We’d like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum.
This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are – or become – political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.
The MSE Forum Team would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas. However, we know this time of year can be difficult for some. If you're struggling during the festive period, here's a list of organisations that might be able to help
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!
Has MSE helped you to save or reclaim money this year? Share your 2025 MoneySaving success stories!
E: 29/5 Can you crack The Independent Code? Win £10,000
Tyrannical
Posts: 387 Forumite
The Independent Code: Can you crack it?
Decipher our hidden message and win £10,000. Plus spot prizes to be won each day
Published: 15 May 2007
Starting on Thursday 17 May and running until Saturday 26 May The Independent print edition will contain a hidden clue that could lead you to a £10,000 prize. No specialist code-breaking skills are required: you just need ingenuity, persistence and a bit of lateral thinking.
It works like this: each day, we will print a clue in the newspaper that should lead you to a 10-letter word printed somewhere else in the newspaper. Find the word and make a careful note of it.
By the end of 10 days, you will have collected 10 different words, each 10 letters long. What you will need to do is work out the question that is somehow encoded within them; answer the question; and email your answer to us by 11pm on Monday 28 May. The person with the correct answer chosen at random will win £10,000.
Do you have what it takes to crack The Independent Code? The race starts here...
How to enter
When you have cracked the code and found the answer to the encoded question, email your answer to us no later than 11pm on Monday 28 May. The email address of where to send your entry will be printed in the newspaper on Saturday 26 May, the last day of the competition. Your answer must be stated in the subject box of the email.
The winner will be drawn at random from all correct entries received.
We will publish the solution no later than Wednesday 6 June.
MISSED A CLUE? You can find clues for the first four days of the Independent Code here on our website. These will be published the day after the clue appears in the newspaper.
WANT TO CHECK AN ANSWER? If you think you have correctly identified a daily word but are not sure, you can check by texting ‘CLUEA’ followed by a space and then the word to 83010. Texts cost £1 each plus your usual network charges. You must have the bill payer’s permission. Maximum of ten word checks per clue. You will receive a text back saying whether the word is correct or incorrect. Anyone who texts the correct word will automatically be entered in to that day’s Daily Draw.
Each day there will be a different prize on offer. To enter our Daily Draw and stand the chance of winning, email that day’s word to dailydraw@ independent.co.uk. Remember you can check your answer by texting ‘CLUEA’ for Thursday; ‘CLUEB’ for Friday; ‘CLUEC’ for Saturday... followed by a space and then the word to 83010. Texts cost £1 each plus your usual network charges. You must have the bill payer’s permission. Maximum of ten word checks per clue. Those who have texted correct answers to check them will automatically be entered in to that day’s Daily Draw.
£10,000 PRIZE TERMS & CONDITIONS: Entries must be received by 11pm on Monday 28 May 2007. 2. Winners will be picked at random from the correct entries and notified by email and /or telephone by 5pm on Tuesday 29 May. 3. Employees of IN&M, ATS and members of their family and household are not eligible to enter. 4. Only one entry per e-mail address. 5. If you are happy for Independent News and Media to contact you for research and commercial purposes, please let us know by putting a ‘yes’ with your answer in the subject box for emails and / or by putting ‘yes’ in the main body of the copy for text messages. Independent News and Media will not pass your details on to any other companies. 6. No purchase necessary. 7. Telephone service supplied by Advanced Telecom Services, PO Box 788, London, EC1V 7ZA. 8. Independent News and Media terms and conditions apply, see https://www.independent.co.uk/code. 9. The Editor’s decision is final. Contact Independent News and Media Limited, customerservices@ independent.co.uk, 020 7005 2500.
DAILY DRAW TERMS & CONDITIONS: 1. Entries must be received by 11pm on the day of publication. 2. Winners will be picked at random from the correct entries and notified by their means of entry by Wednesday 6 June. 3. If you are happy for Independent News and Media to contact you for research and commercial purposes, please let us know by putting ‘yes’ with your answer in the subject box for emails and / or by putting ‘yes’ in the main body of the message for text entries. Independent News and Media will not pass your details on to any other companies. 4. Texts cost £1 each plus your usual network charges. You must have the bill payer’s permission. 5. Telephone service supplied by Advanced Telecom Services, PO Box 788, London, EC1V 7ZA. 6. No purchase necessary. 7. No cash alternative. 8. Independent News and Media terms and conditions apply, see https://www.independent.co.uk/code. 9. The Editor’s decision is final. 10. Contact Independent News and Media Limited, customerservices@ independent.co.uk, 020 7005 2500. 11. Details of the winner can be obtained by sending an SAE to Customer Services, Independent House, 191 Marsh Wall, London E14 9RS.
Independent competition terms and conditions
By entering the Competition entrants are agreeing to abide by these terms and conditions which apply in addition to the specific terms and conditions for the Code competition and for the Daily Draw (jointly called the “Competition” in these terms and conditions) given in paper or on the website: https://www.independent.co.uk.
1. Entries must be made in accordance with the specific terms and conditions of the Competition. They are invalid if received any later than the specified closing time (which shall be London date and time).
2. Only one entry per email address. Employees of INM and Advanced Telecom Services, and members of their family and household, are not eligible to enter.
3. No responsibility will be accepted for any entries received after the closing date and time, regardless of the reason for such delay or whether the entry was dispatched by email from the entrant before the closing point.
4. The winner will be chosen in accordance with the specific terms and conditions for the Competition, and will be the first correct entry drawn from the total valid entries.
5. No correspondence will be entered into. The decision of the Editor shall be final.
6. INM reserves the right to publish the identities of the winners.
7. There will be no cash or other alternative to the prizes offered and prizes are not transferable.
8. INM will not be liable for any circumstances beyond its reasonable control that prevent a prize being taken up by a winner. INM excludes liability to the extent permitted by law for any cost, claims or losses howsoever caused that arise by reason of any person's entry into the Competition or the award to them of a prize.
9. It is hereby provided that no purchase, of the newspaper or otherwise, is necessary for entry.
10. Entrants are asked to indicate their wish to receive communications with information or carefully selected commercial opportunities from INM or agents on INM’s behalf. INM and its agents/ data processors will be entitled to process entrants’ personal data for these purposes and for any purpose, whether promotional, commercial, editorial or otherwise, connected with the Competition.
So to summarise, there is a £10,000 draw for cracking the final code plus a daily prizedraw by emailing in that days answer by 11pm on the same day.
Clue 1 (17/5/07):
The Cooperman thinks Hugh Grant is on his ....
Answer : Wavelength ( i think, they have quite sneakily stuck a few 10 letter words in there but this one made most sense, anyone else got the Independent to confirm?)
Clue 2 (18/5/07):
Headline News? As if!
Answer : Homesteads (Thanks josie301)
Clue 3 (19/5/07):
"By the way: Nas's followers are pumped with it, says our stripy- shirted columnist"
Answer : Adrenaline (Thanks Mpython)
Clue 4 (20/5/07):
"Twisted up quality of suspicious German payments, thinks Business Editor"
Answer : Tortuosity (Thanks again Mpython for your work
)
Clue 5 (21/5/07):
What, Mail-Wise, might poor Polly Toynbee start to worry about, in today's Media?
Answer : Neighbours (My best guess )
Clue 6 (22/5/07):
11s solution on Extra's 23
Answer : Astuteness (Thanks Mpython)
Clue 7 (23/5/07):
Nature of horrible motive in todays thought
Answer : Altruistic (I think, confirmation would be nice
)
Clue 8 (24/5/07):
Miles Funnier? Treacherous Nature of Haddock's Typhoons in Humorous Column
Answer : Treasonous (Thanks xpungy & Prudent)
Clue 9 (25/5/07):
BBC3 may soon do this to each episode, six times a week, thinks TV critic
Answer : Retransmit (I think)
Clue 10 (26/5/07):
Disasterous media marriage remains, we think, endlessly this
Answer : Analysable (Thanks xpungy and mpython)
Todays Daily entry prize(26/5/07):
10 x 80GB iPods
To enter our daily draw and stand the chance of winning, Email todays to dailydraw@independent.co.uk before 11pm and put your answer in the subject line. Remember you can check your answer by texting 'CLUEA' for Thursdays clue, 'CLUEB' for Fridays etc, followed by a space and then the word to 83010. Texts cost £1 plus your usual network charges
(Unfortunately i don't own a mobile due to no network coverage where i live, otherwise i would check)
And now time for the final £10,000 clue :
"The words TAO and BE are red herrings"
The question we have found in amongst all 10 clues is:
"What does it say on Nelsons tomb"
Answer : HORATIO VISC NELSON
Once you have decoded the question, answer it and email your answer to us at indycode@independent.co.uk - stating your answer in the subject box of the email and including your name and a contact number in the email itself - by 11 pm on monday 28 May. The first correct answer chosen at random will win £10,000.
Decipher our hidden message and win £10,000. Plus spot prizes to be won each day
Published: 15 May 2007
Starting on Thursday 17 May and running until Saturday 26 May The Independent print edition will contain a hidden clue that could lead you to a £10,000 prize. No specialist code-breaking skills are required: you just need ingenuity, persistence and a bit of lateral thinking.
It works like this: each day, we will print a clue in the newspaper that should lead you to a 10-letter word printed somewhere else in the newspaper. Find the word and make a careful note of it.
By the end of 10 days, you will have collected 10 different words, each 10 letters long. What you will need to do is work out the question that is somehow encoded within them; answer the question; and email your answer to us by 11pm on Monday 28 May. The person with the correct answer chosen at random will win £10,000.
Do you have what it takes to crack The Independent Code? The race starts here...
How to enter
When you have cracked the code and found the answer to the encoded question, email your answer to us no later than 11pm on Monday 28 May. The email address of where to send your entry will be printed in the newspaper on Saturday 26 May, the last day of the competition. Your answer must be stated in the subject box of the email.
The winner will be drawn at random from all correct entries received.
We will publish the solution no later than Wednesday 6 June.
MISSED A CLUE? You can find clues for the first four days of the Independent Code here on our website. These will be published the day after the clue appears in the newspaper.
WANT TO CHECK AN ANSWER? If you think you have correctly identified a daily word but are not sure, you can check by texting ‘CLUEA’ followed by a space and then the word to 83010. Texts cost £1 each plus your usual network charges. You must have the bill payer’s permission. Maximum of ten word checks per clue. You will receive a text back saying whether the word is correct or incorrect. Anyone who texts the correct word will automatically be entered in to that day’s Daily Draw.
Each day there will be a different prize on offer. To enter our Daily Draw and stand the chance of winning, email that day’s word to dailydraw@ independent.co.uk. Remember you can check your answer by texting ‘CLUEA’ for Thursday; ‘CLUEB’ for Friday; ‘CLUEC’ for Saturday... followed by a space and then the word to 83010. Texts cost £1 each plus your usual network charges. You must have the bill payer’s permission. Maximum of ten word checks per clue. Those who have texted correct answers to check them will automatically be entered in to that day’s Daily Draw.
£10,000 PRIZE TERMS & CONDITIONS: Entries must be received by 11pm on Monday 28 May 2007. 2. Winners will be picked at random from the correct entries and notified by email and /or telephone by 5pm on Tuesday 29 May. 3. Employees of IN&M, ATS and members of their family and household are not eligible to enter. 4. Only one entry per e-mail address. 5. If you are happy for Independent News and Media to contact you for research and commercial purposes, please let us know by putting a ‘yes’ with your answer in the subject box for emails and / or by putting ‘yes’ in the main body of the copy for text messages. Independent News and Media will not pass your details on to any other companies. 6. No purchase necessary. 7. Telephone service supplied by Advanced Telecom Services, PO Box 788, London, EC1V 7ZA. 8. Independent News and Media terms and conditions apply, see https://www.independent.co.uk/code. 9. The Editor’s decision is final. Contact Independent News and Media Limited, customerservices@ independent.co.uk, 020 7005 2500.
DAILY DRAW TERMS & CONDITIONS: 1. Entries must be received by 11pm on the day of publication. 2. Winners will be picked at random from the correct entries and notified by their means of entry by Wednesday 6 June. 3. If you are happy for Independent News and Media to contact you for research and commercial purposes, please let us know by putting ‘yes’ with your answer in the subject box for emails and / or by putting ‘yes’ in the main body of the message for text entries. Independent News and Media will not pass your details on to any other companies. 4. Texts cost £1 each plus your usual network charges. You must have the bill payer’s permission. 5. Telephone service supplied by Advanced Telecom Services, PO Box 788, London, EC1V 7ZA. 6. No purchase necessary. 7. No cash alternative. 8. Independent News and Media terms and conditions apply, see https://www.independent.co.uk/code. 9. The Editor’s decision is final. 10. Contact Independent News and Media Limited, customerservices@ independent.co.uk, 020 7005 2500. 11. Details of the winner can be obtained by sending an SAE to Customer Services, Independent House, 191 Marsh Wall, London E14 9RS.
Independent competition terms and conditions
By entering the Competition entrants are agreeing to abide by these terms and conditions which apply in addition to the specific terms and conditions for the Code competition and for the Daily Draw (jointly called the “Competition” in these terms and conditions) given in paper or on the website: https://www.independent.co.uk.
1. Entries must be made in accordance with the specific terms and conditions of the Competition. They are invalid if received any later than the specified closing time (which shall be London date and time).
2. Only one entry per email address. Employees of INM and Advanced Telecom Services, and members of their family and household, are not eligible to enter.
3. No responsibility will be accepted for any entries received after the closing date and time, regardless of the reason for such delay or whether the entry was dispatched by email from the entrant before the closing point.
4. The winner will be chosen in accordance with the specific terms and conditions for the Competition, and will be the first correct entry drawn from the total valid entries.
5. No correspondence will be entered into. The decision of the Editor shall be final.
6. INM reserves the right to publish the identities of the winners.
7. There will be no cash or other alternative to the prizes offered and prizes are not transferable.
8. INM will not be liable for any circumstances beyond its reasonable control that prevent a prize being taken up by a winner. INM excludes liability to the extent permitted by law for any cost, claims or losses howsoever caused that arise by reason of any person's entry into the Competition or the award to them of a prize.
9. It is hereby provided that no purchase, of the newspaper or otherwise, is necessary for entry.
10. Entrants are asked to indicate their wish to receive communications with information or carefully selected commercial opportunities from INM or agents on INM’s behalf. INM and its agents/ data processors will be entitled to process entrants’ personal data for these purposes and for any purpose, whether promotional, commercial, editorial or otherwise, connected with the Competition.
So to summarise, there is a £10,000 draw for cracking the final code plus a daily prizedraw by emailing in that days answer by 11pm on the same day.
Clue 1 (17/5/07):
The Cooperman thinks Hugh Grant is on his ....
Answer : Wavelength ( i think, they have quite sneakily stuck a few 10 letter words in there but this one made most sense, anyone else got the Independent to confirm?)
Clue 2 (18/5/07):
Headline News? As if!
Answer : Homesteads (Thanks josie301)
Clue 3 (19/5/07):
"By the way: Nas's followers are pumped with it, says our stripy- shirted columnist"
Answer : Adrenaline (Thanks Mpython)
Clue 4 (20/5/07):
"Twisted up quality of suspicious German payments, thinks Business Editor"
Answer : Tortuosity (Thanks again Mpython for your work
Clue 5 (21/5/07):
What, Mail-Wise, might poor Polly Toynbee start to worry about, in today's Media?
Answer : Neighbours (My best guess )
Clue 6 (22/5/07):
11s solution on Extra's 23
Answer : Astuteness (Thanks Mpython)
Clue 7 (23/5/07):
Nature of horrible motive in todays thought
Answer : Altruistic (I think, confirmation would be nice
Clue 8 (24/5/07):
Miles Funnier? Treacherous Nature of Haddock's Typhoons in Humorous Column
Answer : Treasonous (Thanks xpungy & Prudent)
Clue 9 (25/5/07):
BBC3 may soon do this to each episode, six times a week, thinks TV critic
Answer : Retransmit (I think)
Clue 10 (26/5/07):
Disasterous media marriage remains, we think, endlessly this
Answer : Analysable (Thanks xpungy and mpython)
Todays Daily entry prize(26/5/07):
10 x 80GB iPods
To enter our daily draw and stand the chance of winning, Email todays to dailydraw@independent.co.uk before 11pm and put your answer in the subject line. Remember you can check your answer by texting 'CLUEA' for Thursdays clue, 'CLUEB' for Fridays etc, followed by a space and then the word to 83010. Texts cost £1 plus your usual network charges
And now time for the final £10,000 clue :
"The words TAO and BE are red herrings"
The question we have found in amongst all 10 clues is:
"What does it say on Nelsons tomb"
Answer : HORATIO VISC NELSON
Once you have decoded the question, answer it and email your answer to us at indycode@independent.co.uk - stating your answer in the subject box of the email and including your name and a contact number in the email itself - by 11 pm on monday 28 May. The first correct answer chosen at random will win £10,000.
0
Comments
-
Hi Tyranical, yes, I think they're being sneaky. Did you spot the sentence"...so it looks like he's currently top of my Blackberry favourites." both 10 letters as well & would fit the clue, just not as well as wavelength.From MSE Martin - Some General Tips On Holiday Home Organisations and Sales Meetings
DO NOT TOUCH ANY OF THEM WITH A BARGEPOLE!0 -
Having had time to look closer at it i'm not sure whether i should carry on with it or not, it states the questions will get harder which to my mind will mean there will be a greater selection of words it could be, more or less forcing you to text at £1 a time to get the right answer. The only upside to it all is in the T&C's where it says 'only one entry per email address' so maybe we could just send mutiple entries each with one of the possible answers from several email addresses, of course this would mean we wouldn't have a clue what the final answer would be and wouldn't be able to enter for the £10,000 but at least it'll be free. Would've had a few stabs at the texts myself, but as i say i don't own a mobile
, anyone got any thoughts on whether to carry on with it or not??? 0 -
Do they tell you if texts give the right answer? Maybe we could all take a turn, so that one person isn't paying £1 every day. I am happy to take a turn if others want to help out. I don't think its a problem that you don't have a mobile. You have paid for the paper and done all the hard work of typing it up.0
-
Today's clue is:-
Headline News? As if!
My guess is leadership.
Todays dailydraw prize is a Philips 42" HDTV.
Not sure about the text route Prudent, I only enter text comps if its less than the cost of a stamp. But the T&Cs say that they text you back saying of you are right or wrong.
EDIT - alternative guesses (assuming its about Gordon brown) Parliament, CoronationFrom MSE Martin - Some General Tips On Holiday Home Organisations and Sales Meetings
DO NOT TOUCH ANY OF THEM WITH A BARGEPOLE!0 -
Tyrannical wrote: »Having had time to look closer at it i'm not sure whether i should carry on with it or not, it states the questions will get harder which to my mind will mean there will be a greater selection of words it could be, more or less forcing you to text at £1 a time to get the right answer. The only upside to it all is in the T&C's where it says 'only one entry per email address' so maybe we could just send mutiple entries each with one of the possible answers from several email addresses, of course this would mean we wouldn't have a clue what the final answer would be and wouldn't be able to enter for the £10,000 but at least it'll be free. Would've had a few stabs at the texts myself, but as i say i don't own a mobile
, anyone got any thoughts on whether to carry on with it or not???
Join the Loquax forums and post the comp details on there, specifically in the 'Help! I'm Stuck on a Competition Question' section.0 -
Thanks for the offer Prudent, but i'm thinking maybe it'll be best to stick to guessing. The sheer amount of possible answers means it'll end up costing a few of you guys an absolute fortune, especially nearing the end of the comp where it'll be even harder, and that to me just ain't MSE.
Thanks for the answer mpython, i bought the paper and have looked through and can't see anything more relevant yet, bit of a vague clue though
And thanks Koopa troopa, if i get time i'll head over there and see, i have trouble keeping up on this forum alone so not sure about joining another, hehe0 -
Someone has posted it on Loquax now, so no need to worry.0
-
Any chance of a link to it?, can't see it for looking
0 -
0
-
Think today's one is slightly easier.
Clue: "By the way: Nas's followers are pumped with it, says our stripy- shirted columnist"
Answer = Adrenaline (I think as Nas is discussed in a column by a bloke in a stiped shirt)
Daily prize is 10 x Olympus E- 400 cameras.From MSE Martin - Some General Tips On Holiday Home Organisations and Sales Meetings
DO NOT TOUCH ANY OF THEM WITH A BARGEPOLE!0
This discussion has been closed.
Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply
Categories
- All Categories
- 352.9K Banking & Borrowing
- 253.9K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 454.7K Spending & Discounts
- 246K Work, Benefits & Business
- 602.1K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 177.8K Life & Family
- 259.9K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 16K Discuss & Feedback
- 37.7K Read-Only Boards