GCHQ Challenge

TheBlueRaja · 17-12-2004, 15:42

http://www.gchq.gov.uk/codebreaking/index.html

Dont ask me i dont know....

Alan Waddington · 17-12-2004, 16:03

Assuming its a substitution cypher, then a dictionary attack on the first names would be a good start. We already know all the first names in the left list are male & those in the second list are female, so that's even more help. Hopefully that would then give enough letters for a manual attack on the surnames. Another avenue would be frequency analysis, but it might not work too well on names.

I assume the connections between the men and women are more general knowledge. As for the hidden quotation. Well it's certainly hidden.

Trouble is, it's all too much effort, especially after a superb christmas lunch (Thai if you were wondering).

Alan

greencreeper · 17-12-2004, 21:33

If you look at the first challenge you will see that the "A=T" approach is too simple, and therefore looking for common letters, trial and error and so on just won't work. I've had a fiddle and given it up as impossible unless you have a PhD in mathematics from Oxford

[edit] I think I may be on to something but I can't work out the algorithm - it's complicated. I can see me being up all night

Richard M · 17-12-2004, 23:55

I solved it ages ago...

greencreeper · 18-12-2004, 14:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard M

I solved it ages ago...

Raise your hand if you believe him

Richard M · 18-12-2004, 14:42

It's easy, take the name BZGZD A'GAANZ and look what it turns into:

Peter O'Toole

So A => O and work the rest out from there.

EDIT: These might help - ftp://ftp.funet.fi/pub/crypt/

A couple more are:
cwuifblsk hsogsb - Sigourney Weaver
dgofbl aguczd - Nicole Kidman

TheBlueRaja · 19-12-2004, 13:29

OOOOOooooooo!!

Smarty pants!!

Aragorn · 19-12-2004, 16:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard M

It's easy, take the name BZGZD A'GAANZ and look what it turns into:

Peter O'Toole

So A => O and work the rest out from there.

EDIT: These might help - ftp://ftp.funet.fi/pub/crypt/

A couple more are:
cwuifblsk hsogsb - Sigourney Weaver
dgofbl aguczd - Nicole Kidman

Am I missing something here?

Where do you get from BZGZD A'GAANZ to Peter O'Toole? Guess work?

Also in Peter O'Toole Z => E, but in Weaver S => E and again in Nicole L => E

Three (or more) different encryptions within the same puzzle

I can only assume they don't want you to solve this without the number crunchers you linked to!

iadom · 21-12-2004, 19:15

It has been officially solved by at least two people ( didn't mention Richard M)

from todays paper.

GCHQ code is no challenge,

The Christmas code-breaking challenge set by GCHQ, the signal intelligence agency, has been solved by two people two days after it was unveiled on its website.

The agency had set a deadline of Jan 27 for breaking the code because of its difficulty. It can be found at www.gchq.gov.uk

TheBlueRaja · 21-12-2004, 19:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard M

It's easy, take the name BZGZD A'GAANZ and look what it turns into:

Peter O'Toole

So A => O and work the rest out from there.

EDIT: These might help - ftp://ftp.funet.fi/pub/crypt/

A couple more are:
cwuifblsk hsogsb - Sigourney Weaver
dgofbl aguczd - Nicole Kidman

THIS MAN IS A FRAUD!!!!

paulyoung666 · 21-12-2004, 19:37

i wonder if the ppl who solve it will be offered anything

iadom · 21-12-2004, 20:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by paulyoung666

i wonder if the ppl who solve it will be offered anything

A life !!!

greencreeper · 22-12-2004, 01:12

If we don't hear from Richard again, we know they've come for him and recruited him.

**Paul M** · 22-12-2004, 01:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by greencreeper

If we don't hear from Richard again, we know they've come for him and recruited him.

Do they wear white coats in GCHQ ? - I heard some men in such attire had taken him away .....

greencreeper · 22-12-2004, 19:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul M

Do they wear white coats in GCHQ ? - I heard some men in such attire had taken him away .....