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GPT-6 Astra Solves a WWI German Radio Cipher

400 points · 180 comments · nsoonhui

  1. adverbly · · focus · HN ↗
    I'm no crypto expert at all but isn't TRUPPENVERSCHIEBUNG an actual word?

    Google says it translates to "troops shift"

    If so, I don't understand how this was difficult at all... Can't you just do a dictionary attack and then check if the resulting phrase forms a sentence?

    I don't understand how this couldn't be done by someone in their house with access to a computer and a German dictionary.

    Maybe I'm messing something? Was the rearranging of the letters random in some non-deterministic way that wasn't known up front?

    1. jryle70 · · focus · HN ↗
      All the post says is that it was known to be an unsolved cypher. Nothing more, nothing less.

      Maybe you can give it a try?

      <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;scienceblogs.de&#x2F;klausis-krypto-kolumne&#x2F;unsolved-adfxvx-messages-from-world-war-i&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;scienceblogs.de&#x2F;klausis-krypto-kolumne&#x2F;unsolved-adfx...

      1. rullelito · · focus · HN ↗
        Did their comment really hurt that much? It&#x27;s OK for people to point out that you should not overestimate the work done.
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