[runjake]

32° Freemason here. The images and descriptions do not match any masonic hand positions I am aware of.

However, there were numerous other fraternities and secret societies during that era, although they were typically gender-specific. Seeing both men and women using the same hand signals suggests these were likely common societal practices of the time. And since, presumably the hand positions are secret, they're not going to be immortalized in a painting.

[flir]

> presumably the hand positions are secret, they're not going to be immortalized in a painting.

I wouldn't bet on it. Performative secrecy is very common in esotericism.

[runjake]

Touche. You are correct. In fact, a number of paintings of esoteric figures now come to mind where their hands are in a particular configuration.

[fidotron]

> 32° Freemason here. The images and descriptions do not match any masonic hand positions I am aware of.

Would you actually be able to say it if they were?

[flir]

The other guard always lies.

[runjake]

Link to the logic puzzle that flir is referring to:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knights_and_Knaves

[nosmokewhereiam]

Ask what would the other do and do the opposite.

[m463]

I wonder if you could do that with tristate logic somehow. maybe with more guards or other variables.

[flir]

Solve for the general case.

Maybe you need num_guards-1 questions?

I doubt you could solve for 50 guards with 1 question.

[runjake]

I would just not comment, in that case.

[nick238]

Maybe that knowledge is unlocked when hitting 33°.

[rubyfan]

Most of the secrets and symbols are available in publications and online for a very long time.

[runjake]

There's a surprising amount that aren't.

And even then:

1. Every Freemason knows what's on the Internet. Identifications have evolved.

2. The leaks lack... important contexts... about what they are.

[9991]

Instead of relying on secrets that can be leaked, you should be using asymmetric cryptography.

[endofreach]

But what are they actually used for? The only things i heard about freemasonry were from conspiracy theorists. But i never really found out, what they actually do. And the secret handshakes are performed with strangers to tell each other secretly they're unknown brothers?

[tomcam]

If he told you that, he’d have to… initiate you

[runjake]

I hope he's comfortable with goats.

[toast0]

You gotta do the gestures to get the keys to the shriner cars.

Source: my grampa was a mason, but didn't do any brickwork, and told me nothing.

[NoMoreNicksLeft]

Probably not, the Freemason Police patrol this internet web site daily, and he'd disappear in the middle of the night, never to be heard from again. Be sure to follow up on his comment history a month from now, to see whether he's said anything since.

[labster]

The last time the government found out about the Masonic Police, the leader mysteriously died right before trial and the other charges were swept under the rug. I definitely wouldn’t mess with those guys.

https://www.latimes.com/local/crime/la-me-fraternal-police-2...

[temporarely]

Sorry to break the news to you Jake but there are two orders. Those of "that era" are the actual power breakers, you guys are the peculiar but innocent window dressing.

> And since, ..

No, the meaning is the secret :) Oh dear.

[kjkjadksj]

Sometimes with these sorts of organizations their deepest secrets are the meaning of their public symbology.

[dpig_]

Source: Nicolas Cage

[Timon3]

Do you have any examples you could share?

[coliveira]

What is secret is the meaning, not the gesture itself.