Compete to crack secrets lost to history—for fun, clout, and (no) profit
Problems › 142
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 2026-09-08 | Public write-up recorded |
A postcard signed Thompson and addressed to Edwin H. Mallison at the City Hotel in Rochester, New Hampshire, mixes ordinary handwriting with seven rows of numbers inside or beside geometric signs. The message must be turned through 180 degrees relative to the printed address-side furniture.
The other side prints MANY HAPPY RETURNS and carries a poem about smiling, followed by 26 October 1907 and 26 October 1908. Neither date is identified as the posting date; the scan has no visible stamp or cancellation. The seven rows appear in two blocks around the open prose shown below. What do they say?
Handwritten source rendering; line breaks and uncertainty retained
A red letter day- ┘2 └3 ┘3 ⊔3 / ⊏1 ⊏2 ┌2 / ┘1 / ┘3 ⊐2 ┌1 └2 □1 ⊏1 ┌2 ⊏2 ⊐2 / ⊐2 ┐3 / ┘3 □3 □1 □1 ⊔3 ⊓1 □1 ┘1 ┌2 ⊔3 □3 ⊏2 □2 ⊔3 / ┐3 ⊏2 └3 / !! I think this will make you smile Too - How does it seem to be a working man again? Just remember your monday night duty. □3 ┌1 ┘3 ⊓1 / ┐3 ⊏2 └3 / □3 □1 ┌2 □1 / ⊓1 □1 ┌2 □1 ┌1 / └1 ┘1 ┌2 □1 ┘3 ┘3 / □3 ┌1 ⊔3 ⊓1 / ┐3 ⊏2 └3 ⊐1 ⊏2 / ┐3 ⊏2 └3 / └2 ⊏2 ⊐3 □1 / - └2 ⊏2 ⊐3 □1 .
Mr. Edwin H. Mallison City Hotel Rochester New Hampshire.
"Smile a smile While you smile Another smiles And soon theres miles And miles, Of smiles And life's worth while If you but smile" - Thompson - October 26, '07 October 26, '08.
Wide transcriptions scroll sideways within this box.
| # | Solution | By | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Solution 142-1 A reading, written up in full | @offgramercy | ACCEPTED |