John's RuneQuest Cipher Challenge is a mysterious, multi-layered cipher puzzle, with prizes available for solutions to certain checkpoints and the final answer. It was inspired primarily by Jim Sanborn's Kryptos and related encoded sculptures , Elonka's list of Famous Unsolved Codes and Ciphers , Simon Singh's "The Code Book" with its Cipher Challenge, and my own varied interests. For some other Rune-based ciphers, see also Dr. Cliff Pickover's book: Cryptorunes |
RuneQuest Cipher Challege Solvers:
Date: | Cryptogram Solver: | RuneQuest Section: | A few revealed PT words: | Notes: |
2004-Oct-05: | ODIN & ASH | RuneQuest Cipher Challenge is uploaded to the Net! | ||
2004-Oct-06: | DAW | RunePoem: The Rune Quest | WISDOM | |
2004-Oct-06: | DAW | RuneQuest CheckPoint (#0) | discovering the story of the RuneQuest | |
*** | ||||
2005-Jan-31: | Hex22 | RuneStone: AIR section | MAGIC | |
2005-Sep-17: | Hex22 | RuneStone: FIRE section | MYSTIC | |
2005-Nov-08: | Hex22 | RuneStone: WATER section | SECRETS | |
2005-Nov-10: | Hex22 | RuneStone: EARTH section | FORCES | |
2005-Nov-16: | Link Nabil | RuneQuest CheckPoint (#1) | cracking all of the Elemental sections and discovering the Elemental Runes! | |
*** | ||||
2006-May-04: | EricOnHisWay | RuneStone: Northern Section | NORN | |
2006-May-17: | Eric & Michelle (team effort) |
RuneStone: Eastern section | JOURNEY | |
2006-May-24 | Michelle | RuneStone: Southern section | FATE | |
2006-May-27 | Michelle | RuneStone: Western section | INHERITANCE | |
2006-May-27 | Michelle | RuneQuest CheckPoint (#2) | discovering the 3 Aett's of the Elder Futhark - The Runes | |
*** | ||||
2006-Aug-02 | Michelle | RuneStone: Central Core section | RUNE | |
2006-Aug-02 | Michelle | RuneQuest CheckPoint (#3) | well along the Quest, decoding the quintessential element, Odin's Rune, but now it must be Grasped... | |
*** | ||||
2007-Apr-08 | Michelle | RuneQuest: The Hidden Riddle | **Quintessence** | What have YOU found at the Root of the Hidden Tree? |
RuneQuest CheckPoint (#4) | ||||
*** | Congratulations to Everyone! |
RuneQuest Cipher Challege Contest Entrance/Registration Fee:
*** REGISTRATIONS ARE CLOSED / RuneQuest has been solved ***
RuneQuest Cipher Challenge Solution
Min $20 or Max $50 - In order to be eligible for the prizes, you must register your
name/address/email etc. and pay a registration fee- check/cash/CC.
Your level of registration determines your maximum prize amount if you win. See
below about registration/contact info.
People that register will get a "RuneQuest Hint FAQ", which gives some
helpful details and clues about the RuneQuest Cipher Challenge.
Registrations will close when the final solution is found and claimed. See
the Fine Print.
Of course, if you do not wish to register, you are still welcome to try and
solve the puzzle - you just won't get a prize other than recognition.
Good luck and happy deciphering!
RuneQuest Cipher Challenge Started: 2004-Oct-05 |
RuneQuest Cipher Challenge Solved: 2007-Apr-08 |
RuneQuest Prize Levels:
RegFee*1 = $20 or $50 - 1st registered person to find the source and meaning of the poem.
- *SOLVED*
RegFee*1 = $20 or $50 - 1st registered person to reach the 1st checkpoint - *SOLVED*
RegFee*10 = $200 or $500 - 1st registered person to reach the 2nd checkpoint - *SOLVED*
RegFee*10 = $200 or $500 - 1st registered person to reach the 3rd checkpoint - *SOLVED*
RegFee*100 = $2000 or $5000 - 1st registered person to COMPLETELY solve the cipher puzzle - *SOLVED*
Important Note: Prize Level payment is subject to limitation of the current
prize pot level amount.
Prize awards and checkpoints will be announced on the website when they are
won/completed.
The checkpoints will be fairly obvious when they are reached, so email John
when you think you get to one.
RuneQuest Current Prizes Claimed: 2004-Oct-06 Source & Meaning of Poem - $50 2005-Nov-16 1st Checkpoint - The Elemental Runes - $50 2006-May-27 2nd Checkpoint - The Elder Futhark - $200 2006-Aug-02 3rd Checkpoint - The Quest - $200 2007-Apr-08 4th Checkpoint - Quintessence - $600 Done! |
RuneQuest Prize Pot:
The contest prize pot will start with $1,000 placed by yours truly, the
RuneQuest cipher
challenge designer.
The prize pot will then build up in the following manner:
(1/2) of all Contest Entrance/Registration Fees go into the prize pot until it reaches the maximum level
necessary to pay all prize levels, in increasing order, based on the Max
Registration Fee.
In case you're wondering, the other (1/2) will be going to
as-yet-to-be-determined institutions of higher learning of my kids' choices. I
probably won't see any of it. :-)
If a checkpoint is reached and claimed before the prize pot reaches its maximum
amount for that prize level, then only the money that is in the pot at that time will be awarded.
The current prize pot levels & amounts and available remaining prizes will be available
here on the website.
RuneQuest Current Prize Pot Amount: $0 based on: initial amount $1000 from JBW +7 registrations $100 -5 prize claims ($1100) Done! |
As you all can see, I'm personally up $100, but out $1000. Oh
well... maybe next time...
However, I am up an incalculable amount in terms of seeing my creation enjoyed!
RuneQuest: The Fine Print:
Contest Entry/Registration fees are non-refundable.
There will be a small surcharge (5%) if you use a CC to register, as I have to
pay my company the CC fees for use. This surcharge does not count towards prize
levels.
There will be an additional charge if you decide to "upgrade" your
registration at a future date.
There will be a "late-entry" fee for registering after the checkpoints
become known, as an incentive to register now and to be fair to the early
code-breakers. Register early.
A prize payment will only be made to a registered person, name as shown on
registration. Registrations will be confirmed by email after money is deposited.
While John checks his email on a daily basis, he will not be held responsible
for a "missed opportunity" prize claim from someone that is not yet
registered. Register early.
Any "simultaneous" prize claims by registered persons will be judged first on correctness,
second on time stamp of the received email.
If a checkpoint is reached and claimed before the prize pot reaches its maximum
amount for that prize level, then only the money that is in the pot at that time will be awarded.
For any registrations, comments, questions, or claims of prize levels -
Contact the
RuneQuest Cipher Challenge Designer/Administrator:
RuneQuest Cipher Challenge
John B. Wilson
SciRealm@aol.com
For discussion of the various aspects of the RuneQuest Cipher Challenge at
YahooGroups (Warning! Contains spoilers!)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RuneQuestCipher
RuneQuest Cipher Challenge
RuneQuest Cipher Challenge Solution
The Science Realm: John's Virtual Sci-Tech
Universe John's Science & Math Stuff: | About John | Send email to John 4-Vectors | Ambigrams | Antipodes | Covert Ops Fragments | Cyrillic Projector | Forced Induction (Sums Of Powers Of Integers) | Fractals | Frontiers | JavaScript Graphics | Kid Science | Kryptos | Philosophy | Photography | Prime Sieve | QM from SR | QM from SR-Simple RoadMap | SR 4-Vector & Tensor Calculator | Quantum Phase | Quotes | RuneQuest Cipher Challenge | Scientific Calculator (complex capable) | Secret Codes & Ciphers | Science+Math | Sci-Pan Pantheist Poems | Stereograms | SuperMagicSqr4x4 | Turkish Grammar | |
Quantum Mechanics is derivable from Special Relativity See SRQM - QM from SR - Simple RoadMap (.html) See SRQM - QM from SR - Simple RoadMap (.pdf) |