I don't know about the code, but as PurdueNuc, pointed out on the caht, there is a plain text message in the middle.

Night all,
Lukefj

So once u find the virtual ring (ring 1) u gain access to deep.access and then u get the location of the others?

[Edited on 26/5/2004 by jameo131i]

Any idea what the dots above and below the clue mean?

. . . . .... . . . .
Where is the first ring?
. . . . .... . . . .

Looks like morse code but all I could figure out was that the single dots are e's and the four close together are h.

Anyone got any other ideas?

Where are the dots? On deep.access or wat?

Originally posted by jameo131i
Where are the dots? On deep.access or wat?

On the FTR webpage.

LOL! I have no idea, wat the hell u are talking about?? LOL!

Originally posted by jameo131i
LOL! I have no idea, wat the hell u are talking about?? LOL!

go to the findtherings webpage. look to where it has the Where is the first ring? at. Right above and below that text are a series of dots.

LOL! I was lookn at a cached page! LOL!!

This might just be because I haven't slept in 32 hours and am currently on the mother of all caffiene highs, but it seems to me that the . . . .... . . . is unlikely to be morse code (or it'd be "EEEHEEE", which is fun to shout at six-thirty in the morning when you, as I mentioned, haven't slept). Perhaps it's a decryption key for some pictorial cryptograph, or a diagram of the cylinders of a lock... completely random suggestions from a mind that has spent the past two days playing Team Fortress Classic and gorging on coffee.

It's also entirely possible that there's some symbolism in the arrangement of the dots themselves: one, one, one, four, one, one, one? perhaps three, four, three? Just keeping in mind the numbers of the agents you're working with (against)?

EDIT: MORSE code, not MORE code, sorry.

There was also 00110101, and a dapper fellow indeed was he... binary is a possiblity as well.

Here are some emoticons:

I need more caffiene! COFFEE NOW!

[Edited on 5-26-2004 by Xenographer]

The code only uses the characters 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, A, B, C, D, E, F and x, which is basicly hexadecimal with an extra character. Maybe it's septadecimal, base 17 instead of base 16?

Originally posted by Xenographer
It's also entirely possible that there's some symbolism in the arrangement of the dots themselves: one, one, one, four, one, one, one? perhaps three, four, three? Just keeping in mind the numbers of the agents you're working with (against)?
[Edited on 5-26-2004 by Xenographer]

. . . . .... . . . .

Did you mean one, one, one, one, four, one, one, one, one? or four, four, four???

Originally posted by amantine
The code only uses the characters 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, A, B, C, D, E, F and x, which is basicly hexadecimal with an extra character. Maybe it's septadecimal, base 17 instead of base 16?

i contend that if it is hex, the little x's are hex notations...

but still..me and perduenuc spent ALL night trying to crack it...it's no good..

The only x's I know in hex are those that are used to denote the fact that a certain code is hex. Sometimes, hex codes have 0x in front of them. Certainly two x's after eachother can't happen in hex.

What I think may be important is that the lines of normal text have coded text in between them. Maybe it's similar to the stone of Rosetta and the plaintext and the coded line above or below it contain the same message?

[Edited on 26-5-2004 by amantine]

Originally posted by amantine
The only x's I know in hex are those that are used to denote the fact that a certain code is hex. Sometimes, hex codes have 0x in front of them. Certainly two x's after eachother can't happen in hex.

What I think may be important is that the lines of normal text have coded text in between them. Maybe it's similar to the stone of Rosetta and the plaintext and the coded line above or below it contain the same message?

[Edited on 26-5-2004 by amantine]

Nope...checked that already...the bits don't add up

I just found that the following part is comming up 2ce in the code, I'll keep analyzing and I'll post lines that are double and the ones that only apear once, grouped.:

To verify, copy the first line of the code and hit CTRL+F to open the search box, paste it and hit search(make sure you clicked the top of the page.)

First it'll highlight the line you copy'd, then if you hit search again, it'll show the second line that has the same code.

I'm gona try the classic way of beating a cypher, first look for all the recuring codes and snippets, then try to find their meaning :@
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[Edited on 26-5-2004 by thematrix]

I wish to thank 1 2 3 4 and Simon for giving me a frigin headache!!!

Well, it's certainly not a simple substitution cipher of one of two number/letters. The frequency analysis rules that out. If only we knew what the x's meant...