A possible solution to the 408 cipher (in full), before the Zodiac Killer inadvertently missed line 17 of the plaintext message while transitioning from the Examiner to the Chronicle during encipherment. The message in the diagram below would have been altered to the message we are all familiar with: I like killing people because it is so much fun - it is more fun than killing wild game in the forest because man is the most dangerous animal of all - to kill something gives me the most thrilling experience - it is even better than getting your rocks off with a girl - the best part of it is that when I die I will be reborn in paradise and all the I have killed will become my slaves - I will not give you my name because you will try to slow down or stop my collecting of slaves for my afterlife.
In summation, the Zodiac Killer wrote the original draught message of 408 alphabetical letters (including Z} in a continuous 17 by 24 grid formation, knowing that he had to begin to encrypt the Chronicle portion starting with the alphabetical letter "E", ending "TH" from the Examiner portion, in order to form the word "THE". Unfortunately, he didn't encrypt the next line of ELONEORSTRAYPEOPL contained in his draught message, he mistakenly missed this line and encrypted EIHAVEKILLEDWILLB, which also began with an "E". Hence, he failed to encrypt one line of the Chronicle plaintext message, leaving him with an unwanted line at the bottom of the cipher. This is the possible filler line, created for apparent symmetry. Whether the Zodiac Killer crafted another message in the bottom line (in response to his mistake) is unknown to this day.
The Missing Line in the 408 Cipher covers this story in more detail, but I wanted to create a full image of the cipher for reference.
In summation, the Zodiac Killer wrote the original draught message of 408 alphabetical letters (including Z} in a continuous 17 by 24 grid formation, knowing that he had to begin to encrypt the Chronicle portion starting with the alphabetical letter "E", ending "TH" from the Examiner portion, in order to form the word "THE". Unfortunately, he didn't encrypt the next line of ELONEORSTRAYPEOPL contained in his draught message, he mistakenly missed this line and encrypted EIHAVEKILLEDWILLB, which also began with an "E". Hence, he failed to encrypt one line of the Chronicle plaintext message, leaving him with an unwanted line at the bottom of the cipher. This is the possible filler line, created for apparent symmetry. Whether the Zodiac Killer crafted another message in the bottom line (in response to his mistake) is unknown to this day.
The Missing Line in the 408 Cipher covers this story in more detail, but I wanted to create a full image of the cipher for reference.
FEEL FREE TO USE
Vallejo Times-Herald [1-8]: Here is a cyipher or that is part of one. the other 2 parts have been mailed to the S.F. Examiner + the S.F. Chronicle I want you to print this cipher on your frunt page by Fry Afternoon Aug 1-69, If you do not do this I will go on a kill ram page Fry night that will last the whole week end. I will cruse around and pick of all stray people or coupples that are alone then move on to kill some more untill I have killed over a dozen people.
San Francisco Examiner [9-16]: Here is a cipher or that is part of one. The other 2 parts are being mailed to the Vallejo Times + S.F. Chronicle I want you to print this cipher on the frunt page by Fry afternoon Aug 1-69. If you do not print this cipher, I will go on a kill rampage Fry night. This will last the whole weekend, I will cruse around killing people who are alone at night untill Sun Night or un till I kill a dozen people.
San Francisco Chronicle [17-24]: Here is part of a cipher the other 2 parts of this cipher are being mailed to the editors of the Vallejo Times and SF Examiner. I want you to print this cipher on the front page of your paper. In this cipher is my idenity [Z]. If you do not print this cipher by the afternoon of Fry.1st of Aug 69, I will go on a kill ram-Page Fry. night. I will cruse around all weekend killing lone people in the night then move on to kill again, until I end up with a dozen people over the weekend.
As always, thanks to Dave Oranchak for originally suggesting the concept of a missing line.
As always, thanks to Dave Oranchak for originally suggesting the concept of a missing line.