Off-Day Puzzle #5: Solution

By golly, for once in his life Jason Repko is the answer.

There were two levels to the puzzle:

1. First, the poem at the top hints that the title of the post is masked. If you hover over the title of the post or notice the url, you will see the hidden clue "Add "ORNKPKPPYIODHRJRYS" Down the Middle". This poem also tells you the following letters comprise a cryptogram.
2. If you add the letters down the middle, you get:
   NIOUU
   EIRKB
   EINJS
   WIKMD
   TNPRR
   EPKYO
   BHPRW
   NHPOE
   ISYWS
   ENIHE
   SPOHH
   OQDXT
   HOHLE
   TPRIR
   TNJHO
   OPRYN
   NNYMG
   TRSII
   

3. Next, notice the two outside columns of letters spell, reading upwards starting from the right column, "Ignore these words but not those inbetween". So, as hinted at by that message, you should ignore those words but not those inbetween.
4. The middle three columns form a simple crytogram, wiht the underlined letters indicating the start of a new sentence. The cryptogram code is: A → F
   B → L
   C → K
   D → Y
   E → V
   F → W
   G → Q
   H → T
   I → S
   J → N
   K → A
   L → C
   M → G
   N → O
   O → I
   P → H
   Q → B
   R → E
   S → R
   T → U
   U → X
   V → Z
   W → M
   X → P
   Y → D
   Z → J
   
5. Solve through horizontally and you'll get the message "Six seasons ago he had the third most hit by pitches on the Dodgers". That's Jason Repko!

Congratulations to BCCSweet, QuadSevens, Mr C, Jason, UBragg, and Steve K. Updated rankings to post soon.

Next Puzzle, July 11, from last season's runner-up Mr Customer.