There are probably more messages that can be found using this type of formula but the ‘Rail Cipher’ and it’s ‘Rail Fence Message’ is recognised in cryptography. Below, the highlighted yellow lines when followed from the L in the far left column spell the phrase "LIVING NEXT TO GIRL AT ROCKS". There are variations of this if you wanted to add them such as "LIVING NEXT TO YOUR GIRL AT ROCKS." I found this message interesting when found it due to Zodiac phoning the crime in from the phone box in view of Dee’s house. (Example below)

Dave did/suggested something similar last year but using the 340 and varying restraints. It’s just a bit of fun IMO but that’s probably because it is a word search, which can be fun. I’m gonna have a look.

I’m curious why so many folks find the need to find a solution for the 408 cipher SOLUTION when it seems to be a perfectly satisfactory (if mostly unhelpful) solution to the cipher Zodiac presented. What is it about the presented solution, Dan, that makes you believe that it is a type of cipher in itself? I don’t really understand the significance of Z using "IT IS" three times in the message. He used the word "BECAUSE" three times as well, which I honestly find far more unnerving. I’m afraid when you start parsing two letter words and word parts for some hidden meaning, it can quickly lead to absurdity, as this guy learned some time ago:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4XT-l-_3y0

Entropy – and others – for those interested in the history of how this evolved, I think I was the first person to post on possible vertical word finds in the 408 solution. I think that may have inspired Dan G to look for other possible word finds, and he took it in a different direction, made some interesting discoveries, and added in some anagrams and other cryptics.

I think it is interesting that many words appear vertically, but it may just be a chance happening, as doranchak and glurk have shown. I think doranchak and glurk make some very valid criticisms, so I included them here.

Here are some vertical word finds discovered in the Zodiac 408 by Doug Oswell, Zander Kite and myself. Of course all of these could be random white noise.

BUT…they do all occur in a fairly concentrated area on or near the word PARADICE, most between six lines and between columns 5 and 13. These include TED, TEASE, HEAL, EARN. And the Halloween Card introduces the idea of PARADICE intersecting vertically with a horizontal SLAVES. Here PARADICE is intersected vertically by several words.

Several also have a nautical theme – WAVE, TIDE, BELL. (Bells were used on early light houses, rocks and buoys to warn ships). Ted’s favorite writer was Joseph Conrad, a former sailor who wrote nautical tales, and who cited Marryat as a key influence on him. Doug Oswell noted a short story by Frederick Marryat called "The Legend of Bell Rock" that had all three elements in the key concluding page, featuring a man who could not earn enough money to win the hand of his love and dies because of the absence of a warning bell on an ocean rock and the woman who loved him "plunging into the wave" at tide.

Similar to the Mikado line quoted by Zodiac, "he plunged into the billowy wave" and the Zodiac line "help me I’m drownding". And all of these remind of the short story "Ship of Fools" written by Ted K, concerning a ship sinking and everyone drowning.

Now this gets a little twisty, and thus a LOT more prone to possible coincidence, but Doug Oswell also found:

MATH I TEACH

TED AND DAVE

And I found a twisty:

SHORE

DORANCHAK: You should be careful to conclude that there is a pattern without first considering all the other possible words that can be found in the text. Here are 174 other examples that you didn’t already point out:

TOTAL, TENDS, NAMES, CELLO, BELLY, INTO, ALSO, MANY, SOON, NEWS, SEAT, TEND, TALL, SHOT, ENDS, WISE, EASE, TALE, ROLL, TIES, LUNG, POTS, SORE, IRIS, NETS, ROBE, RITA, TORT, DUMP, MEMO, MOSS, LEAR, EDIT, PITT, MATS, TROT, DELL, SASH, DARA, MINA, MEWS, MIRO, SIRI, APTS, SWAB, DEMI, MOLT, NOSH, ROMS, NOAA, MARI, CAN, ALL, HIM, ITS, ANY, NEW, GET, SEE, YES, MAN, GOT, END, TEN, PUT, AIR, ART, LET, LOT, SON, SIR, RED, LOW, SEA, OIL, EYE, ARM, HOT, TEA, BAR, GAS, INC, MET, LEG, IAN, AYE, EAT, SIT, ETC, OOH, LEE, FIT, OCT, WET, EAR, NET, EGG, DNA, ILL, LIE, TIN, POT, MUD, TIP, LAD, TIE, LES, PIT, YEP, SIN, ROB, OWE, LEA, WEE, FOG, EGO, RON, MEG, EVE, ACE, LOU, APT, ASH, EVA, RAM, ALE, RIM, TOY, MAC, BEE, MAT, TON, TAG, ORE, GEL, TEE, HEN, ANT, LOO, SIC, RIG, ION, SLY, SGT, WIG, ROT, TOW, MAR, SIP, RAP, REP, FAG, WES, GEM, COY, FIR, NRA, VEG, GIT, ROM, VIE, SEW, BOO, MAG, TOT, CUM, FAY, MED, GIL, ABS, ERR, POE, LAM, SAG

I updated the gadget: http://zodiackillerciphers.com/word-search-gadget/ . Click the "408 solution" button at the bottom. Then you can highlight the words via the "Show this word" drop down list.

Even in your own post, many words can be found:

AK Wilks wrote:Yes at the old site the main TK post ran past 50 pages! So to have some…And the Halloween Card introduces the idea of PARADICE inte

Converted to a 17×24 block:

YESATTHEOLDSITETH
EMAINTKPOSTRANPAS
TPAGESSOTOHAVESOM
EOFTHEMOSTIMPORTA
NTANDKEYINFOHEREI
NONEORTWOPAGESISN
ICEHEREARESOMEVER
TICALWORDFINDSDIS
COVEREDINTHEZODIA
CBYDOUGOSWELLZAND
ERKITEANDMYSELFOF
COURSEALLOFTHESEC
OULDBERANDOMWHITE
NOISEBUTTHEYDOALL
OCCURINAFAIRLYCON
CENTRATEDAREAONOR
NEARTHEWORDPARADI
CEMOSTBETWEENSIXL
INESANDBETWEENCOL
UMNSANDTHESEINCLU
DETEDTEASEHEALEAR
NANDTHEHALLOWEENC
ARDINTRODUCESTHEI
DEAOFPARADICEINTE

Here are all the words you can find:

TUBES, LAURA, CRUDE, SUTRO, WITH, SOME, SEEN, NAME, MAIN, IDEA, NEED, SORT, GONE, FEET, WEST, FINE, ARTS, RARE, TAPE, EARS, LANE, ROSS, TUBE, RIDE, NATO, TIED, RUDE, DEER, SORE, DAFT, ERDA, REED, MARS, DASH, TETH, AURA, LAIS, AMEN, THAI, FADE, ASTA, LYON, OCHO, MEAD, EWES, TOSS, AFTR, ROWE, TART, TROP, LOOM, RETD, SERA, SATE, OMAR, LEES, DEEN, SEGA, NOIR, ESSO, PRAT, NEES, HELE, DARA, GIDE, DNAS, TARP, EROS, DOZE, DODO, THE, AND, ARE, HIS, SHE, HAS, ONE, ITS, TWO, DID, DID, TOO, SEE, MAN, MEN, YET, WAR, TEN, FEW, ART, LET, PAY, PER, NOR, GON, SET, RED, SEA, SAT, HOT, TEA, TOP, RUN, AID, LED, MET, LEG, IAN, DAD, EAT, VIA, ADD, ROW, LEE, SAD, GAP, OCT, HAT, WET, EAR, FEE, NET, RAW, NHS, DNA, DNA, ILL, RID, LIE, DES, ERA, TIN, POT, ROY, IRA, HEY, ATE, PAT, TIE, BET, LES, CRY, FAN, COW, TED, INN, TAP, OWE, WEE, OWL, DAN, NON, DOS, LEO, RAT, RON, WIT, EVE, DEE, WEB, CIA, DOT, ASH, DIG, EVA, PET, RAM, TOE, TOY, RIO, BEE, OPT, MAT, ORE, GEL, AMY, TEE, HEN, COT, ANT, DOO, LOO, SID, ION, MOD, DYE, TUB, ROT, TAN, SOD, MAR, HEM, DOE, RAP, NED, REP, WES, CON, WED, APE, RYE, DEW

BETTERMENT, SWALLOWED, STAMMERER, OUTERMOST, WRESTLERS, ANNEMARIE, THREESOME, TRENCHANT, FILENAMES, AFTERLOAD, UTTERMOST, RETINITIS, SOMERWEST, TEALEAVES, MORETHAN, FOLLOWED, ATTENDED, POLLIWOG, ILLUSION, RESTLESS, ROMANIAN, DETECTOR, LABELLED, ENCLOSED, MONTREAL, UNIONISM, FROWNING, FILENAME, STALLION, FOLLOWER, ILLINOIS, LAVENDER, MILLWALL, SWALLOWS, SMELLING, TROTTING, VENEREAL, ERECTING, STORMONT, MANSIONS, ARABELLA, VIVIENNE, HERRINGS, RESTORES, TERRENCE, INCITING, WRESTLED, LOATHING, PHILPOTT, FRETTING, THINNESS, GELASIUS, REBELLED, ALLUNION, WRESTLER, LEVIGATE, RESTORER, ANDREWES, FORTIETH, VALLARTA, LITIGANT, THROSTLE, GRITTING, TRESTLES, TEETOTAL, ANTIETAM, TOTTERED, HOSTILES, HERESIES, ROCKETED, LINESMEN, TEXTURAL, BILLOWED, NASTIEST, INTERIMS, TOILSOME, DELLARTE, MONTEITH, STOREMAN, ISLANDER, GHETTOES, TORTURER, TAILINGS, SOMEONES, NOMINALS, BELLEVUE, SKILLING, TIMELIKE, ALSORANS, ROMANIST, MILLIKAN, NOISIEST, THIEVING, WALLOWED, KITEMARK, ELSINORE, MELLINGS, OSTEITIS, TREELIKE, GELATION, STENOSES, SILLIMAN, LATERALS, ANIMATES, ANIMATOR, ONEMONTH, ATHELING, MELUSINA, BELLLIKE, STILLING, MEDICEAN, CLELLAND, WOLLATON, MILLINGS, SNELLING, SOMERTON, MORTISES, FACEDOWN, ANTIGONE, REWIRING, IRONWOOD, GERMANIA, CATSKILL, TIMORESE, FORGOING, RETRENCH, CELLLIKE, KILLEARN, IVINGHOE, TRENTINO, LATHERED, HILLFORT, HAREBELL, WRESTLES, BELLENDS, ROSEMONT, MOONRISE, MACALLAN, EARENDEL, COLOREDS, TORRENCE, HAIRTHIN, GIGANTEA

GLURK: Perhaps Zodiac was a werewolf:

DORANCHAK: Nice try, glurk, but I know you’ve got something to do with it:

Or maybe it was Gareth Penn after all:

Or Voigt?

Or even AK Wilks??

And here’s ALA to round out the team:

By the way, here are some larger lists of "twisty" words that seem relatively orderly because diagonal moves and jumps are not permitted:[EDITED by AK Wilks as the original exceeds character limits and was redundant.]

UTTERMOST, HILLFORTS
ETIOLATE, RESTLESS, KILLINGS, LAVENDER, REBELLED, MELUSINA, MEDICEAN, REWIRING, GERMANUS, LATHERED, HILLFORT

FOLLOWS, WESTERN, SELLING, SMILING, THINNER, TERENCE, STAMINA, TILINGS, DEMISED, ELITISM, ANTHEMS, WADDELL, ANIMATE, VISUALS, FELLING, PITTING, HOTTING, BERATED, LAVELLE, MEDICIS, TILLING, INTEMET, ETRURIA, GERMANE, ETRURIA, CAITLIN, THEATER, BLATHER, TEAPOTS, LOWDOWN, ILEITIS, UTTERER, CYTOSOL, LEANDER, SOLOING, LALANDE, KILLALA, LECLAIR, SMITING, BELLEND, SICILIA, DENDERA, THORENS, SEEMETH, ALHITHI, REDNALL, AERATED, LINITIS

BECAME, BETTER, CHANGE, SKILLS, WINTER, FOLLOW, GERMAN, CAUSED, LIVING, ATONCE, VISUAL, FINGER, EATING, CAUSES, LEANED, THAMES, EARNED, REFUGE, PARADE, ATBEST, FOSTER, DEMISE, MELLOR, TRENCH, HEATER, PISTOL, WINGER, HEATED, SOFTER, SMELLS, LENDER, INSITU, WIRING, SOFTEN, ELLAND, ANTHEM, WESTEN, FORMEL, CEASES, TEAPOT, BLIMEY, INGRES, HEALED, CELLED, LAMINA, LOWELL, OREGON, LEVIES, ANDERE, HAINES, HANKIN, TURRET, SITING, NAAMAN, HITECH, RHINOS, TOWING, HEEREN, LEVINE, WESTER, THEBES, RUTTER, SLAVEN, MEDILL, MILLIS, MEDILL, DELAND, ORTNER, FOREGO, CHASES, LEVITT, BEATER, LATHER, CELLOS, MIMOSA, PUTNAM, GILLAN, LANDER, TILING, LNCOME, MATEOS, HANNES, HEARNE, TIWARI, AUTISM, TEASES, MONASH, BERNAL, VEDDER, MEDICI, BESTEN, BAWDEN, MEDEVA, LATTRE, PARAMO, ENDALL, ANIMAM, SCONCE, THRIGG, VALLIS, REDDEN, DOTING, BELIKE, NEVINS, RELIST, VARADI, AHERNE, VARADI, ELLICE, BERATE, LEFORT, REWIRE, VENDER, EDITIO, VARAHA, NEVILE, VARAHA, NEVILE, ROSINA, LEVENS, AERATE, GEMARA, THEALE, ALLIWA, SEINEN, THASOS, SEINEN, NEROLI, MILLES, MENTHA, ENTRER, NELLIS, MILLES, HEFLIN, MOHAVE, SOFALA, SLAVED, MOHAVE, FOLATE, CAUSIS, SLAVED, KILLEN, ELLING, WINNOW, LINCEI, FOSTEN, TITTIE, LINCEI, INTROS, BESCOT, TOEING, TITTIE, TAMINO, FORTHE, ESTERO, ERENCE, BESCOT, ERENCE, WADDEN, GIRTIN, THERED, SLIMES, ECLAIR, NOSTER, ALCIDE, WELLOF, STEROL, LLORET, WELLOF, SELLIN, PUTMAN, MANISA, AMETHI, ALTHEA, SELLIN, MANISA

THERE, THREE, OFTEN, THING, BEGAN, SEVEN, MONTH, PETER, GIVES, CELLS, NAMES, SMILE, METAL, WORST, INNER, BEGUN, SHEET, THEME, TELLS, RAPID, LIKED, SKILL, THREW, SHEEP, SILLY, ROCKS, ROGER, SMELL, LISTS, TOWER, EMILY, SHEER, MARIE, YOUVE, SHORE, HATED, FORTH, WAVED, ELLIS, MILLS, LINEN, RINGS, BELLS, SLAVE, ROLLS, BELLY, REBEL, VEINS, CEASE, ELLEN, MOUNT, FISTS, AMINO, WIRES, CHASE, UTTER, KILLS, RONNI, METER, HINTS, NOSES, BELLA, SLOTS, ELVES, WISER, STERN, RATED, RESIN, EINEN, BELLE, DWELL, BLAIR, TAMIL, ELINE, NIVEL, WHORE, WILLI, SWELL, ILIAC, EXPER, EVADE, INTER, OHARA, SENNA, ALOFT, SLOWS, HEERE, ILEAL, ATTHE, CELLE, RHINO, OWING, BEHAR, CELLO, SLIMY, LABOR, TINGE, MILLI, TEASE, ELISE

AK WILKS: Doranchak and Glurk – Thanks for your input. Its always good to get constructive criticism and another view of things.

I am not making any big claims for these 408 vertical word finds. As I noted from the start, they could well be coincidence. But as I have noted vertical word finds in the 340, I thought it worthwhile to mention these finds, most discovered by Doug Oswell.

Now, for sake of debate. I would say lets limit any comparisons to words of four letters or more (like WAVE, TIDE, BELL, HEAL, EARN) and that occur in a similar area. With no twisties and no breaks. All vertical, correct spelling, no anangrams. Here they all occur in an area of I think 6 lines and 9 columns, so a 54 word area. Also, and this is a little debatable I admit, but I would argue three of the words are related thematically.

I think these 408 finds catch the eye…but do not yet go beyond the realm of coincidence. I think the totality of the work done by Kite, myself and others on the vertical and diaganol word finds in the 340 does, but that is still a minority opinion. Those 340 word finds include very Zodiac themes words like BOMBS, LIST, GAME, DUEL. And a whole series relating to types of restraints: LEASH, STALLS, BARS, BALL, TIES, LASH, TAKE, LOSE.

See viewtopic.php?f=81&t=260

Dan G’s reference to "HAMMER ROCKS" comes from this following observation:

Looking at these East Coast cases –

May 7, 1963 Beverly Samans, Boston (Coded messages found at apartment)
Jan 7, 1969 Jane Britton, Boston
Feb 7, 1969 Ada Bean, Boston
Nov 28, 1969 Betsy Aardsma, Penn State
Nov 28, 1981 Joan Webster, Boston

At the crime scene of Harvard anthropolgy/archeology grad student Jane Britton, her body had been prepared for passage to "paradise", , an ancient rock was taken from her apartment, and reference was made to strange writings found at the scene, which included "symbols".

As observed by KITE:

So Britton was probably killed by an archeology HAMMER, prepared for PARADISE, and her ancient ROCK was taken.
In the Zodiac 408, we have a reference to PARADISE, "GETTING YOUR ROCKS OFF" and a vertical HAMMRER.

Thank you, AK. Interesting history and I remember the nautical word search finds from Doug O. I’m going to stick with the boring and entirely unhelpful "I LIKE KILLING BECAUSE ITS SO MUCH FUN" solution for now.

I see. I do find the Process Church interesting. Carry on, Dan.