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Code and ciphers: Julius Caesar, the Enigma and the internet

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ox increases. By enumerating <strong>the</strong> possibilities show that <strong>the</strong>re are 28<br />

when <strong>the</strong> width is 3 <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> capacity is 9.<br />

Problem 4.3<br />

The plaintext in a transposition system could be written into a square, or<br />

rectangular, box along <strong>the</strong> rows alternately from left to right <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>n<br />

right to left (this is known as boustrophedon fashion since it is <strong>the</strong> path<br />

taken in ploughing). Entering <strong>the</strong> message<br />

THISXMETHODXISXNOTXSECURE<br />

in this way gives Table 4.16.<br />

Table 4.16<br />

THISX<br />

OHTEM<br />

DXISX<br />

SXTON<br />

ECURE<br />

What serious weakness does this system introduce?<br />

Jigsaw <strong>ciphers</strong> 53

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