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This is the name of a famous historical figure. I've removed spaces but once decoded, it becomes blindingly obvious where the spaces should go. Try to decrypt it. The string is
"ibzuwrfzmzosulkybnphk"

Edit: I'm giving out a hint, It's a variation on the Caesar Cipher.

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    $\begingroup$ Releasing hint in 2 hours $\endgroup$
    – Hugh Chalmers
    Dec 31, 2017 at 17:01
  • $\begingroup$ 2 hours completed @Hugh $\endgroup$
    – sirajalam049
    Jan 1, 2018 at 14:29
  • $\begingroup$ @hugh Its been far more than 2 hours... $\endgroup$
    – internet_user
    Jan 2, 2018 at 13:31
  • $\begingroup$ Sorry, I was gone for a while. The hint is: It's a variation on the Caesar Cipher. Edited into question $\endgroup$
    – Hugh Chalmers
    Jan 2, 2018 at 20:16

1 Answer 1

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I used Excel to decode it.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Method: Put the text into a column. Put the numbers 1-26 in a row just above, use CODE and CHAR functions in cells of the table to give the characters moved along by those amounts. Look for 'obvious' names, vertically and diagonally. For those interested in the kludgy Excel formula, assumning text starts in C2 and 1 to 26 row starts in D1, formula is:

=CHAR(IF(CODE(\$C10)+Q\$1 > CODE("z"),CODE(\$C10)+Q\$1-26,CODE(\$C10)+Q\$1))

So code is "at each word, move first character back in the alphabet by 14, second by 13, then 12 etc..."

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  • $\begingroup$ Yes, that is correct. Well done $\endgroup$
    – Hugh Chalmers
    Jan 3, 2018 at 15:15
  • $\begingroup$ Could also be done w/ pen & paper but may take onger $\endgroup$
    – Hugh Chalmers
    Jan 3, 2018 at 19:39

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