Tags: playfair crypto cipher 

Rating:

I searched many keywords online but I havent find any thing positive. By observing carefully the ciphertext looks like it is from an old cipher. And I know about play-fair cipher. And they said play-reasonably and it matched with it. So, i started deciphering this playfair ciphertext.

Ciphertext : `WTATRHABWKYKACBMWD`
I tried it with the key `THEBOYSAREBACKINTOWN` as the description highlighted it. I solved it with pen and paper as i know the working of playfair. Tried evry possible 5x5 key matrix.

`THEBOYSARCKINWDFGLMPQUVXZ (-J)`

`THEBOYSARCKINWDFGJLMPQUXZ (-V)`

`THEBOYSARCKINWDFGJLMPUVXZ (-Q)`

`THEBOYSARCKINWDFGJLMPQUVX (-Z)`

None of them are worked. So, I read the description again, They said `theboysarebackintown` are playing in reverse.So, I tried the key matrix in reverse order.
`NWOTIKCABERSYH` And the key matrix will be `NWOTIKCABERSYHDFGLMPQUVXZ (-J)`

And I got the plaintext : `NOBODYCANCRACKTHIS`

### [**Original Writeup**](https://themj0ln1r.github.io/posts/jerseyctf23)

Original writeup (https://themj0ln1r.github.io/posts/jerseyctf23).