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Topic: 🧩 Newbie puzzles ! 🧩 Solve one and get the MERIT you deserve 🏆 (Read 1003 times)

copper member
Activity: 784
Merit: 710
Defend Bitcoin and its PoW: bitcoincleanup.com
Code:
R🐟NYTimes 09/Apr/2020 With $2.3T Injection, Fed's Plan Far Exceeds 2008 Rescue Mined ^H
https://blockchair.com/bitcoin/block/629999

I got that information from blockchain explorer, Is this what you're looking for?

That is the correct answer !

Explanation:



So where i=3 would mean the third halving ==> block 630,000. But since the equation I wrote had a "-1" at the end that would mean block 629,999  Grin

That block's coinbase transaction had a little message attached !
hero member
Activity: 1456
Merit: 940
🇺🇦 Glory to Ukraine!

Hint #2: The string in question was written by F2Pool on May 11, 2020 7:23 PM UTC

Hint #3: string = text = message

Code:
R🐟NYTimes 09/Apr/2020 With $2.3T Injection, Fed's Plan Far Exceeds 2008 Rescue Mined ^H
https://blockchair.com/bitcoin/block/629999

I got that information from blockchain explorer, Is this what you're looking for?

copper member
Activity: 784
Merit: 710
Defend Bitcoin and its PoW: bitcoincleanup.com

for (i = 3):
     type(X) == string
     print(X) = Huh


Hint #2: The string in question was written by F2Pool on May 11, 2020 7:23 PM UTC

Hint #3: string = text = message
copper member
Activity: 784
Merit: 710
Defend Bitcoin and its PoW: bitcoincleanup.com

for (i = 3):
     type(X) == string
     print(X) = Huh


Hint #2: The string in question was written by F2Pool on May 11, 2020 7:23 PM UTC
copper member
Activity: 784
Merit: 710
Defend Bitcoin and its PoW: bitcoincleanup.com
Answer(Q1)
 The quick brown fox jumps over 13 lazy dogs.

Reddit did not help on this occasion. It was already solved and still gave a wrong answer. Damn...  

Not sure about one thing here, and without giving it away (others should scoop the Merit reward), I can’t make out why the "-1" is there nor whether it is meant to be included in the summation or rather subtracted after it (the latter I believe, since it lacks brackets).

Subtracted after the SUM  

I wouldn’t have thought it (the "-1") to be part of the original formula, but I may be wrong.

Note: If anyone wants to perform the calculus, you can easily do it on Excel (start with i=3 for a reason).

It's about the meaning of subtracting 1 from the equation where i=3, not the calculation. And finding a "string" ...
legendary
Activity: 2338
Merit: 10802
There are lies, damned lies and statistics. MTwain
Not sure about one thing here, and without giving it away (others should scoop the Merit reward), I can’t make out why the "-1" is there nor whether it is meant to be included in the summation or rather subtracted after it (the latter I believe, since it lacks brackets). I wouldn’t have thought it (the "-1") to be part of the original formula, but I may be wrong.

Note: If anyone wants to perform the calculus, you can easily do it on Excel (start with i=3 for a reason).

<...> It's about the meaning of subtracting 1 from the equation where i=3, not the calculation. And finding a "string" ...
I know, that's why I said "wants to" as opposed to saying it in a "needs to" context.
hero member
Activity: 966
Merit: 620
Answer(Q1)
 The quick brown fox jumps over 13 lazy dogs.
copper member
Activity: 784
Merit: 710
Defend Bitcoin and its PoW: bitcoincleanup.com
BUMP !

*Take it one step at a time. What do you think the above equation is ?
copper member
Activity: 784
Merit: 710
Defend Bitcoin and its PoW: bitcoincleanup.com
Here's a brain teaser for y'all !


for (i = 3):
     type(X) == string
     print(X) = Huh
copper member
Activity: 784
Merit: 710
Defend Bitcoin and its PoW: bitcoincleanup.com
How about if N-days have passed and the puzzle isn't solved yet, open that round for all ranks instead of just newbies?
You can decide on the number of days.

Not a bad idea !

Once I come up with a new one will try this out. Thanks  Smiley

Code:
-----BEGIN BITCOIN SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Tjho uijt nfttbhf: "Xf bsf bmm tbuptij fydfqu gps DTX" vtjoh uif tbnf beesftt J bn (1K7neh5scRzVIFOZey39XWXL7gtMqFpYAz)
-----BEGIN BITCOIN SIGNATURE-----
Version: Bitcoin-qt (1.0)
Address: 3K1AAUvgrYNH6Syp5e1zjqAWpe3dapBUPS

IFTQanseMw7GHwJKUzka0CxEV5XaHy2xcm+CflZrxzmlVwaeamI++5SqHPTYXZCvN04J7BW7Sou7cdp+qj0eXFc=
-----END BITCOIN SIGNATURE-----

If you would have read the post you would have seen that it was already solved:

Tjho uijt nfttbhf: "Xf bsf bmm tbuptij fydfqu gps DTX" vtjoh uif tbnf beesftt J bn (1K7neh5scRzVIFOZey39XWXL7gtMqFpYAz) when you change every letter to the previous one in the alphabet becomes Sign this message: "We are all satoshi except for CSW" using the same address I am (1J7mdg5rbQyUHENYdx39WVWK7fsLpEoXZy)

You were supposed to sign it with the above address, not a random one you own.
Please read and think a bit before replying next time  Smiley
member
Activity: 71
Merit: 22

Question 3 (more of a challenge actually than a question) :

-----BEGIN BITCOIN SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Tjho uijt nfttbhf: "Xf bsf bmm tbuptij fydfqu gps DTX" vtjoh uif tbnf beesftt J bn (1K7neh5scRzVIFOZey39XWXL7gtMqFpYAz)
-----BEGIN BITCOIN SIGNATURE-----
1J7mdg5rbQyUHENYdx39WVWK7fsLpEoXZy
IDt1vr8Ahx4Yt3Rm5zfvwbGIis7MrpSDNx8ev6inxMr+NB8CWOHoTPVeujlfYMpsW58Txp1scaxXY5WtNQhbS94=
-----END BITCOIN SIGNATURE-----

Code:
-----BEGIN BITCOIN SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Tjho uijt nfttbhf: "Xf bsf bmm tbuptij fydfqu gps DTX" vtjoh uif tbnf beesftt J bn (1K7neh5scRzVIFOZey39XWXL7gtMqFpYAz)
-----BEGIN BITCOIN SIGNATURE-----
Version: Bitcoin-qt (1.0)
Address: 3K1AAUvgrYNH6Syp5e1zjqAWpe3dapBUPS

IFTQanseMw7GHwJKUzka0CxEV5XaHy2xcm+CflZrxzmlVwaeamI++5SqHPTYXZCvN04J7BW7Sou7cdp+qj0eXFc=
-----END BITCOIN SIGNATURE-----
hero member
Activity: 2268
Merit: 669
Bitcoin Casino Est. 2013
It would be good of the title is not newbie puzzles instead it should be Newbie friendly Puzzles. Though you may say that it is a newbie puzzles but what about those who doesn't have knowledge on what to do like binary codes for example. You can make this challenge the same as Pmalek's Word Game where newbies are given an advantage where they are the one who can participate first until the time runs out and then higher ranks can participate too if lower ranks can't find the answer or solution. Nice puzzles by the way.
legendary
Activity: 1792
Merit: 1296
Crypto Casino and Sportsbook
-snip-
Anyone else is invited to chip in with a suggestion or an interesting question !
How about if N-days have passed and the puzzle isn't solved yet, open that round for all ranks instead of just newbies?
You can decide on the number of days.
I think this is a good intention and Rizzrack will support your proposal.

I like the idea of a thread like this, allowing beginners to learn something new about crypto. And as a bonus, get merit, which will also encourage them to be active. But most importantly, this interactive format allows to involve beginners in bitcoin world and allows to practically contact with it. It also has informational benefits for everyone who follows similar activities and reads the topic. Something similar is implemented in topic [Merit] Hey Newbies! Can You Sign A Message? I hope there will be more such forms of active involvement of newcomers in the future.
legendary
Activity: 2534
Merit: 6080
Self-proclaimed Genius
-snip-
Anyone else is invited to chip in with a suggestion or an interesting question !
How about if N-days have passed and the puzzle isn't solved yet, open that round for all ranks instead of just newbies?
You can decide on the number of days.
copper member
Activity: 784
Merit: 710
Defend Bitcoin and its PoW: bitcoincleanup.com
This was a tough one for me I admit, do you plan to release further challenges anytime soon?

To be honest I was a little bummed that there was no interest in the last one and kind of let it go for the moment...
Either way there are so many ways you can encode stuff and running dry on ideas. Will think about it and see if I can come up with a few more  Smiley

Anyone else is invited to chip in with a suggestion or an interesting question !

P.S. You also solved 2 of them so I might incline to add an extra rule about how many times you would be allowed to participate. Well done though  Grin
jr. member
Activity: 30
Merit: 14
This was a tough one for me I admit, do you plan to release further challenges anytime soon?
copper member
Activity: 784
Merit: 710
Defend Bitcoin and its PoW: bitcoincleanup.com
Upload the below image to imgur or a similar service and post it here:

Quote
NB2HI4DTHIXS65DFPB2GE2LOFZXGK5BPOFRWI2DPMF2GMZDQ

Decided to post the response since there were no takers this round !

How to solve:

Step 1: decode from base32 to text
Code:
NB2HI4DTHIXS65DFPB2GE2LOFZXGK5BPOFRWI2DPMF2GMZDQ
and you would get
Code:
https://textbin.net/qcdhoatfdp

Step 2: The code from the pastebin is too big to fit in the post so if you are curious check the link yourselves.
Symbols are HTML URL-encoded. So you would need to decode them first. "%3A" would be ":", "%2F" would be "/" etc.

Step 3: Decode from base64 to image. For example I used https://codebeautify.org/base64-to-image-converter



And it shows you the image !
Uploading it to imgur and posting it here should not require any further explanations  Tongue
copper member
Activity: 784
Merit: 710
Defend Bitcoin and its PoW: bitcoincleanup.com
I'm starting to think you guys do not want/need merit !
Hint #1: it's not base58 or base64

Hint #2: if you would decode "NB2HI4DTHIXS65DFPB2GE2LOFZXGK5BPOFRWI2DPMF2GMZDQ" from base32 to text the output would be
Quote

Extra hint: 2 more steps and you can find the image !
copper member
Activity: 784
Merit: 710
Defend Bitcoin and its PoW: bitcoincleanup.com
Upload the below image to imgur or a similar service and post it here:

Quote
NB2HI4DTHIXS65DFPB2GE2LOFZXGK5BPOFRWI2DPMF2GMZDQ
jr. member
Activity: 30
Merit: 14
Okay the only one I could think of that had a dataset available was the Million Song Dataset, and I tried encoding all of the song title names to SHA-1 via some sqlite3 queries and python, and output that out to a csv file. But I couldn't find the hash that I had found in the previous step. My guess is that the database is some different one altogether, I guess I'll give it a few more tries later.

Do not complicate the trivial !
Search engines are your friend  Tongue

P.S. probably did not find it due to uppercase letters or stuff like that. wrote the name of the song by hand and all lowercase


Ah its all lowercase. Then I would say the song is "Who Let The Dogs Out" by "Baha Men"

Method: Well I had already got the SHA-1 hash from the previous posts. Then I used the track_metadata from FMA Data for music analysis.

Then I wrote a short python code to get the SHA-1 hash name for each of the files and appended that with the track names. I wrote a pythonic script (instead of trying to find an online music search db) just because I wanted to check out some of its functions and also get familiar with some Capture The Flag contest method - this challenge was quite like some preliminary CTF contest
Here is the code:

Code:
import csv
import hashlib
import os.path

BASE_DIR = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
db_path = os.path.join(BASE_DIR, "songs.db")
file = open("C:\\hashes_tracks.csv", "w", encoding="utf-8")
with open("C:\\tracks.csv", "r", encoding="utf-8") as dataset:
    reader = csv.DictReader(dataset)
    for row in reader:
        name = row["title"].lower().strip()
        result = hashlib.sha1(name.encode())
        file.write(result.hexdigest() + name + '\n')

And then a simple search for the hash was enough to get the song name.
Proof that the hash matches


Oh wow, good job there!
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