First of all, a "thank you" goes out to becca and Cara for providing points for the prizes.

OK...I've tried to make this one a little more challenging. I don't think you need any clues to get started, so I'm not going to give any.

The running time for this contest will be from now until the end of the day on August 28th (no special reason except that I have a little more time on the weekends to write). For anyone still interested at that time, I will post the solution at the end of the day (Japan time) on the 29th.

At the end, a 10 point prize will go out to a randomly selected eligible participant ("eligible" meaning that the response fulfilled all the necessary criteria...please try to answer in such a way that you do not give away the answer to others). 10 points will also go to that person's choice of charity. 2 points go to the first correct response and 2 more for the first one to correctly answer the bonus question (please email me with the answer to the bonus question so as to not give it away to everybody else). There is 1 more smooch point available in the contest. I also reserve the right to smooch anybody with an especially creative eligible response.

All right, enough of the administrative stuff...

Please use my bio photo for this contest (you will probably have to copy it and blow it up...and maybe print it out as well). Using the "photo", here is the clue to start the ball rolling:

NE15cN9dE8cNE8pE7eSE7cSW7s(S5-3r)NW9iS2-5-4dW9c

and the bonus question:

XIBU TUBS XBST DIBSBDUFS JT BOESPNFEB MPDBUFE JO?

Good luck all, and may the force be with you!

I have no idea what the dickens your coded puzzle could mean.

Could you give us a hint or two?

I still have no idea what the dickens your coded puzzle could mean even though I have tried ninety times.

I have to confess, I had a look at the main puzzle last night and, even though I think I have an inkling what the clue is about, using it with the chart didn't seem to work. I've deciphered the bonus question but have no idea what the answer is.

I intend to try again this weekend, probably while a bit drunk as it seems all my good ideas come about in that way.