[comp.parallel] Multiprocessor algorithm to solve substitution ciphers.

lampman@spool.cs.wisc.edu (Ray Lampman) (05/13/89)

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Does anyone know of a parallel algorithm for solving substitution ciphers which
can be implemented on a multiprocessor system? I'd like the parallelism to be
evident in the algorithm design, not hidden in code generated by a compiler.
Also, the number of processors is fixed only for the duration of a single
execution, and the algorithm will need to distribute itself evenly over the
available processors.

Currently, I run a brute force algorithm that checks only those solutions
strings which make sense in the target language. It works well, but there
is always the possibility of skipping over the correct solution due to some
weird letter or word combination. Can anyone suggest a way to partition this
serial algorithm to be executed in a multiprocessor environment?

Please email (or post, this could be of general interest). aTdHvAaNnKcXe, Ray.

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