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Codebusters C: Teams will cryptanalze (decode) encrypted messages using cryptanalysis techniques and show skill with advanced ciphers by encrypting or decrypting a message.

Codebusters Wiki

Codebusters Test Exchange 2020

Past Threads: 2018 (Trial), 2019, 2020

Past Question Marathons: 2019, 2020

hi everyone! this is my second year doing codebusters, and i'm trying to build up my tempo for aristocrats (1 in _ min). i winged this event last year, so i never really recorded my avg speed, but what do you guys think is a good tempo to build up to? obviously, the faster, the better, but i kind of want to have a general benchmark. thanks in advance!

I'd say anything less than 4 minutes should be your goal. I started this event last year and I was able to shave my time down to anywhere from 2-4 minutes.

washyourfruit wrote: ↑October 22nd, 2020, 5:22 pm hi everyone! this is my second year doing codebusters, and i'm trying to build up my tempo for aristocrats (1 in _ min). i winged this event last year, so i never really recorded my avg speed, but what do you guys think is a good tempo to build up to? obviously, the faster, the better, but i kind of want to have a general benchmark. thanks in advance!

In my experience, some Aristocrats are definitely harder than others; some you can solve in a minute or two, some take a lot longer. Generally, though, if you can solve an Aristocrat consistently in four minutes or less, you're on a good track.

I feel like this is setting the bar a bit too high for people who are just starting out in this event and others who view this thread. If you can do an aristocrat consistently in 1-2 minutes, that puts you at the very top in the nation, and there are only a handful of people that can do this. If you can consistently do an aristocrat in under 3 minutes, that puts you at the top of the most competitive states, 4 minutes and under and you're at the top of states that aren't as competitive. All of these times GREAT, not GOOD. For someone who just wants to be pretty good at the event, I would say 5 minutes is a great benchmark. Being able to solve every code is just as important as being fast. So don't be discouraged if you haven't reached this level yet. Keep trying, take more practice tests, and try out the others codes to get faster at those as well!

Hi guys, I was looking at the hill cipher in the wiki, and I couldn't figure out how to decrypt a message using the hill cipher. Can someone explain?

Basically, compute the inverse matrix and apply the same method as encryption, but with the inverse matrix instead.

Anyone have tips on solving the baconian? I can do easy ones where there's just two characters, but I have no clue on the ones where it's just a mash of characters.

freed2003 wrote: ↑December 30th, 2020, 9:38 pm Anyone have tips on solving the baconian? I can do easy ones where there's just two characters, but I have no clue on the ones where it's just a mash of characters.

Try finding some sort of pattern. For the most part though just don't bother.

Name wrote: ↑December 31st, 2020, 2:20 pm

freed2003 wrote: ↑December 30th, 2020, 9:38 pm Anyone have tips on solving the baconian? I can do easy ones where there's just two characters, but I have no clue on the ones where it's just a mash of characters.

Try finding some sort of pattern. For the most part though just don't bother.

This is factual, Name is a code god. Baconian for the most part is not worth it this year.