Largo, can you describe the transposition steps in detail please? I may want to add this to the menu. Thanks.
I created the cipher manually and did not implement a suitable algorithm. I proceeded as follows:
Write plaintext from left to right, top to bottom. Each column is shifted upwards by one:
I
LI
KEK
ILLI
NGPEO
PLEBEC
AUSEITI
SSOMUCHF
UNITIAMOR
EFUNTHANKI
LLINGWILDGA
MEINTHEFORRE
STBECAUSEMANI
STHEMOATDANGER
OUEANAMALOFALLT
OKILLSOMETHINGGI
VESMETHEMOATTHRIL
LINGESPERENCEETIS
EVENBETTERTHANGET
TINGYOURROCKSOFFW
ITHAGIRLTHEBESTP
ARTOFITIATHAEWH
ENIDIEIWILLBER
EBORNINPARADI
CEANDALLTHEI
HAVEKILLEDW
ILLBECOMEM
YSLAVESIW
ILLNOTGI
VEYOUMY
NAMEBE
CAUSE
YOUW
ILL
TR
Y
Now equalize the columns, spaces are ignored:
VOOSSMLEUSAPNIKLI LEKUTTELFNSULGLEI EISIEHBIIUIOSEPLK TVNMLAEENNNTMEBEI IIEGELNMCTGTIUIEO ATNNETSAOAHWHACTC ERHGBSHOMAUEIAMHI ENTAYEPEMATSFLNOF CBIOGOTEMELDEODKR HEODFIUTROTOAMRGI IAARIIRREEAHFNARA YLVNNETLRRNTIAGNE ISLEDIIITOTCTNLEI VLLBKANWAHCHEHGLR NELAEILPITEKAERGT CAYNVCLLALHBSNTII YAMOOEOLTRLAEOGIL IOUEUTSMEHABESFES TLUSBMGIEDEDEWTFT YRLWEEYIWMWIIRHPW
Final step: transpose column order P2:
VSOAOPSNSIMKLLEIU LNESKUULTGTLEELIF EUIISOISEEHPBLIKI TNVNNTMMLEABEEEIN ITIGETGIEULINEMOC AATHNWNHEATCSTACO EARUHEGIBASMHHOIM EANTTSAFYLENPOEFM CEBLIDOEGOODTKERM HOETOODAFMIRUGTIR IEAAAHRFINIARRRAE YRLNVTNINAEGTNLER IOSTLCETDNILIEIIT VHLCLHBEKHAGNLWRA NTEELKAAEEIRLGPTI CLAHYBNSVNCTLILIA YRALMAOEOOEGOILLT IHOAUBEEUSTFSEMSE TDLEUDSEBWMTGFITE YMRWLIWIEREHYPIWW
Almost a diagonal transposition with column order P2
without examining your transposition largo the difference is you column shifted up one first and then odds and evens(p2) which will give a different result to doing it with p2 first. and looking at it, they really are good double transposition then a substitution ciphers
it certainly is an easy way to make a jumbled mess.
some options: cut into columns or cut into rows reassemble into odds evens or evens odds then column or row shift/s.
cut into rows reassemble into odds evens or evens odds write out result and then repeat with columns.
column or row shift first then odds evens or vice versa.
The solver should be able to solve it perfectly but gets stuck on the more common period operations. No doubt that eventually it will find it though but it may take to long. It has to find the diagonal transposition at 17 by 20 plus the period column order 2 together because the period column order 2 shifts the period by 1. You can only try to use the diagonal and period column order operations to see if it helps. I may have to look into this at one point to see if performance on this cipher can be improved. Thanks Largo.
This is a scytale one of the 20,000 that Doranchac set up on a excel spreadsheet. the bolded T+T+U+U+ was interesting and came out in one of my AZdecrypt tests as HAHAHAHA can any one else run a test on this for me please. The other anomalie was the four grouped (+) and three (+) in a row. high bigram count of i think 29. there are about 20 of them similar.
A M L 2 j | S | y R + / P ( B 2 – * 4 z
_ M 9 k p Z < 2 F c y G K c B ^ 3 l % &
K B O N 5 B J T 4 K W R c R O # U z F –
b / < ) 8 > l 8 L 8 # N l C J O 4 k Y <
f O ( / b + O | z W ) l 2 F W 7 ^ P D C
V : K – > ( p # L D Y + c . d c S * y ;
T + T + U + U + z l . K < B R H 5 + + +
^ R W + ; C F 2 O B 5 # ) t M X + d E %
9 X W p z B L B N H t V k ( q 4 B G B t
t z c V p # K + c M G C E 5 5 7 z U > 2
L M > O G + – l f 3 9 + 6 G 4 ) T p Y (
p 5 ^ 1 < H | j ( G . ) L ( * – Z 7 c 2
D J f K _ V 4 + S @ H < D ; : S * J B |
* T R k + + ^ _ + & p 8 P R F Y U l p c
O p k O + + O d | q z * 6 F | W N Z p .
B Z 9 C M + . z V | b 6 N | p V F y E f
M R F ^ y + 1 2 d 5 + 1 A d F F . c 2 |
smokie 12.25.2019
I think that the 340 is something like this. A scytale, 19 columns x 18 rows, but with some short repeated sections of message, like a name, in some areas, that when cast into 17 x 20, make some of the patterns that we see. So here is a close attempt.
The 19 x 18 inscription matrix.
001 205 016 031 207 046 061 209 076 091 211 106 121 213 136 151 215 166 181
002 206 017 032 208 047 062 210 077 092 212 107 122 214 137 152 216 167 182
003 207 018 033 209 048 063 211 078 093 213 108 123 215 138 153 217 168 183
004 208 019 034 210 049 064 212 079 094 214 109 124 216 139 154 205 169 184
005 209 020 035 211 050 065 213 080 095 215 110 125 217 140 155 206 170 185
006 210 021 036 212 051 066 214 081 096 216 111 126 205 141 156 207 171 186
007 211 022 037 213 052 067 215 082 097 217 112 127 206 142 196 197 198 199
008 212 023 038 214 053 068 216 083 098 205 113 196 197 198 199 200 201 202
009 213 024 039 215 054 069 217 084 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 172 187
010 214 025 040 216 055 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 157 208 173 188
011 215 026 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 128 207 143 158 209 174 189
196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 099 206 114 129 208 144 159 210 175 190
199 200 201 202 203 204 070 205 085 100 207 115 130 209 145 160 211 176 191
202 203 204 041 217 056 071 206 086 101 208 116 131 210 146 161 212 177 192
012 216 027 042 205 057 072 207 087 102 209 117 132 211 147 162 213 178 193
013 217 028 043 206 058 073 208 088 103 210 118 133 212 148 163 214 179 194
014 205 029 044 207 059 074 209 089 104 211 119 134 213 149 164 215 180 195
015 206 030 045 208 060 075 210 090 105 212 120 135 214 150 165 216
Here is a picture. White is the bulk of the message, inscribed TBLR. The blue is a small text 9 long, which is copied over and over again, horizontally in offset rows. Those are what make the pivot and pivot clusters. The pink is another short text 13 long, inscribed also TBLR, and make the herringbone pattern and the P35 unigram repeat spike. Those are related to each other in the 340 and caused by the same thing.
The white cleartext.
O T L O O K B A C K M A N I S C H
E V I T Z A T A I L O R I N H I S
F I F T Y F I R S T Y E A R S U F
F E R E D M A N Y R E V E R S E S
A N D I N D I G N I T I E S P R E
V I O U S L Y A M A N O F C O M F
O R T A B L E M E A N S H E O V E
R N I G H T L O S T A L L H E H A
D W H E N H I S E S T A B L I S H
M E N T C A U G H T F I R E A F T
E R A M E T A L C O N T A I N E R
O F C L E A N I
The blue cleartext 9 long.
I N G F L U I D E X
The pink cleartext, 13 long.
P L O D E D A N D B U R N
Here is the matrix cast into 17 x 20.
001 205 016 031 207 046 061 209 076 091 211 106 121 213 136 151 215
166 181 002 206 017 032 208 047 062 210 077 092 212 107 122 214 137
152 216 167 182 003 207 018 033 209 048 063 211 078 093 213 108 123
215 138 153 217 168 183 004 208 019 034 210 049 064 212 079 094 214
109 124 216 139 154 205 169 184 005 209 020 035 211 050 065 213 080
095 215 110 125 217 140 155 206 170 185 006 210 021 036 212 051 066
214 081 096 216 111 126 205 141 156 207 171 186 007 211 022 037 213
052 067 215 082 097 217 112 127 206 142 196 197 198 199 008 212 023
038 214 053 068 216 083 098 205 113 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 009
213 024 039 215 054 069 217 084 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 172
187 010 214 025 040 216 055 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 157
208 173 188 011 215 026 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 128 207
143 158 209 174 189 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 099 206 114
129 208 144 159 210 175 190 199 200 201 202 203 204 070 205 085 100
207 115 130 209 145 160 211 176 191 202 203 204 041 217 056 071 206
086 101 208 116 131 210 146 161 212 177 192 012 216 027 042 205 057
072 207 087 102 209 117 132 211 147 162 213 178 193 013 217 028 043
206 058 073 208 088 103 210 118 133 212 148 163 214 179 194 014 205
029 044 207 059 074 209 089 104 211 119 134 213 149 164 215 180 195
015 206 030 045 208 060 075 210 090 105 212 120 135 214 150 165 216
Here is a picture of the repeated blue cleartext matrix positions that make the pivots, P16, P32 and P48 unigram repeats.
The scytale cleartext 19 x 18.
O P C N O E R E G L A A N D A I U R N
T L H H D A E D N Y N B I B D S R E T
L O E I E R V A I A D L G U W H N A A
O D V S D S E N T M B E H R H M P F I
O E I F A U R D I A U M T N E E L T N
K D T I N F S B E N R E L P N N O E E
B A Z F D F E U S O N A O L H N G F L
A N A T B E S R P F P N N G F L U I D
C D T Y U R A N R N G F L U I D E R R
K B A F R E N G F L U I D E X T D A O
M U I N G F L U I D E X S O I C E M F
N G F L U I D E X C L S T D S A D E C
L U I D E X N P E O O H A E E U A T L
D E X I N D D L V M D E L D S G N A E
A R L R P M I O I F E O L A T H D L A
N N O S L A N D O O D V H N A T B C N
I P R T O N D E U R A E E D B F U O I
S L I Y D Y I D S T N R H B L I R
Cast into 17 x 20.
O P C N O E R E G L A A N D A I U
R N T L H H D A E D N Y N B I B D
S R E T L O E I E R V A I A D L G
U W H N A A O D V S D S E N T M B
E H R H M P F I O E I F A U R D I
A U M T N E E L T N K D T I N F S
B E N R E L P N N O E E B A Z F D
F E U S O N A O L H N G F L A N A
T B E S R P F P N N G F L U I D C
D T Y U R A N R N G F L U I D E R
R K B A F R E N G F L U I D E X T
D A O M U I N G F L U I D E X S O
I C E M F N G F L U I D E X C L S
T D S A D E C L U I D E X N P E O
O H A E E U A T L D E X I N D D L
V M D E L D S G N A E A R L R P M
I O I F E O L A T H D L A N N O S
L A N D O O D V H N A T B C N I P
R T O N D E U R A E E D B F U O I
S L I Y D Y I D S T N R H B L I R
The key, with the 01 symbol as a polyphone count of 24.
E 01 02 03 04 05
T 06 07 08 09 10 01
A 11 12 13 01
O 14 15 16 01
I 17 18 19
N 20 21 22
S 23 24 25
R 26 27 28
H 29 30 31
D 32 33 34
L 35 36 37
C 38 39 40
U 41 42 43
F 44 45
M 46 47
W 48
G 49 50
P 51 52
Y 53 54
B 55 56
V 57 58
K 59 60
X 61 62
J
Q
Z 63
EDIT: The homophonic encoding randomization matrix.
15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15
15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15
15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15
15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15
15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15
15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15
15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15
15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15
15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15
15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15
35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35
35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35
35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35
35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35
35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35
35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35
35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35
35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35
35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35
35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35
The message.
14 51 38 20 15 01 26 04 49 35 11 12 21 32 13 17 41
28 22 06 36 29 30 33 01 03 34 20 53 21 55 18 56 32
23 28 04 07 37 16 02 19 01 26 57 11 17 12 33 35 50
42 48 31 22 13 01 01 34 58 24 32 25 02 22 08 46 56
03 31 27 30 47 52 44 18 14 04 19 45 11 43 28 33 17
12 41 47 09 21 05 01 36 10 22 60 34 01 18 20 44 23
56 02 21 26 03 37 51 22 20 15 04 05 55 13 63 45 34
44 04 42 24 16 21 11 01 35 31 22 50 45 36 11 20 12
06 56 02 25 28 52 44 51 21 22 50 45 37 41 19 33 39
32 07 54 41 28 13 20 26 20 49 45 37 42 17 32 04 27
27 60 55 01 45 27 03 22 50 44 36 43 18 33 05 62 08
34 11 16 47 41 18 22 49 45 37 42 17 32 03 62 23 16
18 40 02 47 44 21 50 45 36 43 17 33 03 62 38 36 24
09 34 25 12 33 03 39 35 41 17 34 02 62 20 52 01 16
01 31 12 02 03 41 01 10 35 34 04 61 17 20 32 34 36
57 47 34 03 37 32 23 50 22 11 01 12 27 35 28 51 46
19 01 17 45 02 15 37 13 01 29 34 37 12 22 21 16 24
37 11 21 34 01 14 34 58 31 21 12 06 56 40 20 18 52
26 01 01 21 33 03 43 27 12 04 05 34 55 45 41 16 19
25 37 17 53 32 54 18 33 24 08 22 26 29 56 37 19 26
And the message scrolled to the left one column, as presented in a letter to the newspaper.
51 38 20 15 01 26 04 49 35 11 12 21 32 13 17 41 14
22 06 36 29 30 33 01 03 34 20 53 21 55 18 56 32 28
28 04 07 37 16 02 19 01 26 57 11 17 12 33 35 50 23
48 31 22 13 01 01 34 58 24 32 25 02 22 08 46 56 42
31 27 30 47 52 44 18 14 04 19 45 11 43 28 33 17 03
41 47 09 21 05 01 36 10 22 60 34 01 18 20 44 23 12
02 21 26 03 37 51 22 20 15 04 05 55 13 63 45 34 56
04 42 24 16 21 11 01 35 31 22 50 45 36 11 20 12 44
56 02 25 28 52 44 51 21 22 50 45 37 41 19 33 39 06
07 54 41 28 13 20 26 20 49 45 37 42 17 32 04 27 32
60 55 01 45 27 03 22 50 44 36 43 18 33 05 62 08 27
11 16 47 41 18 22 49 45 37 42 17 32 03 62 23 16 34
40 02 47 44 21 50 45 36 43 17 33 03 62 38 36 24 18
34 25 12 33 03 39 35 41 17 34 02 62 20 52 01 16 09
31 12 02 03 41 01 10 35 34 04 61 17 20 32 34 36 01
47 34 03 37 32 23 50 22 11 01 12 27 35 28 51 46 57
01 17 45 02 15 37 13 01 29 34 37 12 22 21 16 24 19
11 21 34 01 14 34 58 31 21 12 06 56 40 20 18 52 37
01 01 21 33 03 43 27 12 04 05 34 55 45 41 16 19 26
37 17 53 32 54 18 33 24 08 22 26 29 56 37 19 26 25
The P19 spike, which is admittedly taller than the 340, but will get taller when the message is scrolled to the right one column.
One the left, the P16, P32 and P48 unigram repeats, taking 70 cells, admittedly more than the 48 cells of the 340. On the right, two pivots caused by the repeating blue cleartext.
A herringbone pattern, cause by the repeating pink cleartext. Not quite as pronounced as with the 340. The link with the 340 herringbone pattern: viewtopic.php?f=81&t=3196&start=1260
A coincidence count spike at P35, just like in the 340, also caused by the pink repeated cleartext. Admittedly there are also spikes at P16 and P32, giving away the blue cleartext pattern, but which the 340 does not have.
It is hard to get the exact right combination of phenomenon all in one message. I made other messages with pivots, and P19 was closer, or there were fewer cells highlighted for P16, P32 and P48, or no Kasiski spike at P16 and P32. Or no herringbone pattern. But I went with this one.
And finally, the unique string column chart, similar to the 340. I believe that 26 L=17 is also caused by periodic repeating words or short phrases.
The message is more cyclic than the 340, but when scrolled left one column to what it should be, is almost exactly the same as the 340.
The final message for testing.
smokie 12.25.2019
51 38 20 15 01 26 04 49 35 11 12 21 32 13 17 41 14
22 06 36 29 30 33 01 03 34 20 53 21 55 18 56 32 28
28 04 07 37 16 02 19 01 26 57 11 17 12 33 35 50 23
48 31 22 13 01 01 34 58 24 32 25 02 22 08 46 56 42
31 27 30 47 52 44 18 14 04 19 45 11 43 28 33 17 03
41 47 09 21 05 01 36 10 22 60 34 01 18 20 44 23 12
02 21 26 03 37 51 22 20 15 04 05 55 13 63 45 34 56
04 42 24 16 21 11 01 35 31 22 50 45 36 11 20 12 44
56 02 25 28 52 44 51 21 22 50 45 37 41 19 33 39 06
07 54 41 28 13 20 26 20 49 45 37 42 17 32 04 27 32
60 55 01 45 27 03 22 50 44 36 43 18 33 05 62 08 27
11 16 47 41 18 22 49 45 37 42 17 32 03 62 23 16 34
40 02 47 44 21 50 45 36 43 17 33 03 62 38 36 24 18
34 25 12 33 03 39 35 41 17 34 02 62 20 52 01 16 09
31 12 02 03 41 01 10 35 34 04 61 17 20 32 34 36 01
47 34 03 37 32 23 50 22 11 01 12 27 35 28 51 46 57
01 17 45 02 15 37 13 01 29 34 37 12 22 21 16 24 19
11 21 34 01 14 34 58 31 21 12 06 56 40 20 18 52 37
01 01 21 33 03 43 27 12 04 05 34 55 45 41 16 19 26
37 17 53 32 54 18 33 24 08 22 26 29 56 37 19 26 25
I untransposed with the matrix, expanded the polyphone, and got a pretty good solve.
Score: 25168.69 Ioc: 0.06114 Ngrams: 137 PC-cycles: 279 OTLOOKBACKMANISCH EDINGACHILORINHIS FIFTYFIRSTYOURSUF FEREDMANYREVERSES ANDINTIONITIESPRE VIOUSLYAMANOFCOMF ORTABLEMEANSHEADE RNIGHTLYSTALLHEHA DTHENHISESTABLISH MENTCAUGHTFIREAFT ERAMETALCONCLINER OFCLEANINGFRUITEF ORATEDANDBURN
OT LOOK BACK MAN IS CHEDING A CHILOR IN HIS FIFTY FIRST YOUR SUFFERED MANY REVERSES AND IN TIONITIES PREVIOUSLY
A MAN OF COMFORTABLE MEANS HE ADER NIGHT LYSTALL HE HAD THEN HIS ESTABLISHMENT CAUGHT FIRE AFTER A METAL CONCLINER
OF CLEANING FRUIT EFORATED AND BURN
Did anyone point this one out already?
For almost every V, an upside-down V can also been found on the same line:
Good candidate for a significance test?
Also noticed many of the > and < symbols form a smooth curve:
Probably just imagining things at this point. 
Coincidence or not, we need imagination like that to make a breakthrough.
I’ve got a newbie question. Would you mind sharing what tool(s) you use to make those neat visualizations?
Sure – it’s my "cipher explorer" tool:
http://zodiackillerciphers.com/cipher-explorer/
Here’s my tutorial video on how to use it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dw-akzf4Zmw
Sorry I’m sure this has already been noted but :-
Now that is interesting Cragle, I must say.
wow that’s interesting Cragle. There are so many tantalizing, weird symmetries in this.
