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Trace Labs Challenge #10

Trace Labs Challenge #10

Decoding a Location from a Cryptic Message

Hey everyone — 404Yeti here, lacing up the snow boots for another Trace Labs challenge. ❄️
This one looks simple at first… but only if you recognize the trick.

Objective

Trace Labs is hosting a secret party, but instead of an address, they’ve left us with a cryptic code:

complains.bowls.fantastic

Our mission: decode the message and identify the location.

Tools Used

  • Google — reconnaissance and context
  • what3words — decoding the location
  • Google Maps — geographic confirmation

Step 1: Initial Recon — Search the Words

We start by doing what any investigator would do: search the words individually.

  • complains
  • bowls
  • fantastic

Nothing meaningful appears.

🚨 This tells us something important:

These words are not descriptive, they’re encoded.

Step 2: Add Context — Search All Three Together

Next, we search the full string:

💥 Bingo.

One result immediately stands out: what3words.

This is a huge clue.

what3words is a geolocation system that divides the entire world into 3m x 3m squares, assigning each square a unique three-word address.

🧊 Yeti Tip:
If you ever see three random words separated by dots, always think what3words.

Step 3: Decode the Location

We head over to what3words and enter:

complains.bowls.fantastic

The result drops us exactly on a specific point:
👉 Merlion Park

Now we’re getting somewhere.

Step 4: Pivot to Google Maps

Next, we open Google Maps and search for Merlion Park.

What we confirm:

  • Located in Singapore
  • A well-known public landmark
  • Matches the precision expected from a what3words location

Dropping into Street View, we can clearly see:

  • The iconic Merlion statue
  • Open public space suitable for a “secret” meetup
  • Clear pedestrian access

Everything checks out.

Final Answer: Merlion Park, Singapore

Why This Challenge Matters

This exercise highlights a critical OSINT lesson:

  • Not all location clues look like addresses
  • Modern investigations often use alternative geolocation systems
  • Recognizing patterns (like what3words formatting) saves massive time

In real-world cases, these systems are used for:

  • Emergency response
  • Event coordination
  • OSINT challenges (cleverly 😉)

🧊 Final Thoughts from the Yeti

This was a great reminder that OSINT isn’t just about searching harder — it’s about recognizing the language of the clue.

Three random words?
Not random at all.

Another challenge decoded, another party located.
404Yeti out. 🐾