Kyle's Christmas Decryption Challenge! (Free cookies!)

[ragecage_42]

I read Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson recently, and in honor of that literary masterpiece, I've set up a bit of a challenge for all of my nerd friends out there. See if you can decrypt the following message

Comments

[mib24601]

BUT I AM SURE I HAVE ALWAYS THOUGHT OF CHRISTMAS TIME WHEN IT HAS COME ROUND APART FROM THE VENERATION DUE TO ITS SACRED NAME AND ORIGIN IF ANYTHING BELONGING TO IT CAN BE APART FROM THAT AS A GOOD TIME A KIND FORGIVING CHARITABLE PLEASANT TIME THE ONLY TIME I KNOW OF IN THE LONG CALENDAR OF THE YEAR WHEN MEN AND WOMEN SEEM BY ONE CONSENT TO OPEN THEIR SHUT UP HEARTS FREELY AND TO THINK OF PEOPLE BELOW THEM AS IF THEY REALLY WERE FELLOW PASSENGERS TO THE GRAVE AND NOT ANOTHER RACE OF CREATURES BOUND ON OTHER JOURNEYS AND THEREFORE UNCLE THOUGH IT HAS NEVER PUT A SCRAP OF GOLD OR SILVER IN MY POCKET I BELIEVE THAT IT HAS DONE ME GOOD AND WILL DO ME GOOD AND I SAY GOD BLESS IT

- Charles Dicken's, A Christmas Carol

[ragecage_42]

Well done!! Now, who is this and how do I know you? I don't recognize the screen name.

[mib24601]

Heh, um, yeah. You don't actually know me. Coincidentally enough, I was looking up information on the ENIGMA decryption process and your livejournal came up. Since you were nice enough to make an encrypted enigma message, I figured it would make a good test run to see if I actually had the process down pat.

So, yeah.

I am also a big Neal Stephenson fan so word up.

[ragecage_42]

Sweet. Glad to know I could help. I found an encrypted message on a forum thread a while ago, and found an Enigma simulator online that helped me translate it. Very educational and fun, learning how they actually did it back then. I'm reading the Baroque Cycle right now, and it's amazingly good. Lots of hints for fans of Cryptonomicon, tying everything together in unexpected ways. Anyway, congratulations and Merry Christmas! I'd send you some cookies, but since we don't know each other that might be a bit weird.