Code Cracking

admin: OK, I've decoded your message. It was pretty tricky, especially since there's a bunch of "salt" in there as well.

In light of your message, and banking on the fact that you are seriously going to be pretty ticked when you eventually find out what I've been using to encrypt my text, I've decided to face the music and let you know what I've been using... please don't be mad, I actually just intended this to be a warm up for a 'proper' cipher after you got this one!

One last hint and then I'll just tell you:

You had the right idea with shifting the cipher text to binary... you just went the wrong way.
Match that up with the hint of the encryption key which was "36" (literally thirty-six, the number) and you should have your answer.

You WILL have to use a calculator for this, and there's a specific function that it needs to be able to do. This function is primarily used by Programmers but is also used in barcodes and the like. By now, you should have a pretty good idea of what it is so you should be able to find an online calculator that will perform this function. I use a couple of apps I've downloaded to my phone since, like I said, this kind of encryption is used all the time in locksmithing. (although it normally includes a few extra twists)

I apologise in advance. Really.

By the way, here's the proof I decoded your message:

AWAKVAWRIFKO

Encoded the same way, using the same keyword.

nzlockie: Barcodes were the hint I needed I think. I think I've cracked it. That was tough though!

1096862-591458-1618505-507269-812282

admin: Haha! Yay! That's the one!

So that means you got the latest one too right?

nzlockie: Something about a crocodile if I'm not mistaken?

admin: Haha! My favourite poem!

Ok Team! (Not sure if Doc is still playing?)

Here goes one more!

HRSSB NHTUK OUWIS SIDAI WNINT RNOLN UOUYT OPARE TDTSI UHCAS AEUUO TATCE AOTGI DKCLG BFHAT OTIYT OCONU YOSCH

No hints this time!

nzlockie: This one has too good a vowel distribution to be any kind of shift cipher IMO. Pretty convinced there's a trick to how one is supposed to order the letters. Haven't figured it out yet though.

admin: You are correct sir! On all counts!

nzlockie: Admin won.

Pinkie: Not really, he still hasn't decoded it and he hasn't posted one for me to crack either.

nzlockie: I vote Lars winner.

Pinkie: Fair enough. Can't really argue with that!

nzlockie: No you cannot.

nzlockie: Just sharing my progress. There's an interesting vowel distribution per group that I'm sure others have noticed:

HNOSWRUOTUATADBOOY
RHUINNOPDHEAOKFTCO
STWDIOUATCUTTCHIOS
SUIANLYRSAUCGLAYNC
BKSITNTEISOEIGTTUH

Vowels:
013311331252301231

Seems to be a grouping of twos (01 / 33 / 11 / 33 / 12 / 52 / 30 / 12 / 31) that's particularly strong for the first half (22 vowels for even groupings, only 13 for odd). Based on that I'd be thinking something like this:

HOWUTAABO
RUNODEOFC
SWIUTUTHO
SINYSUGAN
BSTTIOITU
NSROUTDOY
HINPHAKTO
TDOACTCIS
UALRACLYC
KINESEGTH

I get the feeling I'm very close but still not there yet. Regardless this system of working with the groups of 5 letters in sets of 2 seems to give the best results, especially with the vowels.

admin: Oh wait, scrap that, I got it:

HOW
ABOUT
A
RUN
OF
CODES
WITHOUT
USING
ANY
SUBSTITUTIONS
R
DO
YOU
THINK
TOPHATDOC
IS
ACTUALLY
CRACKING
THESE

admin: Funny how writing it out can help you to see things like that.

admin: Very nice!
You should look long and hard at your last table there before making any other moves.

I would say you are one move away.

nzlockie: Read the 2 replies that came after it.

Haha, I was typing my reply out while you were obviously finishing up! Well done!