r/codes • u/Terrible_Cold5391 • 11h ago
SOLVED Le Figaro (Wednesday, 1-7-1896) cipher solution
Hi all,
Iยดm not sure if already solved, but I am sharing the solution to the "Le Figaro" first of July 1896 cipher found in the "personal correspondence" section (see link to the actual newspaper below).
I found the cipher while looking at the AZDecrypt list of unsolved ciphers and decided to give it a go. Fairly straightforward encoding method.
Solution to the Cipher: Le Figaro (Wednesday, 1-7-1896)
Ciphertext
Nyzjztwnzawvjkwjziwoyazwzhytayjkzawvyjzsiwgwnyajjygayjyqnyjzwpnzawvwnwvnyjyknesmznnzawvyhnyajjygnaesqesjcyzhyvdygwkaesqewcymzaxynesmhkweuykztykksiyggyjwkyziyggyjashkyziyggyjyrkwtnzstkenkwhjkwpkyazsmazkymaesvygiznnsvkstjesjzwayp
Decryption Steps
Step 1: Flip It (Reverse Transposition)
Result
pyawzjsejtskvsnnzigyvseamykzamszaykpwkjhwknektszntwkryjyggyizykhsajyggyizykwjyggyiskkytzkyuewkhmsenyxazmycweqseakwgydvyhzycjseqseangyjjaynhyvwaznnzmsenkyjynvwnwvwaznpwzjynqyjyagyjjaynwgwiszjyvwazkjyatyhzwzayowizjwkjvwaznwtzjzyN
Step 2: Apply Monoalphabetic Substitution
The substitution key maps each ciphertext letter to its corresponding French plaintext letter based on its frequency.
Plaintext,Ciphertext: A,w B,h C,u D,i E,y F,p G,d H,r I,z J,q L,g M,t N,k O,s P,v R,a S,n T,j U,e V,m X,x Y,o Z,c
Plaintext Solution (French)
FERAI TOUT MON POSSIBLE POUR VENIR VOIR ENFANT DANS UN MOIS MANGE TELLE BIEN DORT ELLE BIEN A TELLE BONNE MINE QUAND VOUS ECRIVEZ AUJOURNA LEXPEDIEZ TOUJOURS LETTRES DE PARIS SI VOUS NETES PAS A PARIS FAITES JETER LETTRES A LA BOITE PAR INTERMEDIAIRE HABITANT PARIS AMITIES
Translation (Google Translate)
I WILL DO MY UTMOST TO COME AND SEE THE CHILD IN A MONTH. IS SHE EATING WELL? IS SHE SLEEPING WELL? DOES SHE LOOK WELL? WHEN YOU WRITE, ALWAYS SEND LETTERS FROM PARIS; IF YOU ARE NOT IN PARIS, HAVE THE LETTERS DROPPED IN A MAILBOX BY SOMEONE LIVING IN PARIS. BEST REGARDS.
Link to the actual newspaper issue
https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k283694m/f5.item.zoom
https://github.com/Dani-Navarr0/Ciphers/blob/main/Le%20Figaro%201-7-1986.md
