Vortexx2 wrote: ↑Wed Sep 25, 2019 2:13 pm
For the morbit code, are we given the key? I know we have to find the numbers based off of the key, but are we given what each of the numbers mean? Such as 1= . - , 2= -- , etc.?
I think we'd be given a keyword or part of a keyword, but it also could just be that we're given a few numbers
From the official rules, if we are given digits at least 6 of them must be given and we are given a keyword (state/nationals only btw) it must be at least 4 letters.
One reason why the suggested point values of pollux/morbit ciphers are low is because you can just eliminate some possibilities through morse and brute force the other solutions. I wouldn't recommend spending that much time on these because the morse code table is given, just know one x separates letters while two x's separates words.
University of Texas at Austin '23
Cypress Lakes High School '19
Chemistry Lab, Codebusters, Game On, Science Word, Towers, We've Got Your Number
Anyone have some good tips for solving patristocrats without any hints? Looking for word patterns and replacing letters based on frequency still fails on some problems for me. Patristocrats without hints are the one thing I'm terrified of...
MacintoshJosh wrote: ↑Mon Sep 30, 2019 2:46 pm
Anyone have some good tips for solving patristocrats without any hints? Looking for word patterns and replacing letters based on frequency still fails on some problems for me. Patristocrats without hints are the one thing I'm terrified of...
There's a reason why a patristocrat without a hint is considered the hardest and therefore given the maximum amount of points if it is able to be solved. No spaces, and also no hints to be able to easily guess the letter frequency.
Honestly word patterns and checking frequency is almost always the best solution because there's a slight chance of revealing something. Other than that, plugging frequent letters (ETAOIN) could also be a mess because of the variability. If the quotes and solutions in the test happen to correlate to one another (it might happen depending on the test writer) than it can be somewhat easier to guess.
Besides, there's probably going to be at most one of them on the test so you shouldn't need to worry about them too much, a possibly strategy is to try to solve that one last so all of your teammates can work together. Focus more on the timed question and getting it early enough so that perhaps not being able to solve that pesky patristocrat wouldn't matter as much because of the bonus points from the timed question.
University of Texas at Austin '23
Cypress Lakes High School '19
Chemistry Lab, Codebusters, Game On, Science Word, Towers, We've Got Your Number
Nyerr wrote: ↑Tue Oct 01, 2019 4:14 pm
Can some one help me figure out this question? Its from the 2019 Princeton Codebusters Exam.
Decrypt this message using the Vigenère cypher
G N G Q C K EV
Do you have any hint?
Boca Raton High School -> Georgia Tech
It's About Time writer/co-writer: Golden Gate, Georgia States
Ping Pong Parachute co-ES: MIT
Florida Game On C and Fermi Questions C champion! and Circuit Lab too I guess
Nope. That's all they gave us. I have the answer key and everything i just dont know how they got that answer.
You sure that was all they gave you? I don't think solving a Vigenère without any hints or a crib is even possible. The key could be literally anything...
Nope. That's all they gave us. I have the answer key and everything i just dont know how they got that answer.
You sure that was all they gave you? I don't think solving a Vigenère without any hints or a crib is even possible. The key could be literally anything...
You actually can by figuring out what the key is by looking for coincidences between rows of shifts...et cetera. Theres a good video by Theoretically that explains it well. But yea. Just that ciphertext with nothing else.
Nyerr wrote: ↑Tue Oct 01, 2019 6:42 pm
You actually can by figuring out what the key is by looking for coincidences between rows of shifts...et cetera. Theres a good video by Theoretically that explains it well. But yea. Just that ciphertext with nothing else.
Not with 8 letters of cyphertext, you can't. Sure, with a long cyphertext you can break Vigenere with frequency analysis techniques, but if all you have is an 8 letter cyphertext, your key could easily be 8 letters, and what you have is an encryption with an unknown one-time pad. By construction, that is unbreakable.
Sure - you could guess an 8 letter answer (Olympiad, perhaps) but all answers are achievable.
Nyerr wrote: ↑Tue Oct 01, 2019 6:42 pm
You actually can by figuring out what the key is by looking for coincidences between rows of shifts...et cetera. Theres a good video by Theoretically that explains it well. But yea. Just that ciphertext with nothing else.
Not with 8 letters of cyphertext, you can't. Sure, with a long cyphertext you can break Vigenere with frequency analysis techniques, but if all you have is an 8 letter cyphertext, your key could easily be 8 letters, and what you have is an encryption with an unknown one-time pad. By construction, that is unbreakable.
Sure - you could guess an 8 letter answer (Olympiad, perhaps) but all answers are achievable.
Olympiad was actually the answer! You're right, thats the issue i encountered. So why would they put an unsolvable question on a test? Or are they testing how clever we are...
