Mark Clowes (38M 🇬🇧)

Index - 2013 Xmas Cipher Challenge Part 5 Solution

Which leads to:

The solutions to the previous four challenges lead to these images:

Challenge 1:

Challenge 2:

Challenge 3:

Challenge 4:

It was obvious (to me) that we need arrange the smaller images from previous solutions overlayed on top of this challenge. This was straightforward to do with GIMP using two layers and subtraction:

So close! Instead of blocks of five this ciphertext seems to have "words" suggesting a simple substitution cipher (or cryptogram). These are readily solvable by hand or by software.

Here is the key and solution:

HOLIDAYNBPEFGJKCZQRSTMVWXU
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

blackberry and the cyber security challenge are dreaming of a white noise christmas the final code is bing sings but walt disney

Which is the punchline to a joke that requites a Scottish accent:

Q: What's the difference between Bing Crosby and Walt Disney? 

I did submit the answer but received no recognition as it was first entries received, which is in favour of the unemployed and those with fewer family commitments. Still it was an enjoyable solve.