The practise and study of encryption and decryption - encoding data so that it can only be decoded by specific individuals.

A system for encrypting and decrypting data is a cryptosystem.
These usually involve an algorithm for combining the original data ("plaintext") with one or more "keys" - numbers or strings of characters known only to the sender and/or recipient.

The resulting output iz known as "ciphertext".

21 114-71 222 3211 441 411 341 433 195 111 124 225 245 181 213 173 351 335 353 48 115, 215 172 244 332 182 173 371 329 3210 202 192 292 513 497 354 216 244 378 538 416 301 396 213 293 357 3211 396 244 111 161 357 222 144 63 12 13, 293 378 229 31 142 63 246 344 163 361 72 216 371 46 264 47 441 612 631 453 394 582 442 552 516 544 447 512 613 572 632 421 522 586 562 493 423 572 495 5310 614 493 474 418 573 2211 211 441 171 253 2210 191 334 194 72 211 324 231 161 48. 21 114-71 222 3211 103 194 228 173 64 142 344 356 261 273 412 282 162 3212 282 421 152 402 271 244 441 196 441 245 253 357 181 213 376 262 2610 211 214 253 228 331 151 352 442 652 612 584, 231 211 327 194 246 182 132 396 213 441 151 152 142 271 246 351 263 253 252 241 214 171 212 357 334 443 343 421 221 111 131 193 264 261 231 152 228 284 213 211 152 332 271 293 132 441 271 253 246 122 362 223 393 341 346 293 301 324 355 105 301 262 162 191 322 326 324 326 381 441 231 293 282 383.

When I first saw this I likened it to the Beale cipher (see below - and earlier comments).

I did not truly believe that this was the basis upon which this message was written as one would need the body of text from which the encoding was based.

However, Juggler quite kindly put the key before our eyes in the form of a dictionary definition.

While Beale only referred to a single word and used the initial letter of that word, this is just a little more complex; see comments by other respondents.

Here is my correlation of the letters to the numerals given, my extraction of those letters, and my best interpretation of that message.

Unless I have 'screwed-up' the code provided was in error; either would be possible.

21n 114o-71o 222n 3211e 441o 411o 341u 433t 195d 111e 124a 225v 245e 181b 213e 173l 351i 335e 353v 48e 115d, 215i 172n 244t 332h 182e 173l 371a 329s 3210t  202y 192e 292a 513r 497s 354o 216f 244t 378h 538e 416n 301i 396n 213e 293t 357e 3211e 396n 244t 111e 161c 357e 222n 144t 63u 12r 13y, 293t 378h 229a 31t 142h 63u 246m 344a 163n 361a 72f 216f 371a 46i 264r 47s 441o 612u 631k 453e 394b 582e 442i 552n 516g 544w 447 512t 13e 572h 632u 421d 522f 586e 562o 493m 423t 572h 495e 5310s 614 493m 474e 418l 573e 2211s 211s 441w 171o 253r 2210l 191d 334s 194o 72f 211s 324p 231a 161c 48e. 21n 114o-71o 222n 3211e 103c 194o 228u 173l 64d 142h 344a 356v 261e 273d 412r 282e 162a 3212m 282e 421d 152t 402h 271a 244t 441o 196e 441o 245e 253r 357e 181b 213e 376i 262n 2610g 211s 214c 253r 228u 331a 151i 352n 442a 652n 612h 584d, 231a 211s 327s 194o 246m 182e 132o 396n 213e 441o 151i 152t 142h 271a 246m 351i 263c 253r 252o 241s 214c 171o 212p 357e 334s 443a 343u 421d 221i 111e 131s 193c 264r 261e 231a 152t 228u 284r 213e 211s 152t 332h 271a 293t 132o 441o 271a 253r 246m 122a 362n 223d 393m 341u 346l 293t 301i 324p 355l 105y 301i 262n 162a 191d 322r 326o 324p 326o 381f 441o 231a 293t 282e 383r.

No-one ooutdeave believed, in the last years of the nineteente century that human affairs ouke  being w-tehud feomthes-me less worlds of space.

No-one could have dreamed that oeoere being scruainanhd, as someone oith a microsres thatoo arm and multiply in a drop of oater

 <o:p></o:p>

No-one would have believed, in the last years of the nineteenth century that human affairs ------------------------------------ fathomless worlds of space.

No-one could have dreamed that ----- being scrutinized, as someone with a micro ----  arm and multiply in a drop of water.

Beale   - The Code Book by Simon Singh ISBN 1-85702-889-9

I see that I have one mistake in constructing the solution key - I read Nos 6 and 7 as being the same hence giving them the value of 'o'.

And see Richard Burton:

http://fishbowl.pastiche.org/2004/12/14/war_of_the_worlds

No-one would have believed, in the last years of the nineteenth century, that human affairs were being watched from the timeless worlds of space.

No-one could have dreamed that we were being scrutinized, as someone with a microscope studies creatures that swarm and multiply in a drop of water.

Edited on October 17, 2005, 3:51 am

Posted by brianjn on 2005-10-15 09:21:28