The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1916-04-06

II ella IldZdEu ouOElcu Will olS6uoe
and eyed with vast disparagement the
sheet of paper spread fiat open upon
the desk between himself and Helen
Bertel. The sheet bore what was
seemingly a meaningless tumble OF
typewriter letters, after this fashion:
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
QVUHOWFLPWUE
Observation-Disclosures
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
LLQJQKSMQTRCMLONOGLOUH
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
And you can't find the weak
placer" asked the girl-"the joint in
its armor?"
For Hazard had descanted at consid-
cradle length on the principles OF
cryptography, or secret writing, point
ing out the number of weaknesses that
render all such writings susceptible of
Interpretation when one diligently and
intelligently sets himself to the task
of bringing to light their hidden mean
ing.
"Cryptography is a fascinating
study" averred Hazard discursively,
leaning back and rumpling his hair.
But no system has ever been de-
vised that meets all requirements.
The principles by which most ciphers
are solved have been given good
deal of study and have been so
classified that the expert usually
has pretty plain sailing when he
brings himself to the task of reading
a message not intended for his eyes.
Poe's Gold Bug holds the interest
almost solely by description of the
solution of a cryptogram, and the
same is true of Sherlock Holmes So
luton of the dancing men cipher.
These two examples, however, are
about the simplest forms of cipher
writing"
The speaker abruptly banged the
open sheet on his desk with his palm.
This thing, though, is not going
to be easy to interpret. | believe 1t
is based upon what is known as the
Key-Square system; but as it is one
that lends itself to innumerable varia-
tons and combinations, only time and
laborious effort are going to give us
the clue we need-unless, indeed, we
should stumble upon it accidentally
Helen Bertels fine gray eyes slowly
took stock of the mans outward evil
dences of urbation-rumpled hair,
wrinkled clothing, disarranged tie,
three days growth of beard-and her
expression softened.
She consulted a second sheet OF
paper that lay upon the desk, which
bore numerous memoranda. Said She:
IF the fixed rules for deciphering
cryptograms amount to anything at
all, l don't see why they shouldn't
apply to every case. You tell me that
e is the letter most frequently used,
T next, and then come in the follow
ing groups, arranged according to
their respective degree of frequency:
AONI; RSH; DL; CWUM; FYGPB;
VK; XQJZ We know that all words
of single letters must be A, l or o, and
that the double letters that occur
most frequently are ZEE, 90, FF, LII,
and SIS. Am correct so far?"
Hazard nodded 60 on" he en-
couraged.
Next, then, the commonest words
of two letters, according to their fire.
quence, are: Of to, in, it. is, be, he by,
or, as, at an, So Disregarding the
which is almost never used in ciphers,
and and are lead the words of three
letters, then follow"
Hazard glumly broke in.
Never mind the words of four let
tiers. Did you apply all these tests to
this cipher?"
Helen signified that she had And
the result was quite as silly and mean
ingless as it already is she added.
THE reason is not hard to find"
Hazard explained. This cipher
doesn't contain enough repetitions of
letter-groups to suggest anything at
all; none of the commonest words are
even remotely suggested; and as for
e, or T, or any of the rest, one is
not justified even in guessing at a
letter. All this signifies that a sys-
tenn has been used that avoids repeti-
tons.
such a system is the so-called Key
Square. If it has been used my work
is all cut out for me-"
1.-THE KeySquare," repeated the girl
what is it?'
With his pencil Hazard drew a
square containing twenty-five smaller
squares. In each of the latter he in
scribed a letter of the alphabet. At
the top of each of the five vertical
columns he wrote a numeral-1, 2, 8,
A and sand likewise at one end of
each of the five horizontal columns.
The completed figure appeared thus: