STATE

DA VINCI DECATHLON 2021

CELEBRATING THE ACADEMIC GIFTS OF STUDENTS
IN YEARS 7 & 8

Code Breaking
TEAM NUMBER _____________

1 2 3 Total
/28 /27 /25 /80

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 Task developed by Kiarash Kyanian, University of Sydney, 2020

PART 1
SPINNING WHEELS
Tom works as part of the travelling carnival group and as the youngest member, he is in
charge of cleaning all of the spinning wheels and clocks. He has noticed that people no
longer seem to play the spinning wheel so using these and the large clocks he has devised a
new game.

Using these items, he has devised a more intellectually challenging game where the player’s
success is predicated more on their code-breaking ability as opposed to luck and chance.

For a player to win they must be able to fill in the blanks of the following sentence where
each blank word is encoded within one of the wheels/clocks below:

When you find the ________ wait for exactly one ________ it may seem ________ but the
aim is for you to learn how to ________ well!

Note the encrypted message is above the clock/wheel for all the blanks

NOTE: Only your work in the answer boxes (orange/white) will be marked.

BLANK 1

Encryption

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 Task developed by Kiarash Kyanian, University of Sydney, 2020

BLANK 2
Start this question at 12pm

Encryption

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 Task developed by Kiarash Kyanian, University of Sydney, 2020

BLANK 3

Encryption

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 Task developed by Kiarash Kyanian, University of Sydney, 2020

BLANK 4

When you’re driving the lights FIRST turn green and SECOND turn red. Once you pass the
first set of lights, make two equal turns left.

Encryption

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 Task developed by Kiarash Kyanian, University of Sydney, 2020

PART 2
PRNG: PSUEDO RANDOM NUMBER GENERATORS
Chance and probability are powerful notions when it comes to the realms of cryptography
and the encoding of data and messages. Ultimately the best form of encoding is that which
is random since inherent to the notion of randomness is an inability to precisely predict
outcomes and be able to intercept and decode data. One such tool that can be applied,
especially in the realms of computer science, is the use of random number generators (or in
this case pseudo).

In a simplistic way we can consider a computer and the way it encodes/processes

information to be in three parts. An input signal/information flows through an algorithm, which
then produces an output.

PRNG 1 – RANDOMISED INPUT (3 MARKS)

One way of generating ‘random’ outputs is through randomising the input. A common
method to achieve this is through the use of sensors that collect external data such as:
- Light intensity
- Sound
- Humidity
- Photoreception
Obviously since these environmental factors are random then the input data is also random
and, therefore, the output should be random.

- Is the output completely random because the input is random?

Is it completely
random? (Y/N)
(1 mark)
Explain your
answer
(2 marks)

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 Task developed by Kiarash Kyanian, University of Sydney, 2020

PRNG 2 - ITERATIVE SEED RANDOM NUMBER GENERATOR (4 MARKS)

For this style of PRNG the output number is used as the input/seed for the subsequent
stage.

Briefly explain the problem with the example given below (answers longer than 3 sentences
won’t be marked):

Explanation of the problem:

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

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 Task developed by Kiarash Kyanian, University of Sydney, 2020

PREM – PSUEDO RANDOM ENCODING MODEL INSPIRED ENCODING

PREM is a form of random data encryption, which uses different and often adjacent data
values in the encryption process.

Assume the following matrix 𝑩𝑩 of binary data is to be encoded representing a 16 bit block

The input data matrix B

For the context of this question subscript '𝑖𝑖' refers to the column index and subscript '𝑗𝑗' refers
to the row index (as alluded to above) (e.g.𝑏𝑏3,2 = 1)

Additionally, we will define:

𝑎𝑎 � 𝑏𝑏
As a binary function with inputs a,b which are either 0 or 1, with outputs:
𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡 = 1
𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓 = 0

The function requires two inputs, if they are both the same it has an output of 1 (true) and if
they differ then it has an output of 0 (false) 0 (+) 0 = 1

e.g.
1�1 = 1

0�1 = 0

0�0 = 1

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 Task developed by Kiarash Kyanian, University of Sydney, 2020

ENCODING 1 (7 MARKS)

Your task is to encode the previous data matrix 𝑩𝑩 into a new encoded matrix 𝑷𝑷𝑷𝑷 according to
the following cipher.

𝑏𝑏𝑖𝑖,𝑗𝑗 ⊕ 𝑏𝑏𝑖𝑖,𝑗𝑗+1 , 𝑗𝑗 ∈ [1,2,3]

𝑷𝑷𝑷𝑷: 𝑃𝑃𝑖𝑖,𝑗𝑗 = �
𝑏𝑏𝑖𝑖,𝑗𝑗 ⊕ 𝑏𝑏𝑖𝑖,𝑗𝑗−2 , 𝑗𝑗 = 4

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 Task developed by Kiarash Kyanian, University of Sydney, 2020

ENCODING 2 (5 MARKS)

With the same initial data matrix 𝑩𝑩 encode into a new matrix 𝑷𝑷𝑷𝑷 according to the following
cipher.
Hint: Consider why this specific cipher is inherently flawed!

(𝑏𝑏𝑖𝑖,𝑗𝑗 ⊕ 𝑏𝑏𝑖𝑖,𝑗𝑗+1 ) ⊕ 𝑝𝑝𝑖𝑖,𝑗𝑗 , 𝑗𝑗 ∈ [1,2,3]

𝑷𝑷𝑷𝑷: 𝑃𝑃𝑖𝑖,𝑗𝑗 = �
(𝑏𝑏𝑖𝑖,𝑗𝑗 ⊕ 𝑏𝑏𝑖𝑖,𝑗𝑗−2 ) ⊕ 𝑝𝑝𝑖𝑖,𝑗𝑗 , 𝑗𝑗 = 4

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 Task developed by Kiarash Kyanian, University of Sydney, 2020

ENCODING 3 (8 MARKS)

Encode the original data matrix 𝑩𝑩 into a new matrix 𝑷𝑷𝑷𝑷 according to the following cipher:

𝑖𝑖 = 1
⎧ �𝑏𝑏𝑖𝑖,𝑗𝑗 ⊕ 𝑏𝑏𝑖𝑖,𝑗𝑗+1 � ⊕ 𝑏𝑏𝑖𝑖+3,𝑗𝑗
⎪ 𝑗𝑗 ∈ [1,2,3]
⎪
⎪ 𝑖𝑖 ∈ [2,3,4]
⎪ �𝑏𝑏𝑖𝑖,𝑗𝑗 ⊕ 𝑏𝑏𝑖𝑖,𝑗𝑗+1 � ⊕ 𝑏𝑏𝑖𝑖−1,𝑗𝑗 , 𝑗𝑗 ∈ [1,2,3]
𝑷𝑷𝑷𝑷: 𝑃𝑃𝑖𝑖,𝑗𝑗 =
⎨ 𝑖𝑖 ∈ [2,3,4]
⎪(𝑏𝑏𝑖𝑖,𝑗𝑗 ⊕ 𝑏𝑏𝑖𝑖,𝑗𝑗−2 ) ⊕ 𝑏𝑏𝑖𝑖−1,𝑗𝑗 , 𝑗𝑗 = 4
⎪
⎪
⎪ (𝑏𝑏 ⊕ 𝑏𝑏 𝑖𝑖 = 1
𝑖𝑖,𝑗𝑗 𝑖𝑖,𝑗𝑗−2 ) ⊕ 𝑏𝑏1,1
⎩ 𝑗𝑗 = 4

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 Task developed by Kiarash Kyanian, University of Sydney, 2020

PART 3
DECIPHER THE QUOTES:

QUOTE 1:

ZKHQ LW FRPHV WR OXFN PDNH BRXU RZQ – Bruce Springsteen

Encryption

QUOTE 2:

- Colin Powell

Encryption

QUOTE 3:

India Whiskey India Lima Lima Papa Romeo Echo Papa Alpha Romeo Echo Alpa November
Delta Sierra Oscar Mike Echo Delta Alpha Yankee Mike Yankee Charlie Hotel Alpha
November Charlie Echo Whiskey India Lima Lima Charlie Oscar Mike Echo – Abraham
Lincoln

Encryption

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 Task developed by Kiarash Kyanian, University of Sydney, 2020

QUOTE 4:

os ylrettu ta ecnairav si ynitsed htiw lla eht elttil snalp fo nem – H.G. Wells

Encryption

QUOTE 5:
The grid is given as an aid to help with the decoding of the cipher.

PHLAC RULTE INEV DGVA EEER ARRI NWBA DIEN – Jonathan Swift

Encryption

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