1400s amateur crypto and human puzzle tendencies

[Mark Knowles]

If one assumes that the VMS was encoded using known methods of the early 15th century, then the mystery would certainly have been solved long ago.

What do you mean by "known methods"?

I think it is a question as to "known by who". Different people know different things and I, personally, am always on the search to make contact with people who know or know of things that I don't when it comes to this topic.

I think generally when we talk about "known" things when it comes to Voynich research it is like saying Columbus discovered America when Native Americans were there all along. Often people outside Voynich research know things that Voynich researchers don't.

It is more likely that instead of an (essentially) simple substitution, a fundamentally different, "innovative" system was used.

What exactly do you mean by an "(essentially) simple substitution"?

That one could also deal "creatively" with the text composition, Ramon LLull proved with his Ars Brevis ( 1308 ) / Ars Magna already before.

It is interesting that you bring up Ramon Llull. His work is certainly an interesting line of inquiry, though it is hard to see how it could be a precursor to the Voynich cipher.