Level 0 (vehk)

Clues: IyMjIyMjQUZQQzIwMTgtVmlkZW9HYW1lcw==

As per ircpuzzles tradition, the first puzzle is simply a base64-encoded string. This particular one decodes to: ######AFPC2018-VideoGames.

Level 1 (ybden)

Clues: Join ######locked. this is the key.

This level introduces channel keys. The solution was to join ######locked with the key this.

Level 2 …

Level 0

  • Clue: IyMjIyMjTlNRMjAxN0ZnbmVnLVBlbGNnYkFyamY=
  • The answer: ######AFD2017Start-CryptoNews decoding the clue with base64, and then rot13

Level 1

  • Clues: NFRHI4TENB4WC5DBMF2GWYY= | 1<<5
  • From 1<<5, participants were expected to arrive at base32
  • Decoding the first clue using base32 yields: ibtrdhyataatkc
  • Swapping each pair of letters results in ######birthdayattack

Level 2

  • Clues …

Level 0

  • Clue: IyMjIyMjQUZEMjAxNlN0YXJ0
  • The answer: ######AFD2016Start, decoding the clue with base64

Level 1

  • Clue: IyMjIyMjWm54ckN5aGdiTkN5bmFyZ050bnZh
  • Like in the previous puzzle, the clue is encoded with base64, but additionally obscured by rot13
  • The answer: ######MakePlutoAPlanetAgain

Level 2

  • Clue: Vmxad1ZsWndIM091TEpTdUxKU3VMSlN1TEpTdUxKU3VMMkF3TDJJeU1KSXkK
  • Another combination of base64 and rot13
  • The answer: ######Spaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaacccceeeee

Level 3 …

Level -2

  • Clue: morning light
  • The answer: ####east; the cardinal direction in which the sun rises

Level -1

  • Clue: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet
  • The answer: ####colours

Level 0

  • Clue: dHN3aWZ0
  • This is a base64-encoded string
  • It decodes to "tswift", making ####tswift the answer channel

Level 1

  • Clue …