<center><h1>Prepare - Uncover - Outwit - Find - WIN!</h1>
![winner.jpg](https://images.hive.blog/DQmeTforQ4TNvCwdcS8Rtk5d63Hgkr7PZUS6R49MMD2Mhqi/winner.jpg)
</center>

The 1st HIVE Crypto Challenge is over and we are happy to announce the winner:
Congratulations @lefevre!

You followed your intuition and stayed on the right track. Solving the puzzle you saved your reward. 500 **HIVE** goes to you.
<hr>
<center><h1>Solution</h1></center>
Here is a breakthrough, showing step by step what you had to do in order to solve the crypto-puzzle.
The first two given hints were:
<center><h3><br/><br/>Hint Nr.1:</h3>
<pre><code>https://hive.blog/hive-174578/@timsaid/timtravels-a-different-kind-of-tree-hint-nr-1 & s/ /D</code></pre><br>
and
<h3>Hint Nr.2:</h3>
<pre><code>197gY7bE</code></pre></center><br>

@lefevre took the first right step towards bringing structure into the mesh of hints and found out that the second hint is part of a Pastebin URL. In the post, I wrote the following sentence *"It could also be that some of my hints are trash for the bin"*, which is another reference to Pastebin. 
<center>![solve1.jpg](https://images.hive.blog/DQmaDhyuCau6gd6dKHGXcbFU6DdiNQAr8oMXDAyenK8J4w5/solve1.jpg)</center>

Opening the pastebin you will see the following message:
<center><code>EnCt2f5f470abbd1f510caa1eaecfd1efeb7b9bae72def5f470abbd1f510caa1eaecf5Tg4UK3=1wC
i5L3tol7qS/bt1shr3CS/RQNZNt2xlvZ+O6Z2PFk8+Y/0IwEmS</code></center>
 
The string above is a 256-bit AES encrypted message which you need a password to decrypt and read. With the help of @buddyboyb, @lefevre was able to decrypt the message. But how did @buddyboyb know the password? It was hidden within the first hint. 

<center>![solve2.jpg](https://images.hive.blog/DQmevQwxDJqQvCtVcnJ7a3LMXQ45r563B4JRhCn1zQreCzu/solve2.jpg)</center>

Inspecting the file URL with regards to the second half of the first hint <code> s/ /D</code> you would extract the following password to decrypt the message <code>cbiikynpp2sigmr</code>.

After decrypting the message you will get the following link https://easyupload.io/6d5zo2 which contains a .rar file. Now things will get nasty. The file also contains a password, which is the same as the one for the encrypted message. The .rar file contains three separate files with **NO** instructions. 

Now comes the title cover into play, on the top you will find a morse code which translates into RAID 4 NO PARITY.
<center>
![code.jpg](https://images.hive.blog/DQmfLw48FfnHmQnrrPEFzTXa6cLxRhvuE4pyVRThjEsuwhb/code.jpg)
</center>

@lefevre obviously knew what he has to do. If you have a look at how [RAID systems](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_RAID_levels) work you would find an idea of how to reconstruct the original file from the given files in the .rar file. 

He wrote a Python script to put the pieces together:

<center>
![code2.jpg](https://images.hive.blog/DQmTP29grzybYB5fus5HgVW9aoos8ixfMnifqLg45HEEoeg/code2.jpg)</center>

The resulting picture and final solution is:

<center>https://images.hive.blog/640x0/https://images.hive.blog/DQmdHyFpFnMuC822XgHobL3T2mTSiS7NBBek5u6ZZH9EWqA/output.jpg</center>
<hr>

Great work and congratulations to the winner and all who participated. Because @bobbyboyb pitched in and helped @lefevre to solve the puzzle, @lefevre transferred him 50 **HIVE**! That's what I call the community spirit!

Don't miss the next HIVECrypto Challenge and be prepared. I wish you a great weekend. As for me, I prepare the next challenge and try to make it a little trickier.

Thanks again to @innerhive for supporting the contest and contributing with **250 HIVE** to the prize!
<hr>
Don't forget to check the winners of the MyPictureDay photography contest tomorrow!

<br>

Yours,
Tim