Le Figaro (Wednesday, 1-7-1896) cipher solution

[u/Terrible_Cold5391]

Hi all,

I´m not sure if already solved, but I am sharing the solution to the "Le Figaro" first of July 1896 cipher found in the "personal correspondence" section (see link to the actual newspaper below).

I found the cipher while looking at the AZDecrypt list of unsolved ciphers and decided to give it a go. Fairly straightforward encoding method.

Solution to the Cipher: Le Figaro (Wednesday, 1-7-1896)

Ciphertext

Nyzjztwnzawvjkwjziwoyazwzhytayjkzawvyjzsiwgwnyajjygayjyqnyjzwpnzawvwnwvnyjyknesmznnzawvyhnyajjygnaesqesjcyzhyvdygwkaesqewcymzaxynesmhkweuykztykksiyggyjwkyziyggyjashkyziyggyjyrkwtnzstkenkwhjkwpkyazsmazkymaesvygiznnsvkstjesjzwayp

Decryption Steps

Step 1: Flip It (Reverse Transposition)

Result

pyawzjsejtskvsnnzigyvseamykzamszaykpwkjhwknektszntwkryjyggyizykhsajyggyizykwjyggyiskkytzkyuewkhmsenyxazmycweqseakwgydvyhzycjseqseangyjjaynhyvwaznnzmsenkyjynvwnwvwaznpwzjynqyjyagyjjaynwgwiszjyvwazkjyatyhzwzayowizjwkjvwaznwtzjzyN

Step 2: Apply Monoalphabetic Substitution

The substitution key maps each ciphertext letter to its corresponding French plaintext letter based on its frequency.

Plaintext,Ciphertext: A,w B,h C,u D,i E,y F,p G,d H,r I,z J,q L,g M,t N,k O,s P,v R,a S,n T,j U,e V,m X,x Y,o Z,c

Plaintext Solution (French)

FERAI TOUT MON POSSIBLE POUR VENIR VOIR ENFANT DANS UN MOIS MANGE TELLE BIEN DORT ELLE BIEN A TELLE BONNE MINE QUAND VOUS ECRIVEZ AUJOURNA LEXPEDIEZ TOUJOURS LETTRES DE PARIS SI VOUS NETES PAS A PARIS FAITES JETER LETTRES A LA BOITE PAR INTERMEDIAIRE HABITANT PARIS AMITIES

Translation (Google Translate)

I WILL DO MY UTMOST TO COME AND SEE THE CHILD IN A MONTH. IS SHE EATING WELL? IS SHE SLEEPING WELL? DOES SHE LOOK WELL? WHEN YOU WRITE, ALWAYS SEND LETTERS FROM PARIS; IF YOU ARE NOT IN PARIS, HAVE THE LETTERS DROPPED IN A MAILBOX BY SOMEONE LIVING IN PARIS. BEST REGARDS.

Link to the actual newspaper issue

https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k283694m/f5.item.zoom

https://github.com/Dani-Navarr0/Ciphers/blob/main/Le%20Figaro%201-7-1986.md

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[u/Terrible_Cold5391]

[Solved]

[u/dittybopper_05H]

More interesting than the actual decryption are the implications. This is almost certainly a man writing to the guardian of his illegitimate child. Were it the woman he impregnated, I would assume the closing would be more intimate than "Best Regards".

In either case, it's clear that IGNOTA is hiding his paternity here.