unforum

[Macavity]

[GinGenie]

Is anyone still working on this? I've got this far; if it is a solitaire cipher (which is likely) and we work on the assumption that the deck was untouched and not in a specific order, then the two bits of information needed to crack the code is the initial placement of the jokers and the password, in order to generate the keystream.
In my deck only the jack of hearts and the jack of spades face out, so I would guess 'those that face outwards' could relate to the original position of the jokers.
As for the password, possibilities are the letters at the edge of the cipher-text (good security as they disappear), Made in China (as it is erroneous) or something like 'disappointment' (which relates to the left out in the cold part of the message and is also the Tarot card meaning of the five of cups).
The link upthread doesn't allow for variations in the initial joker placement, unless the keystream is pre-calculated and entered manually.
I could be completely barking up the wrong tree, and sayings involving haystacks and needles spring to mind......
Will be spending the weekend counting cards anyway.

[rose]

Solitaire

[moggy]

The golden rip off strip

[appleTRON]

Re: Solitaire

[rose]

damn cards

[Scantron]

Giving it a shot

[Scantron]

Information Theory

[rose]

decks

[GinGenie]

I think the 108 letter string might be the key. Schneier recommends an 80+ key for security and 108 is unusual as cipher text is usually rounded up in groups of 5 (as mentioned upthread).

Also, and I'm not sure if I'm seeing things, if you take the numerical value of the jack of hearts, jack of spades and king of diamonds and convert to alphabet, ie 24,50 = X, and 39 = M, the distribution within the 108 letter string is MXM XXX MMM MXM. This could be a coincidence, but it seems a bit too perfect. If it were ciphertext it would be random.

[Scantron]

Trial #1 Complete

[zaeil]

I have no idea if this would be any help, but it might give us a starting point. I've been through the thread and have seen no mention.

After a little research, I found that the card back pictured on this card isn't totally random or custom. If you remove the corner designs, it's an old Bicycle card back, one that has recently been brought out of retirement just for the production of the millenium edition Bicycle 2000 card sets. Close enough, anyway.

Picture of the card back in question is here.

Like I said, it doesn't have the same corner designs as Shuffled. Shuffled's corners are...bicycles. And I only know of one brand of playing cards that have bicycles on them!

So I spec that the visuals on this card are trying to tell us to start with an unshuffled Bicycle deck, to make sure we're all on the same page. There's one subtle clue that points in that direction, and one not-so-subtle.

Ha, maybe the keyphrase IS "Made in China."

Edit: Anyway, the starting, unshuffled order of a Bicycle 808 Poker deck is, with deck face up: Big joker, small joker, spades A->K, diamonds A->K, clubs K->A, hearts K->A.

Edit part II: Was thinking earlier today that some might misconstrue this to mean a Bicycle 2000 deck...but I'm sure any Bicycle poker deck would do, as they're likely all ordered the same way. Bee or Aviator decks would likely work as well, as they're all made by the same company.

[tanner]

my 2000 bicycle decks have jokers marked as W different pics but no indication as to big small -- 2 Ws at top -- 2Ws at bottom -- ie 4 jokers

[dopefiend]

The "Made in China" thing is a weird addition if they are supposed to be Bicycle Cards. Bicycle cards are made in Cincinatti, Ohio. So someone would've had to add the "Made in China" bit.

[BrianEnigma]

That gets me thinking... does Perplex City even have a place called China?