Clarissa Draper

Writer's Guide to Gimp #4 - Adding Glow to Images

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Mon, 20 May 2013 11:22:00 +0000

This is the fourth monthly post in a year-long project of mine to learn Gimp--a GNU Image Manipulation Program.

Adding Glow To Images

Step 1: Create a new Gimp image with a black background.
Go to File -> New or Ctrl+N (Make sure blackground color is set to black.) And set the options like I have in the photo below.

Step 2: Draw something
Create a NEW LAYER and name it something like 'Line1' or whatever. Then take the PATHS TOOL (if you can't find the PATHS TOOL, hover your mouse over the tool icons and it should show you their names) and using two clicks, create a line.

Step 3: Create some brushes
In the brushes tab, select NEW BRUSH and create two with the same features in the photos below.

Step 4: Make the lines
In the brush tab, take the thinner line you created and select it. Then go to EDIT->STROKE PATH. When the dialog box pops up, click the STROKE WITH A PAINT TOOL and press STROKE. Your line should turn white.

Step 5: Create a red line
Create a new layer and call it 'Red Glow'. Change the foreground color to a red color of your choice. Now, select the thicker line you created and repeat step 4. Your line should have turned red.

Step 6: Create a glow
Now go to Filters -> Blur -> Gaussian Blur and change the values to 10px for both Horizontal and vertical fields. And push OK. You should have a blurry red line.

Step 7: Make more lines or whatever you want
Create a few more lines using steps 2-6 above.

Step 8: Don't forget to back up your files.
Somehow, I've managed to delete the gimp file I was working on so I have to stop here. However, check back next time for tips on creating icons and buttons for your web page or blog.

Previous Lessons:
#1 - Installing Gimp
#2 - Fundamental Techniques
#3 - Image Reflection on Glass

Coming Up:
#5 - Creating Icons/Buttons for Web/Blogs
#6 - Design in Text
#7 - Underwater
#8 - Font Effects Part 1
#9 - Font Effects Part 2
#10 - Font Effects Part 3
#11 - Blending Two Images
#12 - The Poirot Effect

Sources:
The Artist's Guide to Gimp
http://www.gimpology.com
http://gimpedtutorials.com/
http://gimp-tutorials.net/gimp-glow-effect
http://gimpmagazine.org/

Adverbs and Clichés in a Nutshell

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Mon, 13 May 2013 11:16:00 +0000

Note: Check out my Twitter Interview with Jessica Bell. You can find it at: @ClarissaDraper @MsBessieBell and #amwriting.

Today, I'm featuring this special book for writers. It's by one of my favourite writers--Jessica Bell.

Blurb:

Have you been told you use too many adverbs and clichés in your writing? Want to remedy it? Then this is the book for you!

In Adverbs & Clichés in a Nutshell: Demonstrated Subversions of Adverbs & Clichés into Gourmet Imagery, you will find thirty-four examples of prose which clearly demonstrate how to turn those pesky adverbs and clichés into vivid and unique imagery. Extra writing prompts are also provided at the end of the book.

Not only is this pocket guide an excellent learning tool for aspiring writers, but it is a user-friendly and simple solution to honing your craft no matter how broad your writing experience. With the convenient hyper-linked Contents Page and Indexes you can toggle backward and forward from different examples with ease. Use your e-reader's highlighting and note-taking tools to keep notes as you read, and/or record your story ideas, anywhere, anytime.

My Review: Although this workbook is small, it's powerful. I haven't tried a lot of the examples in this workbook but I spent some time understanding how this book can work for writers. I think for a writer to benefit fully, they have to work through the examples. When you have practice eliminating the cliches and adverbs, you can recognise the issues in your own work. The book is not expensive so pick it up today either for your library or e-reading device.

Click one of the following links to purchase:

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon Ca | Kobo

Bio:

The Australian-native contemporary fiction author and poet, Jessica Bell, also makes a living as an editor and writer for global ELT publishers (English Language Teaching), such as Pearson Education, HarperCollins, Macmillan Education, Education First and Cengage Learning.

She is the co-publishing editor of Vine Leaves Literary Journal, and the director of the Homeric Writers’ Retreat & Workshop on the Greek island of Ithaca.

For more information about Jessica please visit:

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook

A-Z Challenge: Z Answers & Winners

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Wed, 01 May 2013 11:10:00 +0000

Yesterday's Answer:
Grab a white ostrich.

The Winners:
I can't believe how wonderful everyone was! I hope everyone had fun cracking codes all months. With all the extra work in posting everyday, I'm amazed that some found time to come back everyday and solve the puzzles.

So as a reward, the top five people with the most correct answers win a $10 amazon gift cards each:

They are:

Laura Marcella
Srivalli
Barbara White Daille
Carol Kilgore
Lynda R. Young

I will be sending each of you an email today or tomorrow. Congrats and thanks for being loyal followers.

A-Z Challenge: Z is for...

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 11:24:00 +0000

Zoo Code!

What am I doing for my challenge?

For the challenge this year, I have decided to challenge you. Because I love mathematics codes, and riddles, my 26 posts will test your brain.

What's in it for you?

Because I'm making you work, you deserve to get paid. The top five employees-of-the-month will receive an amazon.com gift certificate.

Yesterday's Answer & Winners:
(1)As far as I know...
(2)Starbucks
(3)One for all and all four one
(4)A Bird In The Hand Is Worth Two In The Bush
(5)Good Seeing You, Just Don't Wear Your Monkey Hat

Laura Marcella
Alex J. Cavanaugh
srivalli
Barbara White Daille
Carol Kilgore
Maurice Mitchell
Lynda R. Young
Connie B. Dowell
Dwei

Puzzle #26:

There is to be a robbery at the local zoo. However the thieves do not know what they will be stealing until they receive this message. Rearrange the WORDS and decode the message.

A WIDE CRAB REACH US

What are they to be stealing?

Based on puzzles from the books:

(1) The Puzzle Addict's Book of Codes: 250 Totally Addictive Cryptograms for You to Crack (Puzzle Addicts)

(2) The Canterbury Puzzles And Other Curious Problems by Henry Ernest Dudeney

A-Z Challenge: Y is for...

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 11:19:00 +0000

Young Man's Code!

What am I doing for my challenge?

For the challenge this year, I have decided to challenge you. Because I love mathematics codes, and riddles, my 26 posts will test your brain.

What's in it for you?

Because I'm making you work, you deserve to get paid. The top five employees-of-the-month will receive an amazon.com gift certificate.

Yesterday's Answer & Winners:
Answer: Stonehenge, England

Laura Marcella
Alex J. Cavanaugh
srivalli
Carol Kilgore
L. Diane Wolfe
Sharon Bradshaw
Barbara White Daille
Sia McKye
JT Webster
Lynda R. Young

Puzzle #25:

Text messaging and IMing are very popular today and they are filled with abbreviations. Sometimes the abbreviations are so complex, it's like reading code. So today I have some codes for you to crack. You can use google.

Can you crack these abbreviations?

(1)AFAIK

(2)*$

(3)14AA41

(4)ABITHIWTITB

(5)GSYJDWURMNKH

Based on puzzles from the books:

(1) The Puzzle Addict's Book of Codes: 250 Totally Addictive Cryptograms for You to Crack (Puzzle Addicts)

(2) The Canterbury Puzzles And Other Curious Problems by Henry Ernest Dudeney

(3) http://lastbackpack.com/tag/monday-success/

A-Z Challenge: X is for...

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 11:11:00 +0000

X Marks the Spot!(Geocaching)

What am I doing for my challenge?

For the challenge this year, I have decided to challenge you. Because I love mathematics codes, and riddles, my 26 posts will test your brain.

What's in it for you?

Because I'm making you work, you deserve to get paid. The top five employees-of-the-month will receive an amazon.com gift certificate.

Yesterday's Answers & Winners:
Picture 1:

The Magic Mountain Hotel in the Huilo Huilo Reserve

Picture 2: Altamount Rd, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Alex J. Cavanaugh
Laura Marcella
Carol Kilgore
srivalli
Barbara White Daille
JT Webster
Lynda R. Young

Puzzle #24:

What is geocaching?

Geocaching is a real-world, outdoor treasure hunting game using GPS-enabled devices. Participants navigate to a specific set of GPS coordinates and then attempt to find the geocache (container) hidden at that location.

Where is my geocache located and what would you leave?

Based on puzzles from the books:

(1) The Puzzle Addict's Book of Codes: 250 Totally Addictive Cryptograms for You to Crack (Puzzle Addicts)

(2) The Canterbury Puzzles And Other Curious Problems by Henry Ernest Dudeney

(3) http://www.geocaching.com

A-Z Challenge: W is for...

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 11:24:00 +0000

Where am I?

What am I doing for my challenge?

For the challenge this year, I have decided to challenge you. Because I love mathematics codes, and riddles, my 26 posts will test your brain.

What's in it for you?

Because I'm making you work, you deserve to get paid. The top five employees-of-the-month will receive an amazon.com gift certificate.

Yesterday's Answers & Winners:
Answer: I AM GETTING THIS CODING STUFF

Laura Marcella
srivalli
Connie B. Dowell
Carol Kilgore
JT Webster
Lynda R. Young

Puzzle #23:
No numbers in this one. Feel free to use Google to guess where these shots are taken from:

Based on puzzles from the books:

(1) The Puzzle Addict's Book of Codes: 250 Totally Addictive Cryptograms for You to Crack (Puzzle Addicts)

(2) The Canterbury Puzzles And Other Curious Problems by Henry Ernest Dudeney

A-Z Challenge: V is for...

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 11:16:00 +0000

Vigenère cipher!

What am I doing for my challenge?

For the challenge this year, I have decided to challenge you. Because I love mathematics codes, and riddles, my 26 posts will test your brain.

What's in it for you?

Because I'm making you work, you deserve to get paid. The top five employees-of-the-month will receive an amazon.com gift certificate.

Yesterday's Answers & Winners:

Everybody was found to have kissed everybody else once under the mistletoe, with the following additions and exceptions: No male kissed a male; no man kissed a married woman except his own wife; all the bachelors and boys kissed all the maidens and girls twice; the widower did not kiss anybody, and the widows did not kiss each other. Every kiss was returned, and the double performance was to count as one kiss. In making a list of the[Pg 209] company, we can leave out the widower altogether, because he took no part in the osculatory exercise.

7	Married couples	14
3	Widows	3
12	Bachelors and Boys	12
10	Maidens and Girls	10
	Total	39	Persons

Now, if every one of these 39 persons kissed everybody else once, the number of kisses would be 741; and if the 12 bachelors and boys each kissed the 10 maidens and girls once again, we must add 120, making a total of 861 kisses. But as no married man kissed a married woman other than his own wife, we must deduct 42 kisses; as no male kissed another male, we must deduct 171 kisses; and as no widow kissed another widow, we must deduct 3 kisses. We have, therefore, to deduct 42+171+3=216 kisses from the above total of 861, and the result, 645, represents exactly the number of kisses that were actually given under the mistletoe bough.

srivalli
Laura Marcella
Shilpa Garg
Carol Kilgore
MJ Joachin (for most creative answer)

Puzzle #22:

Click to enlarge

How the code works:

(a) You need the message: In this case it's ATTACK AT DAWN.
(b) You need a key word: It is a random word chosen by the sender. In this case we will use the word WRITER. Use the word as many times as it takes to cover the message.

Plaintext: ATTACKATDAWN
Key: WRITERWRITER

(c) Now, to figure out the cipher text you use the rows. In our example "W" as in writer is the row beginning with "W". You move across that row until you find the column with the plain text letter. In our case, it's "A" (the first column). So, the first letter in the cipher text is "A".

(d) You keep going along the code until you reach the end. The next letter you go to row "R" and column "T" to find the letter "K".

Plaintext: ATTACKATDAWN
Key: WRITERWRITER
Ciphertext: WKBTGBWKLTAE

(e) To decrypt, find the letter in the box of the row of the key letter and the column it's in is the letter.

Now, using the table above, decrypt this message using the key word WRITER.

ERUZIKPZVZXYEJKHHZJXAMYWB

WRITERWRITERWRITERWRITERW

Based on puzzles from the books:

(1) The Puzzle Addict's Book of Codes: 250 Totally Addictive Cryptograms for You to Crack (Puzzle Addicts)

(2) The Canterbury Puzzles And Other Curious Problems by Henry Ernest Dudeney

A-Z Challenge: U is for...

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 11:16:00 +0000

Under the Mistletoe!
What am I doing for my challenge?

For the challenge this year, I have decided to challenge you. Because I love mathematics codes, and riddles, my 26 posts will test your brain.

What's in it for you?

Because I'm making you work, you deserve to get paid. The top five employees-of-the-month will receive an amazon.com gift certificate.

Yesterday's Answers & Winners:
Answer: Writing is its own reward. -- Henry Miller

srivalli
Laura Marcella
Alex J. Cavanaugh (You're awesome for coming back!)
JT Webster
Lynda R. Young

Puzzle #21:

"At the party was a widower who has but lately come into these parts," says the record; "and, to be sure, he was an exceedingly melancholy man, for he did sit away from the company during the most part of the evening. We afterwards heard that he had been keeping a secret account of all the kisses that were given and received under the mistletoe bough. Truly, I would not have suffered any one to kiss me in that manner had I known that so unfair a watch was being kept. Other maids beside were in a like way shocked, as Betty Marchant has since told me." But it seems that the melancholy widower was merely collecting material for the following little osculatory problem.

The company consisted of the Squire and his wife and six other married couples, one widower and three widows, twelve bachelors and boys, and ten maidens and little girls. Now, everybody was found to have kissed everybody else, with the following exceptions and additions: No male, of course, kissed a male. No married man kissed a married woman, except his own wife. All the bachelors and boys kissed all the maidens and girls twice. The widower did not kiss anybody, and the widows did not kiss each other. The puzzle was to ascertain just how many kisses had been thus given under the mistletoe bough, assuming, as it is charitable to do, that every kiss was returned—the double act being counted as one kiss.

How many kisses were given that night?

Based on puzzles from the books:

(1) The Puzzle Addict's Book of Codes: 250 Totally Addictive Cryptograms for You to Crack (Puzzle Addicts)

(2) The Canterbury Puzzles And Other Curious Problems by Henry Ernest Dudeney

A-Z Challenge: T is for...

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 11:08:00 +0000

Trifid Cipher!
What am I doing for my challenge?

For the challenge this year, I have decided to challenge you. Because I love mathematics codes, and riddles, my 26 posts will test your brain.

What's in it for you?

Because I'm making you work, you deserve to get paid. The top five employees-of-the-month will receive an amazon.com gift certificate.

Yesterday's Answers & Winners:
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player, that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more; it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.
--William Shakespeare

Laura Marcella
srivalli
Barbara White Daille
Lynda R. Young

Puzzle #20:

So, to find the letter F you would pick from Layer 1, Column 1, Row 1 == 111

C would be from Layer 1, Column 3, Row 2 == 132

See the letters in the tables below (including a period.)

You then take the numbers and write them vertically under the letter in the code.

Then, starting in the top row, write out the numbers from left to right.

Then make those numbers into new coded letters like below.

For decryption, just reverse the steps.

Now, decrypt the following code:

M T L U B C N M Q S I U R N K A T I C M D

Based on puzzles from the books:

(1) The Puzzle Addict's Book of Codes: 250 Totally Addictive Cryptograms for You to Crack (Puzzle Addicts)

(2) The Canterbury Puzzles And Other Curious Problems by Henry Ernest Dudeney

A-Z Challenge: S is for...

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 12:25:00 +0000

Substitution Cipher!

What am I doing for my challenge?

For the challenge this year, I have decided to challenge you. Because I love mathematics codes, and riddles, my 26 posts will test your brain.

What's in it for you?

Because I'm making you work, you deserve to get paid. The top five employees-of-the-month will receive an amazon.com gift certificate.

Yesterday's Answers & Winners:
Answer: When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, 'I used everything you gave me'. Erma Bombeck

Barbara White Daille
Laura Marcella
srivalli
Carol Kilgore
Lynda R. Young
JT. Webster

Puzzle #19:
Solve this simple substitution cipher:

Based on puzzles from the books:

(1) The Puzzle Addict's Book of Codes: 250 Totally Addictive Cryptograms for You to Crack (Puzzle Addicts)

(2) The Canterbury Puzzles And Other Curious Problems by Henry Ernest Dudeney

A-Z Challenge: R is for...

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 11:02:00 +0000

Robbery!

What am I doing for my challenge?

For the challenge this year, I have decided to challenge you. Because I love mathematics codes, and riddles, my 26 posts will test your brain.

What's in it for you?

Because I'm making you work, you deserve to get paid. The top five employees-of-the-month will receive an amazon.com gift certificate.

Puzzle #18:
Decipher the grid below to find a message. All squares will be used. This one is hard. But hey, you have the weekend.

Based on puzzles from the books:

(1) The Puzzle Addict's Book of Codes: 250 Totally Addictive Cryptograms for You to Crack (Puzzle Addicts)

(2) The Canterbury Puzzles And Other Curious Problems by Henry Ernest Dudeney

A-Z Challenge: Q is for...

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 11:07:00 +0000

Queen of Scots!

What am I doing for my challenge?

For the challenge this year, I have decided to challenge you. Because I love mathematics codes, and riddles, my 26 posts will test your brain.

What's in it for you?

Because I'm making you work, you deserve to get paid. The top five employees-of-the-month will receive an amazon.com gift certificate.

Yesterday's Answers & Winners:
Name a writer who was also a spy.

Alex J. Cavanaugh
Laura Marcella
srivalli
Ella
Jeremy
Carol Kilgore
Connie B. Dowell
Lynda R. Young
Barbara White Daille
JT Webster

Puzzle #17:
We will take a day off of cryptography while I discuss an interesting story that took place in 1586.

It has to do with the Queen of Scots, Mary, and the Babington Plot to assassinate Queen Elizabeth. Mary, a Catholic, did not like the country ruled by a Protestant Queen. So, along with many fellow Catholics, they plotted to have Elizabeth killed.

This is considered treason. So, to keep themselves safe, Mary and others devised a code. However, the code they chose was a simple substitution cipher (one letter or number substituted for another) and the correspondence was easily deciphered.

So, in 1586, Walsingham, a close confidant of Queen Elizabeth captured the plotters and they were hung, drawn and quartered.

Queen Mary was beheaded.

Below is a sample of the cipher code of Mary, Queen of Scots.

Based on puzzles from the books:

(1) The Puzzle Addict's Book of Codes: 250 Totally Addictive Cryptograms for You to Crack (Puzzle Addicts)

(2) The Canterbury Puzzles And Other Curious Problems by Henry Ernest Dudeney

A-Z Challenge: P is for...

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 11:10:00 +0000

Polybius Cipher!

What am I doing for my challenge?

For the challenge this year, I have decided to challenge you. Because I love mathematics codes, and riddles, my 26 posts will test your brain.

What's in it for you?

Because I'm making you work, you deserve to get paid. The top five employees-of-the-month will receive an amazon.com gift certificate.

Yesterday's Answers & Winners:
To be or not to be, that is the question.

srivalli
Laura Marcella
Lynda R. Young (you were trying to be funny, right?)

Puzzle #16:

Based on the square below, can you crack the quote?

34, 11, 33, 15, 11, 53, 43, 24,

45, 15, 43, 45, 23, 11, 45, 53,

11, 44, 11, 32, 44, 35, 11, 44,

41, 55

Based on puzzles from the books:

(1) The Puzzle Addict's Book of Codes: 250 Totally Addictive Cryptograms for You to Crack (Puzzle Addicts)

(2) The Canterbury Puzzles And Other Curious Problems by Henry Ernest Dudeney

A-Z Challenge: O is for...

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 11:12:00 +0000

One Time Pad!

What am I doing for my challenge?

For the challenge this year, I have decided to challenge you. Because I love mathematics codes, and riddles, my 26 posts will test your brain.

What's in it for you?

Because I'm making you work, you deserve to get paid. The top five employees-of-the-month will receive an amazon.com gift certificate.

Yesterday's Answers & Winners:

743864

+70492

814356

Shilpa Garg
Laura Marcella
srivalli

Puzzle #15:
In cryptography, the one-time pad (OTP) is a type of encryption which has been proven to be impossible to crack if used correctly.

Suppose Alice wishes to send the message "HELLO" to Bob. Assume two pads of paper containing identical random sequences of letters were somehow previously produced and securely issued to both. Alice chooses the appropriate unused page from the pad.

Each letter from the pad will be combined in a predetermined way with one letter of the message.

It is common, but not required, to assign each letter a numerical value: e.g. "A" is 0, "B" is 1, and so on.

In this example, the technique is to combine the key and the message using modular addition. The numerical values of corresponding message and key letters are added together, modulo 26. If key material begins with "XMCKL" and the message is "HELLO", then the coding would be done as follows:

      H       E       L       L       O  message
   7 (H)   4 (E)  11 (L)  11 (L)  14 (O) message
+ 23 (X)  12 (M)   2 (C)  10 (K)  11 (L) key
= 30      16      13      21      25     message + key
=  4 (E)  16 (Q)  13 (N)  21 (V)  25 (Z) message + key (mod 26)
      E       Q       N       V       Z  → ciphertext

If a number is larger than 26, then the remainder after subtraction of 26 is taken in modular arithmetic fashion. This simply means that if the computations "go past" Z, the sequence starts again at A.

The ciphertext to be sent to Bob is thus "EQNVZ". Bob uses the matching key page and the same process, but in reverse, to obtain the plaintext. Here the key is subtracted from the ciphertext, again using modular arithmetic:

       E       Q       N       V       Z  ciphertext
    4 (E)  16 (Q)  13 (N)  21 (V)  25 (Z) ciphertext
-  23 (X)  12 (M)   2 (C)  10 (K)  11 (L) key
= -19       4      11      11      14     ciphertext — key
=   7 (H)   4 (E)  11 (L)  11 (L)  14 (O) ciphertext — key (mod 26)
       H       E       L       L       O  → message

Similar to the above, if a number is negative then 26 is added to make the number positive.

Thus Bob recovers Alice's plaintext, the message "HELLO". Both Alice and Bob destroy the key sheet immediately after use, thus preventing reuse and an attack against the cipher.

Decrypt this message:

leqwy zrtfq azahy wdbev qyeyu heibs (ciphertext)

-sqpsk iefmx mywor wktmc juoeq planf (the key)

Based on puzzles from the books:

(1) The Puzzle Addict's Book of Codes: 250 Totally Addictive Cryptograms for You to Crack (Puzzle Addicts)

(2) The Canterbury Puzzles And Other Curious Problems by Henry Ernest Dudeney

A-Z Challenge: N is for...

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 11:28:00 +0000

Numbers!

What am I doing for my challenge?

For the challenge this year, I have decided to challenge you. Because I love mathematics codes, and riddles, my 26 posts will test your brain.

What's in it for you?

Because I'm making you work, you deserve to get paid. The top five employees-of-the-month will receive an amazon.com gift certificate.

Yesterday's Answers & Winners:
665 Finchley Road Under The Crown. It will be under or behind the locked storage device with the crown advert.

Alex J. Cavanaugh
Laura Marcella
Old Kitty
srivalli
Carol Kilgore
Shawn Yankey
Lynda R. Young
JT Webster
Barbara White Daille
Chuck
Jagoda

Puzzle #14:
Verbal arithmetic, also known as alphametics, cryptarithmetic, crypt-arithmetic, cryptarithm or word addition, is a type of mathematical game consisting of a mathematical equation among unknown numbers, whose digits are represented by letters.

The goal is to identify the value of each letter.

The name can be extended to puzzles that use non-alphabetic symbols instead of letters. The equation is typically a basic operation of arithmetic, such as addition, multiplication, or division.

Here's an example:

SEND
+MORE
MONEY

The solution to this puzzle is O = 0, M = 1, Y = 2, E = 5, N = 6, D = 7, R = 8, and S = 9.

Traditionally, each letter should represent a different digit, and (as in ordinary arithmetic notation) the leading digit of a multi-digit number must not be zero. A good puzzle should have a unique solution, and the letters should make up a cute phrase (as in the example above).

How to solve:

Solving a cryptarithm by hand usually involves a mix of deductions and exhaustive tests of possibilities.

For instance, the following sequence of deductions solves Dudeney's SEND + MORE = MONEY puzzle above (columns are numbered from right to left):

SEND
+MORE
MONEY

From column 5, M = 1 since it is the only carry-over possible from the sum of two single digit numbers in column 4.
Since there is a carry in column 5, O must be less than or equal to M (from column 4). But O cannot be equal to M, so O is less than M. Therefore O = 0.
Since O is 1 less than M, S is either 8 or 9 depending on whether there is a carry in column 4. But if there were a carry in column 4, N would be less than or equal to O (from column 3). This is impossible since O = 0. Therefore there is no carry in column 4 and S = 9.
If there were no carry in column 3 then E = N, which is impossible. Therefore there is a carry and N = E + 1.
If there were no carry in column 2, then ( N + R ) mod 10 = E, and N = E + 1, so ( E + 1 + R ) mod 10 = E which means ( 1 + R ) mod 10 = 0, so R = 9. But S = 9, so there must be a carry in column 2 so R = 8.
To produce a carry in column 2, we must have D + E = 10 + Y.
Y is at least 2 so D + E is at least 12.
The only two pairs of available numbers that sum to at least 12 are (5,7) and (6,7) so either E = 7 or D = 7.
Since N = E + 1, E can't be 7 because then N = 8 = R so D = 7.
E can't be 6 because then N = 7 = D so E = 5 and N = 6.
D + E = 12 so Y = 2.

Now, try this one for yourself:

WRITER

+WORDS

THRIVE

Based on puzzles from the books:

(1) The Puzzle Addict's Book of Codes: 250 Totally Addictive Cryptograms for You to Crack (Puzzle Addicts)

(2) The Canterbury Puzzles And Other Curious Problems by Henry Ernest Dudeney

A-Z Challenge: M is for...

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 12:01:00 +0000

Morse Code!
What am I doing for my challenge?

For the challenge this year, I have decided to challenge you. Because I love mathematics codes, and riddles, my 26 posts will test your brain.

What's in it for you?

Because I'm making you work, you deserve to get paid. The top five employees-of-the-month will receive an amazon.com gift certificate.

Yesterday's Answers & Winners:
Answer: SKY

Alex J. Cavanaugh
Laura Marcella
Barbara White Daille
Teresa Coltrin
Micheal D. Gesu
L. Diane Wolfe
Carol Kilgore
Chuck
JT Webster
Lynda R. Young

Puzzle #13:
The story: Claire has made a stopover in London, England and checked into the Palm Hotel on Hendon Way. After stepping out of the bathroom, she finds a piece of paper has been stuffed under her door. She knows it contains the location of a drop where she will find an envelope with her next destination and assignment.

What you need to do: Using the Morse code legend below and Google maps, solve the code and answer this question?

(Click to enlarge)

Where exactly did they leave the envelope? (Use Google Maps to help)

Based on puzzles from the books:

(1) The Puzzle Addict's Book of Codes: 250 Totally Addictive Cryptograms for You to Crack (Puzzle Addicts)

(2) The Canterbury Puzzles And Other Curious Problems by Henry Ernest Dudeney

A-Z Challenge: L is for...

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 11:04:00 +0000

Locked!
What am I doing for my challenge?

For the challenge this year, I have decided to challenge you. Because I love mathematics codes, and riddles, my 26 posts will test your brain.

What's in it for you?

Because I'm making you work, you deserve to get paid. The top five employees-of-the-month will receive an amazon.com gift certificate.

Yesterday's Answers & Winners:
Answer: Write What You Know

Laura Marcella
srivalli

Puzzle #12:
When I did at last reach the door it was fast closed, and on sliding a panel set before a grating the light that came in thereby showed unto me that my passage was barred by the king's secret lock. Before the handle of the door might be turned, it was needful to place the hands of three several dials in their proper places. If you but knew the proper letter for each dial, the secret was of a truth to your hand; but as ten letters were upon the face of every dial, you might try nine hundred and ninety-nine times and only succeed on the thousandth attempt.

If I was indeed to escape I must waste not a moment. Now, once had I heard the learned monk who did invent the lock say that he feared that the king's servants, having such bad memories, would mayhap forget the right letters; so perchance, thought I, he had on this account devised some way to aid their memories. And what more natural than to make the letters form some word? I soon found a word that was English, made of three letters—one letter being on each of the three dials. After that I had pointed the hands properly to the letters the door opened and I passed out.

(Note: Although this code is based on the Canterbury Puzzles, the secret word is mine.)

What was the secret word (it is a real word)?

Based on puzzles from the books:

(1) The Puzzle Addict's Book of Codes: 250 Totally Addictive Cryptograms for You to Crack (Puzzle Addicts)

(2) The Canterbury Puzzles And Other Curious Problems by Henry Ernest Dudeney

A-Z Challenge: K is for...

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 11:10:00 +0000

Key Cryptograms!

What am I doing for my challenge?

For the challenge this year, I have decided to challenge you. Because I love mathematics codes, and riddles, my 26 posts will test your brain.

What's in it for you?

Because I'm making you work, you deserve to get paid. The top five employees-of-the-month will receive an amazon.com gift certificate.

Yesterday's Answer:
Wow, I didn't think people would find it so difficult. I'm so sorry.
Answer: The message reads "FOES SEEN OFTEN TO ONE NEST TEN STONETON". Take the letter from each of the numbers. Example, 7 (S-E-V-E-N) is S.

Puzzle #11:

Keyed Cryptograms are the next level of cryptogram, not only do you have to decode a message but you have to find another message within that message.

Here is an example:

(1) First, you need to solve the cryptogram.

GRURYJHF RIYNUURPNILN RX J LDIYHJMRLYRDI RI YNHGX - PHDZLQD GJHE

MILITARY INTELLIGENCE IS A CONTRADICTION IN TERMS - GROUCHO MARX

(2) Now, you need to find the keyed word or phrase which, in this case is one word, eight letters. (Keyed word:8)

PLAIN: ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

CODE : J-LMN-PQR--UGID--HXYZ--EF-

(3) Then flip the code into alphabetical order.

CODE : ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

PLAIN: ---OXYMRNA-CDE-GHI--L--ST-

(4) That gives you : OXYMRNACDEGHILST

(5) What 8 letter word comes from that? If you look at the first six it is OXYMRN --> OXYMORON (Because 'O' has been used before, you won't see it again, but it can be used later in the code.

Now, try this one:

--The keyed phrase is four words (5, 4, 3, 4)--

GJFZ FZ JMC LMN SM FG: LMN ZFG SMCQ KG GJH PHLRMKDS KQS LMN WNG MQH CMDS KTGHD KQMGJHD NQGFV FGZ SMQH. FG'Z GJKG HKZL KQS GJKG JKDS.

PLAIN: ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
CODE :

CODE : ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
PLAIN:

KEYED PHRASE: ___________ ___________ _________ _________

Based on puzzles from the books:

(1) The Puzzle Addict's Book of Codes: 250 Totally Addictive Cryptograms for You to Crack (Puzzle Addicts)

(2) The Canterbury Puzzles And Other Curious Problems by Henry Ernest Dudeney

A-Z Challenge: J is for...

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 12:10:00 +0000

James Bond!

What am I doing for my challenge?

For the challenge this year, I have decided to challenge you. Because I love mathematics codes, and riddles, my 26 posts will test your brain.

What's in it for you?

Because I'm making you work, you deserve to get paid. The top five employees-of-the-month will receive an amazon.com gift certificate.

Yesterday's Answer & Winners:
Answer: He divided the rope in half, not by cutting it but by untwisting the strands making it double the length but half the thickness.

Laura Marcella
Pam Griffin
Natasha
Barbara White Daille
Shilpa Garg
Jaimie
Nutschell
M
JL Campbell
LD Masterson
srivalli
JT Webster
L. Diane Wolfe
Carol Kilgore
DL Hammons
Chuck
Patricia Stotley
Lynda R. Young
Latentinquest

Puzzle #10:

This one is a bit harder. You're really going to have to use your cryptology skills today. James Bond receives the following message:

4187 6889 15389 21 198 9872 389 62198319

Hint: Each number is a letter. The spaces indicate the end of the word.

Hint #2: There are less than nine letters used in the puzzle. Six to be exact.

To which road was he instructed to go?

Also, Chuck at Apocalypse Now had an awesome post on Imagination. And he mentioned me. Thanks, Chuck! If you haven't checked out his blog before, you should do so immediately.

Based on puzzles from the books:

(1) The Puzzle Addict's Book of Codes: 250 Totally Addictive Cryptograms for You to Crack (Puzzle Addicts)

(2) The Canterbury Puzzles And Other Curious Problems by Henry Ernest Dudeney

A-Z Challenge: I is for...

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 12:43:00 +0000

Ingenious Escape!

What am I doing for my challenge?

For the challenge this year, I have decided to challenge you. Because I love mathematics codes, and riddles, my 26 posts will test your brain.

What's in it for you?

Because I'm making you work, you deserve to get paid. The top five employees-of-the-month will receive an amazon.com gift certificate.

Yesterday's Answers & Winners:
Answer: Eclipse is the name of the first electric toaster. However, if you knew the question, you won.

Alex J. Cavanaugh
Tesla-lala
Laura Marcella
Barbara White Daille
Carol Kilgore
srivalli
JT Webster

Puzzle #9:

I have been kidnapped, blindfolded and bound to a chair with a long rope.

However, I manage to break free from my ropes. When I remove the blindfold I find myself in a room with just a door, a window and a chair. The door is locked. The window, although it is open, is on the third floor of a building with no ledges.

I think about calling for help but worry the kidnappers will hear me.

I take the rope and dangle it from the window but I can clearly see it's not long enough to reach the ground.

Then I remembered a riddle I read where a wise man from Ireland did lengthen the blanket that was too short for him by cutting a yard off the bottom of the same and joining it on to the top.

So I used the chair to divided the rope in half and tied the two parts together. It was then long enough to reach the ground, and I went down safely.

How could this have been?

Based on puzzles from the books:

(1) The Puzzle Addict's Book of Codes: 250 Totally Addictive Cryptograms for You to Crack (Puzzle Addicts)

(2) The Canterbury Puzzles And Other Curious Problems by Henry Ernest Dudeney

A-Z Challenge: H is for...

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 10:39:00 +0000

Homophonic Cipher!

What am I doing for my challenge?

For the challenge this year, I have decided to challenge you. Because I love mathematics codes, and riddles, my 26 posts will test your brain.

What's in it for you?

Because I'm making you work, you deserve to get paid. The top five employees-of-the-month will receive an amazon.com gift certificate.

Yesterday's Answers & Winners:

W -- as-layer-ash ==> was-lawyer-wash
R -- pop-moose-heat ==> prop-morose-heart
I -- ran-star-bass ==> rain-stair-basis
T -- coo-rap-sir ==> coot-trap-stir
E -- quality-clan-be ==> equality-clean-bee
R -- tee-thong-wee ==> tree-throng-were

Old Kitty
Laura Marcella
Barbara White Daille
srivalli
Donna Nolan
Heidi Mannan
Carol Kilgore
JT Webster
Lynda R Young
Chuck

Puzzle #8:
The Homophonic Substitution Cipher involves replacing each letter with a variety of substitutes, the number of potential substitutes being proportional to the frequency of the letter.

For example, the letter 'a' accounts for roughly 8% of all letters in English, so we assign 8 symbols to represent it. Each time an 'a' appears in the plaintext it is replaced by one of the 8 symbols chosen at random, and so by the end of the encipherment each symbol constitutes roughly 1% of the ciphertext. The letter 'b' accounts for 2% of all letters and so we assign 2 symbols to represent it. Each time 'b' appears in the plaintext either of the two symbols can be chosen, so each symbol will also constitute roughly 1% of the ciphertext. This process continues throughout the alphabet, until we get to 'z', which is so rare that is has only one substitute.

In the example below, the substitutes happen to be 2-digit numbers, there are between 1 and 12 substitutes for each letter, depending on the letter's relative abundance.

Using the table above, decode the message below.
Secret message:

5230069866447148676415923200858039417657279089 504759788054026971912426981363?

Based on puzzles from the books and these websites:

(1) The Puzzle Addict's Book of Codes: 250 Totally Addictive Cryptograms for You to Crack (Puzzle Addicts)

(2) The Canterbury Puzzles And Other Curious Problems by Henry Ernest Dudeney

(3)http://www.simonsingh.net/The_Black_Chamber/homophonic_cipher.html

(4)http://www.cryptool-online.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=68&Itemid=78&lang=en

A-Z Challenge: G is for...

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 10:03:00 +0000

Guess the Profession!

What am I doing for my challenge?

For the challenge this year, I have decided to challenge you. Because I love mathematics codes, and riddles, my 26 posts will test your brain.

What's in it for you?

Because I'm making you work, you deserve to get paid. The top five employees-of-the-month will receive an amazon.com gift certificate.

Yesterday's Answer & Winners:

It was the boy's father that spoke.

srivalli
Laura Marcella
L. Diane Wolfe
Barbara White Daille

And for creative answers:

Patsy
Lady's Knight
Shannon Lawence
Jan Morrison
Chuck
JL Campbell
Betty Alark

Puzzle #7:

Based on the coded message below, what is the profession?

as-layer-ash

pop-moose-heat

ran-star-bass

coo-rap-sir

quality-clan-be

tee-thong-wee

Hint: To find the answer determine what letter can be added to each word in the row to form another word. Then use those missing letters to make the word. Example: cow-each-cackle=>crow-reach-crackle (so the letter would be R)

Based on puzzles from the books:

(1) The Puzzle Addict's Book of Codes: 250 Totally Addictive Cryptograms for You to Crack (Puzzle Addicts)

(2) The Canterbury Puzzles And Other Curious Problems by Henry Ernest Dudeney

A-Z Challenge: F is for...

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 12:52:00 +0000

Family Matters!

What am I doing for my challenge?

For the challenge this year, I have decided to challenge you. Because I love mathematics codes, and riddles, my 26 posts will test your brain.

What's in it for you?

Because I'm making you work, you deserve to get paid. The top five employees-of-the-month will receive an amazon.com gift certificate.

Yesterday's Answers & Winners:

Answer: German Enigma Encryption Device

Alex Cavanaugh
Laura Marcella
Srivalli
Barbara White Daille
Carol Kilgore
Shannon Lawrence

Puzzle #6:

Here's an easy conundrum for you today:

Shirley, a diligent writer, sat in her upstairs study, busy with an important manuscript, when her son entered the room without knocking.

'Do not come in, Son. I am too busy to be interrupted.'

He said in reply, 'I am your son, but you are not my mother. And until you explain to me how this is true, I am not leaving.'

How can this be?

Based on puzzles from the books:

(1) The Puzzle Addict's Book of Codes: 250 Totally Addictive Cryptograms for You to Crack (Puzzle Addicts)

(2) The Canterbury Puzzles And Other Curious Problems by Henry Ernest Dudeney

A-Z Challenge: E is for...

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 12:09:00 +0000

Encryption!
What am I doing for my challenge?

For the challenge this year, I have decided to challenge you. Because I love mathematics codes, and riddles, my 26 posts will test your brain.

What's in it for you?

Because I'm making you work, you deserve to get paid. The top five employees-of-the-month will receive an amazon.com gift certificate.

Yesterday's Answer & Winners:

Answer: He added four coins to the five taken away.

Laura Marcella
Barbara White Daille
Michelle
Carol Kilgore
L. Diane Wolfe
Kit Courtney
Roshni
Lynda R. Young
Jan Newman

Puzzle #5:
You return to the base. When you enter the building, you are sent to room 64. Inside the room sits one small desk and an even smaller laptop. One small message blinks on the screen:

R2VybWFuIEVuaWdtYSBFbmNyeXB0aW9uIERldmljZQ==

What does it mean? What kind of code is it? What does it say?

(In the story above, you can find the name of the code. Search google for a decoder for the message above.)

Based on puzzles from the books: