On the Subject of the Lorenz CM

A machine that knows no bounds when it comes to ciphers.

This cipher uses 2 pages.

Create an Lorenz machine by following the instructions below:

  • 1: Write down 16 zeros for row 1, 13 zeros for row 2, 11 zeros for row 3, 9 zeros for row 4, and 7 zeros for row 5.
  • 2: For each letter on page 1 screen 1, replace the zero with a one with at row 1, at the column equal to the alphabetic position of the letter (A1Z26). Shift the bits to the left equal to the alphabet position of the letter displayed on page 1 screen A, minus 1 (A0Z25).
  • 3: Repeat step 2 for row 2 using the letters on page 1 screen 2 and the letter on page 1 screen B.
  • 4: Repeat step 2 for row 3 using the letters on page 1 screen 3 and the letter on page 1 screen C.
  • 5: Repeat step 2 for row 4 using the letters on page 1 screen 4 and the letter on page 1 screen D.
  • 6: Repeat step 2 for row 5 using the letters on page 2 screen 1 and the letter on page 2 screen A.

If the Boolean Expression on page 2 screen B is true, the machine is using an XOR Gate. Otherwise, it is using an XNOR Gate.

For each letter of the encrypted word, do the following:

  • Convert the Nth letter of the encrypted word into a 5 digit binary number (A = 00000, B = 00001...Z = 11001).
  • Read the left most column of the Lorenz Machine top to bottom so that the top-most bit becomes the most significant bit and the bottom-most bit becomes the least significant bit.
  • Apply the gate the machine is using to the 2 binary numbers.
  • If the Nth bit on page 2 screen 3 is a 1, invert the bits.
  • Convert the resulting binary number back into a letter (A0Z25) to get your Nth Decrypted letter.
  • If the Nth bit on screen 2 is a 1, shift each row on the Lorenz Machine to the left one.
A00000N01101
B00001O01110
C00010P01111
D00011Q10000
E00100R10001
F00101S10010
G00110T10011
H00111U10100
I01000V10101
J01001W10110
K01010X10111
L01011Y11000
M01100Z11001
INPUTXORXNOR
0001
0110
1010
1101

Example

Encrypted Word: BMECBX
Page 1 Screens 1A: DFGJKLOP, F
Page 1 Screens 2B: DFGIKLM, J
Page 1 Screens 3C: ABDEHJ, I
Page 1 Screens 4D: BEFH, I
Page 2 Screens 1A: BDG, E
Page 2 Screen 2: 11100
Page 2 Screen 3: 001100
Using XNOR Gate

0001011001110011
0001011010111
11011001010
010011010
0101001

Shifting the rows: FJIIE

1100111001100010
0111000101101
01011011001
001001101
0010101

B → 00001 + 10000 + 0 → 01110 → O
1st bit is a 1, shifting the Lorenz Machine

1001110011000101
1110001011010
10110110010
010011010
0101010

M → 01100 + 11100 + 0 → 01111 → P
2nd bit is a 1, shifting the Lorenz Machine

0011100110001011
1100010110101
01101100101
100110100
1010100

E → 00100 + 01011 + 1 → 01111 → P
3rd bit is a 1, shifting the Lorenz Machine

0111001100010110
1000101101011
11011001010
001101001
0101001

C → 00010 + 01100 + 1 → 01110 → O
4th bit is a 0, don’t shift the Lorenz Machine

B → 00001 + 01100 + 0 → 10010 → S
5th bit is a 0, don’t shift the Lorenz Machine

X → 10111 + 01100 + 0 → 00100 → E

Decrypted Word: OPPOSE