340 and KQ

[mike_r]

Hi,

When I first saw the solution to the 340 today, I thought, "Ho-hum. Z did not even tell us his name lol." But then I thought about it more and it seems he may have revealed something important about himself in the 340 after all.

First off, I want to point out a linguistic quirk I noticed in the solution. He says, "...I hope you have having lots of fun IN trying to figure out..." A lot of people would not include the word "in" in that context. This might be something to look for in the writings of the real Z.

OK. So I think I won't be shouted down when I say that Z went through a lot of trouble to hide this message from us. I hope that the fact that it took 51 years to solve the code serves as proof of that notion. And what does he go on about in this message he may not really have wanted us to see? Slaves in the afterlife and Paradice.

I could have been persuaded that slaves in the afterlife was a concept that Z glommed onto but in which he really didn't take much stock when push came to shove. But now? It seems that this concept was front and center in his mind to the point where he felt that the reason others fear death is that they have not saved up enough slaves to serve them in Paradice. But he has. By hook or by crook, this is the main focus of his 340 message. And who is likely to have been aware of an invested in such a concept?

One possibility is someone of Norse ancestr,y who was heavily influenced by the Vikings and their culture.

When Jim and I met with KQ in 2006, I asked him about his ties to Norse culture and he went out of his way to tell me it was pretty irrelevant to him. But then I started learning things. For instance, when KQ turned 90 in 2009, in an article that is still available on sfgate by Scott Ostler (7/29/09). In the article, Ostler said that Qvale "dressed like a Viking and danced the night away." And in the 2012 book, Lunches With Mr. Q, it says that over the years KQ and his wife had hosted parties where people dressed up in traditional Norwegian clothes. Norse culture rears its head once again.

So while the solution to the 340 does not single Qvale out, it certainly continues to point the needle in his direction, as opposed to suspects with no known and provable ties to the concept of slaves in the afterlife.

Mike

[thedude]

Too soon

[In Bonus Fides]

I have to say I agree with you Mike .

There is a distinct hint of Norwegian and/ or Egyptian etymology in the 340.

IBF

[mike_r]

It would be "too soon" if I hijacked their thread with my observations. But I didn't. I started my own thread under the subject of my own suspect. If people don't want to read what I think, they can simply move on to a different thread. What's with this "too soon" stuff?

[morf13]

I have to say I agree with you Mike .

There is a distinct hint of Norwegian and/ or Egyptian etymology in the 340.

IBF

He could have also had an interest in Egyptian culture, history, etc

[jacob]

Mike, do you have any reason to believe that Qvale was skilled or interested in cryptography?

[In Bonus Fides]

I have to say I agree with you Mike .

There is a distinct hint of Norwegian and/ or Egyptian etymology in the 340.

IBF

He could have also had an interest in Egyptian culture, history, etc

That’s what I posted...? Etymology is a “ study of”.

Great work by everyone and hopefully this brings us closer to closure of this case.

[mike_r]

No. No knowledge of an interest in crypto.

[mike_r]

Something else that I noticed. Zodiac says he has enough slaves to "work" for him in Paradice. This reeks of someone who is accustomed to employing people as a boss, not some loser compensating for his feelings of inadequacy.

A propos of that, Eduard V. from The Netherlands wrote to me this AM and the people over there are posting saying that they sense that Z was not some loser living with his mom and that he possibly had a military background and came from a wealthy family. And these are presumably regular people, not folks who follow the case or have an axe to grind.