The Solution of the Zodiac Killer's 340-Character Cipher
This solves a historical puzzle in a famous unsolved serial killer case, but it is incremental as it builds on prior efforts and focuses on a specific domain.
The authors tackled the long-standing unsolved 340-character cipher from the Zodiac Killer case, achieving its solution after 51 years by identifying it as a transposition and homophonic substitution cipher with unusual qualities.
The case of the Zodiac Killer is one of the most widely known unsolved serial killer cases in history. The unidentified killer murdered five known victims and terrorized the state of California. He also communicated extensively with the press and law enforcement. Besides his murders, Zodiac was known for his use of ciphers. The first Zodiac cipher was solved within a week of its publication, while the second cipher was solved by the authors after 51 years, when it was discovered to be a transposition and homophonic substitution cipher with unusual qualities. In this paper, we detail the historical significance of this cipher and the numerous efforts which culminated in its solution.