h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

A clue-giving paragraph of a well known book has been encrypted below. Each letter of the alphabet has been replaced by another using a simple substitution technique. For example, A may always be represented by G, etc. Can you name the book?

J bcr hiv cokt vi kjqpv ih che lcs ig bigz qjyjhq vpt tfcuv kiuckjve ia vpt Ucrvkt Ngcuwkc, cr vptgt cgt hi lcsr ia vpjr uiwhvge cr etv vi uilscgt bjvp iwg ibh Ignchut Rwgyte Lcsr; owv J aiwhn vpcv Ojrvgjvd, vpt sirv vibh hcltn oe Uiwhv Ngcuwkc, jr c acjgke btkk-zhibh skcut. J rpckk thvtg ptgt rilt ia le hivtr, cr vpte lce gtagtrp le ltlige bpth J vckz iytg le vgcytkr bjvp Ljhc.

Damn, First time I'm here first, but I just reinstalled my computer and it'll take hours with notepad


Dancer

I'm here too.... but can't get an answer yet..... working like mad

Dracula

Darn it Bagpuss, how did u do that so quickly

A youth mispent going through every kiddies puzzle book in Guisborough library.

Full translation of the clue coming up.

I've only got a partial translation, but it looks like you're right.

Congratulations, Bagpuss.

J bcr hiv cokt vi kjqpv ih che lcs ig bigz qjyjhq vpt tfcuv kiuckjve ia vpt Ucrvkt Ngcuwkc, cr
I was not able to light on any map or work giving the exact location of the Castle Dracula, or there are no maps of this country as yet to compare with our own Ordance (watch the spelling, Greebo) Survey Maps; but I found that Bistritz, the post town named by Count Dracula, is a fairly well-known place. I shall enter here some of my notes, as they may refresh my memory when I talk over my travels with Mina.

Whoops, didn't realise I'd left the first line in.

I guessed it when I had the "i"s, "a"s and "n"s in (as well as having put "d"s where the "y"s are meant to be); the last word looked like it could be "Mina" and then "Count Dracula" fitted on the second line. The capitals were a great help.

I don't know, you wait all day then miss it by an hour, and still get beaten to it...............

Well done, Bagpuss.

Just thought I'd post which letters were substituting which in case it's worth half a point...

a=f
b=w
c=a
d=z
e=y
f=x
g=r
h=n
i=o
j=i
k=l
l=m
m= j or q
n=d
o=b
p=h
q=g
r=s
s=p
t=e
u=c
v=t
w=u
x= j or q
y=v
z=k


¦M¦

Hmmm... quiz posted 12 hours ago, that makes.... around 2 am over here - hey, I need to get /some/ sleep!

Does anyone know how to fall asleep with your eyes open, sitting up?
I obviously need to learn that trick to use it at w*rk, if I'm going to sit up all night waiting for the quiz...

Which Time zone are you in Titania

CET - Central European Time

I thought so... same as me, and strangely enough, twelve hours ago it wasn't 2 am here

Not any longer, no... *slowly approaches Whisky, wiggling fingers threateningly*

Ohhhh, not the wiggly fingers.... Anything but the wiggly fingers....








Greebo, she's picking on me

Well done Bagpuss... a well deserved point to you... ~grin~... Titania... please stop picking on your fellow h2iqer's... the screaming is grating on my nerves...

Cheers, Grebs.