在我大學的時候，系上開了一個叫「密碼學」的選修課，這是一個研究如何用數學的方法，來對溝通的訊息進行加密的學問。
我還記得老師曾經在這堂課上出過一份作業，他給大家一個經過加密的文章，並要大家分析出原本的內容是什麼。雖然我沒有選這門課，但是當時我也加入了修課同學的討論，和他們一起腦力激盪寫這份作業。
我很享受這個解密的過程，甚至把它當作一個遊戲來玩，為了讓你也能體驗到其中的樂趣，我在這篇文章，也自己設計了一份題目，並邀請喜歡動腦解謎的讀者，也來玩玩看這個「遊戲」（不是作業喔）。
遊戲開始
規則
已知我們題目的原文（或者我們說「明文」），是由英文所撰寫的，而加密的方法為：將 26 個英文字母和空格，總共 27 個字元，隨機做一個（有順序的）重排，並以此作為「鑰匙」，將明文的字元替換成新的字元，來得到加密後的「密文」。
舉個例子，假設我們的鑰匙長得像這樣（其實就是把鍵盤字母由左上排到右下）：
| 明文 | a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | i |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 密文 | q | w | e | r | t | y | u | i | o |
| 明文 | j | k | l | m | n | o | p | q | r |
| 密文 | p | a | s | d | f | g | h | j | |
| 明文 | s | t | u | v | w | x | y | z | |
| 密文 | k | l | z | x | c | v | b | n | m |
則底下的訊息就會被加密成下面那行亂碼。
明文：The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.
密文：litmhzoe mwjfcdmyfvmpzsgkmfxtjmlitmaqnbmrfu.
搞懂遊戲規則之後，你的任務，就是將下面的密文給解出來，並根據得到的結果來回答問題。
（經過我的實測，遊戲時間大概是一到兩個小時左右，如果你不知道怎麼下手的話，我在解答區也放了一些小提示給你參考。）
密文
gmxmvnoh,dyvmdysdahdspbygznmdqyfxpwnw,dizffmvd gpzv,dwnpgnmfdpdvmtdwmgzmwdxpoomfd"ahdlvwlvjdimgy."dzvdnizwdwiyt,dnimhdzvbznmdozwnmvmgwdnydwipgmdwnygzmwdp ylndnimzgdlvwlvjdimgymwdtiydipbmdimoqmfdnimadzvdnimzgdnzamdysdvmmf.dzndjzbmwdnimadpdxipvxmdnydszvpoohdwphd"nipvudhyl"dsygdpduzvfvmwwdnimhdvmbmgdsygjyn.
ozwnmvzvjdnydnimwmdwnygzmwdgmazvfmfdamdiytdpdwzaqomdpxndysduzvfvmwwdxpvdipbmdpdqgysylvfdzaqpxndyvdwyamyvm'wdozsm.dzvwqzgmfd hdnizwdwiyt,dz'fdozumdnydwipgmdnimdwnyghdysdahdlvwlvjdimgy.
flgzvjdahdwmvzygdhmpg,dtizomdzdtpwdqgmqpgzvjdsygdnimdlvzbmgwznhdmvngpvxmdmcpaw,dapnidtpwd pwzxpoohdahdmvnzgmdozsm.dzndtpwdahdnyqdqgzygznh,dpvfdzdfmbynmfdvmpgohdpoodahdwnlfhdnzamdnydzn.dzdmciplwnmfdpoodnimdapnmgzpowdpbpzop om,djyzvjdnigyljidmbmghdwzvjomdipvfylndpvfdnmcn yyudzdxylofdszvf.dzdtpwdpoo-zv.
spwndsygtpgfdnydmcpadfph.dpsnmgdszvzwizvjdahdolvxi,dzdtmvndnydnimd pnigyyadsmmozvjdpd zndwzxudnydahdwnyapxi.dnipndtpwdp ylnd20dazvlnmwd msygmdnimdvmcndmcpa.dhyldjlmwwmfdzn—apni.dvpnlgpooh,dzdnyyudpoodysdahdwnlssdpoyvjdtznidam.dtimvdnimdmcpadtpwdp ylndnydwnpgn,dzdomsndnimd pnigyyadpvfdsyooytmfdnimdxgytfdnydahdmcpadipoo.dpoyvjdnimdtph,dzdgmpximfdzvnydahdqyxumndsygdyvmdopwndximxu:dqmvxzo,dmgpwmg...
"tpzndpdazvlnm...dtimgm'wdahdpfazwwzyvdnzxumn?dtimgmdnimdimoodzwdahdpfazwwzyvdnzxumn?"
hmw,dzdipfdoywndzn.
tzniylndahdnzxumn,dnimgmdtpwdvydtphdzdxylofdnpumdnimdmcpa.dpvfdnimdvmcndwl rmxndtpwdapni,dnimdyvmdz'fdqlndmbmghnizvjdzvny!dzdglwimfd pxudnydnimd pnigyya,dwmpgxizvjdpoyvjdnimdtph,d lndzdsylvfdvynizvj.dzdxylofv'ndmbmvdgmama mgdiyt,dtimv,dygdtimgmdzdazjindipbmdfgyqqmfdzn.dzdtpwdwnpgnzvjdnydqpvzx.dpdazoozyvdniyljinwdtmgmdjyzvjdnigyljidahdazvf:dzdipfdwqmvndniylwpvfwdysdiylgwdqgpxnzxzvjdahdapnidwuzoow,dpvfdvyt,dnipvuwdnydahdytvdxolawzvmww,dzndtylofdpood mdpdtpwnmdysdnzam.dahdipgfdtygudtpwdp ylndnyd mdglzvmf.
rlwndpwdzdtpwdp ylndnydjzbmdlq,dpdwngpvjmgdtpoumfdlqdnydam.dimdoyyumfdp ylndahdpjm,dqgy p ohdpvynimgdsmooytdwnlfmvn.diyofzvjdylndpdqzmxmdysdqpqmg,dimdpwumf,d"zwdnizwdhylgdpfazwwzyvdnzxumn?"
hmw,dimdipfdsylvfdzndwyamtimgm.dpvfdrlwndpndnimdgzjindayamvn,dimdwptdpdflaahdtiydtpwdxompgohdoyyuzvjdsygdwyamnizvjdpvfdtpwdtzoozvjdnydjzbmdizad(am)dpdipvf.dzdnyyudnimdnzxumn,djpbmdizadpdklzxudnipvuw,dpvfdglwimfd pxudnydahdmcpadipoo.dimdpowydimpfmfdyssdnydizwdytvdmcpa,dpvfdfzwpqqmpgmf.
zvdnizwdqywn,dzdtpvndnydmcqgmwwdahdwzvxmgmdjgpnznlfmdnydnipndwnlfmvn.dzdfzfv'ndjmndnimdxipvxmdnydfydnizwdqgyqmgohdpndnimdnzam.dzsdhyldipfv'ndsylvfdahdnzxumndpvfdjyvmdylndysdhylgdtphdnydimoqdam,dzdtylofdipbmdvmbmgdsygjzbmvdahwmosdsygdnimdgmwndysdahdozsm,dalxidomwwdapfmdzndnigyljidnimdmcpa.
zdfyv'nduvytdtiydhyldpgm,dygdmbmvdhylgdvpam.dzvdspxn,dz'oodqgy p ohdvmbmgduvyt.d lndzdwnzoodtpvndnydwph:dnipvudhyl.
(rlwndzvdxpwmdhyl'gmdtyvfmgzvj,dfzfdzdfydtmoodyvdnimdapnidmcpa?dnimdpvwtmgdzw...dysdxylgwmdvyn.dpsnmgdwlxidpdvmpg-fzwpwnmg,dtiydxylofdnpumdnimdmcpadozumdvynizvjdipfdipqqmvmf,dgzjin?dqolw,dnimdapnidmcpadtpwdqpgnzxlopgohdxipoomvjzvjdnipndhmpg.dwydzdmvfmfdlqdtznidpd12,dtizxidtpwdspgdsgyadtipndzdipfdtygumfdsyg.)
題目
1. tiydzwdnimdapzvdxipgpxnmgdysdnimdwnygh?
1. tztz
2. ryivdqmnglxxz
3. fmgmudwzbmgw
4. nzay
2. tipndtpwdnimd“fzwpwnmg”dnipndipqqmvmfd20dazvlnmwd msygmdnimdapnidmcpa?
1. imdsygjyndpoodnimdapnidsygalopwdimdwnlfzmf.
2. imdgmpozemfdizwdpfazwwzyvdnzxumndtpwdazwwzvj.
3. imdtmvndnydnimdtgyvjdxopwwgyya.
4. izwdqmvxzod gyumdpvfdimdfzfv'ndipbmdpdwqpgm.
3. iytdtpwdnimdqgy omadmbmvnlpoohdgmwyobmf?
1. imdsylvfdnimdnzxumndzvdnimd pnigyyadwzvu.
2. nimdmcpadqgyxnygdpooytmfdizadnydnpumdnimdnmwndtzniylndpdnzxumn.
3. pdwngpvjmgdsylvfdnimdnzxumndpvfdipvfmfdzndnydiza.
4. imdtmvndiyamdnydjmndpdwqpgmdxyqh.
解答區
如果你想看點提示，或是準備好對答案的話，就可以點擊下面的按鈕了。
點我看小提示。
- 在密文中的標點符號（逗號與句號等等），後面都接了什麼字元呢？
- 參考看看英文字母的使用頻率表，並找找看在密文中，有哪些字元是不斷出現的。
- 記得使用終端機來節省搜尋時間喔～
點我看完整的明文。
Recently, one of my favorite podcasts, Hidden Brain, started a new series called “My Unsung Hero.” In this show, they invite listeners to share stories about their unsung heroes who have helped them in their time of need. It gives them a chance to finally say “thank you” for a kindness they never forgot.
Listening to these stories reminded me how a simple act of kindness can have a profound impact on someone’s life. Inspired by this show, I’d like to share the story of my unsung hero.
During my senior year, while I was preparing for the university entrance exams, math was basically my entire life. It was my top priority, and I devoted nearly all my study time to it. I exhausted all the materials available, going through every single handout and textbook I could find. I was all-in.
Fast forward to exam day. After finishing my lunch, I went to the bathroom feeling a bit sick to my stomach. That was about 20 minutes before the next exam. You guessed it—math. Naturally, I took all of my stuff along with me. When the exam was about to start, I left the bathroom and followed the crowd to my exam hall. Along the way, I reached into my pocket for one last check: pencil, eraser…
“Wait a minute… Where’s my admission ticket? Where the hell is my admission ticket?”
Yes, I had lost it.
Without my ticket, there was no way I could take the exam. And the next subject was math, the one I’d put everything into! I rushed back to the bathroom, searching along the way, but I found nothing. I couldn’t even remember how, when, or where I might have dropped it. I was starting to panic. A million thoughts were going through my mind: I had spent thousands of hours practicing my math skills, and now, thanks to my own clumsiness, it would all be a waste of time. My hard work was about to be ruined.
Just as I was about to give up, a stranger walked up to me. He looked about my age, probably another fellow student. Holding out a piece of paper, he asked, “Is this your admission ticket?”
Yes, he had found it somewhere. And just at the right moment, he saw a dummy who was clearly looking for something and was willing to give him (me) a hand. I took the ticket, gave him a quick thanks, and rushed back to my exam hall. He also headed off to his own exam, and disappeared.
In this post, I want to express my sincere gratitude to that student. I didn’t get the chance to do this properly at the time. If you hadn’t found my ticket and gone out of your way to help me, I would have never forgiven myself for the rest of my life, much less made it through the exam.
I don’t know who you are, or even your name. In fact, I’ll probably never know. But I still want to say: Thank you.
(Just in case you’re wondering, did I do well on the math exam? The answer is… of course not. After such a near-disaster, who could take the exam like nothing had happened, right? Plus, the math exam was particularly challenging that year. So I ended up with a 12, which was far from what I had worked for.)
點我看問題與解答。
- Who is the main character of the story?
- Wiwi
- John Petrucci
- Derek Sivers
- Timo
- What was the “disaster” that happened 20 minutes before the math exam?
- He forgot all the math formulas he studied.
- He realized his admission ticket was missing.
- He went to the wrong classroom.
- His pencil broke and he didn’t have a spare.
- How was the problem eventually resolved?
- He found the ticket in the bathroom sink.
- The exam proctor allowed him to take the test without a ticket.
- A stranger found the ticket and handed it to him.
- He went home to get a spare copy.
延伸閱讀
- 想看這份題目的未加密中文版文章，可以點擊這裡。
- 我之後也會提供詳細的解題過程喔。