Ok, I'm throwing in the towel. I've been looking at this for FAR too long when I should be focusing on other things. I've been running around in circles and in the end, it all still looks like cryptic nonsense.
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PE3BP-BMCDG-ⓉYIMR
Instead of bump, some worthless freebie
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Wow, that The Miskatonic thingy is very nice, merci for recommendation :-P
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Well, maybe the reason is unreadable characters instead of disguised fragments (probably because of missed language pack when installing windows, same situation with hieroglyphs, Chinese, for example). But anyway, thank you for the unusual puzzles, maybe I'll come back to them later, I'm intrigued :)
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Hmm, I prefer to make puzzles with normal text instead of this unicode stuff, but when you dump a bunch of Steam keys in normal text some clown feeds the whole thing to their bots and never says a word... This way the humans have a fighting chance... :)
Since I'm too lazy to automate things it's a bit of a pain writing it too... I've been pasting this junk into old private giveaways for testing purposes, since sometimes you get garbage - and mobile's probably a lost cause... :(
If you don't find a way to read it, I'll try to work up something legible for the explanations, assuming I remember to write them... :)
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Well, if you're trying on mobile all bets are off - apparently some of those funny characters don't seem to work properly. But read down, starting from the top line of keys with IFQDH-ACⓇNZ-LM5GN__6TH2I-ETⒽMF-LTVNJ__P244X-IWⓌJ2-YIBFN__0ZC75-VHⒼ8I-P78G4__JN549-T5ⒿKT-IFK69__GL7DZ-DAⓅNL-KX7MI
. There should be at least five, maybe more that I can't remember...
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Ok, the short explanation is: go read the other explanation, it's the same thing. :)
But I should probably put something here too... Umm, the Greek stuff is just the Odyssey, it's nothing to do with the puzzle. Did it fool you? Sorry.
Did the 1 August key drop help? The one with the BIGHINTs in it? Oh, didn't notice that? Seriously? Umm...
LOOK AT THE KEYS!
If you look at the original Steam keys, you might notice IHATEREADINGSOGIVEMEGAMESINSTEAD which is the solution to the itstoohard thing, or I HATE READING SO GIVE ME GAMES INSTEAD if you like your spaces. :) That's the whole puzzle.
Simple, eh? So you get DARK SOULS: REMASTERED, DARK SOULS II: Scholar of the First Sin, DARK SOULS III Deluxe Edition, and finally, one more giveaway for The Miskatonic. Fun, eh?
Hope you enjoyed yourself, and hope I think of a better use for bundle keys next time! :) Thank you for playing! :)
Original message:
Oh, hey, you love to read, right? That's why you're checking the steamgifts forum!
You're not hoping to gobble up an entire key drop by yourself before those other people take everything! :) And certainly not looking to win every private giveaway you can find for the precious +1 wthog! :)
Unfortunately I'm lazy, so I made yet another dumb puzzle. Sorry about that. And you'll have to find the password to reach the giveaways, so be sure to read all this stuff carefully!
Yet another dumb puzzle? Yeah, if you turn out to hate whatever's being given away here, there's a different puzzle going on here instead. Possibly a bit of reading required there, too.
Once you've finished reading all this stuff carefully, go here for the treasure! It'll shimmer you blind!
Στην Λακεδαίμον' έφθασαν, μες τας σχισμένα όρη,
και 'ς το παλάτι ετράβιξαν του ενδόξου Μενελάου·
τον ηύραν 'που 'ς το σπίτι μου με πολλούς φίλους είχε
γάμων χαραίς για τον υιό και για την θυγατέρα.
του Αχιλληά προς τον υιό την κόρη του επροβόδα.
'ς την Τροία πρώτα υπόσχεσι και λόγο του 'χε δώσει,
και τώρα τέλος έβαζαν οι αθάνατοι 'ς τον γάμο.
με άλογα, με άμαξαις την έστελνε εις την πόλι
των Μυρμιδόνων την λαμπρήν, οπού 'ταν βασιλέας.
από την Σπάρτην έμπαζε τ' Αλέκτορα την κόρη
νύμφη του μεγαλόψυχου υιού του Μεγαπένθη,
'που υστερογένην έλαβε από δούλη· της Ελένης
τέκνα οι θεοί δεν έδωκαν, αφ' ότου είχε γεννήσει
την Ερμιόνη, 'πώλαμπε ωσάν την Αφροδίτη.
'Σ το μέγα δώμα το υψηλόν έτσι εσυντρώγαν όλοι,
οι γείτονες κ' οι συγγενείς του ενδόξου Μενελάου,
τερπόμενοι, και ανάμεσα κιθάριζεν ο θείος
ο αοιδός, και ως άρχιζεν εκείνος το τραγούδι,
δυο χορευταίς 'ς την μέση τους πηδούσαν κ' εγυρίζαν.
'Σ τα πρόθυρα ο Τηλέμαχος ο ήρωας ωστόσο,
και ο λαμπρός του Νέστορα υιός, τ' αμάξι εστήσαν.
εβγήκ' εμπρός κ' είδεν αυτούς ο μέγας Ετεωνέας,
ο επιμελής θεράποντας του ενδόξου Μενελάου,
και του ποιμένα των λαών εστράφη να το είπη.
σιμά του εστάθη κ' είπε του με λόγια πτερωμένα·
«Μενέλαε διόθρεπτε, μας ήλθαν δύο ξένοι,
'πού του μεγάλου του Διός το γένος ομοιάζουν.
ειπές αν θα τους λύσουμε τ' άλογ' από τ' αμάξι,
ή θα τους προβοδήσουμε 'ς άλλον να τους ξενίση».
Τότε ο ξανθός Μενέλαος εβάρυνε και του 'πε·
«Μωρός δεν ήσουν άλλοτε, Βοηθοίδη Ετεωνέα·
τώρα ως μωρόπαιδ' ομιλείς· και δεν θυμάσαι οι δυο μας
απ' άλλους πόσα εφάγαμε δώρα φιλοξενίας,
ως 'που να γύρουμεν εδώ και ο Δίας να μας δώση
τέλος εις τα παθήματα; αλλά τ' άλογα λύσε
των ξένων, και άμα μπάσε τους εδώ να γευματίσουν».
IFQDH-ACⓇNZ-LM5GN__6TH2I-ETⒽMF-LTVNJ__P244X-IWⓌJ2-YIBFN__0ZC75-VHⒼ8I-P78G4__JN549-T5ⒿKT-IFK69__GL7DZ-DAⓅNL-KX7MI
HNZXX-6B⑥ZJ-E00ZW__9A39H-6A⑥72-T6KIR__7HX2A-HDⒺY2-M93BW__3B5Q2-BAⒹCH-9BZL7__L0VVY-EAⓅVM-HDYXX__HL6GK-4YⒾED-5HK6H
A6MKK-QIⒸY4-FKQRM__3AYNA-PHⓍ5C-G44TE__3AP85-A9Ⓜ89-L6WP5__L2TL2-WGⓎ7A-WTEJ6__LNJVJ-NL⑤CG-ATLQY__MM2Z5-7XⒹF5-TZZQA
TNPBD-EIⓄ3K-G2TCB__LBMYT-D9ⓌNE-TE8GV__DENED-TX⑤2Y-IDNZ9__EP7P8-2ZⓃJT-KIH60__NJ4MK-80ⒾNF-TV44A__IJCG3-Y2ⒼKM-PQ5MT
ED6NM-VDⓋIA-R2EAQ__WP3RE-DHⒾCD-XW5HH__49HRH-E2⑦HH-XWIHR__JR8RB-27⑨CE-55WM3__RT82Y-50ⓄID-E4K4Q__4HC5J-DT⑨DX-N4XLE
RYVH8-EMⓋ0H-6RRFE__547XR-3T②DN-H6ZX0__KADEF-RVⒷLM-NI9YR__945ZE-Q7Ⓧ9R-NT82Q__QYA3B-NF⑦R9-RJIF2__ZP2F6-TTⒾJH-MHG4R
EYI6C-9WⓁ4T-WHG2V__0DE0E-DCⒹ74-8TAZG__72YTX-EXⒼYV-VHKP3__GVB2Q-9FⒾRE-2KITR__DRZRN-47ⒶZ4-EVRCG__7FWQP-FQⒻP5-VY77E
A9DI5-PEⒸ8F-BBRDV__VE45A-IDⒾ53-530KZ__K9NG7-AX③BV-KR9I3__IKYNL-I3ⒽQA-X2X3I__6MGRY-CPⓃBW-AKV0A__XFRZP-7Y⑤PR-Y3TCA
DQKTW-CBⒼ2I-CCYG5__5J68D-JY④RL-R9FYV__80R2F-DKⓄGJ-EVIEN__2LMNZ-A6ⓄCD-G4YF2__GLNI6-P7⑨HF-D2702__6EM0E-0BⒼCQ-Y2KCD
IA9CE-KCⒺF0-T4IDB__MPBQI-74ⒿAD-MBVY0__72FH0-I2ⓉZX-K4TY0__HKKQW-9DⓉ3I-3PQQ2__T5LGJ-M3⑥9B-INY4R__XMKL7-2X⑧8Z-9F23I
NMTWF-XLⒷC5-8V7PL__7PCEN-ZR③X6-HI7QV__4EEII-N0ⓋJ3-VZWRZ__WAA84-QTⓃ3N-HDQQF__CE344-Q3Ⓚ54-NF5I0__CMRDE-D0ⓀCD-DTHWN
GBW0G-ANⒽA7-63BFY__4HHMG-QHⓇ85-0P3VL__658TY-GNⒷC0-MR024__0BP73-NL⑤BG-FHNJ4__CK073-36ⓍII-GITW6__B6KYH-AZ⑥2G-3655G
SFB3L-AFⓂNM-2EXKF__QTN3S-TCⓏ0I-69PJY__0M998-SA⑤RC-PBK6F__8Q7JN-FPⓂKS-IQJ6L__86XYX-VAⓏI6-SID9W__40F3W-PEⓋN3-I9V0S
O8A6H-HX⑨EE-24D6A__BJVRO-7RⒻLH-FEIEX__2EEZH-OVⓏ2E-P77DX__L680H-54ⓆIO-FJMYJ__CY4CW-88Ⓔ5R-OZ09M__GJRQA-Q6Ⓕ40-248XO
G2GL9-0PⓎ4K-I8IQ0__T69VG-YVⒻK6-B3YNR__96YV8-GHⓂ8N-N42TG__A52M3-FKⓃBG-BCCWL__2N5W4-06⑨NI-GWAAL__9KD7K-PZ④QM-R4E6G
ITMDR-VWⒸ7Q-DHT9I__NZ2WI-8K⑥MB-JGAT0__X3Y3I-I3ⓆGK-JZNGX__NNK8X-85Ⓩ8I-JXJJK__3BD5L-DKⓂ6J-I4PR7__93MF8-VZⒿD5-CHAII
VXGVV-2Q④B4-77T36__VXEWV-JRⓆJT-AYBL4__H548L-VZ④YR-7YCFR__QQW3A-FWⒻ2V-LBF0T__0R66L-A7Ⓜ45-VCDIA__0K9G7-4YⓆWA-7B86V
EEBJI-7E②4P-WVBQL__Z8F8E-JVⒹQ0-838W2__W23KD-ENⒿKE-KLLZ5__QPNCD-RZⓏLE-8V34N__V7D66-T3ⓌLF-E6E2D__6V960-0HⓃIR-75APE
MB0QF-AFⒺ60-2ARM0__63PZM-D8②T7-FY2ND__EWQP8-MD⑨8K-9F8QT__3H6CH-KJⒻBM-J86KC__JXX3F-KX⑧AJ-M7NRE__5I3GI-XQⓎIF-0C5MM
EGRV0-B9⑧IL-LTRNR__XYFBE-WG④AW-MJPHF__NNCBT-EPⓀE9-7LN8Y__707GM-M8Ⓟ9E-N96WJ__G20WY-D3Ⓔ6P-EC2MC__0DYC0-5AⒶRN-TJFVE
GKZ4C-DHⓋIT-YR27W__9CRGG-DYⓃYA-EVFPP__JQGCG-GJ⑥XD-N60D4__740PX-5JⒽPG-Y26QD__F3DIG-HQ④Z7-GQ977__CLCVP-YIⓉT9-BHFWG
A7Z5W-0C③5X-J74F9__03CYA-X2⑦H3-PZNDX__Q239J-AEⓉ0Q-RN307__QCJA9-7PⒾJA-8KE4M__PNN8J-4KⓋZW-A52A4__XVNTR-AKⒿ25-MZNZA
MMRRJ-4XⒶ0G-2B66P__8GC9M-CYⓃ4B-V0DD3__69FB4-MIⒾM7-PDDB2__KNMZR-H0④0M-8RY6D__BGH8Y-29ⒷIX-MBENJ__T034M-V9⑥LQ-4BC8M
EE3IR-K5ⒿTJ-K0XJP__KGWNE-BBⒼG8-3YWZV__V9XIC-EG⑧0Q-MQ0GH__FM2VK-ZYⓎIE-CHGJY__PCF0G-0JⓎEV-E98BE__RZ0JX-H5ⓄE6-XEVGE
SKZ9C-2JⒽNG-RL7MM__9835S-NGⒿRE-L76PI__0D8YR-S4Ⓝ05-LHD9H__T8EEY-PE④VS-L82NY__3EQ3J-GQⒿER-SVLMY__DN34F-4AⓀ60-CW58S
IZHFP-EIⓇ4G-PQ4FL__CFGHI-28ⓆMQ-YQ8PZ__AGJ05-I0ⓃV2-K5VWT__BPL4F-AFⓃ7I-IJ6TW__NPMJP-FNⓋ24-IA8Q7__V327B-H9ⒽD0-86GEI
NGG6J-8T⑨DB-PDD8E__258KN-2B⑨9N-CLXFQ__8T2CJ-NXⓁ2J-KA78G__MK2GP-8E④4N-CPBAW__9FNCC-CHⓏQV-N979G__7HCJV-Q7③PC-4YCEN
ST9XK-D2④XA-D63YE__RRAMS-5HⒾ33-0IDEZ__QGZ77-SXⓁ8H-9FZLC__R2KWR-LLⒿ4S-8EL4H__3QBVP-MZⓏ6N-SVZHD__CMPDQ-F9ⓅXR-R3RAS
TR99L-9YⓁXM-QBRI6__83B3T-Q0Ⓞ90-X0N7J__YP8CY-TF⑨XT-LKQCY__43JRP-EF④BT-APFBA__CEBQ6-8YⓍWJ-TC002__HN09N-E8ⓉF2-HTR7T
E0ELC-I2ⓎRQ-F527V__4XK0E-08②2B-9FALX__N4RQD-E9⑨V7-M9J3T__HPX52-BRⓌME-KRBWD__6YI32-Q3⑧9B-EL3F9__6PPT6-0MⓏTP-6DJIE
AY87V-72⑥Z6-Y3YV3__2XR8A-X7⑨RQ-ZIMKF__3QY9Z-A3ⓁF9-QA4W9__84XZZ-3QⒷDA-57VYR__8NI4B-RW③6B-A3MM4__9RNED-3J⑨6Z-A3QQA
D3B2T-3T⑨XN-2AZZ3__TX0QD-6JⓏ7M-HHMYW__JTKYC-DYⒻLF-7H0C2__27CEG-NT⑨0D-LR0QT__3B664-2P⑧BB-DCMYL__GEE86-PEⓇGP-YKQYD
p.s. In a mostly ignored postscript it was claimed that the underscores were to increase legibility, the circled characters Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ Ⓓ Ⓔ Ⓕ Ⓖ Ⓗ Ⓘ Ⓙ Ⓚ Ⓛ Ⓜ Ⓝ Ⓞ Ⓟ Ⓠ Ⓡ Ⓢ Ⓣ Ⓤ Ⓥ Ⓦ Ⓧ Ⓨ Ⓩ Ⓞ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ were anti-bot protection, neither feature had anything to do with the puzzle, and attempting to use them as the password would be taken as a sign of foolishness.
p.p.s. In an unexpected display of honesty it was revealed that the claims in the previous postscript were actually true.
p.p.p.s In a final postscript a pity giveaway was disclosed, allowing those who were able to read but unable to solve the puzzle the opportunity to win something.
Good luck! :)
Edit 1 August:
Since so many people are stuck, let's try a BIG HINT... :) If it's not big enough, I'll try to find a bigger one tomorrow... :)
B9FZE-HVFKR-🅥🅝🅦🅝②
I936V-QW35W-🅑⑤⑧⑤🅦
GBHPQ-FDX90-🅙⑥⑨⑧🅔
HJN4B-IM0YJ-🅝🅡🅠🅡⑧
I9HEC-FYT4V-🅧④③⑨🅒
N2XVN-QQXT0-🅙⑨⑦⑥🅑
TQNC3-6A6GY-🅣🅣🅛🅨⑧
BFYCJ-QA69R-⑨🅨🅖🅘⑨
IB86V-BZIA2-⑨③🅚⑨⑨
GDDJ7-325QD-⑥⑤🅣⑦⑧
HWNEY-7GJJA-④②🅗⑧Ⓞ
IHMJN-TYC5L-⑥③🅘⑧⑧
NPTFI-DBPW0-⑧④🅕③Ⓞ
T4GDI-HX663-⑤🅩🅑🅣⑤
BQQRZ-Q8843-⑦🅦🅡🅥🅝
IHFEG-LV92I-🅦⑨Ⓞ⑧⑦
G0XL2-QQ8X3-🅗⑦⑨⑧②
HDL6P-3VAY0-🅒⑤②③④
I5MRC-3KHPC-🅖⑤③🅘🅟
NTVWR-R6265-🅛Ⓞ③⑨🅥
T6MGF-2VZNY-④🅩🅛🅝🅥
BZR62-CXI0E-🅖⑦②④🅨
I9ZJH-LVW68-🅟⑥⑤⑨🅗
GHJXB-KBHFK-🅖③③③🅓
H8YXJ-HKBP7-🅕🅩🅡🅝🅨
IZXYP-E86W8-🅐④⑧④🅦
NQ3MI-X7AYB-🅐④⑤⑤🅡
TX68J-XK08N-🅑⑨⑨②🅗
BMQK4-GTY9M-②🅣🅨🅩⑦
IYMQ8-HNCHE-⑥⑨🅑Ⓞ③
GXI2E-EYCFX-⑦⑧🅑⑨⑤
H03EG-GZWQV-⑤⑤🅔④⑤
I5T90-056G5-⑥⑨🅡②②
N24N5-5JRRJ-⑤⑦🅔⑥Ⓞ
TKPRZ-ITWBD-⑧🅘🅔🅧④
BRDQ3-HF8LE-🅔⑥⑦⑨🅚
IDM07-WN6FF-🅥③⑤⑥🅕
G2EA7-8PQFN-🅓🅡④⑤🅠
HW06E-IJDEH-🅜⑤🅕⑦🅓
I5430-3IJVT-🅛⑨②🅘🅗
NKBQE-A4HZL-🅠⑨Ⓞ⑦🅨
T8K7D-IFQIJ-🅦⑨④③🅘
B60AV-6TQ6P-🅠🅐🅓🅑🅚
IVEN0-X8CR6-④②🅒③④
GGTBJ-PH545-④Ⓞ🅘⑧③
HXJ9D-0PAVV-⑥⑥🅥⑥④
I8ZJZ-ZR8BH-③⑧🅥③Ⓞ
NAEN9-XV553-④②🅔③③
TMM05-3NY97-Ⓞ②🅛⑤③
Edit 5 August:
Ok, yes, these giveaways are finished, but I'll have to wait a few days before writing a puzzle explanation, for no reason at all... :)
Thanks for playing, and remind me in a few days to explain everything, in case I forget or just get busy and blow it off... :)
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