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Cryptography 101: Trifid Cipher Mystery Cache

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Alchemeer: No longer viable at GZ

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Hidden : 8/3/2015
Difficulty:
2 out of 5
Terrain:
2 out of 5

Size: Size:   micro (micro)

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This cache is NOT at the posted coordinates!


The trifid cipher was developed in 1901 by Felix Delastelle and is considered the first trigraphic substitution cipher. This cipher is similar to the bifid cipher but introduces a third dimension. So, in essence, each symbol is divided into three instead of two in the case of the bifid cipher. In other words, the bifid cipher uses the Polybius square to turn each symbol into coordinates on a 5 x 5 square, and the trifid turns each symbol into coordinates on a 3 x 3 x 3 cube. The coordinates are then transposed, similar to a bifid cipher. In the case of the trifid cipher, however, a particular output symbol is dependent on three inputs, rather than two, so the cipher achieves a greater degree of diffusion.

oszenuwkwenmknnsnqxhfwnvhcpwhxdis
vzedwzcacldhznqo.qzxhjneqq.q.khx.h


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Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Znahny phor jvgu ab xrl. Ernqvat beqre vf fdhner/ebj/pbyhza.Sbe gur svany, or fher gb ybbx ybj.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)