10
$\begingroup$

I've been getting a mysterious phone call everyday at 8 am. And every single day it repeats the exact same message.

9874123-------King
1478963654----Dinner
741489---------After
147854---------Passionately
4569874123---Courtyard
963256---------The
258--------------Yodels
987454123----Euclid
1475963-------In

The dashes aren't in the actual message, I added them to separate the words from the numbers. I showed it this to my friend and he referred me over to this website. Can you guys decipher this message?

Authors Note: I've been debating whether part of my puzzle is unclear, so I'll just leave you with this hint: Time before Place

Improve this question
$\endgroup$
4
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ Assuming this isn't real $\endgroup$
    – Beastly Gerbil
    Commented Sep 16, 2016 at 15:13
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ @BeastlyGerbil Pretty sure his friend wouldn't have to tell him about this website :P (1,043 rep at the time of writing) $\endgroup$
    – user14478
    Commented Sep 16, 2016 at 15:30
  • $\begingroup$ All this nonsense sugar-coating is because of the infamous what not to do post. People seems happy if the otherwise dry and focused problem is surrounded by random "seems legit" noise. $\endgroup$
    – Matsmath
    Commented Sep 16, 2016 at 16:24
  • 6
    $\begingroup$ @Matsmath Because that so-called "random noise" often contains clues to the nature of the cipher. It's much better to be able to deduce the required methodology from cryptic hints in the surrounding text than to have to make wild random guesses. $\endgroup$
    – Rand al'Thor
    Commented Sep 16, 2016 at 16:26

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
11
$\begingroup$

With the numbers

Consider a standard keypad on a keyboard as shown in the picture
enter image description here
If you trace the shapes made by the numbers in the riddle you seem to get, from top to bottom:

CArpe dIEM

So, for example 987454123 corresponds to writing an 'E'.

Also,

The list of words can be formed into a sentence

"After Dinner, King Euclid Yodels Passionately In The Courtyard"

If we take the letters of our "Carpe Diem" in that order, it spells out

rACEIpMdE

which could be reintepreted as

"Race 1pm, DE"

Perhaps the mysterious caller is challenging you to a race at 1pm in Delaware.

Notes

It seems like there is more to this riddle and anyone else who'd like to pick it up from here is welcome. I've also seen that the first letters of each of the words can be rearranged to form the phrase "Picket Day" which plays into the whole "Seize the Day" ideology but not sure if this is relevant.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
1
  • $\begingroup$ You found more meaning in my puzzle than I meant to put into it! I wanted the sentence to be "King Euclid yodels passionately after dinner in the courtyard". The first letter of each word spells "keypad" excluding the last three letters. $\endgroup$
    – Areeb
    Commented Sep 16, 2016 at 16:40

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.