Full Moon in San Francisco Hints

Can you help me get started with Line 1?

  • 1 of 6: Line one, when fully decoded reads: IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW LONG YOU'VE TRIED
  • 2 of 6: In code, the line is written: )1 -?^8!'1 <}11^9 [?4 >?!) 6?2'3^ 1 9]^-
  • 3 of 6: Therefore, a ) symbol is really the letter I.
  • 4 of 6: And the 1 is substituted for the letter T.
  • 5 of 6: D is - (dash); O is ? (question mark); E is ^; S is the number 8; N is ! (exclamation point).
  • 6 of 6: I think you can probably do the rest of the substitutions, but if you're still confused, go back to the main hint: