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Queen Elizabeth Sets a Code-Breaking Challenge

Posted by samzenpus on from the we-like-a-challenge dept.

mikejuk writes "Queen Elizabeth II has made her first ever visit to Bletchley Park, the home of the UK's World War II code-breaking efforts and now a museum. To mark the occasion, the Queen has issued a code cracking challenge of her own — 'the Agent X Code Book Challenge' — aimed at getting children interested in cryptography. Perhaps a royal programming or general technology challenge is next."

132 comments

  1. Obligatory: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

    God Save the Queen

    1. Re:Obligatory: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm Australian and what is this?

    2. Re:Obligatory: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Awww, no HTML5 version for the flashless? I'm missing out...

    3. Re:Obligatory: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm Australian and what is this?

      It matters not. She is your queen!

  2. Recruiting? by Chrisq · · Score: 4, Funny

    Everyone knows that the Royal Family has close links to Torchwood. Perhaps this is a recruitment drive. (count me out, I'll be buggered if I work with Captain Jack)

    1. Re:Recruiting? by 2muchcoffeeman · · Score: 4, Funny

      Yeah, you and everyone else that works there.

      --
      Prevent Windows piracy. Use Linux instead.
    2. Re:Recruiting? by Arancaytar · · Score: 1

      I'll be buggered if I work with Captain Jack

      Indeed.

      On a similar note, I notice that the TARDIS /. uses to represent UK news is still the wrong color.

    3. Re:Recruiting? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'll be buggered if I work with Captain Jack)

      Correct, you will be.

    4. Re:Recruiting? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If you worked with Captain Jack you probably would be . . .

    5. Re:Recruiting? by Kangburra · · Score: 1

      I'll be buggered if I work with Captain Jack

      Ever the optimist! :-)

      --
      Common sense is not so common
    6. Re:Recruiting? by stupid_is · · Score: 4, Informative

      errr - that's not a tardis (hope this isn't a "swoosh" moment, it's a regular old-style public phone box (booth). You don't see them about much, although a while back an enterprising sculptor put a dozen together like this and flogged it to my local council for several tens of thousands of quid.

      The tardis is supposed to be a police telephone box, which has a different design and colour like this. These boxes also contained equipment other than a phone - such as a first aid kit and an incident book.

      On a last pedantic note, there were red police boxes in Glasgow, Scotland, for a time.

      --
      -- Intelligence is soluble in alcohol
    7. Re:Recruiting? by Darinbob · · Score: 1

      Of course, far less sex happens in Torchwood than in a true governmental agency.

    8. Re:Recruiting? by Darinbob · · Score: 1

      That's clearly the visitor's entrance to the Ministry of Magic.

    9. Re:Recruiting? by CTU · · Score: 0

      /. should change the icon to a TARDIS :)

    10. Re:Recruiting? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      errr - that's not a tardis (hope this isn't a "swoosh" moment, it's a regular old-style public phone box (booth). You don't see them about much, although a while back an enterprising sculptor put a dozen together like this and flogged it to my local council for several tens of thousands of quid.

      The tardis is supposed to be a police telephone box, which has a different design and colour like this. These boxes also contained equipment other than a phone - such as a first aid kit and an incident book.

      On a last pedantic note, there were red police boxes in Glasgow, Scotland, for a time.

      There were Red Police Boxes, everywhere in Scotland and not just Glasgow. Being born and bred in the " beautiful green place " I feel another correction is in order, in Glasgow there were no Police Boxes at all , they were called " Polis Cubbies".
      P.S. The real location of Torchwood is in Glasgow Green, but you have to close your eyes to see it.

  3. Secret Code Answer... by bradorsomething · · Score: 2

    All I got was:

    "Hellooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo"

    when I translated the answer.

    1. Re:Secret Code Answer... by Spacezilla · · Score: 2

      Thank you for at least not making the same old Ovaltine joke.

    2. Re:Secret Code Answer... by 93+Escort+Wagon · · Score: 1

      All I got was: "Hellooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo" when I translated the answer.

      You used the wrong salt. The correct answer is: "We are NOT amused."

      --
      #DeleteChrome
    3. Re:Secret Code Answer... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Salt is so last century. I prefer the natural flavor of hash.

    4. Re:Secret Code Answer... by Professr3 · · Score: 1

      Did the "hellooooooo" continue on the back of the card and end in a phone number?

    5. Re:Secret Code Answer... by c0mpliant · · Score: 2

      Salt my hash please. Otherwise the rainbow will get me!

      --
      There is no -1 disagree
    6. Re:Secret Code Answer... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Drink more Twinings?

    7. Re:Secret Code Answer... by SEWilco · · Score: 1

      Thank you for at least not making the same old Ovaltine joke.

      There is no old Ovaltine. We were all commanded to drink it by our secret overlords.

    8. Re:Secret Code Answer... by dave420 · · Score: 1

      Mod points! Mod points! My kingdom for mod points!!!

  4. no to hacking for cops by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    she basically knows no one is helping them like they used to cause they keep extraditing all the peeps that can do anything.

  5. the intellectual side of WWII by G3ckoG33k · · Score: 5, Informative

    Bletchley Park appears to be safe for now. Here are some previous Slashdot headlines:

    2011
    Queen Elizabeth Sets a Code-Breaking Challenge
    Tunny Code-Breaker Rebuilt At Bletchley Park
    Campaign Saves Unique Turing Archive
    EDSAC Computer To Be Rebuilt

    2010
    Fight Begins To Secure Turing Papers For Bletchley Park Museum
    'Retro Programming' Teaches Using 1980s Machines
    UK Gov't Spending Details Now Online

    2009
    Bletchley Park WWII Staff Finally Recognized
    No Museum Status For UK Home of Enigma Machine
    Old Computers Resurrected As Instruments At Bletchley Park

    2008
    Cash Lifeline For Bletchley Park
    PGP Leads Corporate Efforts To Save Bletchley Park
    Bletchley Park Faces Financial Rescue
    Bletchley Park Facing Financial Ruin

    While I realize one cannot have every building associated with victory in WWII saved, it is nice to see recognition of the intellectual side of it. Are there more dedicated sites of this kind around the world?

    1. Re:the intellectual side of WWII by Nursie · · Score: 5, Insightful

      It is good to hear isn't it?

      Finally the old place is getting some attention. I've been there a couple of times now. it's a great old place, it was important for the war, and it's something of a spiritual home for the computer.

      Colossus may not have been the very first (there was a german machine?) and it was certainly kept secret for far too long after the war, but some lasting good leaked out of it through Turing's papers. It was one of a series of false starts that slowly, eventually led us here.

      Of course the pioneer, the early bright light of our field was hounded to death for being gay, a man who had saved many lives and sped the end of the war. If there is one thing that should tell us homophobia is *bad* this is it.

    2. Re:the intellectual side of WWII by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      (there was a german machine?)

      The Zuse Z1. Not that it was put to anything like the use Colossus was...

    3. Re:the intellectual side of WWII by Captain+Hook · · Score: 1

      Of course the pioneer, the early bright light of our field was hounded to death for being gay, a man who had saved many lives and sped the end of the war. If there is one thing that should tell us homophobia is *bad* this is it.

      Indeed, he commited suicide with Cyanide, besides his body was a half eaten apple which it is speculated was how turing took the Cyanide although the apple itself was never tested.

      It is rumoured that the original Apple Computers logo, a rainbow colored Apple with a bite taken out of it was a reference to this but I don't think it's every been confirmed one way or another by anyone who would have known for sure.

      --
      These comments are my personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the other voices in my head.
    4. Re:the intellectual side of WWII by hackertourist · · Score: 1

      Unlikely. The original Apple logo was an elaborate drawing of Newton sitting under an apple tree. That evolved into just the apple symbol (white, then rainbow-colored, then white again).

    5. Re:the intellectual side of WWII by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Colossus may not have been the very first (there was a german machine?)

      There is another.

    6. Re:the intellectual side of WWII by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Bah Bletchly Park - what did they ever do for the war effort? - Every one knows The Americans broke the Enigma code by raiding U51!

    7. Re:the intellectual side of WWII by rbrausse · · Score: 1

      The original Apple logo was an elaborate drawing of Newton sitting under an apple tree

      for us lazy slashdotters: click here for the logo

    8. Re:the intellectual side of WWII by standbypowerguy · · Score: 1

      Are there more dedicated sites of this kind around the world?

      Yes there are, but in those countries, if they show them to you, they have to kill you.

      --
      This isn't the sig you're looking for... Move along.
    9. Re:the intellectual side of WWII by deains · · Score: 1

      I think Jobs refuted that rumour a while back. Would be pretty clever/awesome if it was actually true though.

    10. Re:the intellectual side of WWII by deains · · Score: 1

      Actually, they'll just encrypt your brain.

    11. Re:the intellectual side of WWII by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      .... it was certainly kept secret for far too long after the war ...

      One of the things that I lerned from the Bletchley Park museum that I didn't already know, was the fact that they continued selling enigma derived machines to various governments around the world until the 70s - they have some examples in the collection. The fact that GCHQ could break them was probably considered worth keeping secret.

    12. Re:the intellectual side of WWII by cavreader · · Score: 1

      I know you are trolling but it was not the US or England who made the biggest contributions to understanding enigma. It was 3 Polish scientists who had gotten hold of an Enigma machine when Germany was only using it for securing business activities. The scientists were able to get the machine and their research results into English hands just days before they were conquered. England rightfully deserves credit for their work but the Polish were responsible for giving them a substantial head start.

    13. Re:the intellectual side of WWII by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I thought the computational machines used where also of a polish design. Seem the Poles were quite advanced in the field of crypto in the 30's

    14. Re:the intellectual side of WWII by Dogtanian · · Score: 1

      Unlikely. The original Apple logo was an elaborate drawing of Newton sitting under an apple tree. That evolved into just the apple symbol (white, then rainbow-colored, then white again).

      Besides which, rainbow-coloured stripes were a very common design motif in the 1970s. Even Activision (who were founded at the end of the decade) had rainbow stripes in the original version of their logo! The gay rights movement may have felt it somewhat appropriate, but they weren't the only people using it at the time, and I doubt that was the primary connotation when Apple first chose the rainbow logo.

      It's like how people associate chucka-wucka guitar basslines with porn- because porn first rose to prominence during the 70s when that was a relatively common musical style (albeit one that suited porn quite well). Had it arrived in the 1980s, it's likely we'd associate synthesisers with porn instead.

      --
      "Slashdot - News and Chat Sites Deviant". (Click "homepage" link above for details).
    15. Re:the intellectual side of WWII by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Turing's most important paper, on computable numbers, which described what we now call the Universal Turing Machine, was published in 1936-1937, as was his follow-up paper showing that the UTM was equivalent to Church's lambda calculus, leading us (via Kleene) to the Church-Turing Thesis and the mathematical basis of computing. These obviously predated his involvement with Bletchley Park . His paper on the design of a stored-program computer from 1946 and his paper presenting the Turing test in 1950, on the other hand, can be credited to the demand for computing that the Bletchley Park program and similar projects in WWII, and the Cold War, provided.

    16. Re:the intellectual side of WWII by AvitarX · · Score: 1

      I think they rebuilt it uses French documents, rather than stole the machine.

      --
      Wow, sent an e-mail as suggested when clicking on "use classic" banner, and got a fast response that addressed my msg
    17. Re:the intellectual side of WWII by greghodg · · Score: 0

      Porn has sound?!!

    18. Re:the intellectual side of WWII by Dogtanian · · Score: 1

      Porn has sound?!!

      Yes, it's generally godawful cheesy and unconvincing dubbed crap, which is exactly *why* I normally make sure the sound is off when I watch porn. :-)

      --
      "Slashdot - News and Chat Sites Deviant". (Click "homepage" link above for details).
    19. Re:the intellectual side of WWII by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Colossus may not have been the very first (there was a german machine?)

      Zuse's machines were not electronic, they were electromechanical (as was, e.g. the Harvard MkI).

      Colossus was the world's first digital, electronic computer.

      and it was certainly kept secret for far too long after the war, but some lasting good leaked out of it through Turing's papers.

      Turing was not involved with the design or building of Colossus and didn't write about it, so I don't know what you're referring to here.

      It was one of a series of false starts that slowly, eventually led us here.

      In what sense was Colossus a "false start"?

      I suggest you read Paul Gannon's book on Colossus.

    20. Re:the intellectual side of WWII by cavreader · · Score: 1

      I am not sure where they got their original machine but at the time it was being used by the Germans to secure their business communications. The military started using the machine after it was proven effective. At the time Germany was not yet at war and their security precautions were weak compared to their war time security precautions and I believe that made it easier for someone to get hold of.

    21. Re:the intellectual side of WWII by Nursie · · Score: 1

      I know Turing didn't build colossus, didn't know he wasn't involved at all in the design.

      It was a false start to me in that, brilliant as it was, it was not allowed to feed into continuing development of what we now know as computers and the computer industry because it was hidden, denied and dismantled. It's easy to say with hindsight that this put back progress for some time, however we obviously know a lot more about the potential of computers now. That's all. Not a false start as in wrong, or bad, just one that was not allowed to flourish.

      You're right, I should read more about it.

  6. She's lookin' pretty good these days... by mark_elf · · Score: 0

    I'd hit it like a retard on a drumset.

    1. Re:She's lookin' pretty good these days... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      erratically for a minute or two, then you'd wander off?

    2. Re:She's lookin' pretty good these days... by bberens · · Score: 1

      That's what she said.

      --
      Check out my lame java blog at www.javachopshop.com
    3. Re:She's lookin' pretty good these days... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Isn't that how everyone hits it pretty much? I mean, professional porn stars aside.

  7. the next Alan Turing? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    fjsdkfljsdfkj13482394mfkldjcfkasufiequri32uri

    don't spend too much time trying to crack the above code. It was created by my pet chimpanzee.......

    1. Re:the next Alan Turing? by rbrausse · · Score: 1

      the first line of "The Tragedy of King Lear"?

    2. Re:the next Alan Turing? by eln · · Score: 1

      "It was the best of times, it was the blurst of times?!" You stupid monkey!

  8. GCHQ staff in UK schools seeking 'future spies' by AHuxley · · Score: 0

    The UK has long lost it White Russian and ~ww2/cold war mass draft like testing generation to find needed languages.
    So the GCHQ will reach out to schools with "ambassadors" to make maths, crypto ect. seem fun and help with languages of long term national interest like Russian and Arabic.
    GCHQ staff teach 'future spies' in schools (March 2011) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-12675368
    A challenge just builds on a basic need for finding the next generation of gifted young people. Getting them young also allows better filtering and testing for a future "Katharine Gun".
    GCHQ translator cleared over leak http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/3485072.stm

    --
    Domestic spying is now "Benign Information Gathering"
  9. Enigma (2001) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Today I watched Enigma (2001) starring Kate Winslet, Saffron Burrows, and a bunch of Brits most Americans won't recognize.

    The DVD transfer is *terrible* but the movie is definitely worth watching.

    1. Re:Enigma (2001) by leenks · · Score: 1

      Except, in true American film style, it takes extreme liberties with the facts. It wasn't even filmed at Bletchley Park either - which was criminal IMO (supposedly Bletchley Park didn't look enough like Bletchley Park so they used Chicheley Hall instead).

    2. Re:Enigma (2001) by _Shad0w_ · · Score: 1

      Some of the scenes were shot at the Royal Gunpowder Mills in Waltham Abbey, which during the war was actually used for the production of RDX (used in bouncing bombs).

      It became EDRE Waltham Abbey and then PERME Waltham Abbey after the war. Final stage its life it became RARDE Waltham Abbey in 1984, until it closed in 1991. The site was actually in use for over 300 for the production of explosives or research in to them.

      --

      Yeah, I had a sig once; I got bored of it.

    3. Re:Enigma (2001) by Sulphur · · Score: 1

      Except, in true American film style, it takes extreme liberties with the facts. It wasn't even filmed at Bletchley Park either - which was criminal IMO (supposedly Bletchley Park didn't look enough like Bletchley Park so they used Chicheley Hall instead).

      Secret identity?

  10. Saw it on the news by Hognoxious · · Score: 1

    Apparently the operations at Bletchley were so secret that during the war Princess Elizabeth (as she then was) didn't even know they existed.

    She was probably considered a security risk due to all those German relatives.

    --
    Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
    1. Re:Saw it on the news by VortexCortex · · Score: 1

      Much like the President of the US. At most he'll be around only for 8 years as the head of the Armed Forces... Can't afford to tell him everything, so he's just kept safe unless that's not on the agenda...

      Additionally, other than Zaphod-Beeblebroxism I can't understand why the US places so much importance on their president... They can't even make laws -- Wouldn't it be better if the pres actually served in an armed force prior to election as chief commander?

      At least royalty has "royal blood", and congress or parliament can make laws when they need to -- It seems that presidents truly are being elected for no other reason than their distractive capabilities...

      RIP D. Adams

    2. Re:Saw it on the news by _Shad0w_ · · Score: 1

      British government has always operated under the concept of "need to know", she didn't need to know, so she wasn't told. Her father, on the other hand, may have known. The monarch has the right to be consulted, to encourage and to warn, the heir apparent doesn't.

      --

      Yeah, I had a sig once; I got bored of it.

    3. Re:Saw it on the news by tehcyder · · Score: 1

      Apparently the operations at Bletchley were so secret that during the war Princess Elizabeth (as she then was) didn't even know they existed.

      She was probably considered a security risk due to all those German relatives.

      But what possible reason could she have had for needing to know about Bletchley Park?

      --
      To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
    4. Re:Saw it on the news by MattBecker82 · · Score: 2

      OT but Princess Elizabeth was never heir apparent. As with all female heirs to the British throne, she was heir presumptive, as in theory she could have moved down the order of succession if a younger brother had come along. Notwithstanding that this would have been unlikely given her mother's age (52 at the time of QE2's succession).

      Isn't male-preference primogeniture wonderful?

    5. Re:Saw it on the news by DagdaMor · · Score: 1

      Princess Elizabeth was never the Heir Apparent as there was always possiblilty of a son taking her place, so she was only Heir Presumptive.

      --
      All is fair in love and war... ...as long as I'm not losing!
    6. Re:Saw it on the news by black+soap · · Score: 1

      Additionally, other than Zaphod-Beeblebroxism I can't understand why the US places so much importance on their president... They can't even make laws -- Wouldn't it be better if the pres actually served in an armed force prior to election as chief commander?

      No, that's not likely to lead to any sort of elitism or discrimination.....

    7. Re:Saw it on the news by Hognoxious · · Score: 1

      Fair point, I suppose a driver in the ATS didn't need to know things like that. But if one doodlebug had landed in a different place...

      --
      Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
    8. Re:Saw it on the news by BitZtream · · Score: 1

      No, that's not likely to lead to any sort of elitism or discrimination.....

      Yea, god for bid we run that slight risk rather than have someone in office that actually know how the miltary works.

      WTF kind of illogical thought pattern gets you to the point that you think the guy in charge of an organization should be the guy who knows absolutely nothing at all about it?

      Its should be a legal requirement to have served in the armed forces in order to be president.

      --
      Persistent Volume manager for Kubernetes - https://github.com/dwimsey/openshift-pvmanager
    9. Re:Saw it on the news by black+soap · · Score: 1

      Maybe we should have the Commander in Chief be a civilian position, as the founders intended? Maybe we should read more than one Heinlein novel? Maybe we should learn to spell before posting /. comments?

    10. Re:Saw it on the news by standbypowerguy · · Score: 1

      I can't understand why the US places so much importance on their president... They can't even make laws --

      No, they can't make laws. But they can and do veto the laws that Congress makes, so they have considerable political influence. They also control the federal government's executive branch, so they and the cabinet ministers under them wield substantial real power, up to the limits imposed by the constitution and enacted law.

      Wouldn't it be better if the pres actually served in an armed force prior to election as chief commander?

      I don't think so. Despite the fact that it would help immensely for the C in C to have first-hand military experience, it would also exclude a whole pool of folks who for whatever reason haven't served in the military. The founding fathers got this right. The only two constitutional restrictions for presidential candidates a native-born citizen at least 35 years of age.

      --
      This isn't the sig you're looking for... Move along.
    11. Re:Saw it on the news by TheLink · · Score: 1

      No, I don't really see much benefit from that.

      I propose that a referendum is mandatory before a country starts any "offensive military action" (genuine defence is different).

      If the referendum does not pass (say 66% of _total_ eligible_ voters must vote for war), all the political leaders that proposed the military action are put on death-row, and at a convenient time another referendum is held.

      If that second "redemption" referendum does not pass, those political leaders are executed.

      If it later turns out the military action was a actually a very good idea, the executed political leaders get "purple heart" awards, everyone makes nice remarks about them and a few tears are shed.

      If it later turns out that a "defensive war" was not actually defence, or enough people believe the leaders tricked them into the war, there is another referendum and the leaders are put on death row, etc etc.

      With my proposal our leaders can still lead soldiers into battle in this modern day and age. And they are far more believable when they claim the war is necessary and worth the lives and cost (and worth killing masses on the other side too) - because they put their own lives on the line first.

      The other benefit is the side being attacked can with a clearer conscience wipe out your country by whatever means necessary - civilians and all. Hey most of you voted for the war right? So you're no longer mere civilians dragged into an unwanted war by your leaders.

      This seems much fairer and better to me.

      --
    12. Re:Saw it on the news by anyGould · · Score: 1

      I don't think so. Despite the fact that it would help immensely for the C in C to have first-hand military experience, it would also exclude a whole pool of folks who for whatever reason haven't served in the military. The founding fathers got this right. The only two constitutional restrictions for presidential candidates a native-born citizen at least 35 years of age.

      Not to mention that the presumption is that a president has access to the best experts available. In the case of military matters, the Joint Chiefs.

      And if I had to pick a field of expertise for our leader, I'd rather have an economist than a soldier these days.

    13. Re:Saw it on the news by TheRaven64 · · Score: 1

      I disagree. Experienced soldiers tend to know that war is a bad idea. Economists think it is good for stimulating growth...

      --
      I am TheRaven on Soylent News
  11. Credit where credit's due... by Jimbob+The+Mighty · · Score: 0

    How lovely. Has she paid her respects to Alan Turing yet?

    1. Re:Credit where credit's due... by Psychotria · · Score: 3, Informative

      How lovely. Has she paid her respects to Alan Turing yet?

      Umm yes. In the linked video.

    2. Re:Credit where credit's due... by treeves · · Score: 1

      She mentions him by name, but that's about it.

      --
      ...the future crusty old bastards are already drinking the Kool-Aid.
  12. Seventh code answer... by FTL · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Basically it's a two-bit finite state machine and a pair of lookup tables.

    "Can you list all the 16 countries of which her majesty is the queen?"

    --
    Slashdot monitor for your Mozilla sidebar or Active Desktop.
    1. Re:Seventh code answer... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Wow, you solved a puzzle aimed at 12 year olds. Would you like some cake?

    2. Re:Seventh code answer... by Erbo · · Score: 2

      Wow, you solved a puzzle aimed at 12 year olds. Would you like some cake?

      I understand that this offer may not be entirely the truth.

      --
      Be who you are...and be it in style!
    3. Re:Seventh code answer... by symes · · Score: 1

      I would imagine posting anything like a puzzle on slashdot would attract attention and get solved fairly quickly, whether it is for 4 year olds or at the other extreme and devilishly difficult. Those of us who like to solve puzzles do so because we enjoy solving puzzles, not for the prospect of cake.

    4. Re:Seventh code answer... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Thanks a lot for spoiling the fun of the kids that the contest is actually intended for.
      Thanks a lot for enabling script kidiies (google kiddies, really) to run away with the reward without actually understanding why.

    5. Re:Seventh code answer... by kyz · · Score: 1

      Wow, you're good at this. Next task: can you decode this one?

      --
      Does my bum look big in this?
    6. Re:Seventh code answer... by GrahamCox · · Score: 1

      I bet you're a bundle of fun at kids' parties.

    7. Re:Seventh code answer... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hmm, certainly, as you know [insert Portal reference here].

    8. Re:Seventh code answer... by CraftyJack · · Score: 1

      I enjoy solving puzzles, but I'm not gonna turn down cake.

    9. Re:Seventh code answer... by geminidomino · · Score: 1

      No, I'll have the "death", please.

  13. To tell or not to tell the plaintext, that is the by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The royal code has been broken. The resulting plaintext is an admission that the real author of "shakespearean" stage works was Edward de Vere, the 16th Earl of Oxford, first-born illegitimate son of Queen Elisabeth I, who incestously fathered the Earl of Southampton, "Fair Youth" of the sonnets, with her mother.

    The code challenge and the riddle was meant to pre-empt the screening of Anonymous, an autumn-bound movie of Roland Emmerich which uncovers the truth behind de Vere of Stratford-upon-Arden and the amateur actor of Stratford-upon-Avon, named William Shakespeare, who fronted for him.

  14. Maybe do Math and balance Budget instead? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Find Banksters, string up? No?

  15. Such a pity by Psychotria · · Score: 0

    That Alan Turing was not recognised for his achievements before he was, basically, condemned to death by that same government/monarchy.

    1. Re:Such a pity by leenks · · Score: 1

      Same monarchy (though basically puppets now), but definitely not the same Government.

    2. Re:Such a pity by dave420 · · Score: 4, Informative

      It was the government. The monarchy had nothing to do with it.

    3. Re:Such a pity by tomhudson · · Score: 0

      It was the government. The monarchy had nothing to do with it.

      You obviously read neither the article, nor the source it linked to.

      To mark Her Majesty's visit to Bletchley Park, The Queen has issued a Code Book Challenge to schoolchildren.

      Notice the site: royal.gov.uk. The official site of the British monarchy.

      When asked to comment on your post, the Queen reportedly said "We are not amused."

    4. Re:Such a pity by dave420 · · Score: 1

      And you obviously didn't read the post I was replying to :)

  16. Decoding not Decyphering... by ItsIllak · · Score: 2

    Not to take away from it, as I think it's a nice way of raising the profile of Bletchley Park among young mathematicians, but it's decoding as you're given the code-book.

  17. Good news!? by Aceticon · · Score: 4, Insightful

    In the middle of the recent fallout from the discovery of the abuses that happened during the credit bubble years (banker bonuses, press abuses, police corruption, cozy relations between politicians and the press), the Royal Household seems to be one of the few institutions that's coming out as squeaky clean.

    So with a bit of luck, actions by the Queen might have a little more impact in public opinion than they would during the "time-of-excesses".

    So even though I'm neither a royalist nor a british citizen, I welcome and applaud anything that might portray to kids the notion that technology is cool - they've been too long enthralled by dreams of being footballers or TV celebrities.

    1. Re:Good news!? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      the Royal Household seems to be one of the few institutions that's coming out as squeaky clean.
      What!? Surely you jest. Your definition of "squeaky clean" is dirtier than Monica Lewinsky's dress whenever she "worked" at the Whitehouse.

    2. Re:Good news!? by OttoM · · Score: 1

      ... and to promote that technology is cool, let's call in the help of the most uncool person in the world: QE II.

    3. Re:Good news!? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So with a bit of luck, actions by the Queen might have a little more impact in public opinion than they would during the "time-of-excesses".

      You know, you may be right. I think she has better chances to make more impact on the kids than both Obama and Bush have had.

    4. Re:Good news!? by heathen_01 · · Score: 1

      That statement is demonstrably false.

    5. Re:Good news!? by anyGould · · Score: 1

      Agreed - you can make some cases for the royal family's reputation taking a few hits over the years, the Queen herself? I only wish other politicians used her a role model of how authority figures are supposed to act.

    6. Re:Good news!? by Reziac · · Score: 2

      I've sometimes wished we could borrow Her Majesty to head things up here in the States... we could use someone with a spot of ethics and common sense, and perhaps a good deal more long-term perspective than the common elected-today booted-tomorrow politician.

      --
      ~REZ~ #43301. Who'd fake being me anyway?
  18. Re:To tell or not to tell the plaintext, that is t by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    And I claim that I can burrow through an elephant.

  19. challenge for royal family by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    try not to fall for old, ugly, divorced chicks.

    1. Re:challenge for royal family by Chrisq · · Score: 1

      try not to fall for old, ugly, divorced chicks.

      Or not to show too much enthusiasm for the Nazis

  20. Prince Philip has cryptography connections by nickovs · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I had the pleasure of meeting HRH the Duke of Edinburgh at an event once and, upon hearing that I worked in cryptography, he told me about his time working signals in the British navy during the second world war. He said he had always been fascinated by the operation of the British TypeX equipment that he used back then. I don't suppose that he did any code breaking but he certainly was using codes well before the Cypherpunks came along.

    --
    If intelligent life is too complex to evolve on its own, who designed God?
  21. Alternate title by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Severely inbred welfare recipient encourages children to not follow in her footsteps, learn a trade

  22. A new position? by goraki · · Score: 1

    The Royal Cryptographer.

    I'd apply for it, just for the title.

    (Also would have been a good name for a book by William Gibson in the 90s)

    1. Re:A new position? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The Royal Cryptographer.

      I'd apply for it, just for the title.

      I think it would be the Cryptographer Royal (as in the Astronomer Royal).

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronomer_Royal

      But would be very cool. :)

  23. Personally, I think she could create a title. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    We have an Astronomer Royal, so why not Her Majesty's Cryptographer-in-Extraordinary?

  24. Tardis shape shifting by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Sorry, All Tardi have a chameleon circuit that allows them to change form. Doctor Who and the Master's Tardi have been several different shapes. At one time Doctor Who's Tardis WAS a red phone both. But the day that it turned into a Blue Police Box the chameleon circuit broke and it has been a Police Box ever since. By the way I have just finished renovating my kitchen and i designed and built the pantry door to look like a red british phone booth. Glad to see Torchweed back on TV. Shown on Starz tv network in US and Space TV in Canada (Saturday nights).

  25. Rupert wants to give it a shot by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1

    I wonder if the Fox News/Wall Street Journal/News of the World empire will participate in the code-breaking contest?

    They appear qualified.

    --
    You are welcome on my lawn.
  26. Children? The Queen? by slim · · Score: 1

    There are *children* who pay attention to what the *Queen* has to say?

    How depressing.

    1. Re:Children? The Queen? by heathen_01 · · Score: 1

      Ad hominem the Queen? Perhaps children should listen to the message and make up their own mind.

    2. Re:Children? The Queen? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Its indoctrination of their monarchy: Oh look the random woman our tax luxuriously support for no good reason has taken an interest in young johnny's work. Lets continue to pay her family millions each year. God save the queen, she ain't no human being.

    3. Re:Children? The Queen? by dave420 · · Score: 1

      Centuries ago, the Royal family signed over vast swathes of land to the British government in return for a perpetual stipend, which is dwarfed by the price of the land in question. They also bring in a crap-tonne of tourists. They generate a definite, sizeable net profit for the country.

    4. Re:Children? The Queen? by anyGould · · Score: 1

      Compared to other potential "role models" out there, you could do a lot worse than the Queen.

      A LOT worse.

    5. Re:Children? The Queen? by slim · · Score: 1

      Centuries ago, the Royal family signed over vast swathes of land to the British government in return for a perpetual stipend, which is dwarfed by the price of the land in question. They also bring in a crap-tonne of tourists. They generate a definite, sizeable net profit for the country.

      Crown land dealt with here - http://republic.org.uk/What%20we%20want/In%20depth/Royal%20property/index.php
      Tourism: refuted here - http://republic.org.uk/What%20we%20want/In%20depth/Tourism/index.php
      Value for money: refuted here - http://republic.org.uk/What%20we%20want/In%20depth/Royal%20finances/index.php

  27. thanks... by domulys · · Score: 1

    http://xkcd.com/859/

    Post the missing ')' and hopefully I'll be able to sleep tonight.

    1. Re:thanks... by stupid_is · · Score: 1

      oops - my bad. ")"

      --
      -- Intelligence is soluble in alcohol
  28. solved it, but won't tell you by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    it think stuff is hidden enough already. wikileaks agrees?

  29. Irrelevant news by Chemisor · · Score: 1

    These days nobody cares what the Queen does. They do, however, notice when Kate is wearing a new dress.

  30. The decrypt key... by JaneTheIgnorantSlut · · Score: 1

    ...is what she carries in that purse!

  31. thank christ by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Having gone to school a mere mile or so away from Bletchley Park, and additionally gone on to college (for a CS degree) mere yards from it, I can say I'm glad the place has the attention it deserves. Especially seeing as the times I attempted to poke around there felt very depressing at the general run-down nature of the place.

  32. solved it. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    DRINK YOUR OVALTINE

  33. I got "Get over Di already." by leftie · · Score: 1

    "Move On."

  34. Agent X? by mshenrick · · Score: 1

    Well anyone whow atched series 4 of Chuck know Agent X is Hartley Winterbottom/Alexei Volkoff. Code cracked :P

  35. Porn and music?! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "It's like how people associate chucka-wucka guitar basslines with porn- because porn first rose to prominence during the 70s when that was a relatively common musical style (albeit one that suited porn quite well). Had it arrived in the 1980s, it's likely we'd associate synthesisers with porn instead."

    ROTFLOL

    How many do really assoicate particular music with porn, at all?

    LOL

    If watching porn I have other things to concentrate on.

    1. Re:Porn and music?! by Dogtanian · · Score: 1

      How many do really assoicate particular music with porn, at all?

      Seriously?! Ask almost anyone to do stereotype "porn" music and they'll do something like Bow chicka wow wow or some similar representation.

      Personally, I hardly ever watch porn with the sound up (as much because of the obvious and hence pointless and distracting dubbed soundtracks as any music), but I'm still aware of this.

      They've even done Lynx/Axe deodorant commercials based around that trope. What rock have you been living under since... er, since you were born?!

      --
      "Slashdot - News and Chat Sites Deviant". (Click "homepage" link above for details).
  36. Next challenge by Darinbob · · Score: 1

    The next challenge from the Queen will be "Stop posting on slashdot and get back to work!"

  37. What's the plaintext? by onefineline · · Score: 1

    I decoded the whole thing up to section 5 and realized that it was boring and I had real things to do today. Anyone decode the whole thing? Here's what I got so far:

    Urgent message for you and your groups

    Important event will take place

    It will happen at the Bletchley Park Codes Breaking Centre

    Bletchley Park was the birthplace of the modern computer