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Cracking the code
We have intercepted an encrypted message from Bionox to Mishka. Our guys & gals in the cryptography department are struggling with piecing it together but they think that it is a pass code for decryption of all enemy communications
The general always says "gentlemen do not read each others mail" but in this case the ends justify the means.
It is vital that you manage to crack this code - with it we can read the enemy's next move.
| A3=12 | B5=3 | A4=8 |
| A9=3 | C2 =15 | D5=5 |
| C4=3 | A13= 4 | D3=9 |
| F9=9 | F7=12 | E4=13 |
| A8=2 | B3=8 | C8=4 |
| D2= 5 | C5= 3 | A2= 7 |
| E1= 8 | B4 = 11 | B1= 8 |
| C7= 8 | B8= 6 | C1= 14 |
The General wants you to use Microsoft Excel to crack this code - start off by entering the numbers above into the correct cells - like this :
Next - We need to apply the values above to the fragments of decrypt we already have.
Enter these fragments into row 15 of your sheet. Put each fragment in each column, from A to G. Put the sum of all of these at the end of the row. What is the sum value?
| Fragments of Decrypt |
| =D2 * C5 |
| =F7 + B5 + C1 - D2 |
| =(A8*C8*F9)-(C7*A13)-C2 |
| =MAX(B4:E14) |
| =COUNT(C1:F8) |
| =MIN(A1:E18) |
| =SUM(C5:D7) |
Our Cryptography Department reckon that by adding up the answers to the code fragments you should come up with a 3 digit number which is the pass code. Find that number and you have cracked the code.
Find out more
- When was cryptography invented ?
- Why is it important to have encryption in a digital world ?
- What do the following do in your spreadsheet :
- MIN
- MAX
- SUM
- COUNT
- Below is genuine Nazi code that is the only piece that has never been cracked - if you can crack it then you are probably the smartest guy on the planet !
HCEY ZTCS OPUP PZDI UQRD LWXX FACT TJMB HDVC JJMM ZRPY IKHZ AWGL YXWT MJPQ UEFS ZBCT VRLA LZXW VXTS LFFF AUDQ FBWR RYAP SBOW JMKL DUYU PFUQ DOWV HAHC DWAU ARSW TKCF VOYF PUFH VZFD GGPO OVGR MBPX XZCA NKMO NFHX PCKH JZBU MXJW XKAU OD?Z UCVC XPFT
TMKF NWZX FFII YXUT IHWM DHXI FZEQ VKDV MQSW BQND YOZF TIWM JHXH YRPA CZUG RREM VPAN WXGT KTHN RLVH KZPG MNMV SECV CKHO INPL HHPV PXKM BHOK CCPD PEVX VVHO ZZQB IYIE OUSE ZNHJ KWHY DAGT XDJD JKJP KCSD SUZT QCXJ DVLP AMGQ KKSH PHVK SVPC BUWZ FIZP FUUP
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