphill to west until you reach a big roll of old fencing in the ditch on your right. On the north side is a three forked-tree and a fence post with a pink flag. Go 190 degrees, about 11 paces, to small outcropping of rocks. There you should find the resting place of the mummy. Squat down facing the outcopping. Carefully remove two small flat stone slabs that form the door. You should be able to retrieve the box easily. Please replace the stones just as you found them and PLEASE don't stand or sit on top of the "tomb".
You may have to put up with a rant from the occupant, but if you are patient and look BACK a bit, you may find it rewarding.
*Don't go "ONE WAY" until you have found the box and are leaving that area.
I welcome comments, stories about your visit, etc. Please let me know if the box is missing or in need of maintenance.
This box was planted on March 3, 2009 in honor of Square Root Day, a little known holiday - a sort of movable feast which only occurs a few times each century. Square Root Day is celebrated when both the numeral of the day and the month are the square root of the last two digits of the current year. March 3, 2009 = 3/3/09.
Okay, in truth, the box itself has nothing at all to do with square roots, but here's the deal: the clues are encrypted with a polyalphabetic lettershift cipher. This means that same letter in the cipher text could be several different letters in the plain text. To solve it you need to figure out when the next Square Root Day will occur. That shouldn't be too hard. Those four digits in the same order as those in the date above will be your key to cracking the code. Write the digits out under the encripted message skipping all spaces, but keeping the sequence of the numbers. Then, use the number to count back to find the actual letter for the message. For instance if encrypted word is NIUWGV and the number sequence is 2413 you’d go back 2 letters from N to get L, 4 letters from I to get E, 1 back from U to find T, 3 back from W to get T, 2 back from G to find E, and 4 back from V to get R to give you the word LETTER. (I find the easiest way to do this is to use graph paper with square large enough to write a letter inside each square. Then I write the number sequence below the letters, skip two lines and write the next line of cipher. When I am finished writing out the cipher, I can go back and write the solution under the numbers for that line.)
This box is placed on private property, with permission of the owner. However, please be very stealthy because the area is visible from the road - at least while the leaves are off the trees, and do not cross any fences. The area is a bit brushy, and some of the terrain is a bit steep, but the hike isn't very long. I hope you find it worth the effort.
The Mummy's Warning
JMOJ CSVX AEZ ZS WVMEV DXIIL REOF TSVUN SJ NUFISRC. TBYW FSUAR TOKR. DAVZF XMKIZ. ERE ISRUORYF
JSAO ZLI INPP UU XLF YQEMR KVBBIP QGVOJTK ESKE EU ZLI CUXXPS SJ UNI LJRP YPAXL PL PELK.
Park and cross creek to follow drainage uphill to west until you reach a big roll of old fencing in the ditch on your right. On the north side is a three forked-tree and a fence post with a pink flag. Go 190 degrees, about 11 paces, to small outcropping of rocks. There you should find the resting place of the mummy. Squat down facing the outcopping. Carefully remove two small flat stone slabs that form the door. You should be able to retrieve the box easily. Please replace the stones just as you found them and PLEASE don't stand or sit on top of the "tomb".
You may have to put up with a rant from the occupant, but if you are patient and look BACK a bit, you may find it rewarding.
*Don't go "ONE WAY" until you have found the box and are leaving that area.
I welcome comments, stories about your visit, etc. Please let me know if the box is missing or in need of maintenance.