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Challenge 8

This challenge closed on 25/03/2021. See below for the correct answers.

Final mission briefing

AOUBMKO PO ZFGP RGM EXKK MK BCJOBDR, BFD AOUBMKO LWOJO XK B CXLLCO EGJO GT LWO LBCO LG LOCC, WOJO XK B TXFBC EXKKXGF TGJ RGM.
BK RGM EXVWL VMOKK, LWO DGUMEOFL XF HBJL A XK BF XFLOJUOHL BFD KXFUO XL XK OFUJRHLOD PXLW B NOJR DXTTXUMCL UXHWOJ, XLK UGFLOFLK EMKL AO XEHGJLBFL.
MFCOKK RGM UBF UJBUZ XL, LWO TXFBC HXOUO GT LWO HMSSCO PXCC JOEBXF MFHCBUOD.
DGF'L PGJJR XT RGM UBF'L KGCNO XL, PO PXCC HMACXKW LWO KGCMLXGF GF LWMJKDBR OXVWLOOFLW GT EBJUW.
GT UGMJKO, XT RGM UBF UJBUZ XL, LWOF POCC DGFO!
LWO TXJKL LOF LG DG KG PXCC AO BDDOD LG LWO CXKL GT OCXLO UXHWOJ UJBUZOJK, YGXFXFV LWO WBHHR ABFD PWG KGCNOD LWO AGFMK UXHWOJ XF KHJXFV.

Official Decrypt

Top Secret: For your eyes only

Because we know you miss us already, and because there is a little more of the tale to tell, here is a final mission for you. As you might guess, the document in part B is an intercept and since it is encrypted with a very difficult cipher, its contents must be important. Unless you can crack it, the final piece of the puzzle will remain unplaced. Don't worry if you can't solve it, we will publish the solution on Thursday eighteenth of March. Of course, if you can crack it, then well done! The first ten to do so will be added to the list of ELITE cipher crackers, joining the happy band who solved the bonus cipher in Spring.

Final Mission: Coda

-ISWM WR_FA L█CO█ CU█FW L-YUA NKKYB ↑IU/X EJJYR Q_XG↑ PRBXW DWWMI V██W* PRBJK VJKQU T*XJ↑ ORTKY EK-_B /YAUK HFNTH DNFKM MXUIX H█GGN D*-/G HYYOZ UJ/DT CWISI E*TDG QZLH_ OGEBW *BLDF CLHL█ /WMQ/ PFB█Y QRKCN P_KZX FGE█L DJAHL *IBB/ XY↑F/ J*EKT D/HGM DVEVZ KQGV_ GZWPG KWTO- MEJHB ↑E*GO N█XWT TXEL* RJFL↑ N_XWU PXEWW WCJKY *I/FB L_YIE BHL-G JVUZV NS█W- O*-LG B-_*H IDEHN FOEOX IS█WH Q█WZ- N█XWU *JBJH GZWPG L█BO█ XJJAY H__JU LZX-W E_K-Y V█ALM PRNW_ B/WWA JOUUZ H█MMF AQ-RD KIUV- *IBB/ MBIFH W↑↑G/ SVCVW F*EXK GZPKB JZAMP ZY↑C█ WLWPW KVU/O R-YTZ H█UY_ DA_Q█ MRLPN U*↑RI EDF/P PJJZL _E/UG KIEPC DOI/V O█AHM PRNW_ FKJQB LAAQU FVWUT *FDJF ZWESF IKTQY ZT-WH N_EIU RZII- CAOIT EIXYD MOSV- PRR-Q W/X-↑ H█XMF /ILP- RLXL* *ISWZ _JG/Y Q-_TO ↑DMDC DY-KY QRQ-V L█COE NFJEF C-VNJ OCUJQ CT█TV /WXYF V*KZM CIYOV MNLBS YE_EJ RICVV NM/EE EBUDM WL-L_ MAGLV D--L/ ZIXYF WCQ*Y EUAU* GR*FD KITV- Q█YBG ABWLY XBUPM WM-LX MLNOM LIFBE AX_EB PWVDP NUFCB ZUJCA JX↑MN RJGKK LX_LQ QEFOA LA↑AY ILZM/ WAJCY D-JLH _I↑B/ MZVD* V█AZM GEI█T MZWDM LBCJB PZLXX DVEVZ KQGV_ GZWPG R-SAZ JEYO- YBABM WAUTR F-J*↑ ↑KBQN Q_Y█E V█*F█ GQLCR CXGM* D**I_ EZIZL PEEWW _YHQS RIF_L DTOZT FX█QL VBBEE MRKTS Y-HPY *EAXU _SMFU RZWI- COY/_ _M_XP POWZV BAID* KX_ZU /J_MC *B↑UE IY_IH TEXM* SW_IL MIIW- DRAKY BASQH RJ↑KM -Y↑QW RWU/- CMBM↑ PHH*K N_EIU PXIIW FKJQB █/M/U XUJC█ FK█ZH IDFJT PZIOW KM_HC KWTO- L█JAY EK_-B NXX*L IJAJ_ FMAZG CKJSO MC↑CC UIBOV Q-TYV _MOQ↑ D*JLE /YJBS XKTQR F_↑MH LWGPE QR*MW FKKUY QFGOB LOETA /T-UC C-VO_ PU_KY WFDKI /_MGW PDMQK OGEBW UXEVK OBSQA NVWTT WBJDE Y_GFT *WSIZ QHGOC IATUB LSSOZ UJ/DT B-IVU FHEDV G--KB PLA// NZZGL QFBGG RFCLM BKHK█ DSA*R O*_QU KS_TV ZR_CJ R-XVT OALBI ES-UR M*/LN H-_MC P/OFG Q_MM█ IKTQY QFGOB LOETA /T-UC DSTOW OBU↑R FA_QA ↑CID* *E↑GO PUYCB MRLPN U*↑RI EDF/P PJJZL _I↑B/ MZVD* W█/ZM OTAVL U*↑RW O-ZKJ AZCP* L█COE Q█YBG VLZQN ↑*F_- ZBGFE NIFRV SCBCE P↑JZM F_X*J KFYF█ -RRJW R-AUX U-█AL I_WID KESW_ MAJ*S U-HNT LEX-O UKLWA KG_LC P*A/E DO█UX SA/-↑ DT█KR I*ZLE -ZKEV JIUO- *OEFC B//J_ TZG*J _H↑/D KWUO- ZGDUG ICTR█ T**NW F*KUY PDD/↑ D↑↑UQ WJKQY MDD/E PUOZT N-TBY BUYAW PEEWW YXAVN /J█AR NPXQR GBTPE WRS*T JJNU- OG█BS W/-/↑ GVI-A DW/V/ IFDOV TZZ↑* N█EWT K↑OC█ OG█H* L*TRS P*MWX I-Z/↑ D-JLL LEGJD FQJKR DZJMG QZ-HK KIIZS KEYVA N_XWT KICDA QWWYW -U*QW KFGPQ HOYY_ MF↑FJ WAHH█ IXE█L D_ALG FG*XH MNNIK T█GJ█ OK-L/ *YIFH XG/JF XI_WK L█COE PDOBU UHZL/ CKWPA VJ↑CU G↑YFT UPCZE QUV_I /M_*B WUQKY /C*DO O↑ACT WTS-R NXX*L DJAHL ZJJ█Y JX↑MF SQR-V UKHDT JWUVA L█JJY BMM_J Y↑█JX X_UZG ZRSP_ Q_YUX OBRE↑ *CMVS NVWTU LHOBH HF*R↑ J/TVU NAZOY Q█YSX CHLXJ M/DCG YUNOY WAUTR Q_S█X EK-KB DRRGG LAJ*S M/UPG S//-M BISM/ LCCJC SKXH↑ JEWP↑ *FFGH *XYRH TZZ↑* Q█YSX B↑*-G T_JQO VB↑AU WA-Z↑ VYYXN -Y_-N ST*TW RHGZ* K/TW- BJ*TF NA/VS Q█YSX ZRJQ█ H█U↑_ D█SQJ SE_XJ */SIA CJHOR GZWPG L-UYA QQQB/ NA/VS PO/XW QFYDU D*-QY CHX*J KGJ/C OCSQA CDD/R DJJ/L N↑GFC CT█TV /WXYF V*KZM CIYOV MNLBS OA-/H XFHHI POV_T UULDA D*AZE FHA/* JSY_E ZBMNE SAXWK /↑EGN KLQO↑ QFBGG RNCLG YG█GK RICVV ZY↑C█ WLWPW Q*EE█ OTQVU TSR*I HQKBR ZWMF_ LEFRX X_FMA C*EX_ OBWRS LYBNX WAZ/↑ KESV- U↑UCV NUYCC ↑H↑EP H█YIX HR*CQ V/-ZH NZ_HK G/TP↑ QU/WU TVQFT JIUV- SHHJE H█XMI WWDKW W*-L_ I/-Z* MAGLV D--L/ ZIXYF PRCLJ VBYFI FFPJF FS-↑U SKLFA MVI/V QAOFJ QGGOC PRKA↑ *X*_V F_EWT PFEJD /HOFM R-WOT FHEDV G--KB _↑F↑A ORSKC KSS_X BVZVU V*-LM /SYWM I*TQY RYFBU PFIYB ↑R*RO QEIDJ QFBGG KBMFF V*-LX BG*XJ K/T// OS_WM PWNCS REZVT F█EIT LEDD█ F↑JYR YWCPW PF█_* GUVT█ C/Z*G B-YQL ZIGC/ FRJVX VPS*S -JOD/ VFF*E

Official Decrypt

Top Secret: For your eyes only

DEAR UNCLE WILHELM/** I MUST BE BRIEF/ BUT I MUST ALSO TELL YOU THAT OUR PLANS HAVE BEEN DISASTROUSLY IMPEDED BY THE ATTENTION OF BRITISH AGENTS WORKING AGAINST US* SOMEHOW THEY SEEM TO HAVE INTERCEPTED OUR COMMUNICATIONS AND DECIPHERED THEM/ ALLOWING THEM TO LAY A TRAP* IT IS FAR FROM CLEAR THAT EVERYONE CONNECTED WITH THE OPERATION WILL BE ABLE TO ESCAPE IT/ THOUGH I HAVE AVOIDED ARREST AND HAVE MADE A TEMPORARY HEADQUARTERS IN LONDON* FROM HERE I WILL COORDINATE EFFORTS TO EXFILTRATE SOME/ THOUGH NOT ALL/ OF OUR OFFICERS AND AGENTS* THEY HAVE DISPERSED ACROSS THE UNITED KINGDOM AND ARE BEING TEMPORARILY HOUSED WITH SYMPATHISERS OR MEMBERS OF THE ORTSGRUPPE NETWORK** OPERATION CATHEDRAL TOWERS HAS BEEN ABORTED AND THE INFILTRATION MISSION HAS BEEN STOOD DOWN IN ORDER TO PROTECT WHAT WE CAN OF IT AND TO INVESTIGATE THE QUESTION OF HOW OUR COMMUNICATIONS WERE INTERCEPTED AND BROKEN* WE WILL FORWARD A FULL REPORT TO TIRPITZUFER SHORTLY/ BUT OUR INITIAL ENQUIRIES HAVE UNCOVERED SOMETHING ENTIRELY UNEXPECTED/ A SECRET AGENCY HITHERTO ENTIRELY UNKNOWN TO US* THEY DO NOT APPEAR IN ANY TREASURY DOCUMENTS AND WE HAVE NOT SEEN ANY MINUTES OR REPORTS DESCRIBING THEIR WORK AND TECHNOLOGY/ BUT A SMALL NUMBER OF HIGHLY CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS RELATING TO OUR ACTIVITIES ARE STAMPED AS ATTENTION DIRECTORATE A** MOST OF OUR TOURING PARTY WANT TO RETURN TO TIRPITZUFER IMMEDIATELY THOUGH I AND A SMALL NUMBER OF OTHERS WILL REMAIN HERE TO COORDINATE EFFORTS TO INVESTIGATE DIRECTORATE A/ WORKING WITH THE ORTSGRUPPE AND THOSE AGENTS THAT WE CAN SAFELY LEAVE EMBEDDED IN THE BRITISH ESTABLISHMENT** THE CYCLE PARTY CAN DISPERSE AND TRAVEL BACK BY FERRY AND FISHING BOAT/ BUT I SUGGEST THAT A UBOAT SHOULD BE SENT TO RETRIEVE COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT* WE CAN BURN CODEBOOKS/ BUT THE CIPHER CLOCK WOULD BE HARD TO DESTROY AND MUST NOT FALL INTO THE HANDS OF DIRECTORATE A** ONCE I HAVE SENT THIS MESSAGE I PLAN TO TAKE RESIDENCE WITH COUSIN JOACHIM AT MECKLENBURGH SQUARE* HIS APARTMENT DOES NOT SEEM TO BE UNDER OBSERVATION AND HE HAS BEEN EXCEPTIONALLY HELPFUL DURING OUR MISSION* I KNOW THAT HE IS AS DISAPPOINTED AS WE ARE ABOUT THE ULTIMATE FAILURE OF OUR INITIAL OBJECTIVES/ BUT HE IS EXCITED BY THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS AND INSISTENT THAT HE CAN HELP WITH THE NEW INVESTIGATION* I SUGGEST THAT YOU CONTACT HIM BY SENDING MESSAGES TO OTHER MEMBERS OF THE ORTSGRUPPE TO AVOID SUSPICION* THEY CAN BE HAND DELIVERED USING OUR COURIER NETWORK IN LONDON** I APOLOGISE FOR USING THIS CIPHER* I KNOW THAT WE HAD INTENDED TO RESERVE IT FOR THE MOST CRITICAL MISSIONS/ AND A FAILED MISSION LIKE CATHEDRAL TOWERS COULD NOT POSSIBLY QUALIFY FOR THIS STATUS* HOWEVER THE MYSTERIOUS DIRECTORATE A APPEARS TO BE A MAJOR THREAT AND I HOPE YOU AGREE THAT OUR WORK ON THIS NEW PROJECT SHOULD TAKE THE HIGHEST PRIORITY** I AWAIT FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS** NIKOLAUS

RULE REMINDER: Rapid fire multiple submissions put an unreasonable load on the servers and make it difficult for others to submit. Anyone who makes an unreasonable number of submissions will be open to disqualification. In the first instance this will mean that anyone who submits more than 20 times in 10 minutes will be disqualified.