Steve Ekwall's Voynich Manuscript "Folding Key"

Nick Pelling discusses a cipher mystery that is both old and new - a semi-retired locksmith's claim that in June 2000, some kind of "Excitant Spirit" showed him how to make a deciphering key for an enciphered late Medieval / Early Modern document - the Voynich Manuscript. Is Steve Ekwall "The Fruit of the Loon", or might he actually be onto something here?

Full blog post here: http://www.ciphermysteries.com/2009/05/24/steve-ekwalls-folding-key

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• Steve Ekwall
• Voynich Manuscript
• Nick Pelling
• Cipher Mystery
• The Curse of the Voynich
• Folding Key

[nicholaspelling]

The 17 letter repeated sequence is an interesting pattern, but Voynich researchers have raked over this for years. As for me, I'm pretty sure it's an 18-letter pattern that was subsequently adapted to look like a 17-letter pattern... but that's another story. :-)

As for Kircher: though he was sent the VMs, there were probably twenty owners before him who were no less mystified. Its history goes back to the mid-15th century, without much doubt.

[nicholaspelling]

foow! :-) 

[LLNWonderland]

@nicholaspelling. Just curious about your opinion... What do you think of the theory that John Dee created the manuscript, and sold it to cryptography-loving Rudolph II, because Dee was hard up for money? I'd rather believe that's not true, but do you know of any facts about the manuscript that would help refute this theory, besides that it's extremely complicated and would be difficult to fabricate?

[nicholaspelling]

@LLNWonderland Not a hope, the VMs was from 150 years earlier. :-)

[aSkepticalTruth]

So... what is the foldy piece of paper actually supposed to do...? If you're able to decode the manuscript with it, then decode the bloody manuscript already!

I don't see what all the fuss is about. At 1:12 when you flip it over, you're just repeating the same steps you *just did* backwards. DURP

I must be missing something here. Why the hell would you put this in your book?

[nicholaspelling]

@aSkepticalTruth The whole point was that Steve Ekwall suggested a whole set of specific cryptographic mechanisms (including the folding key) several years before anybody else really perceived that Voynichese was that kind of a problem.

The folding sequence doesn't go backwards, it goes through all 8 states in order to get back to the first one - watch it again, or better still make one for yourself and try it out in your own hands.

[araeshkigal]

Steve doesn't know these things....he doesn't have google?

Not impressed...the folding key does...what exactly?

It resolves back to start when you fold it? Like..anything else you fold and unfold that way?

Bah

[taveren93hgk]

that doesnt explain how this paper decrypts anything.

[alienbaroque]

Reminds me a little of the Rubix watch?v=ocVey44-wEI Maybe that will inspire you.

AB

[itsabomberscope]

Superb stuff!

[SpacedTime]

I dont get what this guy Steve has actually done, other than produce a folded piece of paper that he doesnt know what to do with

[MambaMedic]

Hey Nick I came across the document tonight, as everyone else has and will do, I decided to have a shot at looking for patterns etc. I found one. I found what I believe is the decipher key to a 17 letter alphabet. Also I found a connection to Kircher by spotting a pattern and then googling Kircher and seeing he was connected to the VM. The message was either BY or for FOR Kircher for sure. I am 2hrs old in the world of deciphering, 4give me if im telling you old news lol. Interesting indeed.

[1xawa1]

WOW

With this key i can communicate with aliens, travel in time, read peoples minds and teach my dog to walk bakwards.

[timcraig3]

It's a cook book!

[ZLATODEJ]

Voynich manuscript is written and encryoted in the Czech language. Author manuscript czech alchemist 15th century JOHN of LAZY.

Real name manuscript = Gold Mud ( Zlato bláto) 1454.

info : Zlatoděj J.T.