Communicating Cryptanalytic Process in a Mathematical Cryptology Course

Brian Winkel, United States Military Academy

We present several instances of students communicating their personal cryptanalytic processes from a mathematical cryptology course we teach. These include recording "stream of consciousness" efforts while attacking class assigned ciphers and authoring a letter to a literary figure (Edgar Allen Poe) about his misconceptions on cryptanalysis. We further illustrate the richness of mathematical cryptology as a course filled with communication opportunities by discussing student presentations which include role playing of a distinguished code breaker of history and student papers which include historical material in a mathematical setting.