Challenge 0

Deadlines

Mission Briefing

1. SFBE UIJT NJTTJPO CSJFGJOH BOE NBLF TVSF ZPV VOEFSTUBOE XIBU ZPV OFFE UP EP.
2. JG ZPV BSF XPSLJOH XJUI PUIFST BTTFNCMF ZPVS UFBN BOE BTTJHO EVUJFT. NBLF TVSF ZPV IBWF TFUVQ B UFBN BOE OPNJOBUFE B UFBN DBQUBJO TP UIFZ DBO TVCNJU ZPVS TPMVUJPOT.
3. DIFDL NJTTJPO EFBEMJOFT UP NBLF TVSF ZPV EPO'U NJTT BO JNQPSUBOU CVMMFUJO. ZPV DBO GJOE UIFN PO UIF DIBMMFOHF QBHFT.
4. DIFDL UIF NJTTJPO SVMFT TP ZPV LOPX XIBU JT BMMPXFE BOE XIBU JTO'U. ZPV DBO GJOE UIFN JO UIF JOTUSVDUJPOT TFDUJPO BMPOH XJUI PUIFS VTFGVM JOGPSNBUJPO.
5. JG ZPV BSF OFX UP DPEFCSFBLJOH UIFO UBLF B MPPL BU PVS USBJOJOH QBHFT GPS TPNF IFMQ BOE HVJEBODF.
6. XIFUIFS ZPV BSF OFX PS FYQFSJFODFE, EPXOMPBE UIF CPTT DSZQUBOBMZTU IBOECPPL, FJUIFS GSPN UIF CPTT MJCSBSZ PS GSPN UIF USBJOJOH EJWJTJPO QBHF.
7. GPS FBDI SPVOE PG UIF DPNQFUJUJPO EFDJQIFS UIF CSJFGJOH OPUF (QBSU B) BOE NBLF TVSF UIF UFBN DBQUBJO TVCNJUT JU VTJOH UIF DPSSFDU CPY BU UIF CPUUPN PG UIF DIBMMFOHF. UIFO UBDLMF UIF NJTTJPO TFHNFOU (QBSU C). ZPV EP OPU IBWF UP XBJU VOUJM ZPV IBWF CSPLFO UIF FOFNZ USBOTNJTTJPO (QBSU C) CFGPSF ZPV TVCNJU QBSU B. OPS EP ZPV IBWF UP XBJU VOUJM ZPV IBWF DSBDLFE QBSU B CFGPSF ZPV UBDLMF QBSU C, CVU JU JT VTVBMMZ B HPPE JEFB BT JU NJHIU DPOUBJO DMVFT.
8. ZPV DBO QSBDUJDF CZ DSBDLJOH UIF FODSZQUFE WFSTJPO PG UIJT CSJFGJOH OPUF, CVU ZPV EPO'U OFFE UP TVCNJU JU BT ZPV DBO DPNQBSF ZPVS EFDSZQU XJUI UIF QMBJOUFYU WFSTJPO.
9. JG ZPV OFFE TVQQPSU GSPN CPTT UIFO HP UP ZPVS TFDSFU BDDPVOU QBHF XIFSF ZPV XJMM GJOE B SFDPSE PG ZPVS TVCNJTTJPOT BOE BOZ GFFECBDL GSPN PVS BOBMZTUT. JG UIFZ UIJOL UIBU ZPV IBWF NJTVOEFSTUPPE ZPVS JOTUSVDUJPOT PS NBEF B NJTUBLF JO EFDJQIFSJOH UIF FOFNZ DPNNT UIFO UIFZ XJMM GMBH UIBU IFSF BOE ZPV DBO SFWJTJU UIF NJTTJPO QBHF UP TVCNJU BHBJO.
10. DIFDL ZPVS TVCNJTTJPO TUBUVT PO ZPVS BDDPVOU QBHF - ZPVS BDIJFWFNFOUT XJMM CF SFDPSEFE UIFSF BOE PO UIF MFBEFSCPBSE.

Official Decrypt

Top Secret: For your eyes only

1. Read this mission briefing and make sure you understand what you need to do. 2. If you are working with others assemble your team and assign duties. Make sure you have setup a team and nominated a team captain so they can submit your solutions. 3. Check mission deadlines to make sure you don't miss an important bulletin. You can find them on the challenge pages. 4. Check the mission rules so you know what is allowed and what isn't. You can find them in the Instructions section along with other useful information. 5. If you are new to codebreaking then take a look at our training pages for some help and guidance. 6. Whether you are new or experienced, download the BOSS cryptanalyst handbook, either from the BOSS library or from the training division page. 7. For each round of the competition decipher the briefing note (part A) and make sure the team captain submits it using the correct box at the bottom of the challenge. Then tackle the mission segment (part B). You do not have to wait until you have broken the enemy transmission (part B) before you submit part A. Nor do you have to wait until you have cracked part A before you tackle part B, but it is usually a good idea as it might contain clues. 8. You can practice by cracking the encrypted version of this briefing note, but you don't need to submit it as you can compare your decrypt with the plaintext version. 9. If you need support from BOSS then go to your secret account page where you will find a record of your submissions and any feedback from our analysts. If they think that you have misunderstood your instructions or made a mistake in deciphering the enemy comms then they will flag that here and you can revisit the Mission page to submit again. 10. Check your submission status on your account page - your achievements will be recorded there and on the leaderboard.

The Lighthouse

ZE 2021 R KVCVMZJZFE GIFULTKZFE KVRD SLZCUZEX R JVK RK KIZEZKP NYRIW, CFEUFE UZJTFMVIVU R YZUUVE JKRZITRJV CVRUZEX KF R TRMVIEFLJ JLZKV FW IFFDJ UVVG SVEVRKY WRIRURP’J CZXYKYFLJV. ZK NRJ WZCCVU NZKY RSREUFEVU UVJBJ REU VDGKP WZCZEX TRSZEVKJ, SLK ZE FEV FW KYV UIRNVIJ KYVP WFLEU R DPJKVIZFLJ WFCUVI, TCVRICP MVIP FCU, WZCCVU NZKY TYRIKJ, UFTLDVEKJ, DRGJ REU WZXLIVJ. DLTY FW KYV KVOK NRJ VETIPGKVU, REU VRTY UFTLDVEK NRJ JKRDGVU NZKY RE ZDRXV FW KYV CZXYKYFLJV. LERSCV KF UVTZGYVI KYV TFEKVEKJ SLK JVEJZEX R JTFFG REU KYV GFJJZSZCZKP FW R SIREU EVN JVIZVJ KYV GIFULTVI JVEK KYV WFCUVI KF KYV M&R WFI IVJKFIRKZFE REU RUMZTV. KYV TLIRKFI, RE RCLDELJ FW KYV ERKZFERC TZGYVI TYRCCVEXV, DRERXVU KF SIVRB FEV FW KYV TZGYVIJ REU NRJ JF ZEKIZXLVU SP NYRK JYV IVRU KYRK JYV JVEK ZK KF YVI WIZVEU AFUZV, NYF NRJ EFN NFIBZEX NZKY XTYH. NYRK JYV UZJTFMVIVU YRJ JYRBVE KYV SIZKZJY REU RDVIZTRE JVTLIZKP VJKRSCZJYDVEK KF ZKJ TFIV. LEJLIV NYF KF KILJK KYVP EVVU PFLI YVCG KF TIRTB KYV TFUVJ REU KF KIRTB UFNE REU UVWVRK KYV CZXYKYFLJV TFEJGZIRTP.

Official Decrypt

Top Secret: For your eyes only

In 2021 a television production team building a set at Trinity Wharf, London discovered a hidden staircase leading to a cavernous suite of rooms deep beneath Faraday’s lighthouse. It was filled with abandoned desks and empty filing cabinets, but in one of the drawers they found a mysterious folder, clearly very old, filled with charts, documents, maps and figures. Much of the text was encrypted, and each document was stamped with an image of the lighthouse. Unable to decipher the contents but sensing a scoop and the possibility of a brand new series the producer sent the folder to the V&A for restoration and advice. The curator, an alumnus of the National Cipher Challenge, managed to break one of the ciphers and was so intrigued by what she read that she sent it to her friend Jodie, who was now working with GCHQ. What she discovered has shaken the British and American security establishment to its core. Unsure who to trust they need your help to crack the codes and to track down and defeat the Lighthouse Conspiracy.