MovieChat Forums > Mercury Rising (1998) Discussion > Why hide a code in a kid's puzzle book i...

Why hide a code in a kid's puzzle book in the first place?

posted 9 years ago by Roadwarrior85846
4 replies | jump to latest

I haven't watch the movie in years, but I remember it somewhat. I just don't understand that something that is so top secret and government eyes only, why put it in a children's puzzle/coloring book? Second of all, WHY ASSASSINATE THE KID?! Can they just go up to the parents and tell them that their son has an unlocked a secret government code by accident, so let's bribe you millions of dollars and provide your son free healthcare? Just murdering the parents and attempt assassinating an autistic kid just sounds so damn harsh.

HAIL TO THE KING, BABY!

[–] MystMoonstruck 9 years ago

It isn't in a child's book! This was a puzzle book (no coloring!) aimed at adults, the "geek" type as they commented several times. Obviously, Simon was far past material meant for children, which is why it's a special gift from his teacher.

(W)hat are we without our dreams?
Making sure our fantasies
Do not overpower our realities. ~ RC

[–] SpaceMountainMike 9 years ago

I am lost because when Simon calls the number, he only says, "you are a stranger". How does that mean he cracked the code?

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[–] Sidewindr 9 years ago

The message in the code was to call the phone number to claim your prize..

This is quite a common form of testing for codes and cyphers, competitions are regularly held by crypto developers to crack crypto algorithms .. The RSA challenge for example which ran from 1991 to 2007 with prize money up to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

[–] waldenpond88 9 years ago

Thanks, Sidewindr, you just explained the only pot hole that I believed to have found in that film. But now it makes sense.