Post by mortlach on Mar 22, 2017 22:35:42 GMT
When trying to decrypt the runes there are 3 main areas to consider. Finding out information on any of these three things can help us reduce the huge parameter space we are exploring.
1. What is the encryption algorithm?
2. What is the key?
3. What are the words that have been encrypted?
1. and 2. are closely linked. We know the rune distribution has important features and so simple encryption methods will likely have highly-tuned, individual keys. If the key is relatively simple then the encryption method is likely complex. In the worst case both the key and the encryption method are complex.
The other area in which we can make maybe progress is in finding the words. One of our biggest clues is: we can fairly safely assume we know the length of each word (in Runeglish). Just like the encryption scheme and key could be complex, it’s possible that the words are complex too. Obscura and uncommon words might have been chosen. The sentences are all nonsense. ebyaM eht secnetnes era nettirw sdrawkcab. heT dorsw evha cdlsrambe eelrstt.
While the order of the letters may be jumbled, it’s hard to accept that the sentences will be nonsense. We can guess what they are. At the moment some new attempts are being undertaken to guess the phrases. If we find a section that has few plausible phrases it will help with 1. and 2.
In order to cut down the huge number of possibilities we can create a list of core words to use when guessing phrases. We should include the words that have already been used, and other common and similar words. Here is the current list (2 versions)
spread sheet version
pastebin csv version
It’s a start, but we can make it better. Everyone who has got this far can help with this. We all know what some of the words will be. Let's try and guess the rest of them.
Post your suggestions, comments, questions, omissions etc. Put them in a paste. Try #cicadasolvers
1. What is the encryption algorithm?
2. What is the key?
3. What are the words that have been encrypted?
1. and 2. are closely linked. We know the rune distribution has important features and so simple encryption methods will likely have highly-tuned, individual keys. If the key is relatively simple then the encryption method is likely complex. In the worst case both the key and the encryption method are complex.
The other area in which we can make maybe progress is in finding the words. One of our biggest clues is: we can fairly safely assume we know the length of each word (in Runeglish). Just like the encryption scheme and key could be complex, it’s possible that the words are complex too. Obscura and uncommon words might have been chosen. The sentences are all nonsense. ebyaM eht secnetnes era nettirw sdrawkcab. heT dorsw evha cdlsrambe eelrstt.
While the order of the letters may be jumbled, it’s hard to accept that the sentences will be nonsense. We can guess what they are. At the moment some new attempts are being undertaken to guess the phrases. If we find a section that has few plausible phrases it will help with 1. and 2.
In order to cut down the huge number of possibilities we can create a list of core words to use when guessing phrases. We should include the words that have already been used, and other common and similar words. Here is the current list (2 versions)
spread sheet version
pastebin csv version
It’s a start, but we can make it better. Everyone who has got this far can help with this. We all know what some of the words will be. Let's try and guess the rest of them.
Post your suggestions, comments, questions, omissions etc. Put them in a paste. Try #cicadasolvers