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Secret Agents Hold Code-Breaking Contest

Posted by michael on from the rated-e-for-enigma dept.

Spudley writes "I just heard on the BBC that the British Government's not-so-secret code breaking organisation, GCHQ, has launched a little Christmas crypto challenge for all you budding secret agents. Should be fun to try it out... even if you're not brave enough to actually send in an entry."

7 of 228 comments (clear)

  1. Great by had3l · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Until someone posts the answer on slashdot.

  2. Job Opportunity? by mordors9 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I know it says you can win a book, but this smells like those Google job application tests that were in the magazines a few months back. Come up with enough correct answers on these tests and who knows....

  3. Re:interesting "puzzle" at most by wiggys · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Actually the purpose of this puzzle is to test your problem solving skills.

    They want to know that you are capable of thinking for yourself: maybe you know nothing about the differences between Blofish and AES. That doesn't matter. What does matter is you have a problem and can find a way to solve it.

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    Sorry, but my karma just ran over your dogma.

  4. Huh? by HarveyBirdman · · Score: 2, Insightful
    even if you're not brave enough to actually send in an entry."

    What's brave got to do with it? Is this more tinfoilhatism? I think it's a fun idea.

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    --- Ban humanity.
  5. Re:Don't enter if you're an American by 3terrabyte · · Score: 2, Insightful
    First thing that went through my mind was that the FBI would watch you for life under the Patriot Act. Or at least until this administration is over.

    All members of Moveon.Org please report to Guantanemo Bay!

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    Why are there only 19 people folding@home for slashdot?

  6. Re:ok learn from history... by AssFace · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I have written here how they have done it (it is a site I run):
    http://www.etraininglog.com/forums/viewtopi c.php?p id=28691#28691

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    There are some odd things afoot now, in the Villa Straylight.
  7. Re:how to solve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Except of course that different names have different cyphers. The cypher for Peter O'Toole is not the same as for Alec Guinness (ZGRT BPDIIRN) and Carrie Fisher (TZMMDR WDNCR), for example.