Cipher Challenge
Patterson's Challenge to Jefferson
Robert Patterson sent this challenge cipher to Thomas Jefferson on 19 December 1801 and declared that it would resist the ingenuity of the whole human race. Its 40 transmitted lines are preserved below. Founders Online transcription
Source & status
- Origin
- Historical cipher
- Solution
- Established
Ciphertext
bonirnrsewehaipohiluoeettiseesnhiestctfhuesraeas opiacdasthtaleeletubegtneinnfdecwebssssuifemsetnb tfcabaenniaepatwethaharhefeisnueisutvaesdihfrsrniboi kinrrgdvsconhsnheleltentngtsctlhshlbdpetguaistnjvtrscm odneteitieedrebanirnnrhooifehtelstieisefcretcnuspecenr bohsutirrsesolototamfyiysdhthiuhtloealobusiotntykjeetu asesntdmeoatsbehracststnetmomrnosewdaneymnamcreseedoym edneesemithfrtteaeaeeebttcfhdustslurisvucysiucremystvam cohasefbsiesashtieadiiocftpricdnarswunhreshegitht edaapthutheeaapueyeenlhhiemhniasaoaksienoimetesfsesaapnore eevrslyedclnarcssndeetnreeensattciunngrrechhogaeecmrsreshy nesvomethenetovrnnrrgeouhoeilamaitsgterewtnrttdmreiisrth gbrhsearysuwebdrethetorpsgnspwcttebcnfgaiernuecfrnssamrnpsie oeolgelsujntlncretpehdebtgvvotermrtndnehhitensimoeheootanp psginhsataatoptwiugtedegiocteodftlnditrsogedttnwfsenrs neaguatnadaedtlradhsvedspvlhyahdrrenachntcsvtsbtingfad lonmnhxtednywsnfedtaysirrarersmngnnmbotititslrrrriswmyst haebyhcstfhudnoeiltttnjtutnasdoggolrraahtouoanipstormno oxoxiesnotnouahegropdeooptthcraehovugaienoauaadwot zinmeerrolthoimeapcolhhomuwcomnhhvelremabeipcnimrahor wshhurrierdeirssaohdatbtueihtleeeataieafgretdyotebuledsnnreer gunnaaerceqtilnmeafeshtaedaaedyetsilmsrhineatmplmlxeerhh raoitalonhmarirenraatpuvttrlpnoliaootnpvasttnonobprsnob trihsseoiorpvnssntorropawvoraaenelepthaeeidbnehssoemrri pvlneuofseegtgshleenireefoyneenixooibsrreedmeaaftsmaaree reertcohauunaweithnteilnolprfadhtnyutohesniierddmerei stddiehvsnaeoctaooedcagnerrtriimstgpsrcuaadnesthhlapiorpi esttdrctahtsueaoleoehacmpsoeeelgsimrlsnwfhdeisahtintvoumiu lneabmopohtdfctrtteisahanzmssheeihsmbuenuoiilniprimci motedtrhenponauearessrysoinsroaithhsooyghhlttablmnsrry inaaopteecmocwtikeeeiehimoeisildgdnstynjuoapserriotimit perervraadteotiswtdtaattrnsftieetcuhadettranryynlf axnyeflneiemaheohsnfnebgiopltrdgteestwtcasshassm trsnomiieeinierwlnhrehrtuhmdhosknsreferucehdtotooguaa inafpeeshshiuteontnsstwsttofeltgtunneoteabltueitoovsepr smrnpnesdshediuqcetteosiupectahfmestdrsiwhffipcrsny noiiueoeohfchehharisdogtadwyibstrecrvswonhihedtssrces whfaairdegtvmhtmumttaecmsvsdtrodieshvuanoftsnfperre ophrcvstoitrctueloecfitnoleanaesaueeofetetrnetyofssyst supeinnuonsnnletheqisltfeanoinaetnlihwlcpiporterepiybst