Solution: Log In Security Testing

Answer: CORD→COMPLETE GARTER→HELM GUSH→ROLE LOVER→BLOAT

Written by Amos Eshel

This puzzle simply requires one to follow the directions provided and be pedantic about getting all the steps correct. The very 1st step assigns the letter L to quz, which is then completely unused until the last, extraction, step; this tells you the outputs of this puzzle each have an L.

See the Appendix for the full grids.

Author’s Notes

This was the last puzzle written in the set because of its complete flexibility both in what inputs/outputs it will play with, and what backsolve information it might provide about the puzzles feeding it. The idea to use a semantic transformation (world leader last name to first name) came about early, though originally the thought was that the inputs would directly be BUSH/FORD/etc. instead of the eventual transform to get there. Once I knew the outputs I needed to produce, I saw ROE backward in GEORGE (BUSH) and ARE backward in GERALD (FORD) and wrote the rest of the last steps around that. Most of the grid exists merely to do something on the inputs which don’t need a particular step to work off the input chain, or to provide backsolve information, with a few cells needed to shift the input chain around into new positions.

Appendix: Complete grids