Key Word Cipher

[+ScubaAl]

Hello Cachers,

 

I'm working on a cache that has the coords. encrypted. The cache owner has told me its not Playfair or Vigenere. Those where the two I was working with. Have no experience with Vigenere, but have used Playfair a couple of times.

Could someone "clue" me into other key word ciphers? I'm getting close to my 300th find and this would be a great one for the occasion.

Thanks for your help, Cache on, Al

[+zensunni]

I realise this doesn't directly address your problem withthis cache. You said you had little experience with Vigenere Ciphers, I have placed some notes Here

which may help you with deciphering Vigenere and may just possibly give you some ideas for decoding this cipher.

 

Hope this is of some use

[+wdfod]

Hello Cachers,

 

I'm working on a cache that has the coords. encrypted. The cache owner has told me its not Playfair or Vigenere. Those where the two I was working with. Have no experience with Vigenere, but have used Playfair a couple of times.

Could someone "clue" me into other key word ciphers? I'm getting close to my 300th find and this would be a great one for the occasion.

Thanks for your help, Cache on, Al

Is it polyalphabetic with a keyword? Or do you just know it has keyword?

 

M.

[ImpalaBob]

Chapter 8 - The Cipher exchange

 

I don't want to give away all my sources for ciphers .... but this will certainly help you. ImpalaBob

[+QDman]

I have a similar question. I've seen ciphers where the clue is enciphered with symbols instead of letters. How do you search for solutions for that? I've tried searching phrases like "letter b looks like squished monkey face," but have had no luck.

[+SCBrian]

I have a similar question. I've seen ciphers where the clue is enciphered with symbols instead of letters. How do you search for solutions for that? I've tried searching phrases like "letter b looks like squished monkey face," but have had no luck.

One way is to substitute letters for the symbols, Just make sure that $=A or whatever always. Then you can run a decryption program on it. Or do it by hand, the longer the clue is the better chance you have of breaking it. A great book to look at is "Applied Cryptogrophy" see if your local libray has it or any other crypto books. As for me, The cryptos are easy, it's the darned story puzzles that get me beating my head...

[+Sputnik 57]

Let me just applaud the approach of the OP and the replies in this post. It is generally considered bad form to ask for help solving a specific puzzle in the forums. Requests for general information are fine. Everyone has taken the high road here so far. Good job.

Edited August 24, 2005 by Sputnik 57

[ImpalaBob]

I've seen ciphers where the clue is enciphered with symbols instead of letters.

So ...... obviously the poster used his computer keyboard when typing out the post. When a "picture" of drawn symbols is inserted it makes it much harder to de-cipher. Look for the book Cryptorunes, Codes and Secret Writing by Clifford A. Pickover as a good starter book.

 

Once you start looking at ciphers, and solve a few, it starts to get easier as you become exposed to more cipher history and examples.

 

Sputnik 57 .... Yeah we're not giving it away!!!! ImpalaBob Still an apprentice de-cipherer, but working hard at it all the time.

[+QDman]

I've seen ciphers where the clue is enciphered with symbols instead of letters.

So ...... obviously the poster used his computer keyboard when typing out the post. When a "picture" of drawn symbols is inserted it makes it much harder to de-cipher. Look for the book Cryptorunes, Codes and Secret Writing by Clifford A. Pickover as a good starter book.

 

Once you start looking at ciphers, and solve a few, it starts to get easier as you become exposed to more cipher history and examples.

 

Sputnik 57 .... Yeah we're not giving it away!!!! ImpalaBob Still an apprentice de-cipherer, but working hard at it all the time.

The latest I solved was (or seemed to be) scanned-in, hand-drawn symbols. A toughie. I found a helpful hint in a surprising place, or I would have had to ask for help. I love the idea of replacing symbols with letters. I'll have to try that. Thanks as well for the book recommendation.

[+QDman]

To show how much I trust your book recommendation, I just bought it from Amazon...for 74 cents!

[+Tharagleb]

There is more than one book called "Applied Cryptography"...

[+QDman]

This was the Pickover book. Sounded a little more basic than "Applied Cryptography." Maybe someday, if I get really good, I can graduate to the smart-guy book.

[+TresOkies]

This was the Pickover book. Sounded a little more basic than "Applied Cryptography." Maybe someday, if I get really good, I can graduate to the smart-guy book.

Applied Cryptography is a great book for developers who need to implement crypto systems in software and hardware. It's not a good book for a general audience. If you just want to learn about fun crypto stuff, I'd suggest "The CodeBreakers" by David Kahn. It's a pretty hefty book, though. The Code Book by Simon Singh is a good read and targeted toward a lay audience.

 

If you just want to crack one cipher in order to finish this cache, there should be plenty of info on the net. Just use your favorite search engine.

[+ScubaAl]

Thanks all for the info given. I checked out and bookmarked "Chapter 8 - The Cipher exchange" At first glance it does look a bit overwhelming. I have only been caching since Jan 05. Here in the Mpls/St.Paul area there are some awfully difficult caches to dicpher. The people that place and figure out these type of puzzles are light year ahead of me.

I'll keep looking for the answer (with the help found here). Maybe after a few cachers have figured this one out maybe the cache owner will post a clue or two.

Stay tuned Again, thanks for everyones help.

Al

[+The Rat]

As a geocacher and Vice President of the American Cryptogram Assn. I encourage reference to the link to our pamphlet The ACA and You. We are, however, redoing our website soon, and the link may be broken in the near future. I also love puzzle caches and want to encourage ciphers as one of the much-used techniques for such puzzles. However, I also agree that direct aid in solving is not appropriate on the forums, such as would be the case to say it is this type of cipher or it begins with the word..., etc. I am also more than a little surprised to see this particular topic on the forum for GPS units and software. It might more appropriately belong elsewhere. However, puzzle cachers and ACA members are much the same kind of people and I know of at least four other ACA members who geocache, including the current president. So keep those cipher puzzles coming, check out the ACA website now and again to see the upgrade, and don't get discouraged if you can't solve a particular puzzle. There are plenty of ciphers out there that no one has been able to solve even with massive computers, and every geocacher gets stumped sometimes, on puzzles or otherwise. That's why they have a DNF log.