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The National Cipher Challenge

Reply To: Programming

#98031
_madness_
Participant

Here is a programming task that will take some cleverness. The straightforward approach will not be possible.

Background:

One of the challenge ciphers this week involves permutations. A permutation is a reordering of some set. For example, all of the permutations of the digits 1, 2, 3 are
1, 2, 3
1, 3, 2
2, 1, 3
2, 3, 1
3, 1, 2
3, 2, 1
Notice that I listed them in a sort of numerical order: 123, 132, 213, 231, 312, 321. There are 3! = 6 of them. If I were to ask you what is the fourth permutation of 1, 2, 3, you should answer “2, 3, 1”. OK, got it?

This part isn’t background anymore; this is the task:

Consider permutations of the alphabet. There are 26! = a big number of them. Arrange them in alphabetical order. Tell me what is the
390304790967593360819076481st permutation of the alphabet? There is a secret message there for you.

Ha ha ha h a ha ha ha a a a aha h ah ah h aha ha ha ha ha h a

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