ZODIAC CIPHERS
Richard Grinell, Coventry, England
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THE ANSWER TO THE 13 SYMBOL CODE - STRAIGHT FROM THE HORSE'S MOUTH

10/5/2019

 
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The 13 Symbol Cipher is simply too short for any meaningful decryption without a key or the answer. It is certainly possible to arrive at the correct solution using a key provided by Zodiac, but then you have to prove that the key you have found is the correct one, and your implemented methodology is plausible. The best way to find the solution to the Z13, as it was for the 32 Symbol Cipher, is to do absolutely no work whatsoever and just let the Zodiac Killer give us the exact answer. On this occasion, the Zodiac Killer designed the code and waited nearly six months to supply us with a verbatim solution.

The first thing to examine in the 13 Symbol Cipher is the circled triple 8 configuration. This is the feature that stands out in the code the most and where one would envisage the answer residing. Identify the meaning of the three eights and in what context they were chosen, and half the battle may be won. We can add the numbers up to create birth years and ages, but without instruction to do so, it could be argued that the idea rests in our head and not the Zodiac's. Therefore, we shall take the number 888 as one complete entity.

In Christian numerology, the number 888 represents Jesus, or sometimes more specifically Christ the Redeemer. This representation may be justified either through gematria, by counting the letter values of the Greek transliteration of Jesus' name, or as an opposing value to 666, the number of the beast. Wikipedia. This could indicate a Christian element to the code, especially when we consider the Zodiac's Celtic Cross, a form of Christian cross featuring a nimbus or ring that emerged in Ireland and Britain in the Early Middle Ages. The shape, usually decorated with interlace and other motifs from Insular art, became popular for funerary monuments and other uses. Then we have the tenth character in the code, likened to an upside down Aries symbol. However, when we consider the above and the Zodiac Killer's musings of an afterlife, another possibility emerges. Christians adopted the anchor as a symbol of hope in future existence because the anchor was regarded in ancient times as a symbol of safety. For Christians, Christ is the unfailing hope of all who believe in him: Saint Peter, Saint Paul, and several of the early Church Fathers speak in this sense. The Epistle to the Hebrews 6:19-20 for the first time connects the idea of hope with the symbol of the anchor. Wikipedia. This effectively ties five of Zodiac's characters under the Christian banner and the premise of an afterlife.   

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The number 8 is the symbol of resurrection and regeneration. In Bible numerology, the number 8 means new beginning, denoting “a new order or creation, and man's true 'born again' event when he is resurrected from the dead into eternal life.”
If we look at the three eights on the 13 Symbol Cipher and literally take them as a beginning, then we would have three parts to our solution, comprising of 2, 2 and 9 alphabetical characters. The two alphabetical letters of K and M, placed at the center of the 13 Symbol Cipher between the number eights, indicates that we must look for two consecutive pieces of Zodiac text, consisting of two letters each, in his subsequent communications (Therefore ? K and ? M). If we jump forward to the 13 Hole Postcard mailed on October 5th 1970, the Zodiac Killer stated "Fk, I'm crackproof". Why would he pull this statement out of the hat, accompanied by two letters that failed to spell a word, unless it had some relevance to an unbreakable cipher or code? I noticed that when this phrase was inserted around the K and M on the 13 Symbol Cipher, the number 8 on each occasion started each section of the phrase (shown by the green rectangles below). The cipher itself was cyclical in nature, exhibiting rebirth and regeneration in true Christian style. 

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On January 29th 1970, the Yellow Cab Company put up a thousand dollar reward for any information leading to the arrest of the Zodiac Killer. In addition, the Teamsters Union which represents the Yellow Cab Company were reported in the San Francisco Chronicle to be considering offering a further reward on February 8th 1970 in the case of Paul Stine and Charles Jarman (another taxicab murder victim). The April 20th 1970 letter gave us the code and was immediately followed by "I am mildly cerous as to how much money you have on my head now". The October 5th 1970 postcard gave us the possible solution of "Fk, I'm crackproof" and was immediately followed by "What is the price tag now". These are the only two communications in which the Zodiac Killer asked the police the price of his capture. These two communications not only had a code and an answer that fitted the code, but both were followed by the exact same question. When the Zodiac Killer was designing his 13 Hole Postcard, it is very likely he had at his disposal a copy of his original April 20th 1970 letter, or the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper cutting below, to which he was now supplying the answer. This may have been the trigger that influenced him to repeat the phrase "how much money you have on my head now" into the very similar "What is the price tag now". The Zodiac Killer, in essence, had inadvertently bound both communications together through phraseology, as well as code and solution.   

The Zodiac Killer introduction would now give us his name (albeit his initials) in absence of his full name. It would also read fluently as a sentence, as follows: "This is the Zodiac speaking. By the way have you cracked the last cipher I sent you? My name is Fk, I'm crackproof". Nobody realistically believed he was going to supply his full name, but this way he satisfies the promise in a restricted format. Two communications mailed nearly six months apart, with a solution that satisfies the code, as well as a satisfactory introduction to the code - and both followed by the same question.  
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Newspaper cutting courtesy of Zodiac Killer Site forum
THE ANSWER TO THE 32 SYMBOL CODE - STRAIGHT FROM THE HORSE'S MOUTH
JD
10/5/2019 05:57:54 pm

Hi, Richard.

Another idea for FK has to do with a diagraph, with FK as the key for either his initials or for a cipher.

In the Zodiac's case, one would need 2 keys to first substitute letters for symbols. Of course, he probably already provided the symbol solution. If one were to use the following Black Chamber cipher:

https://www.simonsingh.net/The_Black_Chamber/digraphcipher.html


we would find the Zodiac's true initials would be SW.


Flynn's Weekly from 1926 expands on it a little more, with the example letter combination key of JT :

https://toebes.com/Flynns/Flynns-19261002.htm


If you already discussed this earlier, my apologies. Just throwing out ideas.

JD
10/5/2019 08:31:03 pm

PS, I'm not suggesting Zodiac's true initials as SW.

I was just using those two sites for examples as to how he could manipulate his ciphers. After all, a cipher is really anything one makes it to be, especially with someone who doesn't play by the rules.

Richard
10/5/2019 11:50:17 pm

I had never seen that cipher before JD. But as you say, you can literally create anything you want when manufacturing a cipher. I don't believe that Zodiac Killer could resist giving us the answer. He supplied us with his pseudonym after only 4 days from first writing, gave us all the details about his first two attacks and more when prompted by Jack Stiltz. He owned up in two phone calls, wrote on the car door and sent the shift pieces to not only verify his murder but his communications. Then he claimed Radetich, Johns and Lass as victims. I find it really difficult to believe he didn't give us the answers to the codes also. This man, in everything he did, showed a willingness to put pen to paper - so to believe he wasn't forthcoming with the answers I don't buy into anymore. The 13 Hole Postcard quite possibly holding the answer to two ciphers, the Halloween Card and Little List letters one each. Radians, inches, crackproof, punch-holes and sorry no cipher in the space of 3 months. If he didn't, then we have to conclude he was a braggart for murder and resolutely silent for his puzzles, possibly for up to 50 years.

JD
10/6/2019 05:35:13 pm

I agree, Richard. I certainly believe he wanted his ciphers to be solved, just as I believe he couldn't resist providing his name. And if you don't mind, I will now take the opportunity to follow your suggestion as posted in a separate comment string. I appreciate your assistance on it, as I was most reluctant for fear of coming across in an accusatory manner, directed specifically at someone, rather than just providing an example. As it turned out, there was nothing to it.

So, there are a number of ways he could provide his name. FK is most certainly one of them. Another? What if the Zodiac found a way to provide his name in every single communication? The answer:
use a symbol in place of his name. The cross symbol, to be specific, "Cross" being the Zodiac's surname.

Richard
10/7/2019 12:48:56 am

The idea that his moniker could reflect his name is certainly food for thought. There is a religious element to some of his communications, including as we mentioned a cross in both the Z340, 13 Hole Postcard and Halloween Card. If we were looking for 13 characters in his name, then we need 8 in the first name. Enter the 8 on the 13 Symbol Cipher?

JD
10/7/2019 04:56:32 am

Anything's possible. I'm on the fence regarding the circled 8's. It depends on which side of the bed I get out of in the morning. The only thing I'm almost entirely certain of (and yes, I could be wrong, but I don't think I am) is that the circled 8 is the cattle brand Rubislaw found. It's not the only cattle brand he used, unless multiple symbols he made up just happened to look exactly like specific cattle brands. That would be one heck of a coincidence in my book. I think that's where the real meaning lies. Why cattle brands? I think it's more than just going to the library and looking up symbols. I think it has some personal meaning to him, from his youth, possibly. Why certain cattle brands? Some personal connection? The fact that there are three of them in the cipher could have some meaning, but right now I tend to think that it was coincidence that he chose the circled 8 to represent a letter that repeated 3 times. He might have easily chosen the symbol M or the Zodiac symbol instead of the circled 8 to represent that specific letter. Of course, this is my opinion at this moment, and definitely subject to change. On top of just being my opinion. Certainly no better than anyone else's opinion or ideas.

For about 5 seconds I entertained the notion of the number 8 on a rotary phone -- the ones with the numerals inside the finger dial rather than outside, so that it looked like a circled 8. In certain areas in California during the 1930s -1940s you could find ads where you simply dialed 888. But that is too generic, and why use something outdated that no one is probably going to think of. In the 1960s - 1970s 888 was, and still is, a prefix in San Bernardino. 909-888-XXXX. I'm not really sure if 888 isn't used just for businesses, and possibly used elsewhere. I don't think 888 in regards to a telephone number has any real value.

Richard
10/8/2019 01:59:28 am

There are certainly many possibilities JD and the cattle branding is one. My only reservations regarding the cattle branding sign suggested for the Halloween Card is it isn't the same, but similar. If we trawl through one of those cattle branding books, there are literally thousands upon thousands of weird and wonderful designs of all kinds, so by sheer statistics it isn't surprising to find one that bears a resemblance. The figure 8 is also malleable and could represent several different things admittedly, but as you alluded in your writing, I believe the sum of the parts is critical. The sheer fact he wrote the circled 8 three times has merit over a single figure 8. The totality of the 8's contains the message. We can of course decide what to do with the 8's and play a game of mathematics ie: 3 X 8 = 24, therefore Zodiac was born in 1924 (as Harvey Hines did). Or claim he was 24 years of age. Or, because he stated "can you figure out who I killed", it may have meant his victim was on the 24th. Depending on people's susects this will often guide people to the answer they require, as Harvey Hines did with Lawrence Kane. Unfortunately this is an easy game to play. I too was hindered slightly, because the three 8's weren't consecutively written, hence I had to surmise why, which again brings in the interpretation of the observer. The only thing I can say, is that from the foot of the Little List Letter, through 3 subsequent communications with little text, the Zodiac Killer gave us "PS. The Mt. Diablo Code concerns Radians & # inches along the radians", a crucifix or cross with 13 punch-holes, Fk I'm crackproof, Paradice and Slaves, sorry no cipher and I've always been crackproof. These communications were laden with "clues" of a sort, and 3 phrases that slot nicely into his ciphers. I still have reservations over the three 8's because I had to use interpretation, as has been done with the cattle branding, which ideally we need to remove from our analysis. That is why I chose the wording directly from the pen of the Zodiac. Your opinions are welcome and open up more avenues of consideration, with the 8's on a phone extremely plausible because of Zodiac'd design. The phone dial gives us reason behind the circled 8, as does the black ball suggestion. The circle is also representative of the moon, so does it involve dates on a calendar after all. Was his statement of "can you figure out who I killed" a clue to the circled 8's. Whatever the case, I am sure the answer will be found soon. We know so much more about the Zodiac Killer now than a year ago, despite the naysayers, but of course that doesn't necessarily mean we're any closer to his capture.

JD
10/8/2019 11:25:47 pm

I'm certainly open to the idea that there is an additional meaning to the three circled 8's, despite not feeling it in my last posting. I wouldn't be surprised if there aren't layers of answers / puzzles to any given cipher. i.e. three 8's for three letters of the same value, with an additional meaning to the three 8's as you have suggested. Likewise, for example, there could be a double name in the my name is cipher. You know I like William Blatty, and will use that as an example, but there could be another name. as well, the symbols doing double duty.

Anyway, as always, your input is greatly valued. And I do appreciate you and others making me feel welcome to post here. It's nice to be able to throw out suggestions and kick around ideas. We all may have different opinions here, but the interesting thing is that even with different avenues, bright ideas always lead to other bright ideas.

Chad William Burke
12/26/2019 05:03:24 am

Via a split alphabet cipher. Central symbols are Orions belt.

My name is ---

AEN⊕8K8M8λNAM
AAKH✴ E✴N✴ATEN

A Akhenaten ✴✴✴

🔑

AENKM. ⊕8λ
AATEN. H✴A

Chad William Burke
6/4/2020 09:58:01 pm

A real good answer. I am yours respectfully. Chad.

formal closing and initials. Modified to meet 888 in english gematria.

My name is -----

AEN⊕♉K♉M♉λNAM
SINSERELEYEEK

SINSERELEY E.E.K.

AEN⊕♉KMλ
SINSERLY

Chad William Burke
6/20/2020 02:21:04 pm

Hello Richard, hope all is well. I like this solution a lot. I will never give up.

Split alphabet cipher

2 🔑's - One Egyptian - One Greek

My name is -----

AEN⊕♉K♉M♉λNAM
SAHSEKERE⌖HSR

SAH SEKERE ⌖ H.S.R.

Initials may be in reverse - Goes with rebirth beliefs.

AENKM ⊕♉λ
SAHKR SE⌖

Chad William Burke
7/16/2020 09:21:39 am

Down on myself... Please delete someof my other codes if you can. I feel spammy. I put a lot of effort into this, at least you will appreciate it.

Update to earlier code: Backwards - Split alphabet cipher. French

My name is ----

AEN⊕♉K♉M♉λNAM
AJJ⊕EIOVIOJAV

Va joi voie ⊕ J.J.A.
You saw me
French. Greek

MANKE λ♉♉♉⊕
VAJIJ OIOE⊕

You you - slaves to god backwards.

Chad William Burke
8/10/2020 11:16:41 pm

Caesar cipher - Moves within 8 of the cipher text in the Greek alphabet - Circled 8's wild.

My name is ----

AEN⊕♉K♉M♉λNAM
ΙNΦOIΣM𝚼ΣΤEP𝚼

Inpho is mystery

🔑

A - I,P
E - N,Φ
N - E,Φ
⊕ - O,Π
K - B, Σ
M - 𝚼, Δ
λ - Γ, T

8 - I, M, Σ

Chad William Burke
8/31/2020 08:17:04 am

My favorite one. Do not mean to spam Richard. I look up to you and gave learned much from this awesome site. Please delete any of my other solutions you may want to.

Backwards - 8's are wild - 2 keys - Yoruban - Homophonic cipher - Santeria

My name is -----

MANλ8M8K8⊕NEA
EHRUMEWAA⊕RHH

EHRU MEWAA ⊕ R.H.H.
TEN SLAVES

MANKE λ888⊕
EHRAH UMWA⊕
Slave Hurt


Comments are closed.
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    The Zodiac Killer may have given us the answer almost word-for-word when he wrote PS. The Mt. Diablo Code concerns Radians & # inches along the radians. The code solution identified was Estimate: Four Radians and Five Inches To read more, click the image.
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    The Zodiac Atlas: The Zodiac Killer Enigma by Randall Scott Clemons. Click image for details.
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    The Zodiac Killer Map: Part of the Zodiac Killer Enigma by Randall Scott Clemons. Click image for color version
    For black and white issue..
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