# Decryption puzzle

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.

• Releasing hint in 2 hours – Hugh Chalmers Dec 31 '17 at 17:01
• 2 hours completed @Hugh – Siraj Alam Jan 1 '18 at 14:29
• @hugh Its been far more than 2 hours... – internet_user Jan 2 '18 at 13:31
• Sorry, I was gone for a while. The hint is: It's a variation on the Caesar Cipher. Edited into question – Hugh Chalmers Jan 2 '18 at 20:16

I used Excel to decode it.

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..."

• Yes, that is correct. Well done – Hugh Chalmers Jan 3 '18 at 15:15
• Could also be done w/ pen & paper but may take onger – Hugh Chalmers Jan 3 '18 at 19:39