[Brandonb]

It's pretty straight forward. Decode the message, each letter is consistently-(always) replaced-(maybe) by a different letter in the alphabet.

And don't forget the spoilers!

-This puzzle is what I call a level- 5

Which means that this puzzle is- Various in length. There is a consonant that has been completely removed from the quote below. It is up to you to figure out what that consonant is, and where in the words that consonant is missing. The name of the author has also been removed, and will be revealed once the puzzle is solved.

Good Luck!

OZ LGV NU PLGAPZ INO NWK HPEZF QNWHM DZ LNKZ YKWFUKGUPA GM QNLXHZT, DWU QNAKZFF QG.

Edited July 21, 2008 by Brandonb

[Guest]

Wow, this one's probably more like an 8! In addition to removing an unidentified consonant (now the unknown is 1 in 20, not 1 in 6), the quote is short, so it doesn't yield a good distribution pattern. Not a lot to go on. I sure hope the missing consonant doesn't belong between the two 'F's in the next-to-last word, because that doublet is about the only thing I have to start with! I may not get to this one tonight....

[Brandonb]

Let me know if hints are needed.

[Brandonb]

Wow, ok, time for a hint I guess.

The double letters are real

[Guest]

Still not much to go on.

There are only a few good choices for double letters ending a word (if, in fact, they are at the end!). S is common, but the letter only occurs twice i nthe rest of the puzzle, which isn't enough for an S. It's probably not a vowel, if its at the end. My next choice is L.

The letter preceeding the doible letters must be a vowel, but the same letter is also the end of four other words (perhaps). So the only likely vowel is E.

Now I have the quote starting with a two-letter word ending with E (We, Be, ?) but the only other occurrance of the starting letter is at the end of a 3-letter word. Neither W or B are great in this case, but W is better.

The only other pattern I see is the letter Q, which is followed by N in 3 of the 4 appeanances. Haven't figured out what to make of this yet. I tried ST but it didn't seem to fit.

I think I need more help.

[Brandonb]

There are only a few good choices for double letters ending a word (if, in fact, they are at the end!). S is common, but the letter only occurs twice in the rest of the puzzle, which isn't enough for an S. It's probably not a vowel, if its at the end. My next choice is L.

Yeah... I picked an extremely hard quote for this, it seems too hard. I should have made it longer.

The letter preceding the double letters must be a vowel, but the same letter is also the end of four other words (perhaps). So the only likely vowel is E.

Ok, that's true. IF the double letters are consonants, then the preceding letter must be a vowel.

Now I have the quote starting with a two-letter word ending with E (We, Be, ?) but the only other occurrence of the starting letter is at the end of a 3-letter word. Neither W or B are great in this case, but W is better.

There's still one alternative you are not considering.

The only other pattern I see is the letter Q, which is followed by N in 3 of the 4 appearances. Haven't figured out what to make of this yet. I tried ST but it didn't seem to fit.

Again, there's still one alternative you are not considering.

Another hint needed?

[Guest]

[spoiler= Wow, think I got it...]We may ot imagie how our lives could be more frustratig and complex -- but Cogress ca.

And, with the missing n's...

We may not imagine how our lives could be more frustrating and complex -- but Congress can.

[Guest]

[spoiler= Wow, think I got it...]We may ot imagie how our lives could be more frustratig and complex -- but Cogress ca.

And, with the missing n's...

We may not imagine how our lives could be more frustrating and complex -- but Congress can.

Nice!

I've been bested

And I'd rejected that option for the double letters....

Please share your strategy, Alyanna. I was at a roadblock

[Brandonb]

YAY!!! Well done! Was that one too much? I won't allow my level 5's to be so short anymore.

[grey cells]

[spoiler=Final Placings ]

Alyanna - Ist place for decoding the quote : applause :

CL - IInd place for reaching the roadblock but unfortunately stumbling over it : applause : ENCORE : applause :

GC - IIIrd place for adroitly avoiding the roadblock by meticulous planning to never reach it : Thunderous applause : Can't stop my fans , sorry Brandon .

5 twinkles , Brandon !

[Brandonb]

Haha

5 Kudos to Alyanna for solving the puzzle!

3 Kudos to CL for (unknowingly) outlining the puzzle

and a twinkle (?) for GC. for uh... having fans I guess

[Guest]

OZ LGV NU PLGAPZ INO NWK HPEZF QNWHM DZ LNKZ YKWFUKGUPA GM QNLXHZT, DWU QNAKZFF QG.

I had "frustrating" as "frustrated" (finally), that got me pretty close. (It got me those double letters.) It also got me "-ur" not to many words there. Putting an "o" there, got me "ot". I tried "n" first for "not", that's when I tried "frustrating". It pretty much fell into place after that. I was hooked on this for a long time last night! That's how "frustrated" popped in my head!

I couldn't think or a lot of words that would fit YKWFUKGUPA. I tried "punctuated", but that gave me double c's, so did "fasciation". There were a few others too, but nothing worked, so I got frustrated.

Anyway, It was a very hard puzzle, and it sucked up a lot of my evening. <_< But, it was fun. Definitely a 5! I ended up using my whole eraser.

[Guest]

OZ LGV NU PLGAPZ INO NWK HPEZF QNWHM DZ LNKZ YKWFUKGUPA GM QNLXHZT, DWU QNAKZFF QG.

I had "frustrating" as "frustrated" (finally), that got me pretty close. (It got me those double letters.) It also got me "-ur" not to many words there. Putting an "o" there, got me "ot". I tried "n" first for "not", that's when I tried "frustrating". It pretty much fell into place after that. I was hooked on this for a long time last night! That's how "frustrated" popped in my head!

I couldn't think or a lot of words that would fit YKWFUKGUPA. I tried "punctuated", but that gave me double c's, so did "fasciation". There were a few others too, but nothing worked, so I got frustrated.

Anyway, It was a very hard puzzle, and it sucked up a lot of my evening. <_< But, it was fun. Definitely a 5! I ended up using my whole eraser.

Thanks for sharing. Guess I didn't get "frustrated" enough! If Bb posts another one, he'll have to send you a new eraser first!

[Guest]

Thanks for sharing. Guess I didn't get "frustrated" enough! If Bb posts another one, he'll have to send you a new eraser first!

Maybe a box of them if he keeps this up! All of your thoughts helped a lot too!!! Thanks!

[Brandonb]

Thanks for sharing. Guess I didn't get "frustrated" enough! If Bb posts another one, he'll have to send you a new eraser first!

Haha, I'll post more, but I think I'll go back to a level 2 then work them back up to a 5 in friday.

BTW, the quote was by ~Cullen Hightower

Edit: no, nvm. I'm on 999 posts right now... So I'll make my 1000th post another Level 5, coming up in about 20minutes.

Edited July 22, 2008 by Brandonb

[Guest]

[spoiler= Wow, think I got it...]We may ot imagie how our lives could be more frustratig and complex -- but Cogress ca.

And, with the missing n's...

We may not imagine how our lives could be more frustrating and complex -- but Congress can.

Nice Job ... Well Done

[Guest]

Haha, I'll post more, but I think I'll go back to a level 2 then work them back up to a 5 in friday.

BTW, the quote was by ~Cullen Hightower

Edit: no, nvm. I'm on 999 posts right now... So I'll make my 1000th post another Level 5, coming up in about 20minutes.

please please please use a longer quote for the next one

[Guest]

please please please use a longer quote for the next one

Yes, my family would probably appreciate that!