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In Batman: Arkham City, you can use the Cryptographic Sequencer to decode various broadcasts.

At the approximate position of 637 on the x-axis, and 472 on the y-axis is a person reading off a series of numbers, similar to a number station. When you try to decode the broadcast on the sequencer, it doesn't do anything.

Has anyone discovered what these numbers mean? The number sequence is (hopefully I wrote it down right):

9-23-9-12-12-18-5-20-21-18-14-2-1-20-13-1-14

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  • 3
    Theres 3 number stations in total
    – user13769
    Commented Nov 6, 2011 at 5:41
  • I reckon it might be an oblique Lost reference too, given that there are Lost references in a Joker speech and one bit of random thug dialogue.
    – Paul D. Waite
    Commented Apr 10, 2013 at 0:05

3 Answers 3

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15
+100

It's a substitution cipher. a = 1, b = 2, etc.

iwillreturnbatman

or

I will return Batman

I just listened to it, and the voice is familiar, put I can't put it to a character (not the Riddler, he wants you to know the puzzle is his).

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  • Yeah, should have figured this one out myself. I can't place the voice either, I'm interested to see how it plays out.
    – Doozer Blake
    Commented Oct 23, 2011 at 14:35
  • I tried that cipher on a whim, figuring that the developers would go for something that would not tax the worlds greatest detective.
    – CyberSkull
    Commented Oct 24, 2011 at 7:00
  • I think that its Anarky talking but if its not him it could be Brainiac because oracle was in this game instead of bat girl
    – user13573
    Commented Oct 30, 2011 at 17:00
  • @kevin Personally I don't think it is Anarky. The voice sounds too old, and I think Braniac is right out as he is a Superman villain.
    – CyberSkull
    Commented Oct 30, 2011 at 23:54
  • 1
    @FallenAngelEyes: It's not Calculator; see my answer.
    – BlueRaja - Danny Pflughoeft
    Commented Nov 12, 2011 at 23:48
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+200

It's a substitution cipher: A=1, B=2, ..., Z=26.

Decoded, it reads (station 675-525):

I WILL RETURN BATMAN

There are also two other messages that you do no get until later in the game. One of them is (station 500-900):

5 15 9 7 21 18 18 14 3 5 24 15 12 7 22 3 10 5 15 9 22 3 8 25 26 15 16 25 10 15 17 25

This one is still a mono-alphabetic substitution cipher, but with a slightly different code: A=3, B=2, C=1, D=26, E=25, ..., Y=5, Z=4.

When finally decoded, it reads

YOU WILL PAY FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE TO ME

The last one is (station 200-500 - you have to beat the game first??)

3 20 26 18 26 16 24 1 11 4 24 9 3 8 5 2 12 18 6 16 7 11 3 10 17 5 13 4 21 8

Unfortunately, this one doesn't seem to be a mono-alphabetic substitution cipher - no matter what substitutions we use, we get gibberish:

CTZRZPXAKDXICHEBLRFPGKCJQEMDUH

There are rumors circulating (originating, it appears, with IGN) that when decoded, this reads "I am your darkest nightmare dark knight. Gotham city waits for his savior." However, this is clearly wrong - there are way too many letters!

Fortunately, not too long ago one of the super-sleuths on Batman: Arkham City forums decoded it:

If you treat it as a Vigenère cipher using the key SCARECROW, then do atbash, the message comes out to:
FEAR WILL TEAR GOTHAM CITY TO SHREDS
Therefore, it is pretty obvious the messages are being sent by Scarecrow.

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1

It's a pretty simple code. Think 1=A, 2=B, etc.

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