Who doesn’t love a mystery? From the Loch Ness monster to the identity of Jack the Ripper, some enigmas have stood the test of time.
It’s the same in the secretive world of cryptology, where famously unsolved codes, ciphers and puzzles have kept cryptologists and amateur sleuths entertained – and frustrated – for centuries, as they seek to crack the code and discover what the creator was secretly trying to convey.
Here are six famous codes and ciphers from across the world that have never been solved.
The Voynich manuscript
Having been carbon-dated to the 15th century, between 1404 and 1438, the Voynich manuscript has been hotly debated by scholars, and has remained impervious to code-breakers for centuries.
The 240-page book was rediscovered by rare book dealer Wilfrid Voynich in 1912, although mentions of it date back to the 1600s.
The illustrated, handwritten codex is believed to be Italian in origin, owing to analysis on the paints, and uses a hitherto unknown writing system. It’s author, language and purpose remains a mystery. Illustrations inside include fictitious plants and fauna, dragons, castles and astrological symbols.
It's currently being held at Yale University's Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, and cryptographers, including American and British codebreakers from both the First World War and the Second World War, have tried and failed over the years to make sense of it.
Jan Marek Marci, a rector of Charles University in Prague, who came into possession of the codex wrote of it in 1665, “For such Sphinxes as these obey no one but their master.”
Kryptos
One of the most famous unsolved codes in the world stands outside the CIA building in Langley, Virginia.
The four-part sculpture, Kryptos – from the ancient Greek word meaning “hidden” – was created by American artist Jim Sanborn and dedicated on November 3, 1990.
Since then, cryptanalysts from all over the world have attempted to crack the four codes chiselled into its surfaces, succeeding in breaking three of the four.
The sculptures are covered in ciphertext – including deliberate spelling mistakes and missing and additional letters – some featuring aspects of Morse code.
The first three were solved by members of the public, the National Security Agency and the CIA, but the fourth has never been cracked.
“A lot of the work I do deals with secrecy and the modus operandi of spies – how they operate, how they turn sources and things like that,” Sanborn told Wired in 2005.
The Dorabella Cipher
A code which remains unsolved to the present day was created by the acclaimed English composer Edward Elgar.
The creator of Pomp and Circumstance wrote an enciphered letter in 1897 to Dora Penny, the daughter of a reverend whose stepmother was friends with Elgar’s wife.
Consisting of 87 characters over three lines, the cipher appears to be made up of 24 different symbols made up of semicircles and dots.
The Dorabella Cipher got its name from an 1899 composition Elgar named for Penny, which he named Dorabella as the pair remained life-long friends.
Over the past century, a handful of people, including musicologist Eric Sams, and cryptologist Richard Henderson have claimed to have solved the puzzle. However, as both men achieved different outcomes, which ignored one or more of the characters, it is still considered unsolved.
The Tamam Shud case
It’s a case that has baffled Australia, and the world since it first came to light in 1948.
On December 1, 1948, Australian police found the body of a man on Somerton Park beach, southwest of Adelaide, South Australia. His identity has never been discovered, and an ancient text he was carrying led to a cipher that has never been solved.
A scrap of paper found in the fob pocket of the man’s trousers read “Tamam Shud”, which translates from Farsi as “is over” or “is finished". Police eventually located the book from which the scrap had been torn, which turned out to be a copy of The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam by the 11th-century Persian poet and astronomer.
In the back of the book, they discovered faint indentations representing five lines of text, in capital letters, with the second line struck through. The top line reads: “WRGOABABD.”
The fact that the man has never been identified has lead to speculation he was a spy, and the encryption has never been solved.
The Beale ciphers
For fans of tales of buried treasure, the unsolved Beale ciphers has it all — buried gold, treasure maps and secret locations, only one of which has been solved.
The papers are a set of three ciphertexts, each detailing the treasure, location and list of owners and kin, dating back to 1885.
The story originated in an 1885 pamphlet called The Beale Papers, which contained details of a hoard of treasure found in a mine in New Mexico by a man named Thomas J Beale, who then buried it in a secret location in Bedford County, Virginia, around 1820.
Beale created three sets of papers filled with ciphertext, the second of which concerning the contents of the treasure – gold, silver and jewels – has been solved. Part of it reads: “The vault is roughly lined with stone, and the vessels rest on solid stone, and are covered with others.”
While some cryptologists have dismissed the Beale ciphers as an elaborate Freemason hoax, it remains that the first and third ciphers have never been solved. The description of the treasure itself is estimated to be worth more than $43 million.
The final flight of carrier pigeon NURP 40 TW 194
Even the best brains at Britain’s Second World War former code-breaking headquarters of Bletchley Park have been stumped by a message attached to a military carrier pigeon’s leg, found in a suburban fireplace in England in 1982.
During renovations at their home in Bletchingley, Surrey, David and Anne Martin found the skeletal remains of a bird with a red plastic capsule attached to its leg which identified it as a Second World War military carrier pigeon. Inside the capsule was a coded message consisting of 27 groups of five letters with some numerals at the end, beginning: “AOAKN HVPKD FNFJU.”
In 2010, experts at Bletchley Park, while unable to crack the code, reasoned that because none of their classified MI6 pigeons carried coded messages during the war, that it contained information that would have been vital at the time possibly pertaining to the D-Day landings on June 6, 1944.
They also ascertained that it likely came from British military leader, Field Marshal Montgomery's headquarters. It remains unsolved.
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
EXPATS
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Results
- Brock Lesnar retained the WWE Universal title against Roman Reigns
- Braun Strowman and Nicolas won the Raw Tag Team titles against Sheamus and Cesaro
- AJ Styles retained the WWE World Heavyweight title against Shinsuke Nakamura
- Nia Jax won the Raw Women’s title against Alexa Bliss
- Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon beat Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn
- The Undertaker beat John Cena
- The Bludgeon Brothers won the SmackDown Tag Team titles against the Usos and New Day
- Ronda Rousey and Kurt Angle beat Triple H and Stephanie McMahon
- Jinder Mahal won the United States title against Randy Orton, Rusev and Bobby Roode
- Charlotte retained the SmackDown Women’s title against Asuka
- Seth Rollins won the Intercontinental title against The Miz and Finn Balor
- Naomi won the first WrestleMania Women’s Battle Royal
- Cedric Alexander won the vacant Cruiserweight title against Mustafa Ali
- Matt Hardy won the Andre the Giant Battle Royal
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
What is Diwali?
The Hindu festival is at once a celebration of the autumn harvest and the triumph of good over evil, as outlined in the Ramayana.
According to the Sanskrit epic, penned by the sage Valmiki, Diwali marks the time that the exiled king Rama – a mortal with superhuman powers – returned home to the city of Ayodhya with his wife Sita and brother Lakshman, after vanquishing the 10-headed demon Ravana and conquering his kingdom of Lanka. The people of Ayodhya are believed to have lit thousands of earthen lamps to illuminate the city and to guide the royal family home.
In its current iteration, Diwali is celebrated with a puja to welcome the goodness of prosperity Lakshmi (an incarnation of Sita) into the home, which is decorated with diyas (oil lamps) or fairy lights and rangoli designs with coloured powder. Fireworks light up the sky in some parts of the word, and sweetmeats are made (or bought) by most households. It is customary to get new clothes stitched, and visit friends and family to exchange gifts and greetings.
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – UAE won by 36 runs
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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War
Director: Siddharth Anand
Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Tiger Shroff, Ashutosh Rana, Vaani Kapoor
Rating: Two out of five stars
EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Mamo Year it started: 2019 Founders: Imad Gharazeddine, Asim Janjua Based: Dubai, UAE Number of employees: 28 Sector: Financial services Investment: $9.5m Funding stage: Pre-Series A Investors: Global Ventures, GFC, 4DX Ventures, AlRajhi Partners, Olive Tree Capital, and prominent Silicon Valley investors. UAE squad
Esha Oza (captain), Al Maseera Jahangir, Emily Thomas, Heena Hotchandani, Indhuja Nandakumar, Katie Thompson, Lavanya Keny, Mehak Thakur, Michelle Botha, Rinitha Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Siya Gokhale, Sashikala Silva, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish (wicketkeeper) Udeni Kuruppuarachchige, Vaishnave Mahesh.
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – First ODI
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
ACL Elite (West) - fixtures
Monday, Sept 30
Al Sadd v Esteghlal (8pm)
Persepolis v Pakhtakor (8pm)
Al Wasl v Al Ahli (8pm)
Al Nassr v Al Rayyan (10pm)
Tuesday, Oct 1
Al Hilal v Al Shorta (10pm)
Al Gharafa v Al Ain (10pm)
The six points:
1. Ministers should be in the field, instead of always at conferences
2. Foreign diplomacy must be left to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation
3. Emiratisation is a top priority that will have a renewed push behind it
4. The UAE's economy must continue to thrive and grow
5. Complaints from the public must be addressed, not avoided
6. Have hope for the future, what is yet to come is bigger and better than before
MATCH INFO
Manchester United 1 (Rashford 36')
Liverpool 1 (Lallana 84')
Man of the match: Marcus Rashford (Manchester United)
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
The biog
Favourite Quote: “Real victories are those that protect human life, not those that result from its destruction emerge from its ashes,” by The late king Hussain of Jordan.
Favourite Hobby: Writing and cooking
Favourite Book: The Prophet by Gibran Khalil Gibran
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
In Full Flight: A Story of Africa and Atonement
John Heminway, Knopff
Ant-Man and the Wasp
Director: Peyton Reed
Starring: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas
Three stars
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SQUADS
Bangladesh (from): Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Soumya Sarkar, Shakib Al Hasan (capt), Mahmudullah Riyad, Mohammad Mithun, Mushfiqur Rahim, Liton Das, Taijul Islam, Mosaddek Hossain, Nayeem Hasan, Mehedi Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Ebadat Hossain, Abu Jayed
Afghanistan (from): Rashid Khan (capt), Ihsanullah Janat, Javid Ahmadi, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Asghar Afghan, Ikram Alikhil, Mohammad Nabi, Qais Ahmad, Sayed Ahmad Shirzad, Yamin Ahmadzai, Zahir Khan Pakteen, Afsar Zazai, Shapoor Zadran
2019 ASIAN CUP FINAL
Japan v Qatar
Friday, 6pm
Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi
MANDOOB
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Recent winners
2002 Giselle Khoury (Colombia)
2004 Nathalie Nasralla (France)
2005 Catherine Abboud (Oceania)
2007 Grace Bijjani (Mexico)
2008 Carina El-Keddissi (Brazil)
2009 Sara Mansour (Brazil)
2010 Daniella Rahme (Australia)
2011 Maria Farah (Canada)
2012 Cynthia Moukarzel (Kuwait)
2013 Layla Yarak (Australia)
2014 Lia Saad (UAE)
2015 Cynthia Farah (Australia)
2016 Yosmely Massaad (Venezuela)
2017 Dima Safi (Ivory Coast)
2018 Rachel Younan (Australia)
'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
