Are You Game?

I didn’t have a blog planned for today, but my daughter sent me an awesome code to break this week and I wanted to share it with you. If you are game, read this intro and try to solve the code below.

First a little background. I’ve got a great code to share with you tomorrow. One that many of you own without even knowing. It’s hidden inside my book Sin And Vengeance. Tomorrow I’m going to give you the solution.

When I worked on that code, I shared the fun of code breaking with my oldest daughter. We have worked on substitution ciphers and transposition ciphers and null ciphers.

Here is the code she gave me yesterday. It is one of the above types of ciphers. I have simplified it to make it easy to solve.

CHDNFNAY   HEOLYTDA   EWFEOT,!   COWAUOS-   KREHWREC   TLSIAEEJ

Once you have this code solved, you will have an idea what you need to solve this next portion. Assume you are me. What stuff might you have that would be useful? The answer to the first code is the clue to deciphering the second code.

Tips:

1. My lucky number is 22.

2. Blank lines in the text of the sample below don’t count. WordPress won’t allow me to indent.

Let’s do this together. When you solve the first code, post your answer in a comment. Then figure out what you need to solve this second part. Ask for it in a comment. When someone asks for the right thing, I’ll give it to you in an update to the blog.

Here is the second half of the code:

22-16
1-3
5-13
3-1
5-13
9-5
26-4
1-1
4-3
13-2
14-6
1-9
2-11
24-29
1-2
7-13
3-2
8-10
2-14
14-6
22-16
26-1
3-2
29-6
9-7
5-8
1-9
9-4
10-8
10-2
10-2
18-2
20-3
24-6

Good Luck!

Thanks Ruth for solving the code.  Here is page 22 from Addicted To Love:

Mahoney stepped up and lashed at Dror, stopping his splayed fingers an
inch from Dror‟s chest, ready to latch on to his shirt and throw him over the
railing. Years in the fields had weathered Mahoney‟s face and wrestling
thousands of sacks of vegetables, seed, and grain had knotted his muscles
tight. Dror owned a larger farm and he was a younger man, but he stood
only five foot five and relied on men like Mahoney for hard labor.

“Get a grip, Dror. Let the kid do his job,” Mahoney growled.
Dror tried not to show his fear of the bigger man, instead turning to Wes and
Finn. “What‟s going on here?” he asked a bit softer. “There are two
blood trails leading out this door. Why aren‟t you paying attention to this
one?”

“I made that one,” Wes admitted.

Dror wanted to charge Wes but Mahoney still blocked his way. He
stomped his feet as he detoured around the farmer and almost stepped in one
of the blood drops presumably left by the killer. “You? We just hired you to
investigate!” Dror waved frantically at the other councilmen. “Do you
morons see anything wrong with this? This guy has the sheriff‟s blood on
him and you hire him to investigate the killing?”

The other councilors met Dror‟s wild-eyed looks with condescension.
Hank stepped forward. “Wes, you want to tell the council what you told me
earlier?”

Wes explained what he and Leah had heard outside the window, his call
to Finn, and the trip to the sheriff‟s house. He recounted his discovery in the
living room, his hand in the pool of blood, and his retreat to the Pathfinder.
Dror interrupted every time Wes paused and Mahoney threatened to knock
him silly if he didn‟t shut up.

“You expect me to believe that?” Dror hollered when Wes finished.

“Wes didn‟t kill the sheriff any more than I did,” Hank said.

“Motion to remove Wesley Holliday as interim sheriff,” Dror said.

The other councilmen fell silent.

“Motion to adjourn,” Brent said.

“This meeting is adjourned,” Hank said. “Keep us informed, Wes.”

Dror scowled as he stormed off the deck into the dark.

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