We will again examine the identity of the Zodiac Killer based on the challenge laid down by Dr. D.C.B. Marsh on October 22nd 1969 in the San Francisco Examiner. This is purely speculative and therefore must not be viewed as claiming an answer in the search for the name of the Zodiac Killer. It was theorized that after Dr. Marsh proposed a challenge to Zodiac to reveal his name, the killer responded through multiple communications doing just that, albeit in the shortened format of his forename and surname initials. The first response by the Bay Area murderer would come just 17 days after the challenge, when the 340 cipher arrived at the San Francisco Chronicle.
There are two noticeable features on this cipher - the first being the corrected sixth line, where the Zodiac Killer visibly corrects the letter K for a reversed version of the same letter. This could be construed as unusual because the killer was never particularly worried about spelling errors in much of his correspondence. The second feature was the near-Zodiac on the final line. When we consider the reversed K, we must consider the letter F to its right hand side if we are looking for initials. The 340 cipher contains two horizontal formations of K and F, and one horizontal formation of F and K. These are situated on the 2nd, 6th and 19th lines. The one in the bottom left quadrant is the odd one out, with the F preceding the K - but this will change. The reason for highlighting these two letters on the 340 cipher is because the Zodiac Killer had corrected the sixth line, thereby drawing attention to this area. This alone is pretty meaningless, until we consider the '13 Hole' postcard mailed on October 5th 1970.
This communication again reversed the FK formation by rotating the pasted text through 180 degrees, exactly as the author had done with the letter K in the 340 cipher. He also supplied us with the phrase "Fk, I'm crackproof", which fits nicely into the '13 Symbol' cipher code mailed on April 20th 1970, thereby completing the phrase "This is the Zodiac speaking. By the way have you cracked the last cipher I sent you? My name is Fk, I'm crackproof". The first 8 begins FK. The second 8 begins IM. The third 8 begins CRACKPROOF. For the complete story click here.
There are two noticeable features on this cipher - the first being the corrected sixth line, where the Zodiac Killer visibly corrects the letter K for a reversed version of the same letter. This could be construed as unusual because the killer was never particularly worried about spelling errors in much of his correspondence. The second feature was the near-Zodiac on the final line. When we consider the reversed K, we must consider the letter F to its right hand side if we are looking for initials. The 340 cipher contains two horizontal formations of K and F, and one horizontal formation of F and K. These are situated on the 2nd, 6th and 19th lines. The one in the bottom left quadrant is the odd one out, with the F preceding the K - but this will change. The reason for highlighting these two letters on the 340 cipher is because the Zodiac Killer had corrected the sixth line, thereby drawing attention to this area. This alone is pretty meaningless, until we consider the '13 Hole' postcard mailed on October 5th 1970.
This communication again reversed the FK formation by rotating the pasted text through 180 degrees, exactly as the author had done with the letter K in the 340 cipher. He also supplied us with the phrase "Fk, I'm crackproof", which fits nicely into the '13 Symbol' cipher code mailed on April 20th 1970, thereby completing the phrase "This is the Zodiac speaking. By the way have you cracked the last cipher I sent you? My name is Fk, I'm crackproof". The first 8 begins FK. The second 8 begins IM. The third 8 begins CRACKPROOF. For the complete story click here.
The '13 Hole' postcard also supplied us with the Dick Tracy punched holes and cross formation, that would be expanded upon in the Halloween card just 22 days later. The Halloween card contained the "sorry no cipher" cross formation on the envelope inner, coupled with the cross formation of paradice and slaves on the rear of the card. All very interesting, because paradice and slaves can be found again in the 340 cipher, exactly bisecting the 340 cipher both horizontally and vertically in a 17 X 17 pattern. However, what has always confused me, is the letter N in the bottom left quadrant of the Halloween card formed in a mirror image. It had to have a purpose.
The Halloween card revealed that the 340 cipher was little more than a design based on a Dick Tracy decoder with paradice and slaves in a cross formation, with By Fire, By Gun, By Rope and By Knife in each quadrant. Therefore the letter N formed in mirror image must be relevant to the 340 cipher also. The Zodiac Killer had reversed the letter K on the sixth line of the 340 cipher and reversed the letter K on the '13 Hole' postcard, If we place a mirror in front of the bottom left quadrant of the 340 cipher, the F and K now reverse position (and individually), with the letter K now to the left of the letter F, thereby mimicking the order of the other two formations on the 340 cipher. They are slightly different in design, but in every case on the 340 cipher and '13 Hole' postcard, the Zodiac Killer has made a conscious decision to ensure the letter K is preceding the letter F by use of mirror image or rotating the text through 180 degrees. The red rectangle shows the bottom left quadrant as a mirror image.
The Halloween card revealed that the 340 cipher was little more than a design based on a Dick Tracy decoder with paradice and slaves in a cross formation, with By Fire, By Gun, By Rope and By Knife in each quadrant. Therefore the letter N formed in mirror image must be relevant to the 340 cipher also. The Zodiac Killer had reversed the letter K on the sixth line of the 340 cipher and reversed the letter K on the '13 Hole' postcard, If we place a mirror in front of the bottom left quadrant of the 340 cipher, the F and K now reverse position (and individually), with the letter K now to the left of the letter F, thereby mimicking the order of the other two formations on the 340 cipher. They are slightly different in design, but in every case on the 340 cipher and '13 Hole' postcard, the Zodiac Killer has made a conscious decision to ensure the letter K is preceding the letter F by use of mirror image or rotating the text through 180 degrees. The red rectangle shows the bottom left quadrant as a mirror image.
The Halloween card also promised us his name in the introduction, by stating "I feel it in my bones, you ache to know my name, and so I'll clue you in". The strange symbolism he supplied us with was placed on the return name and address section of the envelope, along with the foot of the Halloween card inner where you would expect a signature, followed by the letter Z. This may be suggestive of the Zodiac Killer preceding his pseudonym with his initials. We already have the F, so one could expect the letter K to precede it. We have what looks like a number 7, followed by four dots (7 + 4 = 11 = K). Not overwhelmingly convincing, but the best I could do.
Then we have the dubious Exorcist letter mailed on January 29th 1974. The comparison to the 340 cipher is fairly obvious, with the elevated and reversed letter K, with what could be interpreted as the letter F to its right side. Moving the extreme left symbols of the Exorcist letter along the horizontal axis and rotating the V-looking character 90 degrees, the similarity to the 340 cipher can be noted.
We have five cryptic communications in the 340 cipher, '13 Symbol' cipher, '13 Hole' postcard, Halloween card and Exorcist letter providing us with the KF or FK connection in varying degrees. Therefore, we will take a speculative look at the December 1990 Eureka card (the sister card to the Halloween card), again tempting us with his name. It stated "From your secret pal, can't guess who I am yet? Well, look inside and you'll find out". The card inner contained only a xeroxed image on a slip of paper.
One would like to think this was a continued response to the challenge of Professor D.C.B. Marsh of the American Cryptogram Association, and the Zodiac Killer had given us his initials once again - but unfortunately it only contained the reversed image of a Flashlight and Keys.
KF, I'm crackproof, what is the price tag now?
We have five cryptic communications in the 340 cipher, '13 Symbol' cipher, '13 Hole' postcard, Halloween card and Exorcist letter providing us with the KF or FK connection in varying degrees. Therefore, we will take a speculative look at the December 1990 Eureka card (the sister card to the Halloween card), again tempting us with his name. It stated "From your secret pal, can't guess who I am yet? Well, look inside and you'll find out". The card inner contained only a xeroxed image on a slip of paper.
One would like to think this was a continued response to the challenge of Professor D.C.B. Marsh of the American Cryptogram Association, and the Zodiac Killer had given us his initials once again - but unfortunately it only contained the reversed image of a Flashlight and Keys.
KF, I'm crackproof, what is the price tag now?
RSS Feed
