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200-Year-Old Cipher Finally Cracked

Posted by timothy on from the castle-aaaaaaaagh dept.

Attila Dimedici writes "A code expert just cracked a code used by a friend of Thomas Jefferson in a letter written to Jefferson some 200 years ago. This code is fairly easy to crack using a computer, but extremely difficult without one. I think it would have been much harder if the author had not included an indication as to what code algorithm he used in the letter accompanying the coded message."

13 of 141 comments (clear)

  1. Contents of message by wjousts · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Hey Jefferson, you might want to try keeping it in your pants. I saw that slave girl today and she's starting to show. People will start asking questions."

  2. Re:Wake me when the Voynich is cracked by Em+Emalb · · Score: 2, Funny

    Dude, the Voynich manuscript has been cracked.

    It's a variation of the GNAA first post troll.

    Sorry to burst your bubble.

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  3. Re:tl;dr by morgan_greywolf · · Score: 5, Funny

    FTFA:

    After about a week of working on the puzzle, the numerical key to Mr. Patterson's cipher emerged -- 13, 34, 57, 65, 22, 78, 49.

    Hey! That's the combination to my luggage!

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  4. lotto... by Narnie · · Score: 2, Funny

    After about a week of working on the puzzle, the numerical key to Mr. Patterson's cipher emerged -- 13, 34, 57, 65, 22, 78, 49.

    This week's lotto numbers, here I come!!!

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  5. Re:Biggest letdown ever by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    I know, I was expecting something profound like "drink more ovaltine please".

  6. Re:just cracked?? by bitt3n · · Score: 4, Funny

    A code expert just cracked a code

    The article says "After unlocking its hidden message in 2007". This is hardly 'just'. The solution was more recently published though. Interesting article.

    he's obviously using the same definition of "just" that I use when I tell my wife I just took out the garbage so get off my back

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  7. The trick was finding the decoder ring by rev_sanchez · · Score: 4, Funny

    The message was: "Be sure to drink your Ovaltine."

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  8. Fine, but... by 93+Escort+Wagon · · Score: 3, Funny

    ... it's not going to do much good for President Jefferson at this point.

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  9. Could have been done earlier by houghi · · Score: 5, Funny

    ... but they had to wait for the copyright to expire.

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  10. Re:tl;dr by mobby_6kl · · Score: 3, Funny

    Phnglui mglwnafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgahnagl fhtagn!

  11. Re:Wake me when the Voynich is cracked by Canazza · · Score: 3, Funny

    Lorem Ipsum dolor sit amet...

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  12. Re:Biggest letdown ever by Cross-Threaded · · Score: 2, Funny

    You'll shoot your eye out kid...

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  13. Re:tl;dr by V!NCENT · · Score: 2, Funny

    13, 34, 57, 65, 22, 78, 49?! That's what an idiot would have on his luggage!

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