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Batman: Alfred. Are you there?
Alfred: Yes, Master Bruce. How may I help you?
Batman: I'm still in pursuit of The Riddler, but I've run into a problem. I've been trapped in a room with a piano, and two paintings on the wall. One of these paintings is cryptic, even by Nigma's standards. The other appears to simply be a single measure of sheet music. The rest of the room is bare.
Alfred: What of the piano, Master Bruce? Have you found any clues there?
Batman: I've examined it, thoroughly, but I don't see any way to get inside. The casing appears to be titanium alloy composite, and I can't find any cracks. I've scanned the piano, and it's clear that it is somehow connected with the doors to the room. I fear that hitting random keys, however, will just cause the doors to lock permanently.
Alfred: Allow me to see the paintings, then, if you wouldn't mind?
Batman: Here. I'm sending images of them, now.

Image Received...

Painting 1

Image Received...

Painting 2

Alfred: How curious, Master Bruce. Let me think...
Batman: Alfred, Nigma's getting away, and there's a bomb, somewhere in this building!
Alfred: Right. If you wouldn't mind, sir, I know of a group of people to whom I could send this information who would likely be able to assist in solving it.
Batman: Go ahead, but make sure they understand..
Alfred: We're in a hurry. Understood, sir. I'll get back to you.

Alfred: You are those people. Could you please do your best to assist us? Thank you, ever so much. I've included the transcript of mine and Master Bruce's conversation, in case it helps, at all.

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  • 8
    $\begingroup$ In case anyone's curious, the notes are CEGFADB, all eighth notes. $\endgroup$
    – Deusovi ♦
    Mar 20, 2016 at 3:03
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    $\begingroup$ Also, that's a very high quality camera. Is it Alconja brand? :P $\endgroup$
    – Deusovi ♦
    Mar 20, 2016 at 3:24
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    $\begingroup$ ^vote and I'll crack it tomorrow if it's not cracked yet. ;) $\endgroup$
    – Z. Dailey
    Mar 20, 2016 at 3:58
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    $\begingroup$ I think you have my name confused with someone else's... $\endgroup$
    – BruceWayne
    Mar 21, 2016 at 6:27
  • 3
    $\begingroup$ All music appearing in this work is fictitious. Any resemblance to real music, living or dead, is purely coincidental. $\endgroup$
    – Khale_Kitha
    Mar 22, 2016 at 15:50

4 Answers 4

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18
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The notes to free Master Bruce are:

D C A A F E B

Explanation

The painting can be cleaned up to look like this:

Numbers Credit to @2012rcampion

There is also visible morse code repeating around the edge of the original painting that says "VIGINEREX" Credit to @Alconja

The notes on the measure of sheet music are:

 CEGFADB

Taking the numbers from the cleaned up painting, both @Z.Dailey and @2012rcampion's analysis resulted in a pattern every numbers.

Breaking up the numbers into sets of 7 results in this:

 378 207 104   4 108  45 360
  18  99   4  28 156  20 306
 252  36  28  60 204  70 126
 108 189  80   4  24  85 198
  18  63  36   4 312  30 162
 234 189  24  84 216  55  18
 126 144   4 104  72  25  18
 432  72  68  24 240 105  90
  90   9   4 104  72 100 306
 468  81  68  96 288  65 432
 432 207 104   4 108  55  18
 126  36  72  52  72  85 108
 360 153  36  16 252  30 378
 468 171  20   4 312  30 360
 306  81  52  96 288  70 234
 108 225  52 104 168  35 108
 198   9  28  36  12 130 108
 342   9  36  84  72 100  18
 126  54  52  72 252  95 360
 108  54  80  84  60  20  18
  18 225  36   4 312  30 432
 306  54  44   4  84  90  72
 306 153  80   4 108  85 144
 306  36  28 104  72 105 432
 198   9  28  76 204  30 108
 360 153   4  16 192  85  72
 234 234  64   8 288  65 198
 378  54  16  84 228 100 108
  90 153  60   4 312  80 108
 360 153 104  72  12  35  72
 108 180  24  80 204  25 306
  54  63  68 104 180  85 252
 306 171  84 104  60  20 306
  36 153  52  24 252 130 342
 108 180  68  72 252  90 108
 360 126  28  24  12 130 432
 198 198  28  20  72   5 468
 270 153   4 104 204  25 378
 180  36  68  32 204  20  90
 306  54  80  68 312  90 378
 468 117  96  96 132  25 306
 144 153 104  20 240   5 162
 126  45  64  68  72  85 270
 108 189  32  68 132   5 126
 234  36  68 104  72 110 126
  90  54  52  64  84 130 270
 306

As listed on the painting the key is "WHO I AM," so taking the values of the characters in "RIDDLER" you get:

 18   9   4   4  12   5  18

Dividing the numbers down the columns by their key and converting to text you get: UWZAIITAKAGMDQNDGOQNGFUTABQKAGIAZFIMUFURKAGPAZFEAXHQFTUEEAAZFTQZIQXXMXXWZAIKAGDRMFQFTQIDUFUZSEAZFTQIMXXNMFYMZNGFKAGIAZFSAIUFTAGFMRUSTFFTUEDAAYIAZFXQFKAGRDQQTAIQHQDGZFUXKAGSQFFTQADPQDMZPBXMKUFDUSTFEQOAZPFTQZRAGDFTFTQEQCGQZOQNQSUZEDQBQMFUZSFTQRURFTNGFAZXKVGEFAZOQAZQEUJDQHQDEQFTQZRUZMXXKEQHQZETAIGEPQFQOFUHQKAGMDQZFVGEFMPGZOQ

with a shift by 12 (or 90, since the words were turned 90º) a poem is discovered:

 I KNOW WHO YOU ARE BRUCE BUT I HOPE YOU WON'T WAIT
 IF YOU DON'T SOLVE THIS SOON THEN WE'LL ALL KNOW YOUR FATE
 THE WRITING'S ON THE WALL BATMAN BUT YOU WON'T GO WITHOUT A FIGHT
 THIS ROOM WON'T LET YOU FREE HOWEVER UNTIL YOU GET THE ORDER AND PLAY IT RIGHT
 SECOND THEN FOURTH THE SEQUENCE BEGINS REPEATING THE FIFTH BUT ONLY JUST ONCE
 ONE SIX REVERSE THEN FINALLY SEVEN SHOW US DETECTIVE YOU AREN'T JUST A DUNCE

Credit to @f" and @Varon.

Using the specific instructions along with the notes in the measure (CEGFADB)

 SECOND THEN FOURTH THE SEQUENCE BEGINS
 REPEATING THE FIFTH BUT ONLY JUST ONCE
 ONE SIX REVERSE THEN FINALLY SEVEN

The second note is E, the fourth is F
The fifth note is A and repeat it once (AA)
The first is C the sixth is D
This results in EFAACD which needs to be reversed to DCAAFE then add B (seven)

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    $\begingroup$ Alfred: I gave the suggested code to Master Bruce. He informed me that upon pressing these keys, the door with which The Riddler had escaped has just locked. I'm sure I don't need to inform you that he was upset. There is only one door remaining: the door that Master Bruce entered from. We're going to have to find another method to find out where The Riddler has escaped to, but perhaps Master Bruce might just be able to come out of this situation, alive. I'm sure it doesn't need to be said, but please try to be more sure of your next answer. I fear we will not get another chance. $\endgroup$
    – Khale_Kitha
    Mar 22, 2016 at 15:53
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ Made an edit, but I'm afraid for you to call Alfred. @BruceWayne might die. :,( $\endgroup$
    – Z. Dailey
    Mar 22, 2016 at 16:05
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    $\begingroup$ On my answer it automatically tags me in the background. $\endgroup$
    – Z. Dailey
    Mar 22, 2016 at 16:10
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    $\begingroup$ Did I killed Bruce? $\endgroup$
    – Z. Dailey
    Mar 22, 2016 at 16:39
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    $\begingroup$ @Khale_Kitha looks good now :) $\endgroup$
    – Z. Dailey
    Mar 22, 2016 at 17:12
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Starting from the numbers arranged in seven columns as in 2012rcampion's answer, each column contains only numbers divisible by the values of the letters in "riddler":

  18   9   4   4  12   5  18

Dividing by these numbers leaves only values in the range 1 to 26. Converting to letters leaves: UWZAIITAKAGMDQNDGOQNGFUTABQKAGIAZFIMUFURKAGPAZFEAXHQFTUEEAAZFTQZIQXXMXXWZAIKAGDRMFQFTQIDUFUZSEAZFTQIMXXNMFYMZNGFKAGIAZFSAIUFTAGFMRUSTFFTUEDAAYIAZFXQFKAGRDQQTAIQHQDGZFUXKAGSQFFTQADPQDMZPBXMKUFDUSTFEQOAZPFTQZRAGDFTFTQEQCGQZOQNQSUZEDQBQMFUZSFTQRURFTNGFAZXKVGEFAZOQAZQEUJDQHQDEQFTQZRUZMXXKEQHQZETAIGEPQFQOFUHQKAGMDQZFVGEFMPGZOQ

As @Varon pointed out, shifting this forward by 14 results in a poem:

I KNOW WHO YOU ARE BRUCE BUT I HOPE YOU WON'T WAIT IF YOU DON'T SOLVE THIS SOON THEN WE'LL ALL KNOW YOUR FATE THE WRITING'S ON THE WALL BATMAN BUT YOU WON'T GO WITHOUT A FIGHT THIS ROOM WON'T LET YOU FREE HOWEVER UNTIL YOU GET THE ORDER AND PLAY IT RIGHT SECOND THEN FOURTH THE SEQUENCE BEGINS REPEATING THE FIFTH BUT ONLY JUST ONCE ONE SIX REVERSE THEN FINALLY SEVEN SHOW US DETECTIVE YOU AREN'T JUST A DUNCE

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    $\begingroup$ use M as KEY and you get: IKNOWWHOYOUAREBRUCEBUTIHOPEYOUWONTWAITIFYOUDONTSOLVETHISSOONTHENWELLALLKNOWYOURFATETHEWRITINGSONTHEWALLBATMANBUTYOUWONTGOWITHOUTAFIGHTTHISROOMWONTLETYOUFREEHOWEVERUNTILYOUGETTHEORDERANDPLAYITRIGHTSECONDTHENFOURTHTHESEQUENCEBEGINSREPEATINGTHEFIFTHBUTONLYJUSTONCEONESIXREVERSETHENFINALLYSEVENSHOWUSDETECTIVEYOUARENTJUSTADUNCE $\endgroup$
    – Varon
    Mar 20, 2016 at 22:23
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    $\begingroup$ @Varon Wait, Bruce Wayne is BATMAN!!!??? $\endgroup$
    – 2012rcampion
    Mar 20, 2016 at 22:25
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    $\begingroup$ So according to Deusovi's transcription of the notes (CEGFADB), and assuming Ed's poem has the most straightforward meaning (2, 4, 5, 6, 1, 7) then the answer should be EFADCB. $\endgroup$
    – 2012rcampion
    Mar 20, 2016 at 23:43
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    $\begingroup$ @2012rcampion Clearly you were aware of it. No one has mentioned Wayne anywhere, on the page. =D $\endgroup$
    – Khale_Kitha
    Mar 21, 2016 at 0:40
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    $\begingroup$ No one has seen Batman and Bruce Wayne in the same room at the same time.... but no one has seen Batman and @2012rcampion in the same room at the same time either.... $\endgroup$
    – AZGreenTea
    Mar 21, 2016 at 6:40
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Engaging detective mode (taking the difference of the red and green channels, although any pair produces the same result), a code is revealed:

enter image description here

Statistical analysis suggests the numbers come in groups of seven, or there is some kind of repetition or redundancy every seven numbers:

 378 207 104   4 108  45 360
  18  99   4  28 156  20 306
 252  36  28  60 204  70 126
 108 189  80   4  24  85 198
  18  63  36   4 312  30 162
 234 189  24  84 216  55  18
 126 144   4 104  72  25  18
 432  72  68  24 240 105  90
  90   9   4 104  72 100 306
 468  81  68  96 288  65 432
 432 207 104   4 108  55  18
 126  36  72  52  72  85 108
 360 153  36  16 252  30 378
 468 171  20   4 312  30 360
 306  81  52  96 288  70 234
 108 225  52 104 168  35 108
 198   9  28  36  12 130 108
 342   9  36  84  72 100  18
 126  54  52  72 252  95 360
 108  54  80  84  60  20  18
  18 225  36   4 312  30 432
 306  54  44   4  84  90  72
 306 153  80   4 108  85 144
 306  36  28 104  72 105 432
 198   9  28  76 204  30 108
 360 153   4  16 192  85  72
 234 234  64   8 288  65 198
 378  54  16  84 228 100 108
  90 153  60   4 312  80 108
 360 153 104  72  12  35  72
 108 180  24  80 204  25 306
  54  63  68 104 180  85 252
 306 171  84 104  60  20 306
  36 153  52  24 252 130 342
 108 180  68  72 252  90 108
 360 126  28  24  12 130 432
 198 198  28  20  72   5 468
 270 153   4 104 204  25 378
 180  36  68  32 204  20  90
 306  54  80  68 312  90 378
 468 117  96  96 132  25 306
 144 153 104  20 240   5 162
 126  45  64  68  72  85 270
 108 189  32  68 132   5 126
 234  36  68 104  72 110 126
  90  54  52  64  84 130 270
 306

(Thanks to Khale_Kitha for correcting some errors in my transcription of the numbers.)

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    $\begingroup$ Nice! My first thought was Magic Eye, but that didn't work. What software did you use for that? $\endgroup$
    – Deusovi ♦
    Mar 20, 2016 at 3:04
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    $\begingroup$ @Deusovi Mathematica (ImageAdjust[ImageDifference@@Take[ColorSeparate[Import["http://i.stack.imgur.com/VJhI0.png"]],2]]) $\endgroup$
    – 2012rcampion
    Mar 20, 2016 at 3:26
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    $\begingroup$ @Khale_Kitha hehe. I'm glad I came up with one that pushed you to this. :) I got another good one I'm working on now. $\endgroup$
    – Z. Dailey
    Mar 20, 2016 at 3:27
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    $\begingroup$ @2012rcampion You currently have 2 swapped numbers (not near each other), 1 missing number, and 1 incorrect number, at the time of this writing. $\endgroup$
    – Khale_Kitha
    Mar 20, 2016 at 3:50
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    $\begingroup$ @Khale_Kitha Could you add them in? I doubt the main part of the puzzle is in the transcription, and there's no reason for us to hunt through it when you can fix it easily. $\endgroup$
    – Deusovi ♦
    Mar 20, 2016 at 6:56
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-- Partial answer --

1. The border of the first image contains morse code, which just repeats VIGENEREX over and over, so presumably a Vigenère cipher is required at some point (though I'm not sure if the X is significant):
morse code
2. Presumably the numbers found by 2012rcampion somehow make up the cipher text, but it's unclear how they map to letters. They can't be a straight alphabet substitution as there are 72 unique values:
4 5 8 9 12 16 18 20 24 25 28 30 32 35 36 44 45 52 54 55 60 63 64 65 68 70 72 76 80 81 84 85 90 95 96 99 100 104 105 108 110 117 126 130 132 144 153 156 162 168 171 180 189 192 198 204 207 216 225 228 234 240 252 270 288 306 312 342 360 378 432 468
3. The title of the first image (Who I Am) has pictures of keys along with the words, so I'm guessing the key to the vigenere is "THERIDDLER" or "NIGMA" or "EDWARD" or something similar...

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7
  • $\begingroup$ Maybe the last letter is the key? $\endgroup$
    – ASCIIThenANSI
    Mar 20, 2016 at 14:06
  • $\begingroup$ @ASCIIThenANSI - it did cross my mind, and is entirely possible, but it would be pretty odd to have a single character key for a vigenere cipher. $\endgroup$
    – Alconja
    Mar 20, 2016 at 14:08
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    $\begingroup$ "WHO I AM" has keys around it... maybe that's the key? $\endgroup$
    – ASCIIThenANSI
    Mar 20, 2016 at 14:09
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    $\begingroup$ X is commonly used as a space or separator in cryptography, so it may just signify a break. $\endgroup$
    – 2012rcampion
    Mar 20, 2016 at 17:27
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    $\begingroup$ Looking at f'''s answer, it seems I was probably wrong: the X probably refers to multiplication of the plaintext by the key (which was RIDDLER) $\endgroup$
    – 2012rcampion
    Mar 21, 2016 at 9:36

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