Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Codes, Clues, Secrets & Lies in Jimmy Coates books

On page 138 of Jimmy Coates: Target (the UK edition) there's a code.

The book came out in 2006 and nobody has cracked the code yet (or at least, nobody has cracked the code and let me know about it). Every now and again people send me their theories about it - all wrong. This week I had an email containing a lovely, creative solution. Also wrong.

Here's the email (edited, to keep all this discreet) along with my response (also edited. What do you think this is, a democracy?).

From: xxx
Sent: Monday, March 10, 2014 8:38 AM
Subject: Jimmy Coates: Target - Door code?
Hi,

I've been reading your books recently (they're great by the way) and I was looking at your website and you said the door code for the safehouse was easy to figure out with a bit of research.

Well, I'm a graphic designer who does a lot of web design and I found it odd that the # was in the middle of the code, they're normally at the beginning or end of a door entry code right? So I wondered what would happen if you put the # at the beginning and when I did it looked familiar. So now I'm wondering if it's a hexadecimal colour code? Maybe of the colour of the door? If it is it's a very nice shade of blue ;-)

Thanks,
--------------

From: Joe Craig joe@joecraig.co.uk
Sent: Monday, March 10, 2014 8:38 AM
To: xxx
Subject: Jimmy Coates: Target - Door code?

Hello xxx,
[general hello and intro and thanks for emailing and aren't you wonderful and all that blah blah blah]

You’re absolutely right that the # does look very odd in the middle of the code, doesn’t it? But I’m afraid that’s all you’re right about. I love the idea that it might be something to do with a colour. It isn’t. Am I going to tell you what it’s really about? No. That would spoil all the fun.
But I’m happy to tell you when you’re on the right lines, and you should definitely persist in not bothering about the #. It’s only there to mislead you.
Hope that helps. I’m pretty sure you’ll crack it now. Oh, I suppose it’s also only fair to warn you that if you’re doing research online (especially about me) there are several supposed ‘facts’ about me online that are just wrong. So don’t trust, for example, the internet. Just saying. If the internet had all the facts right then this would be a pretty simple code to crack. Fortunately it’s easy to make sure there’s plenty of misinformation about yourself online. Again – all part of the fun.
Meanwhile, if you get stuck with that code there’s a better one on page 155 of Jimmy Coates: Blackout (number 7 in the series – the latest one). The two codes are related.
I’ve given you way too many clues now.
Have fun and enjoy the rest of the series. Let me know how you get on.
Best wishes,
Joe


@joecraiguk
http://youtu.be/mLdAQoLRXBk
www.joecraig.co.uk
www.jimmycoates.com


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