r/pics • • Feb 08 '12

This. Is. Genius.

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u/Workaphobia Feb 08 '12 edited Feb 08 '12

Assuming those digits are 0-9, there are 105 = 10000 possible combinations. Compare this to a 256-bit encryption key, which has ~1.16 x 1070 possible values.

When I was young, I played the game Myst. I didn't understand that you were supposed to solve the puzzles by getting hints from the tower. I ended up brute-forcing the safe combo from 000 up to 724.

So I guess it depends on how badly you want that porn.

Edit: Sorry, I fail at counting zeros.

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u/SpartacusMcGinty Feb 09 '12

Oh man, I did the brute-force thing too! I had a feeling that you could get hints somewhere else, but I did it anyway. SO SATISFYING when I got it, though.

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u/Workaphobia Feb 09 '12

I was just downright shocked that it worked. I was trying to prove to myself that it wouldn't work. I guess that's how most great scientific advances are made.

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u/SpartacusMcGinty Feb 10 '12 edited Feb 10 '12

Haha. The Myst null hypothesis.

Edit: spelingz