Daily Cipher

[_madness_]

@Puzzling_Pelican,
I cannot contain my dizzying mirth.
p.s. I cheated.

[_madness_]

*spiralling out of control

[Robb27]

@Puzzling_Pelican
Thank you for compiling and posting these extra puzzles. Whilst I can’t devote much time on them – work unfortunately takes priority (!) – I am enjoying them immensely.

[Puzzling_Pelican]

@the_cryptographer_formerly_known_as_madness
These are all words that I and anyone else who solves the final cipher can understand, but I must ask, how could you have cheated with this cipher? Nowhere on the server does it make any reference to the keyword (which I believe you know) and use of clues is far from cheating, it is almost essential.

Also, unless you are also responsible for “mysterious_stranger”, the marking system has not recognized your submission yet, and if you are the owner of both accounts, I believe it is fair for you to submit 10B on your main account with the same number of hints used (becoming the first account to submit all 20 ciphers).

@Robb27 I’m glad you are enjoying them 🙂

[_madness_]

@Puzzling_Pelican,

Yes, thank you for the challenges. Especially for including the one with the circly thing. That thing that spins around. Maybe some competitors will go and find that paper about how to break it with a computer.

In the 10B ciphertext, “y” appears three times. I believe they should be “a”. Please confirm.

Do you mind if I include the solutions in the NCC archive after the new year?

If I write a description of the cipher in 10B, do you want to be credited with your real name? If so, Harry knows how to reach me.

On your site you have a list of old ciphertexts. If you want to go back further, all the way to the beginning of NCC, and add more to your list, then those ciphertexts can be found on https://www.github.com/themaddoctor/BritishNationalCipherChallenge

[Puzzling_Pelican]

@the_cryptographer_formerly_known_as_madness
I share your feelings about the “circular cipher”; your paper on breaking it is extremely helpful. It is definitely worth the read if you enjoy 10B style ciphers.
The “y” vs “a” was an intentional change to the key to try better hide how it was created.
I plan to upload all solutions to your GitHub archive shortly after new year’s.
As for my real name, I am happy for it to be used, you can probably find it on last year’s leaderboard 🙂

[_madness_]

@PP,

I see now that you placed a,y,z where I would not have put them, and they never move, so we just have to live with it.

Thanks for liking the paper.

[_madness_]

@Puzzling_Penguin

Sorry I just saw your earlier post after I saw your later post.

I’ll make you this deal: I’ll tell you how I cheated if and only if someone new solves all 20 challenges, before some deadline that we both think is reasonable, like the end of NCC’s current season, or something like that.

[Gen_ruikt]

Im up for it if somebody gives me all the challanges in bulk its my first year competing

[Puzzling_Pelican]

@the_cryptographer_formerly_known_as_madness
On further thought, “y” and “a” (lowercase) are now in slightly more sensible places (switched with each other).
The ciphertext on the website has been updated along with the clues. The copy on the forums (will be released around 21st I believe?) will just have 3 “y”s instead of 3 “a”s, doesn’t change much except for a slight difference in the final key.
End of NCC sounds like a good deadline.

[Robb27]

@Puzzling_Pelican
I think I am going to have to give in and get a hint on your 5B. I’ve converted the numbers to text and have a normal ioc but with a non-normal letter frequency so assuming this is a transposition with a key substitution. But can I work out that transposition !!! Horizonal / vertical / block ??? With varying periods – even though the number of factors are quite small. My computer’s running hot with key substitutions on various text permutations. It feels like I have personally contributed a lot to global warming over this one 😉

[Puzzling_Pelican]

Mission 10B!

This is by far the hardest cipher this challenge and is far beyond anything you should expect to see in National Cipher Challenge.

As usual, clues are available on the main website. I strongly recommend using them, I don’t know how possible this is without at least a few clues (as evidenced by madness having yet to submit the answer).

XWmCR OCNUw 10Pm0 5WT1M AQXUC VAArX 7CP?N I12V2 HVGTS OTE2X UGNYH PTSQN I0TWN EPNA1 QVI0T NREW6 A2VIA OUO2M XOSXW O?INU EQXHO GWZYJ MCJX7 XZT5W 1YWNE WIHDN EWHSC oWBOC R9VnC 7OCXN AUOAU NSCPG YDBXN UI1NZ pG92O VDVX4 XNEYX NNEWH SCKQP GOCG0 BX2VZ WFWUE OSNCR EWXnA KFVE0 TVnX0 15WTF OAAKo GIAIS YTW6P OSQFN PNANT S7XZX ErZWF XNWHE KA6FC WXORA OTERT XTD6H TYSVC Z2SDT 67QNS OP2GV MEI7O C9RVS PTWXn T0FAS PTSEH FCCIT YZSRI NPYBR NEWXC wTXZA mMYTR ENNAH TYNVX 4PUTP C7EWN TO6XK PFQNL CAGWZ ZAHAO DWPXW XnpNI GWZGI SwXZA Xr7XZ H2VQO RB2ZX CNJPN LQNYW MW5TQ NFHCZ ECBHI RT0CN PLAOU CZ9PN A9SVN UXWNG 0LKT2 JV4XC ITTCS n0ZWN EISCA XRR9V C7OZ1 DYJMO XWQXW QFNPN ANTSP JUWXE YJCQP AP7TX HOXRT AUODY CQWVZ lQNST WYOIT LXSOX HOTWE RET2N JQWXA UOPIR OFVY1 B0ImD YCASP CYGPN AW9CX wZEWN 0LKYJ MOXWS XWCN= GWZSH WXRW0 AGCRN ZOPQU 0BENA HTMAE 0C1AC ISCPX W6GWZ 9EQSI ODTSY RCCZV CTOAN nCREX NUnWX GWZ1t OTWOm I0VAp WONNP SVIqI HDPpN lPZ2B Y6WAT 4NrV2 12SRP QW0GV ESACV Z2BFO VJN3X NUIK> CPSRN TXHOI PAT0W TILVQ Y1ZNG WZSNO CRTAV NSCPF OAVIG NTDMO 2ANUP NA0PV WYOT6 C6VOV NAERV 1ZCCL BCoNR PQVRX C7OSZ FO}CR XWOWY Z1DYJ MOXW4 VXCYD UONX1 JNOCm AT=NC ATULC AICTW 9CD1Z EHFVX HTmAN EWY1X mTAXC INREO C7AWQ OQRLO CZ2BP JNHTR ZD2NS TOWYN AT0LA OXSCA SAITN OCBEC XWQXS OSCPA DLVFQ AITTS EHTYL TIZ9I AKoGI AISYT W6IAo C1LIL TOIYR 9VASC JWFD9 WT9pC OTOXS ECXVI FCZYA XR21N VQ1ZF BUNAn TVIOR OCNPT SDTST RNV4X CITNO CA0TS IOELZ GISYH TQZSG OCG0B X2VRX BW5TO XWCAD JCYSU OOQ6U PpIFX LOC1I UYZRS nCOTE VyHWX CCTlI SYN7V XOHY1 XTACO RTPKS GWZOZ PPT7C ISXVA 1JYQT X0MLD 2ZTlX XwZRS NPBXC GOPOZ PLVXN UXWOC ONOVW NTS9N AVSEX 0EERV LCAIS GCWX1 ZNGWZ VACIN ?XZCF OAAKo GIAIS YTW6B ECFlW WETOC 7BVOI 0SoTN 82PIC AnXWO SIDYC X1KIP STCOC TZGWZ IAoUN OFQNn TV7US ERNTY HGWZ7 1IZmI GDFGW ZZAHX NBSVP VFQwT XCnNC ONQNA ICQNX YCZlI TpDNV TYHTN AANDT CO126 mI0ZA nTAoC VIMAE <I0TC IKoZG WZSNP ICNOC }AONN OCmAT 03N09 PROIY ZRTAn TCOCT ZD2ZP ZUOXS pYW10 XXMZB 2HBEC JoTTI CVHyR OCOE9 LPIVR XnUNA 9WWZF VApPZ UZ6AZ k2TUn SBX=N CBECG DYFQN 0PIRP QOIRW XCZbV DTSCU =2SMC NAQUE QWBQF NPNA0 PVHCZ LOCZ2 BASCS CFXFI XW6GW ZOZQA ITIVC SXAVA CRET1 T0LCQ 91PTA CPNAL OCENW 4NTRv CNV7A NDNFQ QJBVQ JSTPL VWEBW RTXPT 7GNYT YHRSN QYVCF BDLAI CAILU 0VEAC NLCAG WZCSN WQXAG WQVFQ 9XNTP QFVRX B5WTI 1SZ2B IUFF0 1VXHP WYBCX RENNE WpJ0X kONCn ASPQB JOXWW XnWZF VAp20 VNV7E BWSIO G2V1Z DNpPP JNHTR nVTBE CIZTV RXQ6O Z1NIP SP718 2PDXV FQVAR XEVRO VDVX4 XNEWU FGISS nCFQN FVIAU OVYQV P60LK X1ZO2 MXOSZ IV2IV CZVoW YGWZo WYNST GWZBZ 3lZPG IUZXw GWZ2K OYOCX K1BEC KSP0L KU0QG 2VERV YRZFX 0ZFBQ VFSNO CVAn9 VRPQM IXXZC OTNAS QTACO L1QFN PNAOC SCZVC TOYTD 0LKVZ MTAnT CO126 mI0Ap VoWYD 2Z2VI AVCTX 4QVW0 ML91P TACPN AZCVW OBNFQ QJBT2 JHIRS EVXSO AZmQ9 XWYO2 1SCIT WTOLI 1mJIT dVP7T WXnQR PIHDN EWGWZ VcZ2S 1QTXN TSTPS CVAAr XTVp0 LKU0P XWQH2 TSQNX WQXSO SCPHI SQVFW BS5WT CNAPB XNpCR PQW0G VESAC VZ2BG WZCPU REVMO 2FWNT 6ORBT CROCR EVODP LVNEW QPAP7 CA0TS CP82P DXV0I mlANX SOKoZ nAUON 7WXCY FlZXw VX4T5 WC9TA rXTVp TVNSC PLA0I OYAGW wXZAX r7XZo NUPI6 YZRCS P2FZK OCISC NTSVI FUOSL 1C82P 0IWCN SNOCm ATGIS SCnEV PQFV1 w2TAC PNAPI 7Z6AZ k2SCG GOCG0 BX2VC ZlLZE VZMWX nYB2B XNIWA NAHDY XN?IC oN1P9 A0TGI HnWX7 1IZmI GDFGW ZW5T0 9PXHO IAoUN OnSNI LUQVW SQ1LC 2nUNI FXNUn YQTEW N0LKY JMOXW NTnJS 2nTVE CBpVA GISwX ZTSEY QAUOS ZD1KO CPOSQ FNCVI OFVLC AGWZ0 QVIYE D2ICL oCARV P0QBX ZrAKC PHQA0 1TACD AXrFO AVIqI XFPNA OCSCZ VCTOA NlRZY =NCTN nV4XW XCVAC VIqWF JVRTC TO5TX SNOXN EWPYD NAW9N IFXTW 6GWZ4 NTm0Z 4VXET OSRTw XZ6WT NCPSQ NQ9XV ERPNA YAU6P CLZEX ZCTdV P7TUn NPXWI SCNTS TYHNF QCTOI WA7XZ AEPOQ R0PVT X4JCY 01TSN CEXTV XH6WT TQ7nB WISGC WXCRN GWZYJ MCJX7 XZnUT CNoG2 VTWER ETLAI BCX5W TQZOQ YVEWN TO6Ww AKOCX RTCNA SWB5T X2HVw AY2ZB KHEBS VLCAJ CYTW5 VX4XR TNXUI SGCWX 1P8YW LTYNG YDBXN CXFWX nWZFV ApOAU pVACI UYTXY 1BXWn bZVTZ CPNAO SNWwC nVTIW ACJXT 0FZCQ AQSLA ITJ2I W0OIY R9VO6 NCWXO VFWOX QZOFI U2GVC WFDYX X01TZ CAITN OSILU WEBAC IUXNP QRPZJ GWZSN PICNO C}XNU WTCYJ CVX4O SISCP Q9XVE RPNAZ CVBSW AVCFE HAUOC ITCPS 0QUJP VIX6T NEKCP YZR4X VI0SH 2VKOC HQT0P VX1ZZ bVBXP 7WAHT YLCAG WZSRU 0TV0C BFOAA KoGIA ISYTW 6BECG WZXRV PT7IO YUAnK OCKOC XO9CN =XWQX SOSCP TW5ZP UCPUI 1SSQN T0WTI LOIYV Q1oWY PWNCJ XVIq9 NACIT TCSTQ BREVP EASCP GWZoW YNST8 2PWEN CREQJ BpJ0T 6CY0O QTXTX RDARX WOXW6 GWZ9E QSIOD TSFVQ HISLI oNV7G XBXkO TAmCO TCZVQ ZSXSO DYCHT YNXUO UAAoZ HISQV FSPTS CIXZC IWA7X ZIRGN ACXHO QJBT1 0VRXC RNSQN C0NTR E4NTN IKSGT 0LKAY ~7TCW 5TK0T RTX7X ZBMXW 5TREC ZGWQX WQFNP NA0PV CXFmX WFOAA KoGIA ISYTW 6JTFX wAwXZ TPLCI TGNYT 0F0ML <I0TC IQFVJ U1EHF SOPIY EEMAX W6GWZ 2HVXR TECXV IFUOS L1C9X QVFQE XCOVD SNOXN EMAE< I0TCI KoZUA N5IZF X0GWZ SNOIC TZD21 2VOVF TD6qV IFQVn TVO6N lANCB EODT5 WTwAY ZGWQV FIADS BXPNA APVIS YEBNL EZ7WA AROPN A21UN V70Pm IYEPL UUONI SYNSQ ZYrDN VYJCV CSVIq TICPN AYAUT Vp6OV CoNGW ZYJMC JX7XZ FOVEC WT0pW 5TREC CITI1 SnUCI FXNUn W6XOX SpYWO PIV4X CITNO CCNmV nTCPU TCODY HPXWI SC21U mXWVA CVIqQ TXTPL IA[RU SGWZo WYNST VXHSE VIk2m I0PUN ANCVO 6CJXT YHTNA CTOJI mXWoC NUVIF mZJA0 T7COY 1VSQN NEBOI YRTXT D6HTY LCAGW ZYJMC JX7XZ FOVEC WAKoY WoAOY CEYX6 WWBSX HOFwA m0PNO 6TCOU CI6WT URBHV MTXRS PTCN> ABySI ODTSG OCWOB 1ZCCL BCoNQ JBMZX NPLCF HCUPP RQYQV YAUUA OUPpI FXDTU ONSMO 212SV YQIWA 7ZATB XQFVA 6FRXW lZPQA SAVC1 AY 

[Puzzling_Pelican]

@the_cryptographer_formerly_known_as_”the_cryptographer_formerly_known_as_madness”
I am happy for you to start adding solutions to the archive now if you would like.

Seeing the number of people who have taken the time to break some of my ciphers has brought me a huge amount of joy and has justified all the time spent designing them (how Harry, Jodie and the Elves manage to produce a challenge every year is insane). Thank you for being such an amazing community.

I will keep the website up for a few more months, but even after that, Madness has kindly archived the ciphertexts (and soon the solutions) on the NCC GitHub archive.

[_madness_]

@Puzzling_Pelican,

I’ll post them soon. In the meantime, can you help me understand how you decide to encipher CON as SNO and not CNO, OPC, or NTC?

[Puzzling_Pelican]

@madness
Odd and even rows of triangles (formed between letters) on the grid are treated differently. The row with the “CON” triangle uses the \ edge of the triangle to reflect in, while the row below (with CAT -> ACI) reflects in the / edge.
The best way to visualize how it works is to draw connections between pairs of 1×1 triangles that map to each other on the grid and it should produce a

\ \ \ \ \ \
/ / / / / /
\ \ \ \ \ \
/ / / / / /

pattern.
1×1 triangles were a very difficult edge case when designing this cipher and this was somehow the best rule I was able to come up with.

[Author]

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