Good Ol' Fashion Crypto

Packbat · Post Post #1 (isolation #0) » Thu Feb 17, 2011 3:49 pm

Just to get things started, an

easy

cipher:

vcra hzgcmi rkvztb jkji vcra mazpcrx ekp
zgg vcra ecphjiqq cj rai pcsar zq skb
scuiq tq rk qii rai pcsar gir tq qtpcui
kj rk ecjcqa rai vkpf vi zpi cj rk ocjb
tl rai jzrckjq vktjbq rk mzti ekp ach
vak qazgg azui okpji rai ozrrgi zjb ekp
acq vcbkv zjb qcq kplazj rk bk zgg vacma
hzx zmaciui zjb maipcqa z dtqr zjb
gzqrcjs lizmi zhkjs ktpqiguiq zjb vcra
zgg jzrckjq

Packbat · Post Post #6 (isolation #1) » Sat Feb 19, 2011 3:26 am

Haschel Cedricson wrote:Simple substitution.

"WITH MALICE TOWAUD NONE WITH CHARITY FOR
ALL WITH FIRMNESS IN THE RIGHT AS GOD
GIVES US TO SEE THE RIGHT LET US SURIVE
ON TO FINISH THE WORK WE ARE IN TO BIND
UP THE NATIONS WOUNDS TO CAUE FOR HIM
WHO SHALL HAVE BORNE THE BATTLE AND FOR
HIS WIDOW AND SIS ORPHAN TO DO ALL WHICH
MAY ACHIEVE AND CHERISH A JUST AND
LASTING PEACE AMONG OURSELVES AND WITH
ALL NATIONS"

Working on the next one now.

And the key?

Packbat · Post Post #8 (isolation #2) » Sat Feb 19, 2011 5:38 am

It's not a transposition cipher - or, if it is, it's a two-stage cipher.

Packbat · Post Post #9 (isolation #3) » Sat Feb 19, 2011 5:51 am

Simple frequency analysis:

Code: Select all

 a  b  c  d  e  f  g  h  i  j  k  l  m
12 6  1  9  10 6  5  5  7  3  4  8  12

n  o  p  q  r  s  t  u  v  w  x  y  z
6  5  3  5  4  8  5  5  4  8  3  9  9

Packbat · Post Post #10 (isolation #4) » Sat Feb 19, 2011 6:13 am

Digraph frequencies (thank you, Matlab!):

Code: Select all

                       First Letter
   A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A| 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 |A
B| 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 |B
C| 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 |C
D| 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 1 2 0 0 0 2 |D
E| 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 2 |E
F| 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 |F
G| 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 |G
H| 0 1 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 |H S
I| 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 1 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 |I e
J| 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 |J c
K| 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 |K o
L| 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 |L n
M| 0 1 0 1 1 0 2 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 |M d
N| 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 |N
O| 1 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 |O L
P| 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 |P e
Q| 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 |Q t
R| 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 |R t
S| 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 |S e
T| 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 |T r
U| 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 |U
V| 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 |V
W| 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 |W
X| 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 |X
Y| 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 |Y
Z| 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 |Z
   A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Packbat · Post Post #11 (isolation #5) » Sat Feb 19, 2011 7:09 am

I don't think it's simple substitution. Perhaps a Vigenère?

Packbat · Post Post #14 (isolation #6) » Sat Feb 19, 2011 7:27 am

If that were the period, letter frequencies in each column would be:

Code: Select all

 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
 2 0 0 2 2 2 0 1 0 0 1 0 5 0 2 0 2 1 0 0 4 0 1 0 3 5
 5 0 0 3 2 0 3 2 1 0 1 3 1 3 3 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
 0 2 0 2 0 3 2 0 2 3 0 1 1 1 0 1 2 0 2 3 0 0 1 3 2 1
 4 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 3 3 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 4 5 0 0 2
 1 1 1 2 6 1 0 2 2 0 1 1 2 1 0 0 0 2 4 1 1 0 1 0 1 1

Packbat · Post Post #17 (isolation #7) » Sat Feb 19, 2011 7:48 am

theplague42 wrote:Are you using a program for this? If so, which one?

I wrote one - Matlab programming is pretty easy.

Also, I think it's a Vigenère with the key "MAFIA" - plaintext in a moment if I'm right.

Packbat · Post Post #18 (isolation #8) » Sat Feb 19, 2011 7:59 am

Solution: MY NAME IS OZYMANDIAS KING OF KINGS LOOK ON MY WORKS YE MIGHTY AND DESPAIR NOTHING BESIDE REMAINS ROUND THE DECAY OF THAT COLOSSAL WRECK BOUNDLESS AND BARE THE LONE AND LEVEL SANDS STRETCH FAR AWAY

New text coming.

Packbat · Post Post #20 (isolation #9) » Sat Feb 19, 2011 8:24 am

You were the one who gave me the key, actually - I was screwing around with indices of coincidence attempting to find the key length that way.

Edit: Other than that, the only trick was knowing that A and E are common while Z, X, and J are extremely rare. In a Vigenère, with each row being a Caesar, you can just look for columns with high numbers where there are other high numbers four squares further on and 1s or 0s one and three squares back, and nine squares forward.

Packbat · Post Post #21 (isolation #10) » Sat Feb 19, 2011 9:00 am

This cipher is of

medium

difficulty.

Code: Select all

ROSNG BGZPA FPCVM AAIEW DEROR PERBT
VGFNS ZIYDE QLGCE DRSAM MQRES NLPCW
DRNZH HOPED BIGBT PRECA WIZSC WERED
RWYDL ZEOAG FFZEG BQKBG IUDEV KDASE
MRDNR KPKNA FBTMN AXAFB FKOPB GWDDW
FNTTC RSGED QLROQ LDEGC OPMRA NLPCW
LEGPA MKILL GDYOI RPGPK NAMZG RYKCP
ROFOI R

Packbat · Post Post #22 (isolation #11) » Mon Feb 21, 2011 7:06 am

Would anyone like a hint?

Packbat · Post Post #24 (isolation #12) » Mon Feb 21, 2011 7:18 am

The text is a quotation from a

history

.

Packbat · Post Post #26 (isolation #13) » Fri Feb 25, 2011 4:02 pm

Bump #2 - if no-one objects, I'll post a second hint in the morning.

Packbat · Post Post #27 (isolation #14) » Sat Feb 26, 2011 10:02 am

Okay, so afternoon.

Packbat wrote:This cipher is of

medium

difficulty.

Code: Select all

ROSNG BGZPA FPCVM AAIEW DEROR PERBT
VGFNS ZIYDE QLGCE DRSAM MQRES NLPCW
DRNZH HOPED BIGBT PRECA WIZSC WERED
RWYDL ZEOAG FFZEG BQKBG IUDEV KDASE
MRDNR KPKNA FBTMN AXAFB FKOPB GWDDW
FNTTC RSGED QLROQ LDEGC OPMRA NLPCW
LEGPA MKILL GDYOI RPGPK NAMZG RYKCP
ROFOI R

The key is the author's name.

Packbat · Post Post #30 (isolation #15) » Tue Mar 08, 2011 4:25 pm

One more clue, then.

Code: Select all

ROSNGBGZP AFPCVMAA IEWDE ROR PERBTVGFNSZ
IYDE QLG CEDRSAMM QRES NL PCW DRNZH. HOP
EDBIG BT PRECAW IZ SCW ERED RWYDLZEOA GF
FZEGBQKBGI UDEV KDA SEMRDNRKP KNA
FBTMNAX; AFBFK OP, BGWDDW, FNTTCR SGED
QLRO QLD EGCOPMRA NL PCW LEGPAM,
KILLGDY, OIR PGPKNAMZGRY KC PROFOIR.

Edit: As you may note, this is not a transposition cipher.

Packbat · Post Post #31 (isolation #16) » Fri Mar 11, 2011 9:25 am

The final clue: the cipher is a Playfair. If the puzzle isn't solved in a week, I'll go ahead and post the solution and another cryptogram.

Packbat · Post Post #32 (isolation #17) » Fri Mar 18, 2011 3:37 pm

...all right then. The key is Edward Gibbon,

Code: Select all

EDWAR
GIBON
CFHKL
MPQST
UVXYZ

and the plaintext is:

Antoninus diffused order and tranquillity over the greatest part of the earth. His reign is marked by the rare advantage of furnishing very few materials for history; which is, indeed, little more than the register of the crimes, follies, and misfortunes of mankind.

I throw it open to anyone who wants to post a cryptogram before me; otherwise, I'll put one up tomorrow.

Packbat · Post Post #34 (isolation #18) » Fri Mar 18, 2011 4:30 pm

Okay - I'll post Monday if I don't see anything.

Packbat · Post Post #36 (isolation #19) » Mon Mar 21, 2011 2:49 am

Okay, new puzzle,

easy

difficulty:

Code: Select all

TCOWT TTALE ERRPM OIEAP HAHEC HHHSK DCXBA OENOA
RLERE SKIOE AIEHP ECETA NLEAS ECAAC USLNS ERATM
OLTLN YSAHR LHGET GISEU LITCH AOEPR EEPSH THAGS
STYHH OARTR LTSTH HTHOV NBSYL AENTT CSAIS HAASO
UIOOT AIVPC WIHAY SPEBP AUGSN AHBKE ELHSE LETIB
EENGH UTRES ECRUI TSLRS ELTSD HMAHD ITAOS SLSSC SZ

Packbat · Post Post #37 (isolation #20) » Sat Mar 26, 2011 4:46 pm

Bump.

Packbat · Post Post #39 (isolation #21) » Sun Mar 27, 2011 4:10 am

The letters are not broken down into words this time.

Packbat · Post Post #41 (isolation #22) » Sun Mar 27, 2011 5:19 am

I usually kick things off with letter frequency analysis when I'm cracking ciphers - I know Haschel Cedricson didn't bother for the first one, but I find it useful.

Packbat · Post Post #42 (isolation #23) » Thu Mar 31, 2011 3:12 pm

Bump again. Are people still interested, or should the thread be allowed to fade away?

Packbat · Post Post #55 (isolation #24) » Sat Apr 02, 2011 4:48 pm

Mist7676 wrote:They are. I sent them through spellcheck and code check

No, you missed a typo. The solution (by inspection) is:

Code: Select all

A question that sometimes drives me hazy: am I or are the others crazy?
     *

The indicated letter should be an A ciphertext but is recorded as an S.

New cipher to come soon.

Edit: [Edit 2: changed key - plaintext remains identical:]

Code: Select all

GFJ DQCGCDV CKVGQRDG RV GU VGXE DBUVJ GU
KXGRQJ, XKY XRGFUQV QJXY GFCV XYICDJ;
LRG GFJE XBSXEV GFCKP CG VXZJQ GU VGXE
DBUVJ GU XRGFUQV SFU FXIJ VGXEJY DBUVJ
GU KXGRQJ.

Packbat · Post Post #57 (isolation #25) » Sat Apr 02, 2011 5:14 pm

Unique letters are likely to be I or A, and because "BP" was a repeated digraph (particularly at the start of words) "BPIB" was clearly "that" and "BPM" "the". From there, "IZM" = "are", "Q" = "i" (because A was taken), "WZ" = "or", "A" = "s" (what other letter could go at the end of "other"?), and it flowed pretty easily from there.

That is, after I Googled the words that I had and found the original quote. It

was

awfully short, and "hazy" is such a weak word choice that I wanted confirmation before I put down "crazy" as the last word.

Packbat · Post Post #58 (isolation #26) » Sat Apr 02, 2011 5:28 pm

The new cipher is

easy

, by the way.

Packbat · Post Post #60 (isolation #27) » Sat Apr 02, 2011 5:40 pm

I didn't check.

*checks*

It was a Caesar, starting with I.

Packbat · Post Post #61 (isolation #28) » Sat Apr 02, 2011 5:44 pm

Ugh, I think I screwed up the key for mine - should I redo it?

Edit: I redid it. It's the same type of code and the same message - the only difference is half the key - so any work you've done should be easy to transfer over.

Packbat · Post Post #63 (isolation #29) » Mon Apr 04, 2011 2:24 am

Bump.

Code: Select all

GFJ DQCGCDV CKVGQRDG RV GU VGXE DBUVJ GU
KXGRQJ, XKY XRGFUQV QJXY GFCV XYICDJ;
LRG GFJE XBSXEV GFCKP CG VXZJQ GU VGXE
DBUVJ GU XRGFUQV SFU FXIJ VGXEJY DBUVJ
GU KXGRQJ.

Packbat · Post Post #65 (isolation #30) » Mon Apr 04, 2011 2:14 pm

The rules do not restrict us to one-step substitutions - Haschel Cedricson posted a Vigenère, and I tried a Playfair and a one-step transposition cipher (neither of which anyone solved). I've only gone with a simple substitution now because that is what appears popular.

Edit: Also - we

are

doing cryptograms. That is what the thread is for.

Packbat · Post Post #67 (isolation #31) » Mon Apr 04, 2011 2:47 pm

I posted the solution to the Playfair, but the ciphertext is here at #21 if you still want to try it - the solution does not appear until #32. The cipher posted at #36 I have not posted any solution to.

Packbat · Post Post #72 (isolation #32) » Fri Apr 08, 2011 7:57 pm

Packbat wrote:Bump.

Code: Select all

GFJ DQCGCDV CKVGQRDG RV GU VGXE DBUVJ GU
KXGRQJ, XKY XRGFUQV QJXY GFCV XYICDJ;
LRG GFJE XBSXEV GFCKP CG VXZJQ GU VGXE
DBUVJ GU XRGFUQV SFU FXIJ VGXEJY DBUVJ
GU KXGRQJ.

Packbat · Post Post #73 (isolation #33) » Tue Apr 12, 2011 3:04 am

Okay, Stefunny PMed me a solution to my cryptogram, but she hasn't posted a new one. I'm opening it up to anyone who wants to.

Packbat · Post Post #78 (isolation #34) » Tue Apr 12, 2011 10:59 am

Code: Select all

AQCJXWQZ JXAJ WK JPP KJHNWO JP EU KNPTUQ WK KHQZ.
anything that is too stupid to be spoken is sung.

GPSJAWLU
voltaire

At a guess, the key appears to be

Code: Select all

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
AEIOUYZXWVTSRQPNMLKJHGFDCB
  ?  ?   ?  ?   ?     ??

where the characters marked with ? do not appear in the given text.

New cryptogram in a minute.

Edit:

Code: Select all

WMF VFDQQZ NEWFVFAWNEH WMNEH ZSB'VF
KZNEH WS VFDK VNHMW ESX NA WMF WMNEH
WMDW ZSB ZSBVAFQL MDGFE'W ZFW XVNWWFE.

- OFLLVFZ "JMDEENEH" XFQQA

Packbat · Post Post #81 (isolation #35) » Tue Apr 12, 2011 2:55 pm

No worries, Stefunny - that's why we have mods in MishMash, to keep things rolling.

Feel free to post it anyway, if you like - the quotation is a favorite of mine.

Packbat · Post Post #83 (isolation #36) » Tue Apr 12, 2011 3:48 pm

Agreed - given how poorly even a Playfair went down, I think restricting it to one-step ciphers is quite reasonable.

Packbat · Post Post #85 (isolation #37) » Tue Apr 12, 2011 3:55 pm

Looks fine!

Packbat · Post Post #87 (isolation #38) » Tue Apr 12, 2011 3:59 pm

Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane solved one in

Have His Carcasse

all right - admittedly, the plaintext was quite a lot longer.

Edit: Also, they were fictional.

Packbat · Post Post #88 (isolation #39) » Wed Apr 13, 2011 3:48 pm

Bump:

Packbat wrote:

Code: Select all

WMF VFDQQZ NEWFVFAWNEH WMNEH ZSB'VF
KZNEH WS VFDK VNHMW ESX NA WMF WMNEH
WMDW ZSB ZSBVAFQL MDGFE'W ZFW XVNWWFE.

- OFLLVFZ "JMDEENEH" XFQQA

And, since I forgot:

easy

.

Packbat · Post Post #92 (isolation #40) » Sat Apr 16, 2011 6:53 am

Stefunny wrote:I will have to look into posting one >.< I've always DEcyphered, not cyphered. Lol.

Google suggests Rumkin's page if you want a web interface for encypherment.

Packbat · Post Post #93 (isolation #41) » Mon Apr 18, 2011 5:06 pm

Bump again. I'm opening this one up to the public once more, just to keep it moving.

Packbat · Post Post #94 (isolation #42) » Tue Apr 19, 2011 6:36 am

...fair enough. Here's one from me.

Code: Select all

UBVUYB NWCBQPOFWC MWPOMWDOMLBYI OHFO OHB
EBPO KFI RVQ DVXUNOBQ UQVAQFXP OV
DVXXNWMDFOB KMOH BFDH VOHBQ MP RVQ BFDH
VR OHBX OV EB POQMDO MW KHFO OHBI BXMO,
FWC YMEBQFY MW KHFO OHBI FDDBUO. OHB VCC
OHMWA MP OHFO UBVUYB OHBXPBYLBP FQB WVO
KMYYMWA OV EB POQMDO MW HVK OHBI PUBFZ
FWC YMEBQFY MW HVK OHBI YMPOBW. IVN'C
OHMWZ OHFO KVNYC FYPV EB VELMVNP.
- YFQQI KFYY,
    "CMYMABWDB, UFOMBWDB, FWC HNXMYMOI"

Once again:

easy

.

Packbat · Post Post #96 (isolation #43) » Wed Apr 20, 2011 3:26 am

Looking forward to it!

Packbat · Post Post #97 (isolation #44) » Wed Apr 20, 2011 3:38 am

Actually, suggestion: should we have two parallel ciphers going - one easy Aristocrat like the simple substitutions we've been using, and one more sophisticated but still susceptible to human-powered attack? Might be a little confusing, unfortunately.

Packbat · Post Post #101 (isolation #45) » Wed Apr 20, 2011 6:33 pm

Solution:

Code: Select all

Gl okpaaglr, agmp caevp se sip rweqlo.
In dwelling, live close to the ground.

Gl sigltglr, tppz se sip vgbzap. Gl
In thinking, keep to the simple. In

celyagcs, np yugw ulo rplpweqv. Gl
conflict, be fair and generous. In

rempwlglr, oel's swf se celswea. Gl
governing, don't try to control. In

kewt, oe kius feq plhef. Gl yubgaf agyp,
work, do what you enjoy. In family life,

np cebzapspaf zwpvpls. -Aue Sdq
be completely present. -Lao Tzu

Key (? indicates letter does not appear in text):

Code: Select all

plain: abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
.code: uncopyrightablezxwvsqmkjfd
                       ?      ?

New problem:

Code: Select all

DVNOKZ RM NBZ OLNRCVNZ WRAFN, WZXVOMZ RN
RM FWMNRDVNZLT VDY RDNFLZKVDNLT YZPFNZY
NF RNM FQD HKZIOYRXZM VDY VWMFLONZLT
KZGOMZM NF TRZLY NF NBZ CFMN HZKMOVMRPZ
KVNRFDVLRUVNRFDM FG BOCVDM.
-- I. K. CFLLFT

Packbat · Post Post #105 (isolation #46) » Thu Apr 21, 2011 5:20 am

Mist7676 wrote:

Solution:

Code: Select all

 NATURE IS THE ULTIMATE BIGOT BECAUSE IT IS OBSTINATELY AND INTOLERANTLY DEVOTED TO ITS OWN PREJUDICES AND ABSOLUTELY REFUSES TO YIELD TO THE MOST PERSUASIVE RATIONALIZATIONS OF HUMANS J R MOLLOY

Correct!

New cipher?

Packbat · Post Post #108 (isolation #47) » Thu Apr 21, 2011 6:16 am

"I" is capitalized, theplague42.

Packbat · Post Post #113 (isolation #48) » Thu Apr 21, 2011 8:07 am

theplague42 wrote:@people who have solved one
Do you use a text manipulation program or something? I've been trying just to use Word but it's really slow.

What I do is open it in TextEdit (I have a Mac - use Notepad in Windows), copy it out, break it up into lines, and mark off placeholders (e.g. dashes) for each unidentified letter. Then whenever I make a guess I like I replace the placeholder under the corresponding ciphertext with the plaintext letter throughout (e.g. put "I" under each "F").

Packbat · Post Post #131 (isolation #49) » Mon Apr 25, 2011 9:28 am

Okay, we've had short ciphertexts before, but that's ridiculous.

Packbat · Post Post #133 (isolation #50) » Thu Apr 28, 2011 11:26 am

inspiratieloos wrote:Edit: Apparently applying ciphers that I've learned 10 years ago from memory causes me to keep messing it up , so I'm posting something else. I'll see if I can find out what I was actually trying to do and post my original idea another time.

That's fine - just be a bit more careful composing ciphers in the future. I always check to make sure I can unencrypt, just to be sure.

Packbat · Post Post #135 (isolation #51) » Sat Apr 30, 2011 7:04 pm

I believe inspiratieloos's cypher is still unsolved, kiwieagle.

Packbat · Post Post #140 (isolation #52) » Mon May 02, 2011 1:50 am

Yes - she's throwing it open to the next one who posts one.

Packbat · Post Post #142 (isolation #53) » Mon May 02, 2011 10:51 am

Code: Select all

A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z
4  2  3  1  0  4  1  1  1  1  5  4  4  1  5  4  0  3  2  0  5  0  0  1  3  1

Doesn't look like a transposition, not with zero Es and five Ks. Here's digraph frequencies, for what it's worth:

Code: Select all

   A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A| 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 |A
B| 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 |B
C| 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 |C
D| 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 |D
E| 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 |E
F| 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 |F
G| 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 |G
H| 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 |H
I| 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 |I
J| 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 |J
K| 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 |K
L| 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 |L
M| 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 |M
N| 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 |N
O| 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 |O
P| 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 |P
Q| 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 |Q
R| 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 |R
S| 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 |S
T| 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 |T
U| 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 |U
V| 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 |V
W| 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 |W
X| 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 |X
Y| 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 |Y
Z| 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 |Z
   A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Packbat · Post Post #144 (isolation #54) » Mon May 02, 2011 3:33 pm

I don't know if you can tell anything from the digraph - the largest number is 2, so it might be pretty close to chance. Going through to look for repeat frequencies, I find:

ALF: 20
UM: 13
FR: 34
MY: 34

which doesn't look very helpful to me. If it's some kind of substitution, though, ALF is likely to be a common trigraph, probably THE.

Packbat · Post Post #145 (isolation #55) » Tue May 03, 2011 3:48 am

If we guessed simple substitution and proceeded from that basis, we'd have:

Code: Select all

ZC AL FR SY DO UP BA FL AP MY KO AL FK IS OK LP GU UM HO FR RX CJ KN BU MK PO MY UC
-- th e- -- -- -- -t eh t- -- -- th e- -- -- h- -- -- -- e- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

...ugh, the "teht" looks terrible. Perhaps "ent" or "ion"? The reversal of the "LF" digraph suggests those letters might be "re" or "er"...

Packbat · Post Post #147 (isolation #56) » Tue May 03, 2011 4:27 am

sonofa...

Packbat · Post Post #149 (isolation #57) » Tue May 03, 2011 8:42 am

Usually - replace J with I throughout.

Packbat · Post Post #154 (isolation #58) » Wed May 04, 2011 10:01 am

As short as it is? You have a high opinion of our skills.

Packbat · Post Post #158 (isolation #59) » Thu May 05, 2011 5:43 am

inspiratieloos wrote:I already assumed it was foursquare, tell us something we don't know...

edit: Or maybe just add another few sentences with the same key.

Foursquare?

*looks up online references...*

Packbat · Post Post #160 (isolation #60) » Thu May 05, 2011 10:54 am

Yes, obviously. For that kind of cipher, a much longer text is recommended. Heck, for a

simple substitution

a longer text is recommended.

Packbat · Post Post #163 (isolation #61) » Mon May 09, 2011 3:30 am

..."catastrophe". Not "catastrophy". It's like "apostrophe" - same etymology.

Packbat · Post Post #174 (isolation #62) » Tue May 10, 2011 3:48 pm

Of course camping! You think rainbows are going to run all over the map chasing you down when they can just grab the high ground? Pfeh!

Packbat · Post Post #176 (isolation #63) » Tue May 10, 2011 3:54 pm

No, the Flood only turn up in single-player Halo.

Packbat · Post Post #179 (isolation #64) » Tue May 10, 2011 4:46 pm

Occasionally, but more Left 4 Dead than Halo - and more Test Drive Unlimited and Forza Motorsport 2/3 than Left 4 Dead.

Packbat · Post Post #193 (isolation #65) » Sat May 21, 2011 9:13 am

inspiratieloos wrote:I kind of assumed Packbat would immediately come up with his frequency analysis, it should be long enough to easily solve that way.

Oh, right, I didn't do that one yet.

Single-letter frequencies:

Code: Select all

 A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z
59 51 24 48 77 34 28 31 11  0 57 85 64 23 60 62 46 23 28 69 11 18  4 56 12 59

Digraph frequencies (first letter top/bottom, second letter side):

Code: Select all

    A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z
A|  2  2  0  2  3  1  0  1  0  0  1 19  4  0  5  2  2  0  0  6  0  1  0  2  0  6 |A
B|  5  0  1  2  4  1  0  3  1  0  6  5  3  1  4  3  0  0  1  4  0  3  0  0  1  3 |B
C|  3  1  0  0  2  0  2  0  1  0  1  0  2  0  0  1  1  0  2  3  0  3  0  0  0  2 |C
D|  3  1  1  1  5  0  1  1  0  0  3  3  2  1  4  3  0  2  5  7  0  1  0  0  1  3 |D
E|  2  2  2  2  0  3  3  3  0  0  3  6 18  1  1  9  3  1  0  3  0  0  1  8  1  5 |E
F|  2  5  0  1  3  0  0  0  0  0  3  4  4  0  1  0  3  1  0  3  0  0  0  1  0  3 |F
G|  4  1  2  0  1  0  0  2  0  0  1  6  1  1  1  0  2  0  0  2  1  0  0  2  0  1 |G
H|  3  2  2  1  6  1  2  0  0  0  1  1  1  1  2  6  0  0  0  1  0  0  0  1  0  0 |H
I|  0  0  0  0  1  1  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  3  0  0  1  0  0  0  2  0  1  0  2 |I
J|  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0 |J
K|  2  8  0  2  4  3  2  3  6  0  0  4  0  1  5  0  4  1  2  4  0  2  3  0  0  1 |K
L|  1  5  3  1  7  1  0  0  0  0  2  0  0  3  4 17  5  4  1  8  1  1  0  5  4 12 |L
M|  4  0  0  2 10  1  1  3  1  0  4  6  4  2  2  2  0  7  0  6  2  2  0  2  0  3 |M
N|  2  1  0  0  1  0  0  1  0  0  0  2  0  0  0  6  0  0  0  1  1  1  0  1  2  4 |N
O|  9  4  0  8  1  9  1  0  0  0  6  1  6  2  1  3  3  0  5  1  0  0  0  0  0  0 |O
P|  6  1  0  9  4  2  2  3  0  0  2  6  6  3  9  1  2  1  0  3  0  0  0  1  1  0 |P
Q|  1  0  1  1  3  9  2  4  0  0  8  6  1  2  0  1  1  0  0  2  2  0  0  1  0  0 |Q
R|  0  4  0  0  4  0  1  1  0  0  0  1  0  0  1  0  0  0  3  0  0  1  0  1  2  4 |R
S|  0  0  3  4  0  0  2  0  0  0  2  2  1  0  1  0  3  0  0  4  0  0  0  3  0  3 |S
T|  2  0  2  6  8  0  0  4  1  0  7  7  7  2  5  1  4  0  0  0  0  0  0 10  0  3 |T
U|  0  2  0  1  0  1  0  0  0  0  0  1  0  1  0  0  0  2  0  0  0  0  0  3  0  0 |U
V|  2  1  0  1  0  1  2  0  0  0  5  0  1  1  0  0  0  0  0  0  1  0  0  3  0  0 |V
W|  0  0  0  0  0  0  1  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  2  0  0  0  0  0  1 |W
X|  3  1  4  1  2  0  2  2  0  0  0  1  1  0 10  6 11  3  1  2  1  1  0  3  0  1 |X
Y|  0  5  1  1  0  0  1  0  1  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  1  0  0  0  0  1  0  1 |Y
Z|  3  5  1  2  8  0  3  0  0  0  2  4  2  1  1  1  2  0  7  7  2  0  0  7  0  1 |Z
    A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z

Packbat · Post Post #194 (isolation #66) » Sat May 21, 2011 9:19 am

The big numbers in the digraphs are LA (19), ME (18), and PL (17), followed by ZL (12), QX (11), and XT, OX, and EM (10). I haven't checked for parity on any of this, mind, so a fraction of these results are going to be fallacious.

ME+EM suggests a reversible digraph, obviously.

Packbat · Post Post #211 (isolation #67) » Tue Jun 14, 2011 9:26 am

Code: Select all

CTIC'D LW MIDC YAZTXDD HISKCXY JK CTX RIMM,
MJJPSKU ID SV DTX RXEX IMSBX. S ZIMM
CTIC HSXZX I RJKYXE, KJR: VEI HIKYJMV'D TIKYD
RJEPXY GADSMW I YIW, IKY CTXEX DTX DCIKYD.
RSMM'C HMXIDX WJA DSC IKY MJJP IC TXE? S DISY
'VEI HIKYJMV' GW YXDSUK, VJE KXBXE EXIY
DCEIKUXED MSPX WJA CTIC HSZCAEXY ZJAKCXKIKZX,
CTX YXHCT IKY HIDDSJK JV SCD XIEKXDC UMIKZX,
GAC CJ LWDXMV CTXW CAEKXY (DSKZX KJKX HACD GW
CTX ZAECISK S TIBX YEIRK VJE WJA, GAC S)
IKY DXXLXY ID CTXW RJAMY IDP LX, SV CTXW YAEDC,
TJR DAZT I UMIKZX ZILX CTXEX; DJ, KJC CTX VSEDC
IEX WJA CJ CAEK IKY IDP CTAD.

Easy.

Packbat · Post Post #213 (isolation #68) » Wed Jun 15, 2011 3:17 am

inspiratieloos is correct, obviously - the quotation is from "My Last Duchess" by Robert Browning.

Packbat · Post Post #215 (isolation #69) » Sat Jun 18, 2011 9:29 am

Code: Select all

Ys kzf hflyssysl kzf Jsyifnmf gcm enfckfr. Kzym zcm tcrf c vqk qu pfqpvf
In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people

ifnb cslnb csr hffs gyrfvb nflcnrfr cm c hcr tqif.
very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move.

Rqjlvcm Crctm
Douglas Adams

Key is speculative at indicated points, but:

Code: Select all

         *  *   **     *      * *
cipher CHERFULZYXWVTSQPONMKJIGDBA
plain  abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

New text soon.

Packbat · Post Post #216 (isolation #70) » Sat Jun 18, 2011 9:36 am

Code: Select all

Ah gad jjupmhwsf nks ix qnk, sbw vrls
nzcaz nz sfy br ng nndd nzy rgdgq'm
phthlll pgidy ngc cfnnvs; ng mutsnwl ngc
xwmgkns an vl mil mb zniv. Mb, mni, an
vl aylnrk si jyptonmlr tm ujgl xmnalr
mguf nb wdmllbr hn, li ptonmlr t
qyyczxmn, s xrmzwzgrgs ij u phljshl
xmnalr mguf nb wdmllbr sbwg. Uxmww nb
yhazn ngc wghdndl ah nek sgoe uznlfrl hm
fig ltjjyzx druyyedhuy; fnolwgr
xwwwfyxmww wbgrcknf bm vjyndhhy nux
dhwgl'l qykcfmzhuy jbsbgog yhaznvgf.

Moderate

Packbat · Post Post #221 (isolation #71) » Tue Jun 21, 2011 11:50 am

No, you're on the right track.

Packbat · Post Post #224 (isolation #72) » Wed Jun 22, 2011 2:19 am

inspiratieloos is

correct!

Your turn, sir.

Packbat · Post Post #226 (isolation #73) » Wed Jun 22, 2011 2:27 am

theplague42 wrote:The Art of War? Awesome. What was the key?

SunTzu, like he said.

Packbat · Post Post #231 (isolation #74) » Tue Jul 05, 2011 12:08 pm

Go ahead - it doesn't look like anyone's going to get inspiratieloos's.

Packbat · Post Post #235 (isolation #75) » Wed Jul 06, 2011 10:49 am

No Js, letters in pairs - #227 is a Playfair, I'm guessing. Next step is to find repetitions, I think.

Packbat · Post Post #237 (isolation #76) » Thu Jul 07, 2011 2:13 am

You gave me a list of words already - I can refer to that if necessary.