The State event supervisor for Codebusters has set up a twitter handle to send out tips and tricks. @NCSO_cb
Codebusters
Division: A- Elementary School
Event Rules and Score Sheets: See 2024 Division A Rule Manual
Description:
Teams will cryptanalyze (decode) encrypted messages using cryptanalysis techniques and show skill with ciphers by decrypting a message.
Materials:
Teams must bring a writing utensil. No other resources are allowed.
Scoring:
High score wins.
Common Mistakes:
- Students do not have to work through each cipher together – divide and conquer the test! You are allowed to take it apart.
FAQs
Will the students be given the Caesar offset number or will they have to figure it out?
– If we give the Caesar offset, it will be worth less than if we don’t, but they might see it both ways!
What is the best way to study for this test?
- Make test in the Codebusters tool – this is how all the tests will be made this year, so students should get used to the format. They can make ciphers for each other too – you can’t break it, let them take a sentence and change the cipher type to see how it changes what will print on the page!
Event Resources:
Previous tests can be found at http://toebes.com/Ciphers/index.html
Cryptoclub
CIA – break the code
Cryptograms.org
Test Builder Demo
Cryptoclub
CIA – break the code
Cryptograms.org
Test Builder Demo
Hill Cipher
Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hill_cipher
Encode/Decode Tool: http://www.dcode.fr/hill-cipher
Affine Cipher
Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Affine_cipher
Encode/Decode Tool: http://www.dcode.fr/affine-cipher
Vigenere Cipher
Encode/Decode Tool: http://www.dcode.fr/vigenere-cipher