3
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An entry in Fortnightly Topic Challenge #37: Rare and Endangered 1

I received a strange message the other day via email, and I can't seem to make any sense out of it. The entire message is composed solely of flags and rockets.

🏳🏳🏳🏳 🏳 🏳🏎🏳🏳 🏳🏎🏳🏳 🏎🏎🏎 🚀 🏎 🏳🏳🏳🏳 🏳 🏳🏎🏳 🏳 🚀 🏳🏎🏎🏎 🏳 🏎🏎🏎 🚀 🏎🏳🏎🏎 🏳🏳🏎 🏎🏎🏎 🚀 🏎🏳🏎 🏎🏎🏎 🏎🏳 🏳🏎🏎 🚀

🏳🏳 🚀 🏳🏎 🏎🏎 🚀 🏳🏎 🏎🏳🏳 🏳 🏎🏳🏳 🏳🏎 🏎🏳🏎🏎 🏎🏎🏎 🚀 🏳🏎🏎🏳 🏳🏎🏳 🏳🏳 🏎🏳 🏎🏳🏎🏳 🏳 🚀 🏎🏎🏎 🏳🏳🏎🏳 🚀 🏎🏳 🏳🏳 🏎🏎🏳 🏳 🏳🏎🏳 🏳🏳 🏳🏎 🚀

🏳🏳 🚀 🏳🏎 🏎🏎 🚀 🏳🏳 🏎🏳 🚀 🏎🏳🏳 🏳 🏳🏳🏳 🏳🏎🏎🏳 🏳 🏳🏎🏳 🏳🏎 🏎 🏳 🚀 🏎🏳 🏳 🏳 🏎🏳🏳 🚀 🏎🏎🏎 🏳🏳🏎🏳 🚀 🏎🏳🏎🏎 🏎🏎🏎 🏳🏳🏎 🏳🏎🏳 🚀 🏳🏳🏳🏳 🏳 🏳🏎🏳🏳 🏳🏎🏎🏳 🚀

🏳🏎🏳 🏳 🏎🏳🏎🏳 🏳 🏎🏳 🏎 🏳🏎🏳🏳 🏎🏳🏎🏎 🚀 🏎🏎 🏎🏳🏎🏎 🚀 🏳🏳🏎 🏎🏳 🏎🏳🏎🏳 🏳🏎🏳🏳 🏳 🚀 🏎🏳🏎 🏳🏳 🏳🏎🏳🏳 🏳🏎🏳🏳 🏳 🏎🏳🏳 🚀 🏎 🏳🏳🏳🏳 🏳 🚀 🏎🏳🏎 🏳🏳 🏎🏳 🏎🏎🏳 🚀 🏳🏎🏎 🏳🏳🏳🏳 🏎🏎🏎 🚀 🏳🏎🏎 🏳🏎 🏳🏳🏳 🚀 🏎🏎 🏎🏳🏎🏎 🚀 🏳🏳🏎🏳 🏳🏎 🏎 🏳🏳🏳🏳 🏳 🏳🏎🏳 🚀

🏎🏳 🏎🏎🏎 🏳🏎🏎 🚀 🏎 🏎🏎🏎 🚀 🏳🏎🏎🏳 🏳🏎🏳 🏎🏎🏎 🏎 🏳 🏎🏳🏎🏳 🏎 🚀 🏎🏎 🏎🏳🏎🏎 🚀 🏎🏳🏎🏳 🏎🏎🏎 🏳🏳🏎 🏎🏳 🏎 🏳🏎🏳 🏎🏳🏎🏎 🚀 🏳🏳 🚀 🏎🏎 🏳🏳🏎 🏳🏳🏳 🏎 🚀 🏎 🏳🏎🏳 🏳🏎 🏎🏳 🏳🏳🏳 🏳🏳🏎🏳 🏳 🏳🏎🏳 🚀 🏳🏎 🏳🏎🏳🏳 🏳🏎🏳🏳 🚀 🏎 🏳🏳🏳🏳 🏳 🚀 🏎🏎 🏎🏎🏎 🏎🏳 🏳 🏎🏳🏎🏎 🚀 🏳🏳 🏎🏳 🚀 🏎🏎 🏎🏳🏎🏎 🚀 🏎🏳🏎🏳 🏎🏎🏎 🏳🏳🏎 🏎🏳 🏎 🏳🏎🏳 🏎🏳🏎🏎 🚀 🏳🏳 🏎🏳 🚀 🏳🏎 🚀 🏳🏎🏎🏳 🏳🏎🏳 🏎🏎🏎 🏎 🏳 🏎🏳🏎🏳 🏎 🏳 🏎🏳🏳 🚀 🏳🏎 🏎🏳🏎🏳 🏎🏳🏎🏳 🏎🏎🏎 🏳🏳🏎 🏎🏳 🏎 🚀 🏎 🏎🏎🏎 🚀 🏳🏎🏎🏳 🏳🏎🏳 🏳 🏳🏳🏳🏎 🏳 🏎🏳 🏎 🚀 🏎🏎 🏎🏳🏎🏎 🚀 🏳🏳🏎 🏎🏳 🏎🏳🏎🏳 🏳🏎🏳🏳 🏳 🚀 🏳🏳🏎🏳 🏳🏎🏳 🏎🏎🏎 🏎🏎 🚀 🏳🏳🏎 🏳🏳🏳 🏳🏳 🏎🏳 🏎🏎🏳 🚀 🏎 🏳🏳🏳🏳 🏳 🚀 🏎🏎 🏎🏎🏎 🏎🏳 🏳 🏎🏳🏎🏎 🚀 🏳🏳🏎🏳 🏎🏎🏎 🏳🏎🏳 🚀 🏳🏎🏎🏳 🏎🏎🏎 🏳🏎🏳🏳 🏳🏳 🏎 🏳🏳 🏎🏳🏎🏳 🏳🏎 🏳🏎🏳🏳 🚀 🏎🏎🏳 🏳🏎 🏳🏳 🏎🏳 🏳🏳🏳 🚀

🏳🏎🏎🏳 🏳🏎🏳🏳 🏳 🏳🏎 🏳🏳🏳 🏳 🏎🏎🏳🏳🏎🏎 🚀 🏎🏳🏎🏳 🏎🏎🏎 🏎🏳 🏎🏳 🏳 🏎🏳🏎🏳 🏎 🚀 🏎 🏎🏎🏎 🚀 🏎🏎 🏎🏳🏎🏎 🚀 🏳🏎🏎 🏳 🏳🏳🏳 🏎 🏳 🏳🏎🏳 🏎🏳 🚀 🏳🏳🏎 🏎🏳 🏳🏳 🏎🏎🏎 🏎🏳 🚀 🏳🏎 🏎🏳🏎🏳 🏎🏳🏎🏳 🏎🏎🏎 🏳🏳🏎 🏎🏳 🏎 🚀 🏳🏳🏎🏳 🏎🏎🏎 🏳🏎🏳 🚀 🏳🏎 🚀 🏳🏳🏳 🏎🏎 🏳🏎 🏳🏎🏳🏳 🏳🏎🏳🏳 🚀 🏳🏳🏎🏳 🏳 🏳 🚀 🏎🏎🏎 🏳🏳🏎🏳 🚀 🏳🏳🏎🏎🏎 🏳🏎🏎🏎🏎 🏳🏳🏳🏳🏎 🚀 🏳🏳🏎 🏳🏳🏳 🏎🏳🏳 🚀 🏳🏳🏳 🏎🏎🏎 🚀 🏎 🏳🏳🏳🏳 🏳🏎 🏎 🚀 🏳🏎🏎 🏳 🚀 🏎🏎 🏳🏎 🏎🏳🏎🏎 🚀 🏎 🏳🏎🏳 🏳🏎 🏎🏳 🏳🏳🏳 🏳🏳🏎🏳 🏳 🏳🏎🏳 🚀 🏎🏎🏎 🏳🏳🏎 🏳🏎🏳 🚀 🏎🏎 🏎🏎🏎 🏎🏳 🏳 🏎🏳🏎🏎 🚀 🏎 🏎🏎🏎 🚀 🏎🏳🏎🏎 🏎🏎🏎 🏳🏳🏎 🚀 🏎🏳🏎🏎 🏎🏎🏎 🏳🏳🏎 🚀 🏳🏎🏎 🏳🏳 🏳🏎🏳🏳 🏳🏎🏳🏳 🚀 🏎🏳🏳🏳 🏳 🚀 🏎🏳🏎🏳 🏎🏎🏎 🏎🏎 🏳🏎🏎🏳 🏳 🏎🏳 🏳🏳🏳 🏳🏎 🏎 🏳 🏎🏳🏳 🚀 🏳🏳🏎 🏳🏎🏎🏳 🚀 🏎 🏎🏎🏎 🚀 🏳🏳🏳🏳🏳 🚀 🏎🏎 🏳🏳 🏳🏎🏳🏳 🏳🏎🏳🏳 🏳🏳 🏎🏎🏎 🏎🏳 🚀 🏳🏳🏎 🏳🏳🏳 🏎🏳🏳 🚀 🏳🏳🏎🏳 🏎🏎🏎 🏳🏎🏳 🚀 🏎🏳🏎🏎 🏎🏎🏎 🏳🏳🏎 🏳🏎🏳 🚀 🏎🏳🏎🏳 🏎🏎🏎 🏎🏳 🏎 🏳🏎🏳 🏳🏳 🏎🏳🏳🏳 🏳🏳🏎 🏎 🏳🏳 🏎🏎🏎 🏎🏳 🏳🏳🏳 🚀 🏳🏎 🏳🏎🏳🏳 🏳🏳🏳 🏎🏎🏎 🚀 🏳🏎🏎🏳 🏳🏎🏳🏳 🏳 🏳🏎 🏳🏳🏳 🏳 🚀 🏳🏎🏳🏳 🏎🏎🏎 🏎🏎🏎 🏎🏳🏎 🚀 🏳🏳🏎🏳 🏎🏎🏎 🏳🏎🏳 🚀 🏎🏎 🏎🏳🏎🏎 🚀 🏎🏳 🏳 🏎🏳🏳🏎 🏎 🚀 🏎🏎 🏳 🏳🏳🏳 🏳🏳🏳 🏳🏎 🏎🏎🏳 🏳 🚀

🏎 🏎🏎🏎 🚀 🏳 🏎🏳 🏳🏳🏳 🏳🏳🏎 🏳🏎🏳 🏳 🚀 🏎🏳🏎🏳 🏎🏎🏎 🏳🏎🏳 🏳🏎🏳 🏳 🏎🏳🏎🏳 🏎 🚀 🏎🏳🏎🏳 🏎🏎🏎 🏳🏎🏳 🏳🏎🏳 🏳 🏳🏳🏳 🏳🏎🏎🏳 🏎🏎🏎 🏎🏳 🏎🏳🏳 🏳 🏎🏳 🏎🏳🏎🏳 🏳 🚀 🏎🏎 🏎🏳🏎🏎 🚀 🏎🏳 🏳 🏎🏳🏳🏎 🏎 🚀 🏎🏎 🏳 🏳🏳🏳 🏳🏳🏳 🏳🏎 🏎🏎🏳 🏳 🚀 🏳🏎🏎 🏳🏳 🏳🏎🏳🏳 🏳🏎🏳🏳 🚀 🏎🏳🏳🏳 🏳 🚀 🏳 🏎🏳 🏎🏳🏎🏳 🏎🏎🏎 🏎🏳🏳 🏳 🏎🏳🏳 🚀

🏎 🏳🏳🏳🏳 🏳 🚀 🏳🏎🏎🏳 🏳🏳🏳🏳 🏳🏎🏳 🏳🏎 🏳🏳🏳 🏳 🚀 🏳🏳 🏳🏳🏳 🚀

🏳🏎 🚀 🏳🏎🏳🏳 🏳🏎 🏎🏳🏳 🚀 🏎🏳 🏳🏎 🏎🏎 🏳 🏎🏳🏳 🚀 🏳 🚀 🏎🏎 🏳🏎 🏎🏳 🏎🏳🏳 🏳🏎 🏳🏎🏳🏳 🏳🏎

Samuel Joseph Alfred

Can you help me read it?

Improve this question
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9
  • 4
    $\begingroup$ I want to say it is a version of morse code, but... $\endgroup$
    – PotatoLatte
    Commented Jul 10, 2018 at 16:53
  • 3
    $\begingroup$ Flags may represent binary. $\endgroup$
    – Mxracer424
    Commented Jul 10, 2018 at 16:55
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ What font should I be using to see the flags? $\endgroup$
    – Jeff Zeitlin
    Commented Jul 10, 2018 at 17:40
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ Is that supposed to mean one of them should work? $\endgroup$
    – PotatoLatte
    Commented Jul 10, 2018 at 17:59
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ @BruceWayne Using @GustavoGabriel's substitutions, I've converted it to a representative plaintext format for you. $\endgroup$
    – maxathousand
    Commented Aug 1, 2018 at 15:51

1 Answer 1

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8
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The text are a kind of morse code where:

White flags are dots, black flags are dashes and the rockets are spaces

The translated text:

HELLO THERE JEO YUO KONW I AM ADEDAYO PRINCE OF NIGERIA I AM IN DESPERATE NEED OF YOUR HELP RECENTLY MY UNCLE KILLED THE KING WHO WAS MY FATHER NOW TO PROTECT MY COUNTRY I MUST TRANSFER ALL THE MONEY IN MY COUNTRY IN A PROTECTED ACCOUNT TO PREVENT MY UNCLE FROM USING THE MONEY FOR POLITICAL GAINS PLEASE, CONNECT TO MY WESTERN UNION ACCOUNT FOR A SMALL FEE OF 214 USD SO THAT WE MAY TRANSFER OUR MONEY TO YOU YOU WILL BE COMPENSATED UP TO 5 MILLION USD FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS ALSO PLEASE LOOK FOR MY NEXT MESSAGE TO ENSURE CORRECT CORRESPONDENCE MY NEXT MESSAGE WILL BE ENCODED THE PHRASE IS A LAD NAMED E MANDALA

"Samuel Joseph Alfred":

The names of the guys who developed the morse code: Samuel F. B. Morse, the American physicist Joseph Henry, and Alfred Vail

Just curiosity:

I don't know how you guys normally do it, but this is how I translated from flags to morse code, since I'm a ruby developer (Not the best code, but it did the job :) ):

morse = "🏳🏳🏳🏳 🏳 🏳🏎🏳🏳 🏳🏎🏳🏳 🏎🏎🏎 🚀... " parsed = "" morse.each_char do |cur| if cur == "🏳" parsed = parsed + "." elsif cur == "🏎" parsed = parsed + "-" elsif cur == "🚀" parsed = parsed + "/" elsif cur == " " parsed = parsed + " " end end

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1
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    $\begingroup$ Nice. So there should be a second and possibly third cipher. apparently the last phrase about A LAD NAMED E MANDALA is a palindrome. There is also the mangling of Joe's name to consider... $\endgroup$
    – SKOG
    Commented Jul 10, 2018 at 18:37

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