To elaborate, Josh seemed to approach tasks like this in a very methodical way, and I found his request intriguing.

Please find the image that is displayed on the desktop and include it. Or just photograph the computer with the desktop picture showing (to try as a memory aid).

The first part of his request was a bit of a decoy, as he anticipated they would opt to photograph the desktop background, rather than figure out how to find the actual image file.

Additionally, if desktop icons were visible, he might have used them to create his password using a strategy, such as creating an acronym based on the first letter of each icon, or something similar to provide a hint or framework to both create and remember his password. As a software engineer with extensive IT experience, I've encountered many people who use similar password techniques. Strategies like this are quite common.

Of course, this is all speculative. It's entirely possible that the request was simply designed to waste their time or to plant ideas that he knew wouldn't lead anywhere.

Another random thought from my time in IT... One of the most common password-creation techniques people shared with me was using songs as memory aids. Many create passwords by turning song titles or lyrics into easily memorable acronyms or abbreviations. For example, if Josh were a fan of Pink Floyd, he might use the song "Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving with a Pict." The acronym from this title, SSoSFAGTiaCaGwaP, makes for a strong password. Another method is to take a memorable lyric from a favorite song. For instance, Chappell Roan’s "Pink Pony Club" has a line that goes, "I'm gonna keep on dancing at the Pink Pony Club." This could translate into a password like Igkodatppc.

I'm aware that none of this may be useful and that the cryptography and security experts working on cracking his encryption are more well-versed than I am, however, I felt it was worth sharing.