Can YOU Outsmart Spencer Reid?
The Cipher of the Hidden Location
Hey everyone! Raven here, and I have a challenge that would stump even the best minds at Quantico. Inspired by the ciphers and codes from our crossover saga, this puzzle is for all the codebreakers, profilers, and puzzle-lovers out there. Can you solve it before Dr. Spencer Reid would?
The Challenge
A mysterious origami crane arrives with a coded message, just like the ones Maeve Donovan used to send. Your mission: decode the message to find a hidden city and a secret code tied to a very personal date. No spoilers—work it out yourself!
Cipher Instructions (Just Like in the Series):
Start with the secret word (seven letters, starts with W and ends with D).
Pair the letters from the ends inward: first letter with last, second with second-to-last, and so on, until you have four pairs.
Convert each letter to its number in the alphabet (A=1, B=2, ..., Z=26).
Add the numbers in each pair. If the sum is greater than 26, subtract 26.
Convert the resulting numbers back to letters (1=A, 2=B, ..., 26=Z).
Put the new letters together—they'll spell the name of a city.
For the final code: Take the sender's birth month and year, and write them as a four-digit number.
Personal Clues: Who is Raven Delia?
I may share my name with many people—
(Your government thinks it's cute, apparently!)
But here's a riddle to help you find the truth:
October 8th, 1985—a day that I was born.
And remember:
How many times do you have to roll Jumanji before somebody ends this game?
Just saying… 10, as in five fives, and 885.
How many eighths and fives do I have to roll before someone figures out
this is my actual life?
Find the pattern. Find the code. Find me.
She's at the water—and I'm in the water,
but just like shallow things, (la d y gag A)
things are getting smarter.
Here's what we're going to do:
We're going to play a game, just kind of like Blue's Clues.
Except don't be sad—the clues kind of might make you mad,
because, well, they put us in a lowest flower at a Lotus point.
But the lotus was us that trapped them, IoT style and ucci,
so all can see who's pinned—is it them or we?
How to Play
Use the cipher instructions above to decode the secret city.
Use the clues to figure out the four-digit code.
Post your answers in the comments (but don't spoil the fun for others!).
Share this challenge with friends—see who can crack it fastest!
Are you ready to outwit the best?
Drop your answers below, and let's see who really has what it takes to solve the Cipher of the Hidden Location!
Detailed Step-by-Step Cipher Instructions
If you want to see exactly how the cipher works, here's the breakdown:
Write out the secret word (your puzzle word).
Pair the letters from the outside in:
Pair 1: First letter + Last letter
Pair 2: Second letter + Second-to-last letter
Continue until you have four pairs.
Convert each letter to a number:
A=1, B=2, ..., Z=26
Add the numbers in each pair:
If the sum is greater than 26, subtract 26.
Convert the sum back to a letter:
1=A, 2=B, ..., 26=Z
Put the new letters together to form the answer.
For the code:
Use the birth month (as a two-digit number) and the year (last two digits), for a four-digit code.
Example (not the answer!):
If your word was "EXAMPLE":
Pair 1: E + E
Pair 2: X + L
Pair 3: A + P
Pair 4: M (if odd number, use the middle letter as is)
Then follow the steps above to get your answer!
Need a hint? All the tools you need are in the instructions and the clues above. Good luck, detectives!