Glurk had an interesting take on this question of did the FBI engage in anagrams as we commonly use that term? I actually think he may be right.

Glurk:
This is something that I’ve wondered about for a good while now, but never really looked into. I think that the references to "anagramming" in the FBI files actually mean something else other than the traditional definition of anagramming. This is in reference to AK’s post here:

viewtopic.php?f=81&t=2054&start=10

If you look at the first scan/image:
Please notice the line that says "BACKWARDS P as O with DOTTED TRIANGLE as K, etc…"

And in the second scan/image here:
Notice the line "At 53 : took, look, book, cook shook, hook."

Now look at position 53 (if you start counting from 0) in the 340 cipher:

I believe that the use of the word "anagramming" in this case does not mean randomly re-arranging the letters in words, but really refers to the FBI just trying words in different positions to see what fits. I’ve also looked at the other words, ""At 143, At 165, At 212" etc. and this seems much more like a misuse of the word "anagramming" in order to describe attempting to place possible words in position, which is, as Dave pointed out in a post, more properly known as "cribbing."

Take a look and see what you think.

AK Wilks: I think you may well be right Glurk. It seems more likely the FBI was trying different words in there, on the general idea/hypothesis/wild ass guess that the S99^ might be a consonant-vowel-same vowel again-consonant combination. So they are using the term "anagram" to mean word guesses with different combinations of letters, but not really thinking that Zodiac used anagrams himself in designing the cipher.

In the Raw Graysmith proposed solution, which I think may hold some merit in perhaps being a partially correct start of a first stage solution, that part S99^ decodes as SEE A (NAME). So like the FBI theory, it regards the first part as consonant-vowel-same vowel again.

Not so bad their approach

Great find.

QT

"Word-plugging" as someone else says. Yes. I thought that’s what it meant. Sorry – I hadn’t even realised there was a problem with the terminology.
Oops!

"Word-plugging" as someone else says. Yes. I thought that’s what it meant. Sorry – I hadn’t even realised there was a problem with the terminology.
Oops!

Well the "old" AK Wilks who was very interested in anagrams used this passage in the FBI report as proof that the FBI thought the Zodiac used anagrams. The "new" AK Wilks, having gone to the Glurk/Doranchak/Up2something School of Enlightenment no longer believes Zodiac engaged in wide anagrams. I saw the error of my ways when I was shown that the thousands of possibilities created by wide anagrams render any one correct solution impossible, thus making it very unlikely they were used by Z, and meaning even if they were, it would be impossible to arrive at one true solution. The new me still has some interest in very tight one or two edit decision anagrams, like LASTB for BLAST.

The common use of the word anagram is exactly what the old, bad AK Wilks thought was the same way the FBI was using it. Meaning different letter formations to create different words, like ATBSFEKIN forSTAB KNIFE.

But Glurk correctly points out that is not how they were really using the word, they were using it to mean trying different words, i.e., cribbing.

Quicktrader: Thanks. I think it is interesting to see what the FBI did, like searching for words and phrases like DEATH MACHINE, COLLECTING SLAVES, SHALL, WILL, KILL, KILLING (notice all the double "L" ‘s, as your study also showed?)etc., and ZODIAC in the first 20 characters and last 10. I assume the blacked out words are names, perhaps Stine’s brother or widow, or someone else they thought Z might mention.

Glurk found out what was at position 53(they tried LOOK, BOOK)

It might be interesting to see what is at positions 143(SHALL, WILL), 265(KILL, KILLS)212(SHALL, WILL).

Ask and you shall receive, AK. Actually on the first one the FBI made a mistake (and so did I, a bit). The positions are supposed to be 52, 143, 165, and 212.
And clearly they thought (they said so) that they considered BACKWARDS P as O, DOTTED TRIANGLE as K, and both NORMAL F and NORMAL B as L.
These are very clearly the positions they mean, OFC. I think they just typed 53 when they meant to type 52 in the report. The other 3 positions are correct as-is.

-glurk

Excellent! Thank you sir.

At position 212 the FBI considered SHALL. The Raw Graysmith also has the filled in circle as an A and the B as an L. Graysmith incorrectly has the F as a P, creating an illogical APL. Considering how many words Z used that had the LL combination, as this FBI document notes (KILL, KILLING, COLLECT,THRILL, SHALL, WILL, etc.) it seems clear that the F should also be an L. And while the FBI considered the 9 as a vowel O, Graysmith had it as another vowel E. Creating the 4th line SEEANAME. Graysmith also has the frequent + as an L, which creates many LL combinations which we know Z used a lot.

I am in the minority thinking there is any value in the Raw Graysmith but I found these items interesting. For those who think the FBI ideas may have some merit and the Graysmith is worthless, well, they agree on the filled in circle and the B being A and L!

I also find it interesting the words the FBI used some obvious some not so obvious. I think the blacked out words are likely peoples names.

Hey AK Wilks,

Is there more on the assumptions, "written columnarly, first line forward and second line backward etc" as it says?

These are all things I tried with the ZKDecrypto when I started with the cipher but I would still like to know the reasoning.

Thanks

Hey AK Wilks,

Is there more on the assumptions, "written columnarly, first line forward and second line backward etc" as it says?

These are all things I tried with the ZKDecrypto when I started with the cipher but I would still like to know the reasoning.

Thanks

The FBI documents I posted here are all that I have.

Morf got additional documents from the FBI and there might have been one more page of code analysis. Morf or maybe Doranchak might have it. I don’t remember it as anything major and I don’t remember it as touching on the specific points you are asking about. It was just a little more analysis similar to what I posted.

Hey AK Wilks,

Is there more on the assumptions, "written columnarly, first line forward and second line backward etc" as it says?

These are all things I tried with the ZKDecrypto when I started with the cipher but I would still like to know the reasoning.

Thanks

The FBI documents I posted here are all that I have.

Morf got additional documents from the FBI and there might have been one more page of code analysis. Morf or maybe Doranchak might have it. I don’t remember it as anything major and I don’t remember it as touching on the specific points you are asking about. It was just a little more analysis similar to what I posted.

If I have it, I have no clue where it is, I hope Dave has it

Here is the full context of AK’s excerpt (which was missing a few bits):

And here are some more miscellaneous excerpts concerning the 340:

* Nov 8 1969 and Nov 9 1969 letters deemed to be from same author as previous correspondences.
* Nov 19 1969 document stating efforts continuing on analysis of Nov 8 cryptogram
* Nov 19 1969 documents concerning letter writer from Missoula, Montana who had been in contact with Napa PD to help decipher the Nov 8 cryptogram. Based on "cursor analysis" of cipher, letter writer thinks he is the next victim. A suspect is named but is redacted. Letter writer claims Missoula MT PD is actively protecting he and his family. FBI advises Butte PD to interview letter writer to determine basis for naming the suspect.
* An FBI note says the Crypto Section is attempting to decipher "some of these cryptograms" even though no Federal jurisdiction has been established yet. A redacted section of the note identifies someone (presumably the guy in Missoula, Montana) who has also been trying to decipher the cryptograms, and has contacted California authorities with a suspect (whose name is redacted).
* Nov 21 1969 and Nov 24 1969 documents stating that the Missoula, Montana guy phoned an FBI agent saying "If agent [redacted] had daughter named [redacted] and married to man named [redacted] SA (special agent) [redacted] should contact him immediately." Document goes over more detail of their interaction with the guy, in which he claims to have decoded the 340. FBI concludes there was no further reason to discuss the matter with him, as he was attempting to involve Missoula PD officers to lend credibility to his deciphering. "In previous deciphering of Zodiac message, claims he found name of Captain [redacted] Missoula PD, in message." "[redacted] feels [redacted] may be letting his imagination run rampant re: the many messages he claims he obtained deciphering the two cryptograms."
* Nov 21 1969 document requesting decipherment of letter received by [redacted] San Jose PD. "As noted, the message reads [redacted]". "After a cursory analysis, officers of the San Jose, Calif PD believe widow in message may be Mrs. [redacted] San Jose, Calif. San Jose PD intituting 24 hour surveillance on Mrs. [redacted]."

Anyone know more about the Missoula MT guy and his suspect? And what is the letter to San Jose PD threatening a widow in San Jose?

Here is some cryptanalysis of the San Jose widow cryptogram:

AK posted about this before. AK, did you ever find out more about the San Jose letter/cryptogram?