🕵️ Washington’s Secret Cabinet Code
In 1789, George Washington signed the Judiciary Act, establishing the federal court system. Around the same time, he began consulting a group of trusted advisors—what would become the President’s Cabinet. Imagine if he used a cipher machine like the Enigma to send secret messages to his cabinet.
🔐 Cipher Rules: Simplified Enigma
- Rotor I (R1): Initial shift = 1
- Rotor II (R2): Initial shift = 3
- Rotor III (R3): Initial shift = 5
Rotor Movement:
- R1 advances every letter
- R2 advances every 2 letters
- R3 advances every 3 letters
Encoding Process: Each letter is shifted forward by R1, then R2, then R3.
📜 Encrypted Message
LZQXU KZVQG ZKXQJ🧠 Hint
The original message is a quote attributed to Washington about leadership and responsibility.
🔓 Try Decrypting It Yourself!
Decrypted Message:
🧪 Example Decryption (First Word)
| Encrypted Letter | Rotor I | Rotor II | Rotor III | Total Shift | Decrypted Letter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| L | 1 | 3 | 5 | 9 | C |
| Z | 2 | 3 | 5 | 10 | P |
| Q | 3 | 4 | 5 | 12 | E |
| X | 4 | 4 | 6 | 14 | J |
| U | 5 | 5 | 6 | 16 | E |
Can you decrypt the rest? Share your answer in the comments below!