Skip to main content

Challenge   5

Please login, join or create a team or individual entry to submit your answers.

This challenge closed on 2018-11-14 23:59. See below for the correct answers.

A B

Theseus in the Labyrinth

UAYHJ UXXZB JHKGN MTUIT BEJTN JMBIA YNKCM UJTJT NUDNA BEJTN KZDNG SGBKZ DAGIT ULNUJ MUXXT ALNAC CNAXN DJBRX AIWAH AMAPJ BCGBL UDNHN IKGUJ PJBTU HBCNG AJUBZ RKJAI ULUXN ZSUZN NGUZS CGBVN IJBEJ TUHHI AXNDB NHZJH NNYXU WNTUH HBGJB EJTUZ SHBUJ TUZWU JYKHJ TALNR NNZIB ZINUL NDRPI TAGXN HSGNP JTNEU GHJJK RNXUZ NTADR NNZBC NZNDU ZAZDX BZDBZ MAHEK XXBEX ARBKG NGHAZ DNZSU ZNNGH MUJTJ TNHWU XXHZN NDNDJ BRKUX DJTNH TADBM AGITU LNDNN CRNZN AJTZN MHIBJ XAZDP AGDSN JJUZS AIINH HMAHZ BJSBU ZSJBR NNAHP MUJTB KJTAG GPHTN XCRKJ UHJUX XDUDZ JTALN NZBKS TJBSU LNTUY JTNNO IKHNT NMBKX DZNND JBSNJ BCNZX PUZLB XLNDY PGNIB ZZAUH HAZIN TADTN XCNDY NJBEU ZDJTN AGITU LNRKJ UJDUD ZJSUL NYNAZ PBRLU BKHMA PUZJT NDKIJ JTAJT ADIBH JYNJT NXUDA GMAHE AGJBB ZAGGB MEBGY NJBHI AXNAZ DAIIN HHJTG BKSTJ TNEGB ZJDBB GMAHJ BBGUH WPHBU JBBWA SAYRX NAZDH CNZJA ZBJTN GYUHN GARXN EBGJZ USTJN OCXBG UZSJT NXARP GUZJT BEHNM NGHAZ DJKZZ NXHPH JNYHA GBKZD JTNZN USTRB KGTBB DSCHM AHKHN XNHHD BMZJT NGNAZ DUIBK XDNAH UXPTA LNSBJ XBHJR KJUYA GWNDJ TNJKZ ZNXHA ZDBZB IIAHU BZHKH NDJTN HNKHJ GUIWB EARAX XBEJM UZNJB TNXCY NZALU SAJNR AIWUY BLNDF KUNJX PAZDW NCJAZ NPNBK JEBGH NZHBG HUTAD ZBUDN AMTNJ TNGJT NHTAD BMAGI TULNM AHHJU XXBCN GAJUB ZAXBG ZBJRK JUEUJ MAHJT NZHNI KGUJP MBKXD RNJUS TJAZD UIBKX DZJRN HKGNU EJTNP MNGNK HUZSU ZEGAG NDBGH NUHYB YNJNG HEBGU ZJGKH UBZDN JNIJU BZHBU XAPNG NDKCM UJTUZ HKXAJ UBZAZ DYBLN DHXBM XPUJM AHTBG GURXN UMAHT BJDAY CAZDJ TNAUG HYNXX NDBEH NMASN AZDYB KXDUM AHVKH JARBK JJBSU LNKCM TNZUE BKZDA HJNNX DBBGY AGWND MUJTJ TNUZU JUAXH LGULU IJBGU AGNSU ZAUYC NGAJG UOUJM AHUZI BZSGK BKHUZ JTAJD AGWAZ DDAZW JKZZN XRKJY BGNHU SZUEU IAZJX PUJIA GGUND JTNJG ADNYA GWJAZ ZBZJT NXBIW VBTZJ AZZMA HBZNB EJTNJ BCHAE NYAWN GHUZL UIJBG UAZXB ZDBZA ZDUTA DIGAI WNDBZ NBGJM BBETU HHAEN HUZYP BJTNG XUENA HAIAJ RKGSX AGJTU HMAHR USAZD TNALP AZDLN GPGKH JPJTA JJBXD YNJMB JTUZS HZBBZ NTADK HNDUJ UZALN GPXBZ SJUYN AZDZB BZNTA DKCSG ADNDU JUZVK HJAHX BZSUE JTNGB BYRNT UZDUJ MAHHJ UXXUZ KHNJT NZHBY NBZNM BKXDT ALNRN NZYAU ZJAUZ UZSJT NXBIW HBAXX YPCGN IAKJU BZHMN GNCGB RARXP KZZNI NHHAG PRKJZ BBZNT ADCAU DEBGA JAZZH AENMU JTBKJ HBYNJ TUZSU YCBGJ AZJJB TUDNH BUDNI UDNDJ BJAIW XNJTN XBIWA ZDAEJ NGAZB JTNGN USTJN NZTBK GHBES GUYMB GWUMA HUZUT ADEBK ZDJTN HTADB MAGIT ULN

Reveal the correct answer

Correct Answer

I AM STILL NOT SURE WHICH OF THE TWO CAME UP WITH THE IDEA OF THE UNDERGROUND ARCHIVE. IT WILL HAVE APPEALED TO BLACK AS A WAY TO PROVIDE SECURITY TO HIS OPERATION, BUT A CIVIL ENGINEERING PROJECT OF THIS SCALE DOESN’T SEEM LIKE HIS SORT OF THING, SO I THINK IT MUST HAVE BEEN CONCEIVED BY CHARLES GREY. THE FIRST TUBE LINE HAD BEEN OPENED IN 1863 AND LONDON WAS FULL OF LABOURERS AND ENGINEERS WITH THE SKILLS NEEDED TO BUILD THE SHADOW ARCHIVE DEEP BENEATH NEW SCOTLAND YARD. GETTING ACCESS WAS NOT GOING TO BE EASY WITHOUT HARRY’S HELP, BUT I STILL DIDN’T HAVE ENOUGH TO GIVE HIM THE EXCUSE HE WOULD NEED TO GET OPENLY INVOLVED. MY RECONNAISSANCE HAD HELPED ME TO FIND THE ARCHIVE, BUT IT DIDN’T GIVE ME ANY OBVIOUS WAY IN. THE DUCT THAT HAD COST ME THE LIDAR WAS FAR TOO NARROW FOR ME TO SCALE, AND ACCESS THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR WAS TOO RISKY, SO I TOOK A GAMBLE AND SPENT ANOTHER MISERABLE FORTNIGHT EXPLORING THE LABYRINTH OF SEWERS AND TUNNEL SYSTEMS AROUND THE NEIGHBOURHOOD.
GPS WAS USELESS DOWN THERE AND I COULD EASILY HAVE GOT LOST, BUT I MARKED THE TUNNELS, AND ON OCCASIONS USED THESEUS’ TRICK OF A BALL OF TWINE TO HELP ME NAVIGATE BACK. I MOVED QUIETLY AND KEPT AN EYE OUT FOR SENSORS. I HAD NO IDEA WHETHER THE SHADOW ARCHIVE WAS STILL OPERATIONAL OR NOT, BUT IF IT WAS THEN SECURITY WOULD BE TIGHT, AND I COULDN’T BE SURE IF THEY WERE USING INFRARED OR SEISMOMETERS FOR INTRUSION DETECTION, SO I LAYERED UP WITH INSULATION AND MOVED SLOWLY. IT WAS HORRIBLE. I WAS HOT, DAMP AND THE AIR SMELLED OF SEWAGE AND MOULD. I WAS JUST ABOUT TO GIVE UP WHEN I FOUND A STEEL DOOR MARKED WITH THE INITIALS VRI, VICTORIA REGINA IMPERATRIX.

IT WAS INCONGRUOUS IN THAT DARK AND DANK TUNNEL, BUT MORE SIGNIFICANTLY IT CARRIED THE TRADE MARK TANN ON THE LOCK. JOHN TANN WAS ONE OF THE TOP SAFE MAKERS IN VICTORIAN LONDON AND I HAD CRACKED ONE OR TWO OF HIS SAFES IN MY OTHER LIFE AS A CAT BURGLAR. THIS WAS BIG AND HEAVY AND VERY RUSTY. THAT TOLD ME TWO THINGS: NO-ONE HAD USED IT IN A VERY LONG TIME, AND NO-ONE HAD UPGRADED IT IN JUST AS LONG. IF THE ROOM BEHIND IT WAS STILL IN USE THEN SOMEONE WOULD HAVE BEEN MAINTAINING THE LOCK, SO ALL MY PRECAUTIONS WERE PROBABLY UNNECESSARY, BUT NO-ONE HAD PAID FOR A TANN SAFE WITHOUT SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO HIDE SO I DECIDED TO TACKLE THE LOCK AND AFTER ANOTHER EIGHTEEN HOURS OF GRIM WORK I WAS IN. I HAD FOUND THE SHADOW ARCHIVE.

Gladstone or Disraeli?

JKYRMGHJ WDMDI YNZ GLZ HE KJLX KD RCYHTR YR WZGKYZI ZK NZA JNZYV HYZPYR SD CYR HIDMGHJ WDMDI HAK ZKYD PGDLFYH SZ YZDJJDXXZI JDA CHCLWIYZI PWKYHIHG JRA HA GDRSPRWB YZGRE XZGS HIDMCR GZS VJR ZK YRWB D JDAK YZ CYR YZDJLSYZI NZJ ZK HE KJLX PTHKRGKJ GLZ JPRNWR JR HXZIKLZ HAK HIYHLWSYD ZK YRWB R CHHY D CYR JDJDGI HAK ZK HJYZBJHG HAK HYDXGHKHC ZK YZZJ KCRKJAIDHG YD TYDKHHX HE WWDN JPZMYH JGZGHBXH HAKPWWLSHGRI CRHGK KJLX HN CYR HBZGLH YGHAKGZY YD HIYHLWSYD JKD SZ AKCRHGE HAK YHMDT HGDBXH HAK ZK KRHGAK XGHK GHTYZW R KYHJHGB PRX SWHJKD HLTRHW HAK CYRA GHAKZ HAK YZYZDJDM PGRYZDJYRBOH JRDJJLG YD YDHG ZK XDA YZ PWHG YRI HN VYDAK D ZJ HTRKYRMCR JDA ZK KZY JD RDJJLG CHWCDGEYL YR KRAK CHIYDMYZI HE ZK CHHY KZY WWDN HA CYR GRN GHAKGLS CDZMR ZK CYR YZDTHG HAK YD GHNZB SZ HIYRWRE R YDRKYDRX ZK YHHV PWGRWLIDKGRB JD VIGRXJDEHJLRI GLZ ZK JGZGHBXH HHGAK HAK SZ HLTRHW HAK HTRTYH ZK HWEDJJZB HE PRX KD JKATDWKZZS HAK SZ HGRWT HAK XZGS PRNR PRWB HAK KIHGDC ZK CYR JGZKIR HAK HIYHLWSYD ZK PGK ZK YZDKHGIJDC AKDN CHHIZGB ZK JL NZWWR PRX JDAK KYHCLGB KHP CYR CHTRTYH PWWRGZX HXDK HXRJ HAK KR HGDBXH HAK SZ JHIRS ZNK HAK CWGZN HAK ZK JHKRGKJYZXHC JJHGB HAK CYR KYHXRDWGRB YD CHKILCYZI HKLBJDC GDHAK PKDYLKGZBBZ YR JKYHJHGB DWHRGJDC CYR HYZKJCRWT YHHNKHE KYHXHHGTRJDC IDWELB HAK KRAK VYDAK D YZDKIHWSHG YZ KLE JXDR GLZ KLZER YZDJLSYZI ZK CRHW CWLZI JDAK KRAK HLGK JD KD CYR JIDKIRK GZ PTHKRGKJ PIDWZB YZ HHGTR ZK HWERYL HGR JGHCRHW WRIDKDWZB GLZ KRAK HKRYLKGZSYL GRHBBR PRX KD CRZGER CYR HXZA KR JLZWWRI CYR VRHN TYDGRHBBR VJDG HA YHAK YZDKIRYD JWHJYLZI HA SD HIYHGHSGHKYD YRDJJLG YXHCYZI ZK KWLIDSSDC HE WWDN KD YHAK YZDKIR JKGZBBLJ HA SD VGZS JYZKGZX AKDN CHIRS JD HA GHKJDYDX HXDGB HAK GZS KWLIDSSDC JTYDAK HVRX CYR YZDKYHMGHKYD GZS KGZBBLJ ZK CRHW CWLZI AIDAN YZDKIR GZS HKDKHBBR IDWELB R CHGGDKJ JRA KJRH HAK SZ YZDKJHLF HAK CYR JGZGGZA YRDGRTWLE KHWABXRB JHYZKJCRWT HXZA KRKRHGAK GHCYL HE WWDN RDCYD ZK JHKLZG TYDCRGK GLZ YHAK HWBZYDKYRKJYZI HVRK CYR KIR PHAK SD CYR JYRXZKKZ HAK HTRTYH ZK JVHHJ KD HJLIOH HAK JR JDAK HVRK WWDN RDJJLG KRAK VJDG R JD HGHAK HBZGLH SZ JHDGHWWHIYRAI HAK YD HTRGKLZ CHJLRI JRA JVGLK HAK PE YZDJJHGBBLJ WRKLGE JKD CYR RDGRTWLE YD TYDJDGBL WDGBR HAK

Reveal the correct answer

Correct Answer

THE APRIL UPRISING IN BULGARIA AND ITS BRUTAL SUPPRESSION BY THE TURKS HAS CAUSED OUTRAGE IN THE CHANCELLERIES OF EUROPE THERE IS A RISK THAT RUSSIA WILL TAKE THIS AS THE EXCUSE IT SEEKS TO ENGAGE THE OTTOMANS AND IF THEY ACT AND TAKE CONSTANTINOPLE THEN OUR TRADING ROUTES TO INDIA WILL BE UNDER THREATAT HOME GLADSTONES PAMPHLET BULGARIAN HORRORS AND THE QUESTION OF THE EAST HAS STIRRED A PUBLIC APPETITE FOR ACTION WHICH COULD LEAD TO SUPPORT FOR INTERVENTION AND MAKE THINGS DIFFICULT FOR THE PRIME MINISTER HE IS FACED WITH MORTONS FORK IF HE SUPPORTS ACTION THEN IT WILL BE DIFFICULT TO CONDEMN RUSSIAN INTERFERENCE IF HE COUNSELS INACTION THEN HE RISK APPEARING WEAK AND CALLOUS AT HOME AND ABROAD IT MAY APPEAR UNFORTUNATE THAT OUR POLITICAL LEADERS ARE UNABLE TO AGREE ON POLICY STRATEGY OR TACTICS AND IT IS TRUE THAT THIS COULD LEAD TO CONFUSION ABOUT OUR AIMS BUT ON REFLECTION I THINK THAT THE PUBLIC DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN GLADSTONE AND DISRAELI PRESENTS AN OPPORTUNITY THEIR DISPUTE CONDUCTED IN PARLIAMENT AND THE PRESS DEMONSTRATES TO THE WORLD THE TWO FACES OF THE EMPIRE AT THE SAME TIME MORALLY ENGAGED AND YET PRUDENT THIS MAY ALLOW US TO PROCEED WITH DISCRETION TO TRY TO INFLUENCE THE ACTORS AND TO DIRECT THE PLAY AWAY FROM THE GLARE OF THE FOOTLIGHTS IT MAY BE POSSIBLE TO ENGAGE THE LEAGUE OF THE THREE EMPERORS TO OUR CAUSEBISMARCK IS PARTICULARLY KEEN TO MAINTAIN A BALANCE OF POWER IN THE REGION AND TO AVOID FURTHER WAR AND HE WILL NOT NEED TO BE CONVINCED THAT AN UNBRIDLED RUSSIA IS NOT TO HIS ADVANTAGE SO I THINK WE CAN RELY ON HIM TO REIN IN RUSSIAS EXPANSIONARY VISIONON THE OTHER HAND THE LEAGUE ITSELF MAY PRESENT A LONGER TERM THREAT TO THE EMPIRE GIVEN THE BREADTH OF ITS INFLUENCE IN NORTHERN EUROPE AND WE MUST TREAD CAREFULLYTHE EMPERORS ENVOYS WILL BE MEETING IN REICHSTADT SOON TO DETERMINE THE RESPONSE TO THE CRISIS AND I NEED A PLAN TO INFLUENCE THE OUTCOME AS ALWAYS OUR STRATEGY MUST BE TO SOW CONFUSION AND ON THIS I PLAN TO ASK FOR ADVICE FROM BARON PLAYFAIR HE HAS RECENTLY CONCLUDED HIS COMMISSION OF ENQUIRY INTO THE CIVIL SERVICE AND IF ANYONE KNOWS HOW TO CONTROL AN AGENDA IT MUST BE OUR OWN CIVIL SERVANTS