Python GUI 044 – Transpo Fixed Distance

The more I work on writing up the Transpo cipher solvers, the more I realize I have to elaborate more on general background subjects, too. I had to go in for a root canal treatment (one of four visits to the dentist for one tooth), and the anesthetic keeps wearing off before the dentist is

The Whiz Wheel on Display

I have received reliable information that Jeff Man’s Whiz Wheel has been put on display at the National Cryptologic Museum at NSA, and may remain available to the public until Sept. Quote: “It features several cipher wheels that span the past 100 years or so.” Below are the photos I’ve received of the celebration event.

H. O. Yardley – Reader of Gentlemen’s Mail

Cryptology historian and writer David Kahn (1930-2024) passed away on Jan. 23rd. Author of The Codebreakers, he’s one of the few civilian writers to make a really major impact on the field of cryptology, and was a co-founder of the Cryptologia journal, along with Louis Kruh (more on him later). I requested his Reader of

Python GUI 043 – Transpo Groundwork 8 – Attack Types and Initialization

I’ve mentioned before that these articles are largely what I use for long-term memory. They’re also a form of whiteboard, where I noodle out various approaches to certain problems, often after I’m halfway through the current program. And that’s why we’re here today. Going back to the Crypto Solver, cryptarithms have one kind of attack

2024 Upcoming Escape Game Releases

I’m writing this on April 12. As of right now, we’ve got two companies announcing releases of games in their brands (Exit and Unlock!), but nothing’s showing up on Amazon yet. Exit (Thames and Kosmos) has approximate dates and prices, but they’re going to miss the Spring target if they don’t start doing something soon.

TICOM vol. 1: Synopsis

This is a hand-typed report, with corrections, for volume 1 of the 9-volume TICOM series, subtitled “EUROPEAN AXIS SIGNAL INTELLIGENCE IN WORLD WAR II AS REVEALED BY “TICOM” INVESTIGATIONS AND BY OTHER PRISONER OF WAR INTERROGATIONS AND CAPTURED MATERIAL, PRINCIPALLY GERMAN”. I’m not really sure where I got it from, and I’m not finding a

Python GUI 042 – Transpo – Cadenus Main File

Right now, I have three working solvers – Route, Cadenus and Railfence. I’ve already covered Route, and Railfence is kind of problematic, so that just leaves Cadenus to write up. The reason Railfence is problematic is that it’s the basis for Redefence (which is just Railfence with a key for transposing the rails). The code

Escape Games 159: Talking Tables – 01 – Escape from the Museum

Maker: Talking TablesTitle: Host Your OwnGame: Escape from the MuseumYear: 2023Price: $34.99Language: EnglishInternet access req’d?: YesCipher types: Simple substitution, anagram, null letter, book codePlayers: 2-6Difficulty: UnratedRating: 3.5 of 5 (Box artwork and story (c) Talking Tables) About the company: British. From the About-Our Story page: “It was at her mother’s kitchen table, our founder Clare

Signal Corps Vol. 3, The Outcome

Finishing off with vol. 3 of the History of the Signal Corps. Photos used for educational purposes only. Vol. 1: The Emergency, by Dulany TerrettVol. 2: The Test, by Thompson, Harris, Oakes and TerrettVol. 3: The Outcome, by Thompson and Harris The Signal Corps: The Outcome (Mid-1943 Through 1945), by Thompson and Harris, (1966, reprinted

Python GUI 041 – Transpo – Route Main File

It’s been so long, I’ve forgotten what I’d initially set out to do.Oh yeah, auto-solvers. This is the main file for the Route transposition functions. Function list:route_make_frames():. TKinker code for the E/D entry screenroute_ed(): ……… Encryption/Decryption codeget_box_dim(): …… Make sure we have a complete rectanglecheck_factors(): …. Make sure we have a complete rectangleroute_showtemplate(): Show the