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An entry to Fortnightly Topic Challenge #35: Restricted Title 1 - based on this xkcd.

I am the password manager, helping others remember passwords.

I am the password manager, receiving many calls each day.

I am the password manager, and I am stuck.

My latest client, Jobert, has requested my assistance to remember his Stack Exchange password. Jobert is an avid xkcd reader, and his password is four words. He remembers the following information:

The password is 4 words.
The password consists of only lowercase letters and spaces.
The note on his desk was supposed to help him remember the password.
The note on his desk now makes no sense to him.

I took a look at the note:

tilspmb ftpmb pcz nsdwmoem

qshwiwb nxtb ufwxwbf qkqh

ouwqk qxxrk rhtmz ntxcznbpp

lsii ydlvetzm ctrpdaua lmuka

mfhwwk yuma nletr aoexs

oltiak qxtellrt rpne vnvdytl

mfgt tvzbervsc geaxieqm ouxb

obvrkvs cpzk micams tjpobr

xtvbv wwbhgma wrwt pwrvt

csrmk mzjeg pzsvz tpnegm

lffkaln elqkxuk sztugwzn zjg

brmwqf qxxg afkvemb pjg

rfgxi coiyws nwdyxue vemsaces

qumwbb cxbxbp pribqewxfpt lprxf

tdtt invsgt cdottl xbvpa

jsftnhbig pmxvvwofx eqvuee cdqe

prabttrabvva koexmjoe vxjogq sdnuk

svsaxljoe cejup xrk yegq

potqeq zrxcz tofwbfx gqpnecasm

aklzovtl ofvvetb mgabv wpttnbxuz

yibevx cxtddppc yfwptf npplby

I am struggling just as much as Jobert to comprehend this hodgepodge. I ask him if this is English, but he refuses to speak to me.

I also saw this list taped to the wall, but it seems like Jobert's personal business. This won't help.

To do list
- Make sure key is fixed
- Buy birthday present for Yobert
- Go watch a V movie
- Use beautiful strong ciphers
- Repair furnace

I am in a predicament.
What could Jobert's password possibly be?

Hint 1:

The next day, I came back to Jobert's house to find new additions to his to do list.

...
- Send my first letter to the movie theater
- Get discord bot up and running
- Book tickets for Venom

Hint 2:

It's been a whole day and I haven't figured out the password. I asked Jobert if he remembered anything else, and he said

Not all of the items on the list are useful.

He then showed me this:

To do list
- Make sure key is fixed
- Buy birthday present for Yobert
- Go watch a V movie
- Use beautiful strong ciphers
- Repair furnace
- Send my first letter to the movie theater
- Get discord bot up and running
- Book tickets for Venom

Hint 3 (Basically gives away the answer):

I overheard Jobert on the phone.

-Start Conversation-
???: Why do we have to go watch Venom? That movie's gonna suck!
Jobert: But I have to, it's a V movie!
???: What does that even mean?
Jobert: I don't care what you say, I'll go myself.
-End Conversation-

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  • $\begingroup$ This is my first puzzle, so feedback would be much appreciated! $\endgroup$
    – Zimonze
    Jun 8, 2018 at 19:28
  • 3
    $\begingroup$ I hope Jobert, an avid xkcd reader, is smart enough not to use a certain 4-word password. $\endgroup$
    – noedne
    Jun 8, 2018 at 19:47
  • $\begingroup$ Can I confirm that "Yobert" is intentional? $\endgroup$
    – noedne
    Jun 8, 2018 at 20:09
  • $\begingroup$ It's completely irrelevant, I just like names that rhyme with Robert. $\endgroup$
    – Zimonze
    Jun 8, 2018 at 20:26

2 Answers 2

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From neodne

"Use beautiful strong ciphers" and "Make sure key is fixed" indicate using the Beaufort cipher with a key of "fixed." Applying this to the cipher text yields a plain text of four-word passwords:

mammoth sloth ice squirrel = Ice Age
olympic sled jamaica snow = Cool Runnings
robot plant obese spaceship = Wall-E
snap gauntlet genocide stone = Avengers: Infinity War
rabbit hole queen dream = Alice in Wonderland
puppet pleasure nose cricket = Pinocchio
race lightning radiator road = Cars
penguin gift tavern popper = Mr. Popper's Penguins
alien bicycle home phone = E.T.
clown sewer penny losers = It
sadness emotion memories joy = Inside Out
cowboy play daycare toy = Toy Story
macaw brazil smuggle carnival = Rio
police gadget investigate tools = Inspector Gadget
lamp prince carpet genie = Aladdin
underwear principal toilet cape = Captain Underpants
independence treasure church mason = National Treasure
miniature vault ant hero = Ant-Man
orphan grace musical roosevelt = Annie
internet pancake wreck milkshake = Ralph Breaks the Internet (corrected)
hawaii galactic family stitch = Lilo & Stitch

Each clues a movie, as indicated above.

With that, we

solve the anagram created from the first letters of each movie title

to get

Captain America Civil War

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  • $\begingroup$ To solve this, I actually started with the link that David Starkey posted, noticed a lot of results had pncgnva and nzrevpn and completed the anagram from there. So it is a team effort and as such I think either this answer or neodne's should be made a community wiki and updated to include the whole shebang. But I don't want to be so presumptuous, so I'll see how the others weigh in. (Assuming this is correct, of course) $\endgroup$
    – cpcodes
    Jun 12, 2018 at 17:31
  • $\begingroup$ This is the correct answer. I'm not sure how community wikis work though, so I'll need some help on that. $\endgroup$
    – Zimonze
    Jun 12, 2018 at 19:52
  • $\begingroup$ If @neodne gives his permission, I'll copy his work (corrected) to this post and flag it community wiki. I think that is how it works, but I'm not 100% sure myself. My real concern is getting permission from neodne to use his work in this post for completeness. $\endgroup$
    – cpcodes
    Jun 12, 2018 at 20:10
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Partial

"Use beautiful strong ciphers" and "Make sure key is fixed" indicate using the Beaufort cipher with a key of "fixed." Applying this to the cipher text yields a plain text of four-word passwords:

mammoth sloth ice squirrel = Ice Age
olympic sled jamaica snow = Cool Runnings
robot plant obese spaceship = Wall-E
snap gauntlet genocide stone = Avengers: Infinity War
rabbit hole queen dream = Alice in Wonderland
puppet pleasure nose cricket = Pinocchio
race lightning radiator road = Cars
penguin gift tavern popper = Mr. Popper's Penguins
alien bicycle home phone = E.T.
clown sewer penny losers = It
sadness emotion memories joy = Inside Out
cowboy play daycare toy = Toy Story
macaw brazil smuggle carnival = Rio
police gadget investigate tools = Inspector Gadget
lamp prince carpet genie = Aladdin
underwear principal toilet cape = Captain Underpants
independence treasure church mason = National Treasure
miniature vault ant hero = Ant-Man
orphan grace musical roosevelt = Annie
internet pancake wreck milkshake = Wreck-It Ralph
hawaii galactic family stitch = Lilo & Stitch

Each clues a movie, as indicated above.

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  • $\begingroup$ I sort of got lazy near the end, adding words like "popper" and "stitch" :3 $\endgroup$
    – Zimonze
    Jun 8, 2018 at 20:18
  • $\begingroup$ Still a clever play on names :) $\endgroup$
    – noedne
    Jun 8, 2018 at 20:19
  • $\begingroup$ I managed to undecipher the words and my first thought was 'where is man door hand hook car door?' $\endgroup$
    – Rapiddagger
    Jun 9, 2018 at 14:00
  • $\begingroup$ Taking the hint 2 "first letter" bit, I'm guessing next is taking the first letter of all your answers. After that, use the "Go see a V movie" and add a V to the letters. Then find a 4 word anagram of those letters. None of them particularly stick out to me, though. $\endgroup$
    – David Starkey
    Jun 11, 2018 at 16:48
  • $\begingroup$ @DavidStarkey Well, I never said the titles are all correct... $\endgroup$
    – Zimonze
    Jun 11, 2018 at 19:53

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