smithy, Subject: Key for the 408 Wed Oct 24, 2012 1:42 pm
On August 2nd, the Napa Register published two thirds of the 408 cipher. In the wrong order, unfortunately.
Chief Jack E. Stiltz was cynical about the facts in the first letter, in this article.
On August 3rd, the SF Sunday Examiner and Chronicle printed all three pieces of the 408 cipher. Also in the wrong order, sadly.
Chief Stiltz was also quoted as being cynical about the facts in the first letter, in this article too.
On August 4th, The Vallejo News Chronicle printed all three pieces of the 408 cipher. Amazingly in the wrong order, sadly, and they repeated that:
Yes, Chief Stiltz was cynical!
On August 4th, the Zodiac sent in his second letter to give more facts to the cynical Chief Stiltz – asking "Are the cops haveing a good time with the code?"
He was right up with news, then, from the Napa Register on the second, or the SF E&C of the 3rd. Had to be. Right?
The Vallejo Times Herald ran the story of the code being broken by the Harden’s on Saturday August 9th.
(They printed extensive opinion with the solution, but not the key.)
Sergeants Lynch and Rust were mentioned in this article – Lynch was specified as being in charge of the case.
SOMEONE sent in a key to the 408 cipher, addressed to Sergeant Lynch of the VPD, in an envelope dated 10th August 1969.
In the envelope was a key, and a 3×5 card with a typed message, below.
Now!
The key itself was in the new release of files too, I’m sure – which I can’t find. How very annoying.
I’ve got a photograph of what purports to be the key – but I’m not sure it’s the correct key sent in.
A few things please! Questions! Help!
Has anyone got the key photo?
Has anyone got an opinion on if the key released is actually a Harden one (since the writing looks pretty much the same as his) – in error?
Does anyone think it was the infamous Zodiac who wrote to Sergeant Lynch – instead of the newspapers – on this occasion?
What’s the point of anyone sending in a key to a cipher which was broken the day before?
Did the reader NOT read the VTH of the 9th, and therefore not know it had been broken? If so was it a coincidence that Lynch got the letter, not Rust or Chief Stiltz (both of whom had been mentioned in connection with the case before)?
Any and all opinions gratefully accepted.
doranchak, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Wed Oct 24, 2012 1:50 pm
The photo I have is in notes I took a while ago:
Are you thinking of a different photo of the key than that?
smithy, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Wed Oct 24, 2012 1:53 pm
That’s the one. What took you so long? 
Anything on the rest? The fact that Lynch was the boss and named in the article of the 9th as being the Harden’s new best friend is what’s new to me – and it’s interesting IMO. (And there are a lot of lovely new people here to give opinions – which I desperately want. I remember we went round this once, long ago.)
Edit: and those are the initials of Sergeant John P Lynch on the bottom right of key? If his middle name starts with a "P"?
And if that’s his report (I must go look), then he doesn’t think it’s a Harden key, since he’s ensuring it goes in copy to Harden – right?
How confusing.
AK Wilks, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Wed Oct 24, 2012 2:04 pm
Obtained via FOIA request by MORF.
If this was Zodiac, which IMO is possible, he might not have seen the evening papers on the 9th before dropping the letter in a mailbox.
See also discussion here: http://zodiackillersite.forummotion.com … pd-8-10-69
doranchak, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Wed Oct 24, 2012 2:24 pm
You’ve probably already seen these many times, but below are the bits of the old FBI files that refer to the "concerned citizen" key. Perhaps you can integrate their info into your timeline.
smithy, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Wed Oct 24, 2012 2:34 pm
Thanks AK – and for the compliment I read in there about me. I’m doubly pleased I was nice about you the other day!
Quite an interesting thread. (And not just for the politics. I remember being part of the original thread on the other site too. Ha!)
Thanks D., always good to have all the stuff in one place.
The description in the FBI Airtel stuff – white sheet of paper – seems to match up to the key OK.
I suppose JP Lynch wrote his initials on it on the 11th of August 1969? Where’s Trav? I don’t now think Z. wrote that key.
But….!
doranchak, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Wed Oct 24, 2012 2:46 pm
This "Historical List of Officers by Badge Number" shows a "John P. Lynch" with badge number 152:
http://www.vallejopoa.com/vallejo-poa/officer-by-badge-number.html
smithy, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Wed Oct 24, 2012 5:14 pm
You refer to that one as well then eh D.?
Yes, Sgt Lynch’s initials.
Anyone know what was in the Chronicle on the 9th August? I presume it was news of the cipher solution?
doranchak, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Wed Oct 24, 2012 5:20 pm
smithy, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Wed Oct 24, 2012 5:30 pm
Look – will you let someone else have a turn D.?
Yes – it was in the Chronic too, same deal, Lynch gets his mention.
So, answering my own questions:
This is the "real" key provided, and it’s not in Z’s handwriting.
(No, it’s not actually a Harden one.)
If it was Z writing to Sergeant Lynch – instead of the newspapers for a change – the reason he did so is highly personal to him. It makes little sense – and he had to have someone else write out the key, which would seem very odd indeed.
There’s no sensible reason for anyone to send in a key to a cipher which was broken the day before.
The reader seems very likely to have seen the news in one of the Bay Area papers – it was highly pervasive.
Lynch got the letter because he was named in the articles.
Any other opinions? D? 
Quicktrader, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Wed Oct 24, 2012 5:48 pm
The letter ‘a’ is a bit lower than all the others…this could be used to identify the typewriter. Also, what does he mean with ‘working puzzles criptograms’?
QT
smithy, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Wed Oct 24, 2012 6:04 pm
QT – "working out" I think, (no not in a gymnasium.) "Solving".
Although with that spelling I’m wondering how many he (or possibly she) actually managed to solve.
I still want to believe this is "Z" you know.
Eight lines, three spelling mistakes, "I won’t give you my name" and the use of "citizen"? Hmmm.
I know thousands of people were writing in, but LE decided this one was worth fingerprinting after all. I certainly would have done too.
AK Wilks, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Wed Oct 24, 2012 6:07 pm
Just saying he is a hobbyist. But word puzzles! I never caught that before. If this was Zodiac could it perhaps be a clue. The Raw Graysmith solution has word puzzle elements like diagonal LIST BOMBS and backwards GAME and many others. The slip of the tongue line has always seemed odd to me.
smithy, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Wed Oct 24, 2012 6:27 pm
The slip of the tongue line has always seemed odd to me.
I’m cynical, and I think he’s talking about the leaky talkative VPD police department – quite deliberately.
Re: the rest – Oy! A word search puzzle AK? That’s a nice catch. Like this sort of thing?
It would explain the pivots too. You’d never know when you’d solved it though – except perhaps by "maximum words found in any direction".
Which would be a drag – although probably highly amusing.
Where’s the shrug icon? *shrug*
If you can convince D. and glurk, that should keep them occupied for a year or two. 
AK Wilks, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Wed Oct 24, 2012 6:35 pm
Yes just like BTK did years later which included PETOFFICER. I have posted the 340 as possible word puzzle many times. Also Harden has DANEROUE and ANAMAL is that right while this key has correct DANGEROUS/ANIMAL. I have said maybe Z did intentional wrongly spelledd words to increase difficulty but maybe I was wrong. Did a vain Zodiac just want everything perfect?
smithy, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Wed Oct 24, 2012 7:11 pm
Did a vain Zodiac just want everything perfect?
Ah! If I had a bell, I’d ring it! :cheers:
Yes. The only reason I can think of for someone sending in a different key – Z – would be to correct what he saw as the errors that the Hardens gave the newspapers in their presentation of HIS material. That’s all I’ve got. Pleased you have too.
That’s why it REALLY annoys me that the key doesn’t look like his writing. No three stroke "K"? Pah!
It also bothers me that the key’s actually not all that good(!) – but at least you’ve given me back some sanity AK – thanks.
AK Wilks, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Wed Oct 24, 2012 7:38 pm
Your welcome! But look again IMO that is a 3 stroke K. Also the lower case u fits Zodiac. If this was Z then much of the rest is him distorting and changing his natural writing but we have seen him do that at other times.
smithy, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Wed Oct 24, 2012 8:12 pm
Yes – actually three "K’s" aren’t there?
I’ll go through it myself. I miss Trav!
I’ll also use the key on D’s webtoy and see how bad I can make things look.
What’s the deal with the "W" – and more importantly – the backwards "Q" ? 
doranchak, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Thu Oct 25, 2012 6:39 am
Re: the rest – Oy! A word search puzzle AK? That’s a nice catch. Like this sort of thing?
It would explain the pivots too. You’d never know when you’d solved it though – except perhaps by "maximum words found in any direction".
Which would be a drag – although probably highly amusing.
Where’s the shrug icon? *shrug*
If you can convince D. and glurk, that should keep them occupied for a year or two.
found [friendliness] at row 12, column 4
found [acquaintance] at row 13, column 13
found [girlfriend] at row 3, column 1
found [companions] at row 13, column 4
found [closeness] at row 1, column 11
found [boyfriend] at row 2, column 5
found [companion] at row 13, column 4
found [fondness] at row 2, column 13
found [goodtime] at row 3, column 1
found [acquaint] at row 13, column 13
found [essenes] at row 1, column 2
found [loyalty] at row 10, column 12
found [confide] at row 11, column 2
found [essene] at row 1, column 2
found [friend] at row 5, column 8
found [friend] at row 7, column 5
found [anions] at row 9, column 8
found [quaint] at row 11, column 11
found [pranks] at row 12, column 3
found [friend] at row 12, column 4
found [essen] at row 1, column 2
found [close] at row 1, column 11
found [bolas] at row 2, column 5
found [favor] at row 3, column 7
found [buddy] at row 3, column 9
found [lines] at row 6, column 4
found [times] at row 7, column 1
found [share] at row 7, column 3
found [arias] at row 7, column 12
found [fidei] at row 8, column 2
found [ethel] at row 8, column 11
found [anion] at row 9, column 8
found [atone] at row 9, column 9
found [loyal] at row 10, column 12
found [ranks] at row 11, column 4
found [prank] at row 12, column 3
found [acqua] at row 13, column 13
found [time] at row 7, column 1
found [only] at row 4, column 3
found [good] at row 3, column 1
found [help] at row 10, column 9
found [line] at row 6, column 4
found [girl] at row 3, column 1
found [loss] at row 4, column 5
found [lets] at row 6, column 8
found [fair] at row 10, column 6
found [send] at row 2, column 7
found [lose] at row 1, column 10
found [nose] at row 4, column 4
found [tone] at row 9, column 10
found [rank] at row 11, column 4
found [fond] at row 2, column 13
found [lend] at row 4, column 12
found [ions] at row 7, column 10
found [hare] at row 8, column 3
found [unto] at row 3, column 10
found [lobe] at row 4, column 5
found [ness] at row 4, column 4
found [ness] at row 2, column 9
found [ness] at row 1, column 6
found [aria] at row 7, column 12
found [semi] at row 11, column 1
found [emit] at row 10, column 1
found [comp] at row 13, column 4
found [turd] at row 9, column 10
found [budd] at row 3, column 9
found [cern] at row 11, column 2
found [yobs] at row 4, column 7
found [slay] at row 7, column 3
found [ieee] at row 4, column 2
found [aire] at row 5, column 5
found [capn] at row 13, column 4
found [hana] at row 10, column 9
found [odin] at row 6, column 3
found [anah] at row 7, column 9
traveller1st, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Thu Oct 25, 2012 7:46 am
Your welcome! But look again IMO that is a 3 stroke K. Also the lower case u fits Zodiac. If this was Z then much of the rest is him distorting and changing his natural writing but we have seen him do that at other times.
That’s important to note IF this was Z because even the FBI don’t like that sort of thing when it comes to handwriting analysis. We’ve seen many times how this leads to an "inconclusive" result – aka, can’t be sure. Sounds like a weak answer from people who are supposed to be professionals but it really isn’t, it’s just unfortunate because I’m sure it means that they’ve looked really hard and still can’t be sure because of the possibility to disguise.
I’m afraid that if we were to consider the handwriting in the key that it would have to be considered disguised right off the bat as it doesn’t scream Zodiac, to me at least.
I had looked at this before regarding a certain POI with a penchant for many variations on certain characters. I don’t think I took it much further but I’ll try and find it.
My problem with this one is that it contains too many new letterforms. One’s I haven’t seen before in Either Z’s writing or the POI’s I’ve looked at so there’s nothing in it that has made me go "I’ve seen that before" because I haven’t. There are some that come close and are maybe interesting but I don’t think they are enough on their own.
The handwriting thing is a lot like the code thing in some aspects. Short messages are not much use especially if were dealing with something that could be described as a new style. You would need a large enough example to increase the odds of patterns emerging to help decide if it’s natural or disguised.
My feeling on this one is more NO than YES for now but I feel it my bones I’m gonna have to look closer at it. Arrrrgggghhh stupid curiosity. I will see how the thread progresses first though in case something arises that might affect how we look at this handwriting.
doranchak, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Thu Oct 25, 2012 8:06 am
Did a vain Zodiac just want everything perfect?
Ah! If I had a bell, I’d ring it! :cheers:
Yes. The only reason I can think of for someone sending in a different key – Z – would be to correct what he saw as the errors that the Hardens gave the newspapers in their presentation of HIS material. That’s all I’ve got. Pleased you have too.
That’s why it REALLY annoys me that the key doesn’t look like his writing. No three stroke "K"? Pah!
It also bothers me that the key’s actually not all that good(!) – but at least you’ve given me back some sanity AK – thanks.
I wonder if someone simply read the newspaper solution, saw that the key wasn’t published, and immediately decided to try to be helpful by deriving it from the published solution and mailing it to Lynch.
traveller1st, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Thu Oct 25, 2012 8:13 am
Did a vain Zodiac just want everything perfect?
Ah! If I had a bell, I’d ring it! :cheers:
Yes. The only reason I can think of for someone sending in a different key – Z – would be to correct what he saw as the errors that the Hardens gave the newspapers in their presentation of HIS material. That’s all I’ve got. Pleased you have too.
That’s why it REALLY annoys me that the key doesn’t look like his writing. No three stroke "K"? Pah!
It also bothers me that the key’s actually not all that good(!) – but at least you’ve given me back some sanity AK – thanks.I wonder if someone simply read the newspaper solution, saw that the key wasn’t published, and immediately decided to try to be helpful by deriving it from the published solution and mailing it to Lynch.
Nice. I like that.
doranchak, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Thu Oct 25, 2012 8:18 am
What’s the deal with the "W"
In the 408, two different symbols decode to plaintext W: 
(1 time) and 
(8 times). He made the mistake in the word "SLOW":
I’m guessing Z had an earlier draft of the cipher, and when he went to create the nice final copy, he mistook one of the ‘s for a since they can be vaguely similar looking.
doranchak, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Thu Oct 25, 2012 8:43 am
and more importantly – the backwards "Q" ?
The "concerned citizen" key combines the forwards Q (plaintext F) and backwards Q (plaintext M) into a single Q. The key shows plaintext assignments F and M. But it also shows plaintext assignments K and L, which doesn’t make sense. A mistake? Or misread from a poor rendition of the solution in the newspaper? *shrug*
doranchak, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Thu Oct 25, 2012 8:48 am
The FBI cryptanalysis mentioned the Q thing here, where it says the cipher symbol backwards Q’s assignments to plaintext K and L are not verifiable:
Daniel Gillotti, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Thu Oct 25, 2012 9:10 am
its those dang queer q’s again…wow!!!…cool i made a 4 letter cipher by accident and my identity is blown…
you guys are missing the bigger picture here…dear sargeant rectangle…??? is that how the letter was sent or is that a redacted name… don’t they usually black out redacted names…in other words…lol…thats exactly what i need to see the entire letter… all words and names where they were typed…no redactions…
smithy, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Thu Oct 25, 2012 9:33 am
D., I’m sure HERB CAEN is in there someplace if memory serves. Please look again.
Ah! If I had a bell, I’d ring it! :cheers:
Yes. The only reason I can think of for someone sending in a different key – Z – would be to correct what he saw as the errors that the Hardens gave the newspapers in their presentation of HIS material. That’s all I’ve got. Pleased you have too.
That’s why it REALLY annoys me that the key doesn’t look like his writing. No three stroke "K"? Pah!
It also bothers me that the key’s actually not all that good(!) – but at least you’ve given me back some sanity AK – thanks.I wonder if someone simply read the newspaper solution, saw that the key wasn’t published, and immediately decided to try to be helpful by deriving it from the published solution and mailing it to Lynch.
Nice. I like that.
I liked that too – then I thought "Ah ha! The Hardens SOLVED the thing though, and the newspaper article says Lynch’s talking with the Harden’s, so he must have been given a key. Only a complete DUMAS wouldn’t realise that. And of course ALL people who play with ciphers are very clever. And good looking.
So I went back to thinking about Z.
And I’m very pleased that Mr AK Wilks (who is handsome and well educated), came up with the same idea as me. Did I say?
Here’s the thing.
If you were helpfully "producing a key" and took the Hardens solution and wrote it in above the cipher as printed in the newspaper(s) – then wrote a key out, would it look anything like that one?
Would the first character be an open triangle (in itself a bit odd) which is over in the right-hand column where the "multiple assignment" characters go? Hmmmmmmmm?
I sure as heck wouldn’t.
Even if you solved the thing for yourself in the same one-week timescale (it was about that, right?) as the Harden’s – beating the NRA and FBI and SMERSH (or whoever else was working on it) in the process – too – wouldn’t your key look a bit more like the Harden’s? (Mine does.)
Looks more to me like that guy was trying to obfuscate the first character in the cipher, perhaps.
Just for openers.
(When he wrote it. ‘Cos he’s the Z. JMO! "Subject to change!" as glurk says. If he’s still alive that is…..)
BTW – is that a bit ETOAIN (and a tiny bit SHRDLU) over there on the right? Maybe it is…. maybe it ain’t.
Daniel Gillotti, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Thu Oct 25, 2012 11:35 am
I’m interested in this topic…Nice thread smithy…sargeant Lynch is the redacted name. ???
tahoe27, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Thu Oct 25, 2012 12:00 pm
I’m interested in this topic…Nice thread smithy…sargeant Lynch is the redacted name. ???
Yes, Lynch is redacted.
This to me is just some person who thought they had something to offer is all. They sound foreign, possibly hispanic. "Criptograms?"
This card was postmarked the evening of August 10th. A Sunday. Maybe it was placed in the mail before they saw any solution. ?? Or, their own solution was a bit different.
***
Here is a thread Zamantha provided with the August ’69 newspaper articles:
http://zodiackillersite.forummotion.com … ugust-1969
smithy, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Thu Oct 25, 2012 4:22 pm
Thanks for the W explanation D.
This to me is just some person who thought they had something to offer is all. They sound foreign, possibly hispanic. "Criptograms?"
Phonetic spelling: Like Cypher? You no like?
It’s certainly someone who thought they had something to offer, aye. And they did. IMO they gave us a very interesting key.
No further thoughts on how it was arrived at yet, or why it looks like that huh? 
It certainly looks to me like the person who generated it may have had quite a different idea about how homophonic substitutions could legitimately be made more difficult to decipher.
Legitimate in HIS mind, that is.
Luke68, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Thu Oct 25, 2012 4:31 pm
There are some interesting word puzzle interpretations over on Chris Farmer’s forum (OPORD).
A lot of them were deliberate searches for particular names, including Perez’ step dad. There was also a pretty in-depth pivot exercise.
smithy, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Thu Oct 25, 2012 4:39 pm
Thanks for that Luke – it’s mildly off-topic for a thread about a posted-in key for the 408 cipher, but I see where you got the idea from!
I think D. might be able to trip over there and help them out if he feels disposed.
Meantime I’m going to paraphrase myself again, as I do, and ask:
If you were helpfully "producing a key", took the Hardens solution and wrote it in above the cipher and then wrote a key out, would it look like that one?
Would the first character from the cipher end up as an open triangle in the right-hand column where the "multiple assignment" characters go?
I think I know the answers already if I’m honest. 
glurk, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Fri Oct 26, 2012 3:00 am
smithy-
Over the last day, I have gone over this "key" six ways to Sunday, re-read the FBI reports, re-checked the handwriting(!), and entered it into ZKD by hand (again).
I still come to the same conclusion that I came to over a year ago on ZKF. I believe it to be an independent solution by some unknown cipher fan.
This is the only logical and consistent thing I can come up with. It does sound a little "Z-like" in its style, and the handwriting does look a bit like Harden’s.
But those aren’t enough (for me). And I CAN see a ‘solver’ coming up with a key that looks like this one. Basically showing the homophones on the left column
and what would be called the polyphones over there on the right.
That’s my idea and I’m sticking to it. I enjoy criptogram sword-play and putting spaces in the wrong places.
-glurk
smithy, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Fri Oct 26, 2012 5:21 am
glurk
We disagree on something? 
Y’know I thought this day would never come. I better go around again to make sure, but I have to tell you I find that first open triangle – first symbol in the 408 – so compelling, that you and I may have to exchange virtual handshakes instead. Such is life!
glurk, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Fri Oct 26, 2012 6:29 am
I’ve looked at it AGAIN, and I still do not see the confusion. It seems simple to me. Look at the submitted "key." Look at the plaintext "I"
In the key, it shows I == "P, u, (backwards) K" This is accurate. Every "P" "u" and (backwards) "K" DOES IN FACT decode to an "I" in the cipher.
However, the "open triangle" decoding to "I" (most of the time) also decodes to a "W" in the "SLOW DOWN" part. They key shows this.
So, in the leftmost alphabetical list, the "open triangle" is not shown as a homphone for "I" because it is ALSO a polyphone for "W"
-glurk
Here is what I get by entering the LEFTMOST into ZKD, not using the RIGHTMOST column at all:
(Why are all the the letter "M" missing from the plaintext? The solver made a mistake and forgot that "M – (backwards) Q)
[Also note that the (backwards) Q, representing the plaintext "M" is the most common symbol in the cipher – 16 appearances]
smithy, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Fri Oct 26, 2012 12:19 pm
glurk – Why do you so hate that second column, which I so admire? 
My question "If you me or anyone had written out a key – would it look like that?" has to be more specific I suppose.
I didn’t want to ask ‘cos I’m leading the jury.
Would our key not have had a backward "Q" against the "M"?
Would it look like this one, with a polyphone listing over on the right – which makes no sense – with an M in it, instead?
OK, perhaps the guy who solved it just got it very wrong when writing out the key – added in some extra characters, and stuffed up the M.
And my idea that it’s a poor – slightly flawed – copy of his ENCODING sheet he sent in, complete with unused "poly’s" is wrong.
Won’t be the first time!
AK Wilks, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Fri Oct 26, 2012 3:02 pm
The concerned citizen gives no value to "Q".
The Harden Key renders a regular "Q" as an "F" and backwards "Q" as an "M".
Remember that two whole pages were not released. Well they were released to Morf, but entirely blanked out.
And is it indeed true that the Harden Key gives as DANGEROUE and ANAMAL while Concerned Citizen Key gives as DANGEROUS and ANIMAL?
Any other differences?
Was Zodiac the Concerned Citizen?
* Zodiac later used "citizen" as a sign off
* Both say "my name"
* Both make a big tease about holding back their name
* Both have wrongly spelled words that seem intentional IMO
* Both used 3 x 5 cards
* Both use FDR stamp with no zip code
Daniel Gillotti, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Fri Oct 26, 2012 4:10 pm
Hi Smithy:
I do like this thread and it could be a very important piece of Z evidence. I have been watching it while I was working on an idea.
I feel this is Z and I have a couple of reasons. If I put myself in the Zodiac shoes during that time period and if I knew I was going to bombard the police and news papers with ciphers and cryptic cards and letters. I would have some pre- planned intentions…one of the things I would have done is watched the media like a hawk for any Z news and as soon as the 408 solution was published in the paper. I would release this brilliant prewritten letter (puzzle) with the 408 “key” on the same day. (I know what you guys are thinking and yes… the Z340 was already complete when the 408 was sent).
The big question is why…I believe the Dear Sargeant Lynch letter holds a possible puzzle. I have been checking for stenography, to acrostics, anything that would stand out…that’s why I needed to see how the name lynch was typed out and how it lines up over word “enclosed”…
The triangle is also a big clue for me and I believe it was important to the Z…I believe the Triangle represent primary targets and Squares represents secondary targets. The triangle and square only come together 1 time in both 408 and Z340.
In the Z340 the triangle and square begin on the 5th line right after my 4 line solution of the “Poets Pen”…the last 3 letters of my 68 characters solution is ECT…Smithy look at the Dear Sergeant letter, see the word “Key” in quotation marks, right below that is “ECT” from the word “ConnECTion”. When I locked “ECT” and “KEY” into Zk, the way they lined up on the letter and duplicated back on my 4 line solution. The last line of the Z340 generated
“LONE GEM IS COP”…
I believe this letter could be a clue for the Z340 decryption hidden very cleverly as a concerned citizen interested in helping with the 408…I believe this is Z or someone very close to him.
This may be wrong and not what your looking for but if I discover something more in this letter and “key” that’s not maybe necessarily the angle I’m following. I will post it and hopefully it will help someone else with their research.
But if you guys get a chance try locking ECT and KEY the way I described and tell me what you think, hopefully we can knock the Z340 out of the park by Nov 10TH
Things that is interesting to me in this letter: “Key” “connection”, “slip of the tongue”, “concerned citizen”, “Dear Sergeant lynch” and the misspelled words and more.
Because I already know that “r Sep Gem” encrypts into Stephen, I am looking for Cops with the name Stephenson, Stephen…Etc that would have been around the time of the Z and locations…???
Ak, I’m sorry for posting over you…it wasn’t on purpose…
Oh,… there is no way that someone just randomly solves the 408 cipher around the same time as the Hardens with a better or similar “Key” and remain anonymous…”no way”…they, he, she, whoever… would have contacted the media and given them their name and gotten a little notoriety. Just my opinion…
Daniel
tahoe27, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Fri Oct 26, 2012 7:23 pm
Oh,… there is no way that someone just randomly solves the 408 cipher around the same time as the Hardens with a better or similar “Key” and remain anonymous…”no way”…they, he, she, whoever… would have contacted the media and given them their name and gotten a little notoriety. Just my opinion…
Hmmm…I don’t know. If I solved Zodiac’s cipher I don’t know if I’d want my name posted in the paper! Might piss him off. 
I’m surprised the Harden’s home address wasn’t put in the paper back then. Maybe it was…
Daniel Gillotti, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Fri Oct 26, 2012 8:50 pm
Tahoe 9:
No…I have to respectfully disagree…the Z was aching for someone to solve the 408 cipher or his whole campaign would have never gotten off the ground. He could have gotten antsy and sent it because I believe he wanted it solved going into his Lb and Stine murder & letter & car door message. I believe he wanted the 408 solved because he knew any similar attempt on the Z340 would fail.
Why…? because the 408 cipher key and letter he sent is the gaff or the clue for solving the Z340. I can’t think of a better gaff than to hide this undecipherable Z340 key in the already solved 408 letter, key.
Smithy, I’m with you on this one, I believe this could be Z or an accomplice…didn’t anyone notice the similar writing… the S, K, E and so on matches pretty well in my opinion…
Daniel
smithy, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Sat Oct 27, 2012 5:14 am
I think the Harden’s home address was released – or enough detail to find them anyway, and the press were trying to whip up something about them being hemmed in at home because of public interest etc. It’s in an article, I’m sure. In contradicting this nonsense Don rather laconically says something like "well actually no, we were just staying with mother-in-law that weekend" or some such. I must say, I like the sound of the bloke – but anyway, I digress.
Tahoe 9:
No…I have to respectfully disagree…the Z was aching for someone to solve the 408 cipher or his whole campaign would have never gotten off the ground. He could have gotten antsy and sent it because I believe he wanted it solved going into his Lb and Stine murder & letter & car door message.
Good points you guys, and I think this one’s tops. No solved cipher, means no "Mission statment", no "I’m completely crazy and likely to do ANYTHING" impression in the media, and no rousing start to the campaign as you say D. I wonder how well Riverside would have gone, had it had the "cipher component"? He was the "Cipher Slayer" and "Code Killer" at the start, after all. I agree, I think without a solution the impact would have been far less.
Daniel – "an accomplice?" – I nearly fell out of my chair!
Re: the key – I’ve been pestering poor Trav recently, so if he gets around to this on his own, fair enough.
I think his opinions good though, so I’ll have to try and abide by it if he doesn’t like the key (or has already said so some place…?)
Meantime, I will argue with myself and sort myself out.
The key has strange attributes, in the "Alphas" column on the left.
"E", "Q", "T", and "X" are all slightly "wrong" – a poor solve, or a poor re-write of a solve.
But they do look as we’d generally expect – more symbols against those characters likely to appear; frequency suppression, in other words, and with the symbols in the order of the 408. If it were an original encoding sheet we might expect it to have dots or five barred gates or something, to show the encoder "where he was" in using it – and it quite obviously doesn’t.
And that column on the right?
Well it’s backwards, really. Isn’t it? It has the Symbol on the left (not the character), and then the characters to be used against them. How does that work?
That makes it a strange solve and a useless key for enciphering I think. Ahem.
Are they also in order, cycled through as we’d expect if used "properly"? I haven’t checked yet. 
There are certainly extra values in the backward "Q" symbol line – and an "M" that makes me think stupid things, of course. (Like he got a "K" backwards later in the 340, for instance).
Where are the "closed" triangles? Are those triangles distinctive enough to the guy who wrote it that they don’t need to be filled?
The Times Herald got the first piece (Please God I’m right) with the first "filled" triangle in 5,16 I believe. Why a key with no fills?
Confusing. 
Daniel Gillotti, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Sat Oct 27, 2012 11:24 am
Smithy:
Did you read my first post, if you did then disregard? I noticed the envelope to this letter is lined up perfectly like I suspected. Here is an Idea… take the letter and duplicate it, shift the letters to the left or right. Second idea is shift the letters to the word “key” look horizontally for plain text or any words. Third idea is to sub/atbash the entire letter with the Greek alpha key and look for anything that stands out.
Where is Trave…? I figure he would be all over this letter and key.
It took me my 5 seconds to come up with this hidden message.
DALEKS: The Daleks are a fictional extraterrestrial race of mutants principally portrayed in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. :alien:
D ate
A dress
L etter
E nvelopes
K ey
S tamp
Smithy you probably remember this show…
Daniel
smithy, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Sat Oct 27, 2012 11:39 am
Dan – I saw your post and put it aside for later – I’m stuck on the key and applying it to the 408 here rather than chasing any "solves" from it; I can’t multi-task.
Do I remember the show? Oh yes! I spent most of my formative years behind the sofa while it was on.
traveller1st, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Sat Oct 27, 2012 8:06 pm
Where is Trave…? I figure he would be all over this letter and key.
I’m always looking.
smithy, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Tue Oct 30, 2012 8:52 am
…and it went quiet.
Because you’re all too embarrassed to tell me I’m out to lunch on this key?
I’m pushing it so hard, because if it’s from "The Zodiac" and he really was that WEIRD in the way he thought multiple assignments could be made, and the way P to C (to use FBI parlance) relationships could be organised, then it’s time to put our feet up and whistle on the 340.
Because after a certain point he’s clueless and his codework is highly untrustworthy. And it would take a solution to the 340 beyond the application of sensible science and even the realms of luck, right over into completely improbable and impossible to validate anyway.
Here’s the single versus poly in black and blue against the alphabet for "his" 408. Unused some of them, yes, but……
If the 340’s "the same only more so" then, Oh Dear.
glurk, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Thu Nov 01, 2012 8:06 am
smithy-
I know what you are saying – although you can’t seem to say it clearly.
You believe that Z did send that 408 key. You believe the "right column" shows how Z used polyphones to make the 408 hard to solve.
And you believe that he did the same with the 340 — but "more so." So a larger "right column" than a "left column," if I am understanding you.
And if I am, I would repeat the "Oh, Dear." Indeed.
-glurk
smithy, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Thu Nov 01, 2012 9:00 am
glurk – I’m not sure I can understand your post at all well, but I think the answer’s yes. Oh dear.
doranchak, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Fri Dec 07, 2012 7:48 am
On August 2nd, the Napa Register published two thirds of the 408 cipher. In the wrong order, unfortunately.
I can’t find this. Can you point me to the article?
smithy, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Fri Dec 07, 2012 10:27 am
No! Damnit, let’s hope I knew what I was talking about at the time. I’ve got a VNC for the 1st, but I seem to have mislaid the Napa.
(It could be that Seagull had just posted it, so I felt I didn’t have to. I shall go looky.)
What are you up to anyway, D.? You’re just rounding out your newspaper collection and found one I may have lied about, eh?
doranchak, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Fri Dec 07, 2012 11:02 am
What are you up to anyway, D.? You’re just rounding out your newspaper collection and found one I may have lied about, eh?
Yeah, I’m just trying to make sure the timeline I’m trying to maintain (articles, reports, letters, etc) is correct and complete. The Napa one I’m missing makes me think it’s a juicy nugget I haven’t seen before!
Seagull, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Fri Dec 07, 2012 11:39 am
I do not have any Napa Register articles before the LB attack so I’ve never posted this. I will try to get it though.
smithy, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Sat Dec 08, 2012 9:56 am
Hmmmm, thanks Seagull. I don’t think I dreamt it, but I’ve not had a chance to look again yet; I promise I will.
(If I dreamt it, the beers are on me.)
Daniel Gillotti, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Sun Dec 09, 2012 12:47 pm
Smithy:
You can delete this if you like. I made an anagram of “slip of the tongue” this phrase is odd and I believe it maybe some kind of word pun. After all… the writer’s pleasures are puzzles and cryptograms.
“SLIP OF THE TONGUE”
“ SEPT THEO FOULING” = 95%
This could be the real deal and a mistake the Z made because of his big plans in Sept…I’ll add this one more thing…
The “Key” and the right column: Q ) F – K – L – M
There are 9 characters, using Ted’s cabin code they add up to 270 = 9. Take this one step further: 27….0…PE…Professor
POE, PEO, OPE…= “PURITY OF ESSENCE” and is the recall code used in the 1964 movie Strangelove.
You can’t get to 270 without the (K and L) :scratch:
27,0.PE
Daniel
doranchak, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Tue Dec 11, 2012 10:10 pm
Where are the "closed" triangles? Are those triangles distinctive enough to the guy who wrote it that they don’t need to be filled?
The Times Herald got the first piece (Please God I’m right) with the first "filled" triangle in 5,16 I believe. Why a key with no fills?
Confusing.
The newer FBI files that morf obtained show a copy of the key where the first triangle is filled in:
smithy, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Wed Dec 12, 2012 3:24 am
Yes, that looks better.
doranchak, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Thu Dec 20, 2012 11:02 am
More details on the key for the 408:
http://zodiackillersite.forummotion.com/t1602-detailed-analysis-of-the-408-solution
smithy, Subject: Re: Key for the 408 Thu Dec 20, 2012 12:54 pm
Thanks again D.
Those "filled" triangles do indeed look better.
But none of the characters which are "filled" look to have been done very precisely and completely, do they?
And that badly-filled "O" reminds me of another character in the "Z" corpus somehow, I’m sure….
