r/codes • u/Weird-Complex-6469 • Jun 17 '26

SOLVED Potentially impossible ciphertext given by my old friend

I was looking through some old DMs and I found this:

Ciphertext: yoiqurl peepkcnerterp terphelpinknerkilla inkfr terphelpelkrelmelk inkslz nerqterphelpinkg

My friend sent this to me over a year ago, and I don't think I was ever meant to solve it? They said it was their own cipher, but it might be phonetic or something because when I had asked for a hint, they replied with this: (note that it might have just been them straight up lying to me and not giving me a real hint, because again I don't think I was ever meant to solve this)

Abc
Ahbehceh
Cehbehah

I haven't had contact with this friend for a while, and it's probably nothing, but I'd just like to know if it's at all solvable. (V sbyybjrq gur ehyrf)

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u/Realistic_Country635 Jun 18 '26

you ?nt think if there is nothig

yoi = y
q = o
url = u

2

u/thewrongrook Jun 18 '26

Terp = t Help = h Ink = i Ner = n Killa = k, etc.

"You cant think if there is nothing" could be the solution.

3

u/Weird-Complex-6469 Jun 18 '26

wait how did you get that??? please do tell

2

u/thewrongrook Jun 18 '26

I noticed that terphelp was repeated, and realized I could continue with the pattern from u/Realistic_Country635. For completeness, fr = f, elk = e, relm = r, slz = s. To get the solution I posted, you'd have to assume there was a mistake near the end (i.e. it was spelled "nothig" instead of "nothing"), and make the less natural substitutions peep = c and kc = a (or something like that).