SOLUTIONStep 1: The first post has the contents: [color=#ba58ec][url=https://27ebfGNx4nJQT2dfs3E4mxV3tuytamWeJm86K77pa3SDrzk]. ba58en → Base 58 Encoding on the 273bf... string.
Step 2: Decoding the 27ebf... string leads to the 1NEGtaGs... address which sent the prize to 1shBNg... and on my trust page, I was given a neg tag that included a shebang in it.
Step 3: The text was: "part of the corrupt gang#! with tman lauda
M Darkstar hhampuz all
5 collude" with a reference of
search. This was by user "dtmorelikeshitty"
Step 4: MD5 hash of "search" is 06a943c59f33a34bb5924aaf72cd2995 and searching for it on-forum leads to this post: (irrelevant parts deleted)
06a943c59f33a34bb5924aaf72cd2995Example (with only 4 people):
i agree because the bitcoin will rise and fall because volatility
Step 5: I sent a positive trust to Cyrus: "4 real, a great quality admin with Zeal. I'd trust them as a proper AdjudicAtor. 6" and the characters 4gqZjcA6 were surrounded by
0-width whitespace characters.
Not a chance my friend :p I reached this part and I told you that this was case sensitive.. I thought the 6 pastebin link letters were 4 + Z + A + A + 6 + the hex of one of the shebang chars, 23 or 21.
I was never going to figure this one out, but hey I've learned something this time, good puzzle!