Additional information in cert

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21

I think the QR code can be represented as a bitmapped image made of characters, as apparently the smallest one is 29 pixels by 29 pixels.

There might not be characters which have a sufficiently large and sufficiently small number of illuminated pixels to allow a QR code reader to recognize the code directly from the displayed text on screen, so people might have to transform the characters to increase the contrast before recognizing the QR code.

22

Yes, i know :slight_smile:
Print it out and use a pencil to “illuminate” the ones or zeros :slight_smile:
This is a QR-Code too :slight_smile:

23

I don’t think any default QR-code scanner will scan either of our ideas.
It may need a custom scanner app.

[edit] It is difficult for the QR code to be placed directly into the SAN without specialized app to read it.
If only a puzzle piece, that leads to another piece/prize/location, is held in the SAN then that makes things easier for cert coding.

24

Copy this with a pencil to paper with squares ( I don’t know the English word)
Every QR-code scanner will scan it :slight_smile:
Belive me geocachers in my area are very special ones :slight_smile:
This is “only” difficult level 4/5

25

In English this is called graph paper or a grid (sometimes also "grid paper").

It's nice to hear that this hobby has developed so far and is providing such sophisticated challenges to people. :slight_smile: It reminds me quite a bit of puzzle competitions that I participate in as well.

26

An example of what I was thinking of, following @rg305’s example (though I did not try to issue a certificate like this):

aa-----------------------------------------.example.com
ab-----------------------------------------.example.com
ac-----------------------------------------.example.com
ad-----------------------------------------.example.com
ae----XXXXXXX--X------X-XXXX-X--XXXXXXX----.example.com
af----X-----X-XX-XXX-XXX---XX-X-X-----X----.example.com
ag----X-XXX-X--XXX--XX---XXXX---X-XXX-X----.example.com
ah----X-XXX-X-XX-X-XXX-X-X--X---X-XXX-X----.example.com
ai----X-XXX-X---X-XX--X-XXXXXX--X-XXX-X----.example.com
aj----X-----X-X-X----XX---X---X-X-----X----.example.com
ak----XXXXXXX-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-XXXXXXX----.example.com
al----------------X-------XX-X-------------.example.com
am----XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXX-XX---XXXX-X-X-X-----.example.com
an------XX-----X------X-XXXX-X-XX---XXX----.example.com
ao-----X-XXXXXXX-XX-XXX-X--XX--X--X-XX-----.example.com
ap----XXX------XXX--X-X-X-XXX-X-X-XXXXX----.example.com
aq-----XX-X-X--X-X-XX--X-X--XXXX-XX--XX----.example.com
ar----XX--X---X-X-X-X-X-XXXXXX--X--XX-X----.example.com
as----XX-X-XXXXX---X-XXX------X-XXXXXX-----.example.com
at----X-XXX-----X-X--XX-X-XXX-XX-X--X------.example.com
au------XXX-XX-XX-XXXX-X-X--X-XX--X---X----.example.com
av----X-XXXX--XXX---X-XXXXXXXXX-X---X-X----.example.com
aw------X---XX--XXXX-XXX--XXX-XX-X--XX-----.example.com
ax-----X------XX-X--X-X----X-X---X-XX------.example.com
ay----X-X--XXXX--X---X-X----XXXX--XX-------.example.com
az----XXX--X------XX--X--XX--X--X--XX-X----.example.com
ba----X-XX--X-X-X--XXX-XX--X---X-X--X------.example.com
bb----X-X--X------XX-X--X--XX-XX-X-XXX-----.example.com
bc----X-X-XXX-XXX-X-XX-XXX--X-XXXXX---X----.example.com
bd------------XX--------XXX---X---X--------.example.com
be----XXXXXXX-X--XX--XX-X-X-XXX-X-X-XX-----.example.com
bf----X-----X--X-X--XXX-XX-X-XX---XXX------.example.com
bg----X-XXX-X-XX-X---X-X----X-XXXXX--------.example.com
bh----X-XXX-X-XX--XXX-X--XXX--XX-XX--------.example.com
bi----X-XXX-X-XXX--XXX------X-XXXX-XXX-----.example.com
bj----X-----X-XX--XX-X--X--XX-----XXX------.example.com
bk----XXXXXXX-XX--X-X--X------XXXX-X-X-----.example.com
bl-----------------------------------------.example.com
bm-----------------------------------------.example.com
bn-----------------------------------------.example.com
bo-----------------------------------------.example.com
27

I wonder if you could store more and access it easier via Crypto-Coin systems…
Maybe even start a GeoCachersCoin (with no intended value) just for the sake of coders having an easy place to put stuff.

28

Grid :neutral_face::neutral_face: Okay. Next time I should know this :slight_smile:
Okay, this looks great.
Maybe I should change the “-” to zero and the “x” to one.
Or if this become very sick change the “-” to 2^x and the “x” to a prime number :slight_smile:
I think we should stop now. I think if we have one or two more days they don’t hate me they will kill me :slight_smile:
Some of the local cachers know my realname :slight_smile:

29

After much “manipulation”…
That seems to do the “trick” !
“I hope this provides an interesting challenge for the geocachers” was revealed.

Final working manipulation:
change “-” to <space>
change “X” to <alt 219>

Unfortunately it only worked on iPhone, Android not liking it…

31

Yeah I think this format may not pass checks; as the 3rd and 4th char fields are “–”.
I think it should work using three “lead sorting” chars.

32

The problem for me in solving your puzzle was that the solution method was considerably easier than I thought (a very common occurrence when solving puzzles that may involve codes and ciphers or hidden information :slight_smile:). The coordinates are N51 10.444 E7 10.444 (the same ones cited by @eisi123 above, somewhere near Remscheid, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany).

Maybe you’ll go down in history as the first person to make a working puzzle based on a valid PKI certificate. :slight_smile:

33

That would be a nice epitaph - LOL

34

You're correct. I think @jsha posted about this a few months ago, but I was unable to find his post just now. However, the Boulder CA code exactly supports your recollection of this restriction (which is related to standards for internationalized domain names):

According to this code, your suggestion of three alphanumeric characters before the hyphens (instead of two) should also work.

35

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