Strange Matters Podcast

Strange Matters Podcast


May Day Mystery – Cryptography Part I

September 23, 2016

On May 1st of 1995, a student at the University of Arizona named Bryan Hance was reading through the local college paper when he came across a full page advert which contained a cryptic mix of images, maps, languages, and equations.  Coincidentally on the same day of May 1st for the next two years, Bryan would again see these bizarre full page ‘May Day” ads of seemingly random and nonsensical images. Deciding to dig deeper, Bryan would soon find himself obsessed trying to uncover and decipher  one of the strangest coded mysteries of the modern times.
Soon more light was shown onto this mystery.  These full-paged May Day cryptic puzzles went back in the local paper for decades, with additional smaller advertisements placed throughout the years as well.  Still, no one knew who was behind them or what purpose they served.  Through the years many people from all over the world have tried to crack the code behind the May Day Pages, which hides its clues in obscure historical, mathematical and geographical puzzles.
Are these May Day adverts the work of a secret society as a way to get their message out?  An eccentric game which will lead whoever can solve the puzzle to a vast fortune? Or simply the rambling works of an unstable but genius madman?  Tune in and hear all the theories and ideas behind this modern cryptic mystery!
View the May Day Mystery Website to view all the texts!
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