I know I’m sort of getting ahead of myself with solution-less challenges, but I couldn’t resist. Here is a fun (I hope) little code-breaking challenge that has a lot to do with math. The first five people to send me the secret word (e-mail it to me, don’t post it here) will get, um, a special prize! (prize TBD)


.
..
...
....
.,.|..
.,..|...
..,..|....
.....|_
_,_|-
.;..|..
..;..|....
..;...|_.
_;-|\
..;\|/
_;/|'
+|.
+|..
+|...
+,..|_
:+|...
+;...|-_...
:+|_.
+,.|.
:+|"
^|.
^|..
^|...
#|.
#|..
#|...
+;^|#
:#]^|+
....]..|..
_]..|..
--...]_|....
(.,.|..)|=
(.,.|...)|*
=?+!^|+
*?+!^|^
^;(+]^),(+[^)|+
.$|..
..$|...
...$|_
....$|_..
_$|-.
{+ ^}
:#,((^[..|")?^$!^)|+
:#[--_.
{'--_ \-....}
{'//\-... /}
{//----_.... --..}
{/--_. \----_..}
{//--_. \-.}
{//... ....}
{//\----_. ---....}
{//.... -}
{/\--.. \-.}
{/\. -....}
{//\----_.. ----_}
{/---... --_}
{//----_ ---....}
{//\-_. \----...}
{//---_.. ----..}
{'-_... \-_.}
{//----... \----.}
{/\---. \---_....}
{\-_... \.}
{///\--_. ---....}
{///\---... \_...}
{//... \_}
{//-_. ----_}
{//\---... \-_..}
{/\----_... ..}
{////-_ \-}
{_.... ....}
{///--_ ----..}
{///---.... \---_..}
{'/--. \--_.}


Here’s a hint: this code was inspired by the book Contact, by Carl Sagan.