Solving CryptoQuotes with PVM:

Using the Programs


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Miscellaneous Utilities

  • dictconv: USAGE dictconv {wordlist} {dictionary name}
    Use this file to convert a wordlist into a set of dictionaries separated by word lengths. Words with non-alphabetical charaters are ignored in wordlist, and all letters are converted to lowercase.
  • generate: USAGE generate {#words}{wordlist} {output file}
    This file randomly selects #words words from wordlist and writes them to the ouput file.
  • scramble: USAGE scramble {quote} {cryptoquote}
    Takes words in quote and scrambles. Cryptoquote starts with the number of words in the quote and the words in order, scrambled. Cryptoquote.key is also written, being an answer key of which letters stand for what.

    • Setting Up PVM and Running Crypto

    See PVM Setup for information on running pvm. Then type pvm to start it. Add however many hosts are needed, and type quit. PVM now exits without halting, and crypto may be run. The usage of crypto is

    crypto {pathname} {configuraton filename} {cryptoquote name} {dictionary name}

    Crypto then attemps to solve the puzzle. If it succeeds, then crypto exits and prints the solved quote along with the answer key. If crypto is unable to solve the quote, it exits and prints what it has narrowed each word down to. In the event a word is found to not appear in the dictionary, crypto also halts.


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    • Written by:

    Ko-Ming Chang
    Computer Science 397
    Parallel Computing
    Dr. Thomas Whaley
    Washington and Lee University
    Lexington, VA 24450

    Questions? Mail me at kchang@liberty.uc.wlu.edu