Secret Santa

BeardyTom wrote:Well, it's been kind of a slow day at work, so here's my effort at a Christmas song. Cue the sleighbells.
(P.S.If someone could give me a hint about PaulyG's code, that would be nice. I'm getting nowhere.)

That's terrific, Tom. Though, personally, I find the final verse a bit far-fetched.

And I second your request for a hint

You call me creepy and expect a hint... gee... still I am full of cheer at all these great dittys. So what the snowballs... Ho Ho Ho

pardgps g lfpdar lnea wnmt dajp trgmsjgta tda lnea tdfmi nutsfea tda onx

Don't 'search' too hard for the keyword.

3 weeks to go everyone.

Santa Claus wrote:You call me creepy and expect a hint... gee... still I am full of cheer at all these great dittys. So what the snowballs... Ho Ho Ho

pardgps g lfpdar lnea wnmt dajp trgmsjgta tda lnea tdfmi nutsfea tda onx

Don't 'search' too hard for the keyword.

3 weeks to go everyone.

Struggling still, even assuming the keyword is actually 'search' (which it's not forced to be).

Have tried going through the string ('pardgps' etc) shifting each (non-space) character by an amount (0 to 25) based on the corresponding character in the keyword (which I'm assuming is 'search'). So, 'p' is shifted by 's'; 'a' is shifted by 'e' ... the 7th letter of the string 'r' is shifted by 's' (back to the start of the keyword). Found nothing so far. I even tried adding a fixed caeser shift on top of the keyword shift (which I've tried adding and subtracting). Found nothing. Also tried a few online decryption tools. Nothing again. Wondering if the keyword isn't 'search'?

Jamie wrote:Wondering if the keyword isn't 'search'?

I'm rubbish at deciphering codes, I haven't made any attempt with any of Saint "Tricky" Nick's puzzles in this thread, but my instant assumption as to his last post was that the keyword was "google". But I'm not sure Santa would risk such partisan endorsement of one particular search engine over the alternatives....

Can't see it using keyword 'google' either.

Here's the results I get with keyword 'search':

Code:

heruiwk k lwrksv legh ormk fhbt tiitkngkc ave legh lhfdk umxswgh lha fpe
gdqthvj j kvqjru kdfg nqlj egas shhsjmfjb zud kdfg kgecj tlwrvfg kgz eod
fcpsgui i jupiqt jcef mpki dfzr rggrileia ytc jcef jfdbi skvquef jfy dnc
eborfth h itohps ibde lojh ceyq qffqhkdhz xsb ibde iecah rjuptde iex cmb
danqesg g hsngor hacd knig bdxp peepgjcgy wra hacd hdbzg qitoscd hdw bla
czmpdrf f grmfnq gzbc jmhf acwo oddofibfx vqz gzbc gcayf phsnrbc gcv akz
bylocqe e fqlemp fyab ilge zbvn nccnehaew upy fyab fbzxe ogrmqab fbu zjy
axknbpd d epkdlo exza hkfd yaum mbbmdgzdv tox exza eaywd nfqlpza eat yix
zwjmaoc c dojckn dwyz gjec xztl laalcfycu snw dwyz dzxvc mepkoyz dzs xhw
yvilznb b cnibjm cvxy fidb wysk kzzkbexbt rmv cvxy cywub ldojnxy cyr wgv
xuhkyma a bmhail buwx ehca vxrj jyyjadwas qlu buwx bxvta kcnimwx bxq vfu
wtgjxlz z algzhk atvw dgbz uwqi ixxizcvzr pkt atvw awusz jbmhlvw awp uet
vsfiwky y zkfygj zsuv cfay tvph hwwhybuyq ojs zsuv zvtry ialgkuv zvo tds
urehvjx x yjexfi yrtu bezx suog gvvgxatxp nir yrtu yusqx hzkfjtu yun scr
tqdguiw w xidweh xqst adyw rtnf fuufwzswo mhq xqst xtrpw gyjeist xtm rbq
spcfthv v whcvdg wprs zcxv qsme ettevyrvn lgp wprs wsqov fxidhrs wsl qap
robesgu u vgbucf voqr ybwu prld dssduxqum kfo voqr vrpnu ewhcgqr vrk pzo
qnadrft t ufatbe unpq xavt oqkc crrctwptl jen unpq uqomt dvgbfpq uqj oyn
pmzcqes s tezsad tmop wzus npjb bqqbsvosk idm tmop tpnls cufaeop tpi nxm
olybpdr r sdyrzc slno vytr moia apparunrj hcl slno somkr btezdno soh mwl
nkxaocq q rcxqyb rkmn uxsq lnhz zoozqtmqi gbk rkmn rnljq asdycmn rng lvk
mjwznbp p qbwpxa qjlm twrp kmgy ynnypslph faj qjlm qmkip zrcxblm qmf kuj
livymao o pavowz pikl svqo jlfx xmmxorkog ezi pikl pljho yqbwakl ple jti
khuxlzn n ozunvy ohjk rupn ikew wllwnqjnf dyh ohjk okign xpavzjk okd ish
jgtwkym m nytmux ngij qtom hjdv vkkvmpime cxg ngij njhfm wozuyij njc hrg
ifsvjxl l mxsltw mfhi psnl gicu ujjulohld bwf mfhi migel vnytxhi mib gqf

xwrmeia c lonwin lwct ejmc btrl taefafgcy mlw lwct bzfvg gcpsoct bza xlq
yxsnfjb d mpoxjo mxdu fknd cusm ubfgbghdz nmx mxdu cagwh hdqtpdu cab ymr
zytogkc e nqpykp nyev gloe dvtn vcghchiea ony nyev dbhxi ieruqev dbc zns
azuphld f orqzlq ozfw hmpf ewuo wdhidijfb poz ozfw eciyj jfsvrfw ecd aot
bavqime g psramr pagx inqg fxvp xeijejkgc qpa pagx fdjzk kgtwsgx fde bpu
cbwrjnf h qtsbns qbhy jorh gywq yfjkfklhd rqb qbhy gekal lhuxthy gef cqv
dcxskog i rutcot rciz kpsi hzxr zgklglmie src rciz hflbm mivyuiz hfg drw
edytlph j svudpu sdja lqtj iays ahlmhmnjf tsd sdja igmcn njwzvja igh esx
fezumqi k twveqv tekb mruk jbzt bimninokg ute tekb jhndo okxawkb jhi fty
gfavnrj l uxwfrw uflc nsvl kcau cjnojoplh vuf uflc kioep plybxlc kij guz
hgbwosk m vyxgsx vgmd otwm ldbv dkopkpqmi wvg vgmd ljpfq qmzcymd ljk hva
ihcxptl n wzyhty whne puxn mecw elpqlqrnj xwh whne mkqgr rnadzne mkl iwb
jidyqum o xaziuz xiof qvyo nfdx fmqrmrsok yxi xiof nlrhs sobeaof nlm jxc
kjezrvn p ybajva yjpg rwzp ogey gnrsnstpl zyj yjpg omsit tpcfbpg omn kyd
lkfaswo q zcbkwb zkqh sxaq phfz hostotuqm azk zkqh pntju uqdgcqh pno lze
mlgbtxp r adclxc alri tybr qiga iptupuvrn bal alri qoukv vrehdri qop maf
nmhcuyq s bedmyd bmsj uzcs rjhb jquvqvwso cbm bmsj rpvlw wsfiesj rpq nbg
onidvzr t cfenze cntk vadt skic krvwrwxtp dcn cntk sqwmx xtgjftk sqr och
pojewas u dgfoaf doul wbeu tljd lswxsxyuq edo doul trxny yuhkgul trs pdi
qpkfxbt v ehgpbg epvm xcfv umke mtxytyzvr fep epvm usyoz zvilhvm ust qej
rqlgycu w fihqch fqwn ydgw vnlf nuyzuzaws gfq fqwn vtzpa awjmiwn vtu rfk
srmhzdv x gjirdi grxo zehx womg ovzavabxt hgr grxo wuaqb bxknjxo wuv sgl
tsniaew y hkjsej hsyp afiy xpnh pwabwbcyu ihs hsyp xvbrc cylokyp xvw thm
utojbfx z ilktfk itzq bgjz yqoi qxbcxcdzv jit itzq ywcsd dzmplzq ywx uin
vupkcgy a jmlugl juar chka zrpj rycdydeaw kju juar zxdte eanqmar zxy vjo
wvqldhz b knmvhm kvbs dilb asqk szdezefbx lkv kvbs ayeuf fbornbs ayz wkp

and with the keyword 'google':

Code:

vofjrty u zlahgf ztpe cbaz oepd hxrqyxuzl xjo ztpe zrtst rahglpe zro uyb
uneiqsx t ykzgfe ysod bazy ndoc gwqpxwtyk win ysod yqsrs qzgfkod yqn txa
tmdhprw s xjyfed xrnc azyx mcnb fvpowvsxj vhm xrnc xprqr pyfejnc xpm swz
slcgoqv r wixedc wqmb zyxw lbma euonvurwi ugl wqmb woqpq oxedimb wol rvy
rkbfnpu q vhwdcb vpla yxwv kalz dtnmutqvh tfk vpla vnpop nwdchla vnk qux
qjaemot p ugvcba uokz xwvu jzky csmltspug sej uokz umono mvcbgkz umj ptw
pizdlns o tfubaz tnjy wvut iyjx brlksrotf rdi tnjy tlnmn lubafjy tli osv
ohyckmr n setazy smix vuts hxiw aqkjrqnse qch smix skmlm ktazeix skh nru
ngxbjlq m rdszyx rlhw utsr gwhv zpjiqpmrd pbg rlhw rjlkl jszydhw rjg mqt
mfwaikp l qcryxw qkgv tsrq fvgu yoihpolqc oaf qkgv qikjk iryxcgv qif lps
levzhjo k pbqxwv pjfu srqp euft xnhgonkpb nze pjfu phjij hqxwbfu phe kor
kduygin j oapwvu oiet rqpo dtes wmgfnmjoa myd oiet ogihi gpwvaet ogd jnq
jctxfhm i nzovut nhds qpon csdr vlfemlinz lxc nhds nfhgh fovuzds nfc imp
ibswegl h mynuts mgcr ponm brcq ukedlkhmy kwb mgcr megfg enutycr meb hlo
harvdfk g lxmtsr lfbq onml aqbp tjdckjglx jva lfbq ldfef dmtsxbq lda gkn
gzqucej f kwlsrq keap nmlk zpao sicbjifkw iuz keap kcede clsrwap kcz fjm
fyptbdi e jvkrqp jdzo mlkj yozn rhbaihejv hty jdzo jbdcd bkrqvzo jby eil
exosach d iujqpo icyn lkji xnym qgazhgdiu gsx icyn iacbc ajqpuyn iax dhk
dwnrzbg c htipon hbxm kjih wmxl pfzygfcht frw hbxm hzbab zipotxm hzw cgj
cvmqyaf b gshonm gawl jihg vlwk oeyxfebgs eqv gawl gyaza yhonswl gyv bfi
bulpxze a frgnml fzvk ihgf ukvj ndxwedafr dpu fzvk fxzyz xgnmrvk fxu aeh
atkowyd z eqfmlk eyuj hgfe tjui mcwvdczeq cot eyuj ewyxy wfmlquj ewt zdg
zsjnvxc y dpelkj dxti gfed sith lbvucbydp bns dxti dvxwx velkpti dvs ycf
yrimuwb x codkji cwsh fedc rhsg kautbaxco amr cwsh cuwvw udkjosh cur xbe
xqhltva w bncjih bvrg edcb qgrf jztsazwbn zlq bvrg btvuv tcjinrg btq wad
wpgksuz v ambihg auqf dcba pfqe iysrzyvam ykp auqf asutu sbihmqf asp vzc

jmdxvlm s xzezud xhtw qzyn swdb flvimvsnp pxm xhtw nprgx jofeztw npm ict
kneywmn t yafave yiux razo txec gmwjnwtoq qyn yiux oqshy kpgfaux oqn jdu
lofzxno u zbgbwf zjvy sbap uyfd hnxkoxupr rzo zjvy prtiz lqhgbvy pro kev
mpgayop v achcxg akwz tcbq vzge ioylpyvqs sap akwz qsuja mrihcwz qsp lfw
nqhbzpq w bdidyh blxa udcr wahf jpzmqzwrt tbq blxa rtvkb nsjidxa rtq mgx
oricaqr x cejezi cmyb veds xbig kqanraxsu ucr cmyb suwlc otkjeyb sur nhy
psjdbrs y dfkfaj dnzc wfet ycjh lrbosbytv vds dnzc tvxmd pulkfzc tvs oiz
qtkecst z eglgbk eoad xgfu zdki mscptczuw wet eoad uwyne qvmlgad uwt pja
rulfdtu a fhmhcl fpbe yhgv aelj ntdqudavx xfu fpbe vxzof rwnmhbe vxu qkb
svmgeuv b ginidm gqcf zihw bfmk ouervebwy ygv gqcf wyapg sxonicf wyv rlc
twnhfvw c hjojen hrdg ajix cgnl pvfswfcxz zhw hrdg xzbqh typojdg xzw smd
uxoigwx d ikpkfo iseh bkjy dhom qwgtxgdya aix iseh yacri uzqpkeh yax tne
vypjhxy e jlqlgp jtfi clkz eipn rxhuyhezb bjy jtfi zbdsj varqlfi zby uof
wzqkiyz f kmrmhq kugj dmla fjqo syivzifac ckz kugj acetk wbsrmgj acz vpg
xarljza g lnsnir lvhk enmb gkrp tzjwajgbd dla lvhk bdful xctsnhk bda wqh
ybsmkab h motojs mwil fonc hlsq uakxbkhce emb mwil cegvm ydutoil ceb xri
zctnlbc i npupkt nxjm gpod imtr vblyclidf fnc nxjm dfhwn zevupjm dfc ysj
aduomcd j oqvqlu oykn hqpe jnus wcmzdmjeg god oykn egixo afwvqkn egd ztk
bevpnde k prwrmv pzlo irqf kovt xdnaenkfh hpe pzlo fhjyp bgxwrlo fhe aul
cfwqoef l qsxsnw qamp jsrg lpwu yeobfolgi iqf qamp gikzq chyxsmp gif bvm
dgxrpfg m rtytox rbnq ktsh mqxv zfpcgpmhj jrg rbnq hjlar dizytnq hjg cwn
ehysqgh n suzupy scor luti nryw agqdhqnik ksh scor ikmbs ejazuor ikh dxo
fiztrhi o tvavqz tdps mvuj oszx bhreirojl lti tdps jlnct fkbavps jli eyp
gjausij p uwbwra ueqt nwvk ptay cisfjspkm muj ueqt kmodu glcbwqt kmj fzq
hkbvtjk q vxcxsb vfru oxwl qubz djtgktqln nvk vfru lnpev hmdcxru lnk gar
ilcwukl r wydytc wgsv pyxm rvca ekuhlurmo owl wgsv moqfw inedysv mol hbs

We don't know that the spaces are correctly positioned either. I found this one on the internets (the number of characters per 'word' in the encrypted string, do not correlate with the number of characters per word in the decoded string)...

string = ij gj hnev xudmyx hn igim umif obaxidyw kxzq si
keyword = juliet

Without Google Fu, can anyone work that one out?

So, I'm either using the wrong keyword; or barking up the wrong tree in terms of the algorithm used to decode Santa's secret message. Bad Santa!!

Santa Claus wrote:Each word can be solved independently, but it may be easier to solve as a whole.

So just to clarify; the last 'word' of 'XYITHIJ' can be decoded in isolation, without knowing any of the rest of the encrypted code (UCEYQG CMWKEGF CGTZFBM XYITHIJ)?

Looks like Santa won this little battle. I'll be dropping off presents this evening for you all... so enjoy!

One last clue for PaulyG... come on use your noggin man.

Ang imong mga tinago nga karon naghatag gikan sa usa ka halayo nga galaxy halayo

Just wanted to post a big thank you to my Secret Santa for the most excellent gift of Aquasphere! I look forward to some deep sea adventures soon!

(Also thank you for putting me out of my misery re the cryptic clues!)

I just wanted to say a big thank you to my Santa for The Little Prince: Make Me a Planet

I'd never heard of it - but PaulyG within minutes was telling me about how amazing the two designers on it are and everything else they'd ever done and what its rating was on BoardGameGeek, so I was quite excited to give it a go. I love the nice building theme, with player interaction but nothing too mean, and interesting scoring. And the cute animals.
We played it tonight, and it works well as a two player, it's very quick and lots of fun, and I think will be played again lots. And I think I'll be looking at the other games within the series.

I have no idea who you are, but would love to know as I hate unknown things and want to say thank you properly. So I think we need this thread to continue with everyone sharing what they got, and who got it for them so I can narrow it down!! But I think you know a lot about board games, and that you have board game playing age kids.

Yes, thanks very much to my secret santa for Cube Quest! I've been wanting it for ages, looking forward to trying it.

Since you don't like unknowns, Kat, I'll own up to getting you the Little Prince. Glad you like it.

As for my gift, I have high hopes that Codenames will get plenty of play with my family this Christmas. Thank you Secret Santa.

BeardyTom wrote:Since you don't like unknowns, Kat, I'll own up to getting you the Little Prince. Glad you like it.

As for my gift, I have high hopes that Codenames will get plenty of play with my family this Christmas. Thank you Secret Santa.

You are awesome BeardyTom! Thank you so much - will definitely be getting a lot of play out if it
Have a wonderful Christmas x