Regular Expression Puzzle Solver Output

gistfile1.txt

$ ghc recross.hs  && ./recross
[2 of 2] Compiling Main             ( recross.hs, recross.o )
Linking recross ...

Iteration 0
      . . . . . . . 
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  . . . . . . . . . . . 
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  . . . . . . . . . . . 
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    . . . . . . . . . 
     . . . . . . . . 
      . . . . . . . 

Iteration 1
      * * * * E * * 
     M * * * * * * * 
    * M * * . * . * H 
   H * M * * * * * * H 
  H * * M . * * * X D C 
 * * * * M * * * H D * C 
* * * * * M . . C R . R G 
 * M * M * * * R * R * * 
  * O . * . * . . X R N 
   * M * M * * * E * R 
    P O . * . * X * V 
     * * * * * M * * 
      * * F * M C * 

Iteration 2
      * E C * E * * 
     M L R C R L * C 
    * M X O X R X M H 
   H E M H E * H E * H 
  H H X M I R H H X D C 
 * * R * M * * H H D D C 
* * X M C M . E C R X R G 
 A M * M M C M R C R C R 
  H O X M . C . * X R N 
   E M N M N C * E C R 
    P O . O . C X R V 
     H I * * C M * O 
      N D F M M C H 

Iteration 3
      S E C U E M C 
     M L R C R L M C 
    M M X O X R X M H 
   H E M H E M H E M H 
  H H X M I R H H X D C 
 H P R R M I O H H D D C 
S * X M C M I E C R X R G 
 A M * M M C M R C R C R 
  H O X M M C C O X R N 
   E M N M N C R E C R 
    P O . O X C X R V 
     H I * M C M R O 
      N D F M M C H 

Iteration 4
      S E C U E M C 
     M L R C R L M C 
    M M X O X R X M H 
   H E M H E M H E M H 
  H H X M I R H H X D C 
 H P R R M I O H H D D C 
S T X M C M I E C R X R G 
 A M A M M C M R C R C R 
  H O X M M C C O X R N 
   E M N M N C R E C R 
    P O X O X C X R V 
     H I O M C M R O 
      N D F M M C H 

Done!

I hoped there would be a secret message in the answer.

BE SURE TO DRINK
YOUR OVALTINE

I hoped there would be a secret message in the answer.

BE SURE TO DRINK
YOUR OVALTINE

There is a secret message in the answer:

      . . . . . . .
     . . . . . . . . 
    . . X O X R X . . 
   . . M . . . . E . . 
  . . X . . . . . X . . 
 . . R . . . . . . D . . 
. . X . . . . . . . X . . 
 . . A . . . . . . R . . 
  . . X . . . . . X . . 
   . . N . . . . E . .  
    . . X O X C X . . 
     . . . . . . . . 
      . . . . . . . 

Taking the conspicuous ring matching /(.X)*/ and passing it through sed 's_\(.\)X_\1_g' gets you "ARMORED RECON" (space inserted for clarity).

There is a secret message in the answer:

      . . . . . . .
     . . . . . . . . 
    . . X O X R X . . 
   . . M . . . . E . . 
  . . X . . . . . X . . 
 . . R . . . . . . D . . 
. . X . . . . . . . X . . 
 . . A . . . . . . R . . 
  . . X . . . . . X . . 
   . . N . . . . E . .  
    . . X O X C X . . 
     . . . . . . . . 
      . . . . . . . 

Taking the conspicuous ring matching /(.X)*/ and passing it through sed 's_\(.\)X_\1_g' gets you "ARMORED RECON" (space inserted for clarity).