Here are the puzzles, hints, and answers …

Here are the puzzles, hints, and answers …

Here are the puzzles, hints, and answers for the 2019 April Fools Puzzle Contest on #ircpuzzles on libera IRC.

Level 00

Clue(s):

• WW91dmVGb3VuZFRoZUtleQo=

Level 01

Clue(s):

• VnpTcnJ5dmF0WWhweGwK …

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 …