A great amount of work has went into finding a solution to the 340, yet it remains unsolved. However, it’s safe to say the following is true.
-The 340 is NOT a simple substitution cipher.
-Discovering the method Z used to encode it would lead to the solution.
Ross Sullivan is a prime Zodiac suspect. If he was Z, he also created the ciphers. Knowing his name, it might be possible to reverse engineer the encoding method of the 340.
The "My name is" cipher was also created by Z. It’s very short with few repeats, but one can make the argument that:
-The "My name is" cipher is NOT a simple substitution cipher.
It would be pretty stupid for Z to make a simple substitution cipher that matches his name outright. If Ross was Z, it would be even more unlikely since Ross has two sets of double consonants in his first and last name.
Ross’s first and last name is 12 letters. 13 with a middle initial or a space. The name cipher also has the three 8 type symbols. Could this match the S in roSSSullivan? Also if you look at the last 3 symbols of the cipher, it almost looks like the end of Ross’s last name "ivan."
These are just ideas, but if someone finds a way that ROSS-SULLIVAN can be encoded to match the name cipher, we just might find the method Z used to encode the 340.
This is actually not a bad idea, and a very valid method to try to solve "My Name Is" cipher. Look at the names of possible suspects to see if there is a logical way to map them into the cipher. Cribbing of sorts. But for the love of everything that’s sane, can we please stop with the whole "if you look at the last 3 symbols of the cipher, it almost looks like the end of Ross’s last name "ivan.""! Either it’s a valid cipher, or we are looking at Rorschach inkblots. Can’t be both.
Now that I had a few moments to think about out, I don’t think "ROSS-SULLIVAN" can be a valid solution to this cipher. It has 10 unique letters with the middle initial (or space), and 9 without. But the cipher only has 8 unique symbols, not enough to encode 10-letter message. Unless "ROSS-SULLIVAN" was intentionally misspelled? Or a nickname was used?
Now that I had a few moments to think about out, I don’t think "ROSS-SULLIVAN" can be a valid solution to this cipher. It has 10 unique letters with the middle initial (or space), and 9 without. But the cipher only has 8 unique symbols, not enough to encode 10-letter message. Unless "ROSS-SULLIVAN" was intentionally misspelled? Or a nickname was used?
It depends on the encoding method. That will hide the letter count.
I would love to hear any theories of how it’s possible to encode 10-letter alphabet using 8 unique symbols. With the assumption that the length of the ciphertext is equal to the length of plaintext. Otherwise there are a lot of ways of doing that of course, if you allow your ciphertext to be longer.
You need to think in reverse. Using Vigenère, I can encode Ross’s name into 1 letter. Not that a cipher would be 1 symbol, but one can decode even a single symbol cipher into a word.
rossmsullivan
jmiioigppsfan
=
aaaaaaaaaaa
Touché. 🙂 The encryption key indeed carries information as well (albeit hidden).
Touché.
The encryption key indeed carries information as well (albeit hidden).
Exactly. With the 340 we
-Don’t know the encoding method.
-Don’t know the key.
-Don’t know what it says.
With the Name Cipher we
-Don’t know the encoding method.
-Don’t know the key.
-But we might know what it says.
Going backwards might lead to a 340 solution, as well as a solution to the case.
