Cipher Challenge
The Petrograd Negotiations Telegram
Introduction
General Miller sent this telegram during 1919 negotiations over a proposed Finnish and White Russian operation against Petrograd. The 1,400-character message uses irregular columnar transposition and preserves four damaged five-character groups as dots. Complete transcription and cryptanalysis, CC BY 4.0
1
EAOFE SUDOA YRLPR BEHUH PIPER IDHTP ERNTT ASNLL
9
TCAAO OUONN ITRFL ASTRK NQSIE NEACT NUOPR HNSNA
17
SRIST ..... OTRIA WNQRE AMNIA PENET NARFE NERFO OHEKO
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NMSUF TDTNO SNWUN FFIAO CKESS AMRCL MLBUP RSCED
34
MIRRR RALHY ATSAE MOTHS GADLS CHRES CRNFL OPPPS
42
KAIAI LRESR OEOHO NAEED BAODN EMOOE YFOOT FIDFU
50
DCEIN DSNIG IDNSF NPCRI RSERA SIENR CHTEL VPONT GTTST
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NEUUC NIEGU TOFNL OVLLT SENTS ANMSL ONVER HARAE
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MIOPI NOOTT TTNHA DETOO EAIRA ITOIO OURIC AESET ITMAL
76
SEDOE TRCHI ANEMM IEIOA NOETC DFEAC LNCSL AECEN
84
LOSWA OQHAO DWIHA YTNBD NPAMT AHIVU DRIIP EHDNO
92
ITFHA LORSH FTHOF NRRON RSANE TSILF EUIEP GNTFN RPRNR
101
CSKNS EEEOY TYDTM YBEUY ULUSR APHFE YESOM TRLET
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THINR AMAES ALAFT EIERE EIHIA TOORI ESANO YSSAE NDRES
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GLONO ETEGR OTTEE DDDIO FENTU RSIYE ..... AAOOD INYYS
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TLIIN DWLWO SDORR ENMAS TTTDA TEROP BSRTY ODOWO
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SWEMN CUBOR TLFRG ESANT SMECM OENOI IEDAN FTTSL
143
DNITO NIYIN IIAII IITEP NIKRW IONGP NRMLR EFPPF CFLCA
152
STESS GGIOO IOEDT IDEEA NEPOM RENAO EOEOP AEEIR ASHHH
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IMPTT ALVNO EVREL TRLAN SVESP DOARP HIARO TINSR EFTET
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HFTYE EEIWE NOUYE STFAN FAHDN NQEQA RLFIH SOEDL
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HTIVR EMKIN CDNMY AYNPR TRSHE SODSK ACHAW NRISA
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IPTHN LUAYP DHACP MOEAA AANSK OOSED PTRNT HEDEE
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IRIDC ..... RHEEA DURPN ITMIP WRDRD ELRCA NNIIN OANTT
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ANWTT TLSST LSHSR DUDED DIDPO GAATN RNETO OSATL
211
RTASH ECSRW DTNUD ETUFF FTOSN NYOSS ALEIS TEUIS CNPRE
220
LOIEI HPAET INEII ENODY RAIYO EOFHL COSAN EDPND RTPDL
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TCDAS LADFC HISNE ODSTN OONDO DUEOM IINNS AARAS
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PRRER NCOTE SNGNF MHMTE STRMF NNEER ADAAT TAUOI
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DLENF EUILO PIPUL NBRCH RLFTN HNCEM GEOTD DWLSM FRCON
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AWFOW DOSFP SNLWS EGLTT FCOOD AAEIW TIRTI HUMRU
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HRIIN SYVPW ENNNO ..... TOYTI UAACE FFTUO HEVUI THSIE
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OEOOG NBPTN OOSID ILNTI UTGUS SNDQL ISOPU