Cipher Challenge
A Question of Habit
Introduction
General simple substitution, presented in the Aristocrat format. Each ciphertext letter consistently represents one different plaintext letter. Word divisions and punctuation are retained, while the uppercase ciphertext does not preserve the original capitalization. The Key is a complete one-to-one alphabet: assigning a ciphertext letter to one plaintext letter rules out that same assignment everywhere else. English does not use its letters evenly. Frequency analysis can expose common single letters, digrams, and trigrams, although a frequent ciphertext letter is evidence rather than proof of a particular plaintext letter. Short words, doubled letters, repeated word shapes, common beginnings and endings, and the letters found immediately before or after a symbol provide independent evidence. A useful hypothesis should improve several parts of the message at once; a guess that creates contradictions elsewhere should be revised or disabled. The Workbench can count frequencies, catalogue word patterns and contacts, and retain explicit letter or positioned-crib hypotheses. A retained Hypothesis Result can supply its partial mapping to the Simple substitution Tool. That Tool requires a complete cipher alphabet before it can transform the entire message.
Count overlapping units and compare their distributions.
Live output4,173 overlapping units
| Unit | Count | Share | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| P | 549 | 13.2% | 1 |
| G | 372 | 8.9% | 2 |
| Z | 362 | 8.7% | 3 |
| T | 298 | 7.1% | 4 |
| H | 297 | 7.1% | 5 |
| K | 297 | 7.1% | 6 |
| S | 292 | 7.0% | 7 |
| R | 277 | 6.6% | 8 |
| I | 180 | 4.3% | 9 |
| D | 170 | 4.1% | 10 |
| J | 170 | 4.1% | 11 |
| B | 167 | 4.0% | 12 |
1
Z UNFDSI IDRIV DRRVK
18
UPHYZTPTG RTDO FPIZNKP
38
KRYPRTP VPPUK HPGNHTSTX GR
61
IZHP LRH SG. LHRY GBP UZCPYPTG,
85
GBP BZTJK ZUUPZH GR YRCP QSGB
109
IZDY IPHGZSTGO, YZHVSTX PZIB
133
MNZHGPH BRNH ZFRCP GHZLLSI,
156
HZST, ZTJ IBZTXSTX KBRU
175
QSTJRQK. STKSJP GBP GRQPH,
196
BRQPCPH, GBP YPIBZTSKY
215
HPIRHJK PCPHO KPZKRT. JNKG
237
YSEPK QSGB RDJ RSD, FHZKK
257
PEUZTJK JNHSTX Z BRG QPPV,
278
KGPPD IRTGHZIGK ST QSTGPH, ZTJ
303
Z GHZIP RL YRSKGNHP IZT FPXST Z
328
UZGIB RL HNKG. ZIINHZIO SK
349
GBPHPLRHP TRG Z MNZDSGO
369
STKGZDDPJ RTIP. SG SK GBP
389
ZIINYNDZGPJ HPKNDG RL
408
STKUPIGSRT, IDPZTSTX,
426
ZJANKGYPTG, ZTJ UZGSPTG
446
ANJXYPTG.
454
QBPT Z IRTKPHCZGRH LSHKG
475
PTGPHK Z TPXDPIGPJ IDRIV HRRY,
500
GBP KPTKSFDP SYUNDKP SK GR
522
RFKPHCP FPLRHP GRNIBSTX
543
ZTOGBSTX. Z KGRUUPJ YPIBZTSKY
568
KGSDD IRTGZSTK PCSJPTIP. GBP
592
URKSGSRT RL Z DPCPH YZO KBRQ
615
QBPHP YRGSRT IPZKPJ. Z FHSXBG
639
ZHI RT Z JZHV UDZGP IZT HPCPZD
663
GBZG Z QBPPD BZK HNFFPJ
682
ZXZSTKG SGK TPSXBFRNH. NTPCPT
707
QPZH RT Z GRRGB YZO URSTG GR Z
730
FPTG ZHFRH, QBSDP Z KGHPZV RL
753
JSHGO DNFHSIZTG KNXXPKGK
775
GBZG GRR YNIB RSD QZK ZJJPJ
797
JNHSTX ZT PZHDSPH HPUZSH.
818
UBRGRXHZUBK, YPZKNHPYPTGK,
841
ZTJ QHSGGPT TRGPK UHPKPHCP
864
GBSK LSHKG IRTJSGSRT KR GBZG
888
DZGPH JPISKSRTK JR TRG JPUPTJ
913
RT YPYRHO ZDRTP.
926
IDPZTSTX JPYZTJK HPKGHZSTG.
950
URDSKBPJ FHZKK YZO DRRV
970
SYUHPKKSCP, FNG ZXXHPKKSCP
993
QRHV IZT PHZKP GRRD YZHVK,
1014
KGZYUPJ TNYFPHK, RH GBP YPDDRQ
1039
KNHLZIP GBZG JRINYPTGK ZXP.
1062
DRRKP JSHG SK HPYRCPJ FPLRHP
1086
RDJ XHPZKP SK KRLGPTPJ, ZTJ
1108
PZIB KYZDD UZHG SK VPUG ST Z
1130
DZFPDDPJ GHZO. GBP IDRIV SK TRG
1155
KSYUDO GZVPT ZUZHG; SGK
1174
HPDZGSRTKBSUK ZHP HPIRHJPJ.
1198
QZKBPHK GBZG ZUUPZH
1215
STGPHIBZTXPZFDP YZO IRTGHRD
1240
GBP PEZIG JPUGB RL Z USCRG. Z
1262
GBST KBSY YZO FP ZT ZQVQZHJ
1284
BSKGRHSIZD HPUZSH, OPG
1303
HPYRCSTX SG QSGBRNG
1320
NTJPHKGZTJSTX SGK UNHURKP
1343
IZT HPCSCP GBP LZNDG SG RTIP
1366
IRHHPIGPJ.
1375
GBP PKIZUPYPTG JPKPHCPK
1396
KUPISZD ZGGPTGSRT FPIZNKP SG
1421
JSCSJPK KGRHPJ PTPHXO STGR
1444
YPZKNHPJ KGPUK. SGK UZDDPGK
1467
HPIPSCP HPUPZGPJ SYUNDKPK
1490
LHRY GBP PKIZUP QBPPD, QBSDP
1513
GBP UPTJNDNY KNUUDSPK Z
1533
HPXNDZH STGPHCZD. LHSIGSRT ZG
1558
GBRKP IRTGZIGK KDRQDO
1577
IBZTXPK GBPSH KBZUP. Z
1595
HPUZSHPH KGNJSPK GBP QRHT
1617
LZIPK NTJPH YZXTSLSIZGSRT
1640
ZTJ JPISJPK QBPGBPH IDPZTSTX,
1665
IZHPLND ZJANKGYPTG, RH
1684
HPUDZIPYPTG SK ANKGSLSPJ. TPQ
1709
YZGPHSZD KBRNDJ TRG FP
1728
STGHRJNIPJ YPHPDO FPIZNKP SG
1753
SK IRTCPTSPTG. Z BZHJPTPJ
1774
KGPPD USCRG, Z FHRTWP FNKB, RH Z
1798
GSTO APQPD FPZHSTX YNKG KNSG
1822
GBP DRZJK ZTJ XPRYPGHO RL GBP
1846
PESKGSTX JPKSXT.
1860
DZHXP UNFDSI IDRIVK ZDKR
1881
IRTTPIG GBP JPDSIZGP
1899
YRCPYPTG GR BPZCO BZTJK
1919
PEURKPJ GR QPZGBPH. KBZLGK
1941
IHRKK YZKRTHO, XPZHK GNHT ZG
1964
HSXBG ZTXDPK, ZTJ DRTX HRJK
1986
IZHHO YRGSRT GRQZHJ KPCPHZD
2010
JSZDK. QSTJ IZT UHPKK ZXZSTKG Z
2035
YSTNGP BZTJ DSVP Z DPCPH. FSHJK
2060
STCPKGSXZGP RUPTSTXK,
2079
STKPIGK FNSDJ TPKGK, ZTJ RDJ
2102
UZSTG LDZVPK STGR KUZIPK GBZG
2127
QPHP YPZTG GR HPYZST IDPZH. Z
2150
IDRIV YZO VPPU PEIPDDPTG GSYP
2175
RT GBP FPTIB OPG KGHNXXDP
2196
ZLGPH SG SK HPIRTTPIGPJ GR GBP
2221
PEGPHTZD JSKUDZO. GPKGSTX
2243
YNKG GBPHPLRHP STIDNJP GBP
2266
QBRDP UZGB LHRY GBP URQPH
2287
KRNHIP GR PCPHO CSKSFDP BZTJ.
2311
YRJPHT PMNSUYPTG IZT BPDU
2333
QSGBRNG HPUDZISTX
2349
YPIBZTSIZD NTJPHKGZTJSTX. ZT
2374
PDPIGHRTSI KPTKRH IZT XHZUB
2398
GBP UPTJNDNY UPHSRJ, Z JSXSGZD
2423
YSIHRKIRUP IZT HPCPZD Z IHZIV,
2448
ZTJ ZT E-HZO SYZXP IZT KBRQ Z
2470
BSJJPT ARSTG FPLRHP SG SK
2491
JSKGNHFPJ. MNZHGW
2506
STKGHNYPTGK UHRCSJP Z
2525
IRTCPTSPTG IRYUZHSKRT LRH
2548
HZGP. GBPKP GRRDK UHRJNIP
2569
UHPISKP RFKPHCZGSRTK, FNG
2591
GBPO JR TRG JPISJP QBZG
2610
IRTJSGSRT SK BSKGRHSIZDDO
2633
YPZTSTXLND RH BRQ YNIB
2652
STGPHCPTGSRT SK ZUUHRUHSZGP.
2677
GBP IRTKPHCZGRH KGSDD BZK GR
2701
JSKGSTXNSKB Z BZHYDPKK
2721
SHHPXNDZHSGO LHRY Z LZNDG
2743
GBZG GBHPZGPTK GBP IDRIV.
2764
KRYP CZHSZGSRTK FPDRTX GR GBP
2789
RFAPIG HZGBPH GBZT GR JZYZXP. Z
2814
GRQPH YRCPK KDSXBGDO ZK
2834
GPYUPHZGNHP ZTJ QSTJ IBZTXP. Z
2859
DRTX UPTJNDNY HPKURTJK GR ZSH
2884
JPTKSGO, ZTJ GBSIVPTSTX
2904
DNFHSIZTG ZDGPHK LHSIGSRT.
2927
PZHDO YZVPHK IRYUPTKZGPJ LRH
2952
GBPKP PLLPIGK QSGB JPCSIPK
2975
KNIB ZK XHSJSHRT UPTJNDNYK,
2998
WSTI ZTJ KGPPD HRJK, RH YPHINHO
3023
AZHK. DZGPH INKGRJSZTK
3042
KRYPGSYPK ZJJPJ PDPIGHSI
3064
QSTJSTX YRGRHK RH ZNGRYZGSI
3088
IRHHPIGSRT. PZIB ZDGPHZGSRT
3112
FPIRYPK UZHG RL GBP IDRIV'K
3134
FSRXHZUBO, HZSKSTX Z
3151
JSLLSINDG MNPKGSRT: KBRNDJ
3174
HPKGRHZGSRT HPGNHT GBP
3194
YPIBZTSKY GR SGK PZHDSPKG
3216
LRHY, UHPKPHCP Z NKPLND DZGPH
3240
ZJZUGZGSRT, RH YZVP GBP
3259
KYZDDPKG IBZTXP TPPJPJ LRH
3282
KZLP RUPHZGSRT?
3295
RTIP GBP IDRIV HNTK ZXZST,
3316
YZSTGPTZTIP SK MNSPGPH GBZT
3340
HPKGRHZGSRT FNG YRHP
3358
SYURHGZTG. Z HPXNDZH CSKSG
3380
IZGIBPK Z DRRKP KIHPQ FPLRHP
3404
SG LZDDK STGR GBP XPZHK ZTJ
3426
LSTJK QZGPH FPLRHP IRHHRKSRT
3451
KUHPZJK. RSD SK UDZIPJ
3469
KUZHSTXDO ZG GBP IRHHPIG
3490
FPZHSTXK HZGBPH GBZT URNHPJ
3514
ZIHRKK GBP YRCPYPTG. HZGP
3535
IBZTXPK ZHP DRXXPJ STKGPZJ RL
3560
IRHHPIGPJ SYUNDKSCPDO. GBP
3583
FPKG HPIRHJ STIDNJPK QBZG QZK
3608
RFKPHCPJ, QBZG QZK IBZTXPJ,
3630
QBSIB YZGPHSZDK QPHP NKPJ, ZTJ
3655
QBZG HPYZSTK NTIPHGZST. GBZG
3679
ZHIBSCP ZDDRQK GBP TPEG
3699
HPUZSHPH GR ANJXP GBP UHPKPTG
3724
YPIBZTSKY QSGBRNG BZCSTX GR
3748
XNPKK QBZG BZUUPTPJ JPIZJPK
3772
PZHDSPH.
3779
Z QPDD-VPUG UNFDSI IDRIV SK
3801
IRTKPMNPTGDO FRGB Z YZIBSTP
3825
ZTJ Z IRTGSTNSTX ZXHPPYPTG.
3848
PTXSTPPHK, IRTKPHCZGRHK,
3869
FNSDJSTX YZTZXPHK, ZTJ DRIZD
3893
HPKSJPTGK STBPHSG JSLLPHPTG
3918
HPKURTKSFSDSGSPK LRH GBP
3940
KZYP RFAPIG. GBP YPIBZTSKY
3962
YNKG FP KZLP, DPXSFDP, ZTJ
3982
HPDSZFDP, FNG SG KBRNDJ ZDKR
4005
HPGZST PCSJPTIP RL GBP UPRUDP
4030
QBR JPKSXTPJ, ZDGPHPJ, ZTJ
4051
IZHPJ LRH SG. QBPT GBP FPDD
4072
KRNTJK ZIHRKK Z KMNZHP, GBP
4094
ZUUZHPTG KSYUDSISGO RL GBP
4117
YRYPTG HPKGK RT BNTJHPJK RL
4140
YRJPKG JPISKSRTK BSJJPT
4161
FPBSTJ GBP JSZD.
Compare word shapes, terminals, contacts, and reversals.
Live output799 words · 477 distinct
| Word | Pattern | Count | Start positions |
|---|---|---|---|
GBP | 1.2.3 | 43 | 74, 85, 188, 203, 386, 500 +37 |
Z | 1 | 42 | 1, 270, 303, 327, 361, 458 +36 |
ZTJ | 1.2.3 | 19 | 160, 300, 436, 841, 1105, 1640 +13 |
GR | 1.2 | 16 | 59, 99, 520, 727, 1907, 1926 +10 |
SK | 1.2 | 16 | 347, 384, 518, 1071, 1095, 1121 +10 |
RL | 1.2 | 12 | 309, 333, 406, 600, 751, 1253 +6 |
SG | 1.2 | 11 | 68, 382, 1311, 1360, 1419, 1751 +5 |
IZT | 1.2.3 | 9 | 319, 654, 997, 1343, 2019, 2326 +3 |
GBZG | 1.2.3.1 | 8 | 663, 775, 884, 1046, 1205, 2123 +2 |
IDRIV | 1.2.3.1.4 | 7 | 8, 491, 1145, 2150, 2759, 3302 +1 |
RH | 1.2 | 7 | 1028, 1682, 1795, 2643, 3014, 3077 +1 |
LRH | 1.2.3 | 6 | 65, 2545, 2949, 3279, 3934, 4056 |
Terminals
| Sequence | Initial | Final |
|---|---|---|
GB | 65 | 7 |
GBP | 49 | 43 |
BP | 2 | 43 |
PJ | 0 | 37 |
HP | 34 | 17 |
TG | 0 | 28 |
RT | 9 | 27 |
TX | 0 | 26 |
TJ | 0 | 25 |
ZT | 25 | 16 |
GR | 24 | 19 |
PH | 1 | 23 |
Contacts
| Letter | Left | Right |
|---|---|---|
A | 2: F 2, J 2 | 4: N 5, P 3, R 1, Z 1 |
B | 8: G 80, I 26, Q 16, K 14, U 4, X 4, P 1, T 1 | 10: P 65, Z 41, R 17, S 17, G 3, F 1, H 1, K 1, N 1, O 1 |
C | 6: P 13, H 11, S 9, R 8, T 3, Z 3 | 5: P 31, S 10, Z 6, R 2, O 1 |
D | 17: Z 29, N 21, P 20, I 15, D 14, S 10, U 9, F 8, R 8, H 4, X 4, G 2, K 2, L 1, Q 1, T 1, Y 1 | 12: P 27, R 23, Z 16, S 15, D 14, O 10, K 9, J 8, N 8, G 7, U 1, Y 1 |
E | 2: P 7, S 1 | 6: G 2, U 2, I 1, P 1, S 1, Z 1 |
F | 8: N 6, R 5, S 4, Z 4, H 2, B 1, F 1, Y 1 | 9: P 25, D 8, N 7, H 6, R 4, K 3, S 3, A 2, F 1 |
G | 16: Z 54, T 51, K 49, S 35, I 19, R 15, H 10, P 10, N 9, D 7, U 4, B 3, L 3, E 2, G 2, O 1 | 14: B 80, P 45, R 40, S 35, K 18, H 13, Z 13, N 7, O 6, D 2, G 2, I 2, Y 2, W 1 |
H | 16: P 70, R 45, Z 43, N 18, G 13, S 13, U 11, H 7, X 7, F 6, I 6, L 6, B 1, J 1, Q 1, T 1 | 20: P 84, Z 26, S 24, R 20, K 16, C 11, G 10, H 7, J 7, O 7, T 6, I 5, N 5, D 4, V 4, Y 3, F 2, X 2, L 1, U 1 |
I | 11: P 36, S 22, Z 20, R 11, T 11, N 6, H 5, K 4, G 2, I 2, E 1 | 12: Z 29, R 27, B 26, P 21, G 19, D 15, V 11, S 8, H 6, N 6, I 2, O 1 |
J | 9: T 46, P 39, S 11, Z 9, D 8, R 8, H 7, N 5, J 4 | 10: P 37, S 20, K 14, N 9, J 4, R 4, Z 3, A 2, X 2, H 1 |
K | 18: P 54, S 38, T 27, G 18, Z 17, H 16, N 15, J 14, R 11, K 10, D 9, F 3, U 3, V 3, Q 2, X 2, B 1, Y 1 | 13: G 49, P 34, S 19, B 14, R 13, K 10, N 8, U 8, Y 7, I 4, Z 4, D 2, M 1 |
L | 7: R 13, P 10, Z 5, L 4, S 4, H 1, X 1 | 9: R 14, S 7, H 6, Z 5, L 4, P 4, G 3, N 3, D 1 |
Reversals
HP 84 · PH 70ST 77 · TS 17KP 34 · PK 54BG 3 · GB 80PT 58 · TP 19JP 37 · PJ 39TZ 3 · ZT 70GS 35 · SG 35HZ 26 · ZH 43GK 18 · KG 49GZ 13 · ZG 54RT 61 · TR 6A
B
Plain
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZThe cipher alphabet must contain exactly 26 letters.