There are many instances in the daily experience which demonstrate that it is the journey that matters, what manifests the bulk of the reward, if not only on a personal level, rather than the end result. Such a point of view is encouraged by popular lore that says “it’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game.” So it was with interested when I read an article about an amateur code breaker that was able to decode a message encrypted in 1942 with a new version of the infamous German Enigma machine, which was used to direct attacks against Allied shipping in the Atlantic. The original message was:
NCZW VUSX PNYM INHZ XMQX SFWX WLKJ AHSH NMCO CCAK UQPM KCSM HKSE INJU SBLK IOSX CKUB HMLL XCSJ USRR DVKO HULX WCCB GVLI YXEO AHXR HKKF VDRE WEZL XOBA FGYU JQUK GRTV UKAM EURB VEKS UHHV OYHA BCJW MAKL FKLM YFVN RIZR VVRT KOFD ANJM OLBG FFLE OPRG TFLV RHOW OPBE KVWM UQFM PWPA RMFH AGKX IIBG
The obvious question is what secrets will be uncovered by decoding this message. Certainly if encoded in the first place, the message must have some information content, possibly of significance. Will it be one that shines light on some significant event; a new perspective, etc. Sort of like a message in a bottle, passed across the sea of time encased in its encrypted envelope.
The article goes on to describe the method used to decode the message; an approach feasible only in modern times with the support of the internet. The resulting decoded message. A status/weather report:
“Forced to submerge during attack. Depth charges. Last enemy position 0830h AJ 9863, [course] 220 degrees, [speed] 8 knots. [I am] following [the enemy]. [Barometer] falls 14 mb, [wind] nor-nor-east, [force] 4, visibility 10 [nautical miles].”
But the journey was interesting and provided more than the result.
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