Page 22 : Beale Ciphers Analyses
Beale as BamboozlementThanks to the Editors of Cryptologia for permission to reprint two of their copyright articles on the Beale cipher.
Louis Kruh is an indefatigable researcher and collector of cryptologic memorabilia, particularly cipher devices. His interest in cryptology spans more than 40 years and he responds knowledgeably and promptly to all queries regarding literature and equipment. He has BBA, MBA, and JD degrees and is co-author with Dr. C. A. Deavours, of Machine Cryptography and Modern Cryptanalysis, (Artech House, Inc. 1985.) Kruh is also a co-founder of Cryptologia and its Book Review editor.
The two articles are in PDF format and require Acrobat Reader on your computer. They are:
1. A Basic Probe of the Beale Cipher as a Bamboozlement. (69.9 Kb)
2. The Beale Cipher as a Bamboozlement - Part II. (131 Kb)
Comments
I was astonished to learn from the first article above, of "...receipt of a decipherment of the Beale cipher from a friend. I was amazed by what appeared to be an unambiguous, systematic and legitimate solution. In later conversations with Carl Hammer and Carl Nelson I was doubly amazed to learn that they have seen several other decipherments which appear logical and not at all forced."
Unfortunately, Mr. Kruh was unable to find this solution in his files in time for this webpage.
We now face the spectre of not one, but multiple solutions to the ciphers. Many of us expected that solving the codes would finally put this to rest. But now, the various opinion groups will resist any decipherment which does not fulfill their expectations, and will keep searching for the solution. This story has legs for generations to come.
