Better: Let’s actually decode ly assuming l → i and y → n . l (12) to i (9) = -3 y (25) to n (14) = -11? That’s inconsistent unless it’s not a Caesar shift.
thmyl brnamj zf awrj ly alkybwrd kn2000 ROT13 → guzly oean zw mejw ly nyxljoeq xa2000
Wait, if ly = in , then l→i (-3), y→n (-3) consistent! Yes! Because y (25) -3 = 22 = w? No — 25-3=22→w, not n. So not consistent. So ly can't be in with a fixed Caesar shift. thmyl brnamj zf awrj ly alkybwrd kn2000
But maybe ? (a↔z, b↔y, etc.) ly → ob (not "in"), so no. Step 3: Try ROT13 (common for obfuscation)
Test ly (l=12, y=25) decrypt -5: 12-5=7→h, 25-5=20→u → hu not common. Given the year 2000 and the phrase "useful paper", maybe it's a simple shift of ? Try first word thmyl : t(20)-7=13→n, h(8)-7=1→b, m(13)-7=6→g, y(25)-7=18→s, l(12)-7=5→f → nbgsf — not English. I think the most common quick cipher in such puzzles is ROT13 , but ROT13 on thmyl = guzly , not obvious. Better: Let’s actually decode ly assuming l →
t↔g h↔s m↔n y↔b l↔o → gsnbo
thmyl → guzly brnamj → oean zw no.
t (20) → q (17)? That doesn't look right because thmyl would start with q . But maybe ly = in works.