[CLOSED] ►►► 2016 Bitcoin halving tribute puzzle ◄◄◄ **SOLVED**

[TookDk]

The contest is over - pawnshop770 is the winner!

Dear Forum members,
This contest is a tribute to the upcoming 2016 bitcoin reward halving. In my opinion is the block halving one of the corner stones in the bitcoin design - as it implements the finite supply of bitcoins. The winner of the contest will get a collectible coin.

Prize:
2012 Casascius blank (DIY style - no digital value)
+ 0.021 BTC (10 satoshi for each block mined since last halving)



Generate your own private key and seal it behind the included sticker, load the coin with BTC and you will have a special self-assembled halving coin.

How to solve the puzzle:
The goal is to find a specific phrase; the first person to post the correct phrase in this thread wins.

I will publish a series of hints at random times until someone solves the puzzle; it is indeed possible to solve the puzzle using the first hint alone. The duration of the contest is from now and until halving day, the last and final hint that more or of less gives the solution directly will be published on halving day.

The solution:
The sha256 sum of the winning phrase is:

Code:

f0deae019b5273e2a9b309486a7c0da50da279c28bc3bac43caf6a5eb51ad237

Rules:

• Entry is free - anybody can participate.
• Spamming random guesses in the thread is not allowed (check the sha256sum of your guess instead).
• Signature spam will be reported.
• Free discussion on how to solve the puzzle is allowed, if you are a serious contender.
• The winning phrase must be posted in a new unedited post to be valid.
• The coin will be shipped free of charge to winner with a regular untracked letter, I assume no liability if the letter is lost, however tracked shipping will be available at cost on the winners expense.
• The BTC part of the prize will be paid directly to any address the winner specify and the tx id will be published in the thread.

In case problems arise with the rule set, then will I do my best to choose a fair solution, keep in mind that I am using my own time and means to do this contest and my intention is only to do something fun for our community.
  
Good luck, have fun!

Kind regards,
TookDk

[TookDk]

1. Hint:

22

11

01

01

01

12

24

19

07

01

14

20

16

16

04

21

05

19

13

24

09

24

04

17

22

21

25

14

03

12

20

10

09

01

14

12

08

17

01

09

05

23

01

23

18

04

02

17

19

24

11

06

17

06

23

22

19

13

12

02

18

12

03

11

24

16

08

16

07

03

22

05

19

07

15

03

17

09

16

12

03

21

18

03

25

02

21

19

25

03

16

08

01

03

10

08

22

19

23

19

15

12

20

13

07

24

02

14

12

24

19

23

25

20

14

02

17

09

03

05

05

15

12

13

24

06

15

25

10

17

15

19

15

05

01

17

21

22

03

14

18

13

13

15

11

20

15

11

23

21

04

01

19

05

12

23

11

11

17

07

08

12

15

17

03

25

25

01

09

03

15

06

18

10

03

10

13

05

22

12

19

14

12

22

05

21

04

03

25

19

01

24

09

22

24

01

17

13

25

24

12

05

05

16

01

04

10

25

09

02

02

25

05

07

12

01

20

09

24

09

06

19

23

12

19

25

19

03

06

15

24

17

04

04

20

19

02

07

12

14

22

25

18

17

15

04

21

21

04

19

22

04

10

24

11

23

17

17

21

07

10

14

23

23

17

19

01

25

25

22

20

25

03

03

22

23

17

08

14

14

05

11

09

17

13

11

24

08

14

21

19

10

22

10

07

20

05

17

20

12

11

07

07

15

13

09

01

02

14

04

03

23

13

17

17

20

09

15

07

19

16

21

06

10

14

25

22

06

11

19

07

09

05

13

06

13

05

04

04

22

03

07

16

04

17

16

06

14

22

09

16

24

25

23

06

07

15

13

09

05

08

09

07

22

10

06

09

10

01

07

07

11

07

13

23

25

10

13

21

23

21

05

16

10

01

19

15

08

16

23

03

22

17

15

01

20

15

16

18

16

01

22

22

16

14

24

13

12

14

08

09

07

07

02

20

02

12

15

13

03

19

16

19

21

25

21

25

15

01

10

13

18

09

04

03

17

09

08

22

08

18

05

17

03

19

12

25

07

07

21

01

13

16

18

13

07

02

19

10

23

11

17

22

22

03

19

11

14

09

20

05

05

13

06

17

05

25

09

07

17

07

07

04

14

22

15

25

04

20

17

07

06

23

11

24

25

13

19

21

25

07

05

04

25

19

19

13

21

02

16

21

09

07

23

05

12

05

01

23

02

03

04

10

16

19

07

08

10

02

01

11

21

05

14

19

01

16

11

13

10

16

07

08

11

06

01

20

14

19

09

01

05

04

05

07

04

22

02

05

03

04

10

01

11

25

13

25

11

07

25

05

25

16

25

25

25

20

05

22

07

25

06

21

14

06

25

15

15

14

16

19

20

21

05

22

03

01

21

05

22

18

01

21

08

03

01

10

22

08

13

17

05

21

09

09

19

05

10

11

12

15

10

15

21

25

10

19

22

04

07

22

17

14

06

14

07

01

06

21

06

10

15

04

23

13

13

18

09

25

05

2. Hint:
"It takes two to tango" - numbers are in pairs.



3. Hint:
"Impossible only means that you haven't found the solution yet" - numbers go from 1 to 25.



4. Hint:
"Chaos is a name for any order that produces confusion in our mind" - the order of pairs is randomized and has no significance for the solution.



5. Hint:
"Cogito ergo sum" - A particular idea from the gentleman below can help you solve the puzzle.



6. Hint:
"The pen is mightier than the sword" - Pen and paper can be a powerfull tool.

[owlcatz]

Now this... is a really cool idea, thanks!  

Edit - I think I got your hint 1 already, but I could just be nuts... We'll see where this goes.  

Edit 2 - People can verify the hash of their phrase(s) here - http://hash.online-convert.com/sha256-generator

[Eodguy149]

Love this idea... Already lost 30 minutes of my life! 

[CanaryInTheMine]

1. Hint:

22

11

01

01

01

12

24

19

07

01

14

20

16

16

04

21

05

19

13

24

09

24

04

17

22

21

25

14

03

12

20

10

09

01

14

12

08

17

01

09

05

23

01

23

18

04

02

17

19

24

11

06

17

06

23

22

19

13

12

02

18

12

03

11

24

16

08

16

07

03

22

05

19

07

15

03

17

09

16

12

03

21

18

03

25

02

21

19

25

03

16

08

01

03

10

08

22

19

23

19

15

12

20

13

07

24

02

14

12

24

19

23

25

20

14

02

17

09

03

05

05

15

12

13

24

06

15

25

10

17

15

19

15

05

01

17

21

22

03

14

18

13

13

15

11

20

15

11

23

21

04

01

19

05

12

23

11

11

17

07

08

12

15

17

03

25

25

01

09

03

15

06

18

10

03

10

13

05

22

12

19

14

12

22

05

21

04

03

25

19

01

24

09

22

24

01

17

13

25

24

12

05

05

16

01

04

10

25

09

02

02

25

05

07

12

01

20

09

24

09

06

19

23

12

19

25

19

03

06

15

24

17

04

04

20

19

02

07

12

14

22

25

18

17

15

04

21

21

04

19

22

04

10

24

11

23

17

17

21

07

10

14

23

23

17

19

01

25

25

22

20

25

03

03

22

23

17

08

14

14

05

11

09

17

13

11

24

08

14

21

19

10

22

10

07

20

05

17

20

12

11

07

07

15

13

09

01

02

14

04

03

23

13

17

17

20

09

15

07

19

16

21

06

10

14

25

22

06

11

19

07

09

05

13

06

13

05

04

04

22

03

07

16

04

17

16

06

14

22

09

16

24

25

23

06

07

15

13

09

05

08

09

07

22

10

06

09

10

01

07

07

11

07

13

23

25

10

13

21

23

21

05

16

10

01

19

15

08

16

23

03

22

17

15

01

20

15

16

18

16

01

22

22

16

14

24

13

12

14

08

09

07

07

02

20

02

12

15

13

03

19

16

19

21

25

21

25

15

01

10

13

18

09

04

03

17

09

08

22

08

18

05

17

03

19

12

25

07

07

21

01

13

16

18

13

07

02

19

10

23

11

17

22

22

03

19

11

14

09

20

05

05

13

06

17

05

25

09

07

17

07

07

04

14

22

15

25

04

20

17

07

06

23

11

24

25

13

19

21

25

07

05

04

25

19

19

13

21

02

16

21

09

07

23

05

12

05

01

23

02

03

04

10

16

19

07

08

10

02

01

11

21

05

14

19

01

16

11

13

10

16

07

08

11

06

01

20

14

19

09

01

05

04

05

07

04

22

02

05

03

04

10

01

11

25

13

25

11

07

25

05

25

16

25

25

25

20

05

22

07

25

06

21

14

06

25

15

15

14

16

19

20

21

05

22

03

01

21

05

22

18

01

21

08

03

01

10

22

08

13

17

05

21

09

09

19

05

10

11

12

15

10

15

21

25

10

19

22

04

07

22

17

14

06

14

07

01

06

21

06

10

15

04

23

13

13

18

09

25

05

A   A   L   X   S   G   A   N   T   P   P   D   U   E   S   M   X   I   X   D   Q   V   U
L   T   J   I   A   N   L   H   Q   A   I   E   W   A   W   R   D   B   Q   S   X   K   F
V   S   M   L   B   R   L   C   K   X   P   H   P   G   C   V   E   S   G   O   C   Q   I
U   R   C   Y   B   U   S   Y   C   P   H   A   C   J   H   V   S   W   S   O   L   T   M
N   L   X   S   W   Y   T   N   B   Q   I   C   E   E   O   L   M   X   F   O   Y   J   Q
E   A   Q   U   V   C   N   R   M   M   O   K   T   O   K   W   U   D   A   S   E   L   W
G   H   L   O   Q   C   Y   Y   A   I   C   O   F   R   J   C   J   M   E   V   L   S   N
U   D   C   Y   S   A   X   I   V   X   A   Q   M   Y   X   L   E   E   P   A   D   J   Y
Y   E   G   L   A   T   I   X   I   F   S   W   L   S   Y   S   C   F   O   X   Q   D   D
G   L   N   V   Y   R   Q   O   D   U   U   D   S   V   D   J   X   K   W   Q   Q   U   G
W   Q   S   A   Y   Y   V   T   Y   C   C   V   W   Q   H   N   N   E   K   I   Q   M   K
U   S   J   V   J   G   T   E   Q   T   L   K   G   G   O   M   I   A   B   N   D   C   W
T   I   O   G   S   P   U   F   J   N   Y   V   F   K   S   G   I   E   M   F   M   E   D
G   P   D   Q   P   F   N   V   I   P   X   Y   W   F   G   O   M   I   E   H   I   G   V
J   A   G   G   K   G   M   W   Y   J   M   U   W   U   E   P   J   A   S   O   H   P   W
O   A   T   O   P   R   P   A   V   V   P   N   X   M   L   N   H   I   G   G   B   T   B
C   S   P   S   U   Y   U   Y   O   A   J   M   R   I   D   C   Q   I   H   V   H   R   E
L   Y   G   G   U   A   M   P   R   M   G   B   S   J   W   K   Q   V   V   C   S   K   N
E   M   F   Q   E   Y   I   G   Q   G   G   D   N   V   O   Y   D   T   Q   G   F   W   K
S   U   Y   G   E   D   Y   S   S   M   U   B   P   U   I   G   W   E   L   E   A   W   B
P   S   G   H   J   B   A   K   U   E   N   S   A   P   K   M   J   P   G   H   K   F   A
I   A   E   D   E   G   D   V   B   E   C   D   J   A   K   Y   M   Y   K   G   Y   E   Y
Y   T   E   V   G   Y   F   U   N   F   Y   O   O   N   P   S   T   U   E   V   C   A   U
A   U   H   C   A   J   V   H   M   Q   E   U   I   I   S   E   J   K   L   O   J   O   U
V   D   G   V   Q   N   F   N   G   A   F   U   F   J   O   D   W   M   M   R   I   Y   E
 to convert numbers into letter via excel: =MID("ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ",CELL_COORDINATE,1)
maybe now we can solve an equation where we know input plus x = the sum?
wish I had more time today to spend on this.
what's interesting is that there are no values above 25.  so the numbers are the result of a mod/base formula or a simple English alphabet translation and the phrase does not have a letter "z" in it etc...

[miffman]

Great work took! I'll definitely keep trying to solve this  

Edit: so it doesn't seem like a shift cipher of any kind. I'll look over it again when the next hint is out

[Rmcdermott927]

I'll try and script something tonight if I have time to make it easier to try different ciphers on the numeral to letter conversion. 

[chronicsky]

Watching 

[TookDk]

I am very happy to see that there is interest for this puzzle and you think it is a fun idea.
I decided to raise the stakes to keep the motivation high, the prize will now also include 10 satoshi for each block mined since last halving, that will be paid out directly to the winner:

Prize:
2012 Casascius blank (DIY style - no digital value)
+ 0.021 BTC (10 satoshi for each block mined since last halving)

[Rmcdermott927]

Yeah, we might need another hint.   I'm like 99% sure it's a cipher but I can't tell which kind. 

[TookDk]

2. Hint:
"It takes two to tango" - numbers are in pairs.

[miffman]

So maybe it's not a shift cipher at all?

[Rmcdermott927]

So maybe it's not a shift cipher at all?

Pairs of letters would possibly indicate a playfair type cipher of four square cipher.   So now we just need to figure out the key. 

[TookDk]

3. Hint:
"Impossible only means that you haven't found the solution yet" - numbers go from 1 to 25.

[defcon23]

3. Hint:
"Impossible only means that you haven't found the solution yet" - numbers go from 1 to 25.

humm.. OK : let's give it a try:

as we have only 25 chars, that's so mean we are in presence of 3 potentials cyphers ( 1 of these 3 ):

playfair, foursquare or bifid.....  

i will now keep to explore ..

hum..

Where and when did man first notice smog? Seneca complained heartily about air pollution in Rome in the year sixty one.

[TookDk]

I am happy too see that people are having fun trying to solve the puzzle 

Keep in mind that all the information needed to generate the solution is present in 1.Hint. The challenge is how to approach the data. The following hints are meant as guides how to approach the problem.

[Adriandmen]

This is a really nice and fun puzzle! I'll try to figure it out.

[TookDk]

4. Hint:
"Chaos is a name for any order that produces confusion in our mind" - the order of pairs is randomized and has no significance for the solution.

[TookDk]

5. Hint:
"Cogito ergo sum" - A particular idea from the gentleman below can help you solve the puzzle.

[poptok1]

Hell this is hard. Took me like 3 hours already, since yesterday  
cant stop thinking about this its not about the reward any more.
Anyway I came up with this: Cartesian three-dimensional coordinate system.
But its not matching hash...