Key to the Extraterrestrial Messages by H. Campaigne

Read from the scan by GLM-OCR; expect the odd misread word.

Note: Because of the way grouping is implied, it is sufficient to have a marker at the end of a number in order to clearly isolate it as a single entity.

20. In trying to put on parentheses it appears that V is also an ending. But this one combines with both quantities (that is, digits.) and operator. Transcribing by treating V and the preceding symbol as a single unit for the time being, we get:

8 1+AVimplies 7=AV.

I will use for hereafter. Remember that we are not sure of the sense of this sign. $ 1 1 - 3 ^ {1 1} = - 2 = \mathrm {A V} $ (I have omitted the T. Remember that LEF is nine);

$$
3 A V = \cdot 1 1 = \bar {A} \bar {V} ^ {2};
$$

$$
5 \mathrm {A V} \cdot 6 \cdot 1 1 \mathrm {A V}.
$$

In the next message if we combine the O and V into one symbol the message does not parse. Try GOV as one symbol, getting

$$
3 1 + G O V - \cdot 2 = G O V;
$$

$$
6 \quad 2 \times S O V = \cdot 3 = S O V;
$$

$$
3 \mathrm {D O V} = \cdot 1 1 = \overline {{\mathrm {D O V}}} ^ {2};
$$

It is true that $ \mathrm{A V}+ \mathrm{P V}=\mathrm{P V}+ \mathrm{A V}; $

It is a tautology that $ \mathrm{A V} \times \mathrm{P V}=\mathrm{P V} \times \mathrm{A V}; $

$$
\text {I t i s a n i d e n t i t y t h a t} \mathrm {A V} + (\mathrm {P V} + \mathrm {T V}) = (\mathrm {A V} + \mathrm {P V}) + \mathrm {T V};
$$

$$
\text {I t i s a s s e r t e d t h a t} \mathrm {A V} \times (\mathrm {P V} \times \mathrm {T V}) = (\mathrm {A V} + \mathrm {P V}) + \mathrm {T V};
$$

$$
\mathrm {A V} \neq \mathrm {B V} = - \mathrm {A V} - \mathrm {B V} \neq \mathrm {B V} \mathrm {A V};
$$

$$
A V - B V \cdot A V ^ {\prime \prime \prime} - B V ^ {\prime \prime \prime}.
$$

The meaning of V must be that "the preceding letters as a group have an abstract meaning, or are a variable." V is a little like a word spacer.

Note: Putting in parentheses is now complicated by another rule. Each T or V should be packaged with preceding symbols, just how many depending on the parsing of the message. Those preceding T will all be digits. Those preceding V can be expected to reoccur as a group.

21. Putting parentheses in these messages is difficult until we notice that UV appears in each. They then transcribe into:

()

$$
\left| 2 \left(\overline {{D D D V}} ^ {2} - D D D V \times 3\right) \right| = \cdot U V \left| 1 = D D D V \right|
$$

$$
| 2 - D D D V |;
$$

$$
\left| U V \right| 1 - D V \left| \left| 0 - 1 = D V \right| \right| = \cdot \left| 1 = \overline {{D V}} ^ {2} \right|;
$$

$$
\mathrm {U V} | 1 - \mathrm {B V} | | 0 - \mathrm {B V} | = 0 = \mathrm {B V} - \overline {{\mathrm {B V}}} ^ {2};
$$

$$
\text {I t i s t r u c e t h a t} \mathrm {U V} | \mathrm {A V} = \mathrm {B V} | | \mathrm {A V} \neq \mathrm {B V} |;
$$

$$
\text {I t i s t r u e t h a t} \mathrm {U V} | \mathrm {A V} < \mathrm {B V} | | \mathrm {B V} < \mathrm {A V} |.
$$

In order to complete the parsing we had to assume that UV was a binary operator, and in every case the operands are statements. It is clear from the algebra that UV means "or." The last message shows that U means $ < $ , rather than $ < $ as I had it.