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a cryptography challenge by Radical Semiconductor

- What is it? -

It's simple: we hand you a strange computer that takes four instructions, and you program it.

Or at least, it feels like it should be simple.

Take a peek: the challenge is available here!

- Are there prizes? -

Absolutely! The first 10 people who solve solved Parts 0-2 will get a free t-shirt themed after the challenge. (NOTE: these have all now been claimed!)

Send us your solutions (woodpecker@radicalsemiconductor.com) and we'll add you to a leaderboard here.

- Why a challenge? -

We like puzzles, strange ideas, and hacking on interesting projects. We had an idea for a cool challenge and we wanted to share it.

Also, we're hiring! This challenge uses a lot of the same skills as we use in designing our systems (in an admittedly intense way), so we thought it would be a cool way to share what we enjoy.

- What have people added? -

/dev/ur4ndom kindly supplied a new, more compact syntax for Woodpecker files and a complete (!) SHA-256 challenge (use `woodpecker solve 8 <challenge>` to try it out!).

RCoder01 helped with a bug fix affecting empty Woodpecker files.

4yn created a Woodpecker Online Judge at cyp.ress.me where you can test your solutions online. Try it out!

- Who's solved it? -

[updates every weekend]

[t-shirts will ship in April 2023]


Challenge 0 (XOR):

Neobeo (12 steps), 4yn (12 steps), perryzjc (12 steps), Cryptanalyse (12 steps), ConnorM (12 steps), Tariq Kharsa (12 steps), Nika (12 steps), Jack2bs (12 steps), rdlp (13 steps), JosePisco (13 steps), zeski (13 steps), rdubi (14 steps), Jeremy (16 steps), Shadowwws (18 steps), RawnYogn (19 steps), fmd (21 steps), RCoder01 (22 steps), ? (22 steps), Genesis (29 steps), hellman (30 steps), ? (33 steps), typ3c4t (33 steps), dozingcat (33 steps), Mystiz (37 steps), /dev/ur4ndom (95 steps), ? (161 steps), someone12469 (1630 steps), vEvergarden (5197 steps)


Challenge 1 (1-bit add):

Cryptanalyse (13 steps), Neobeo (13 steps), ConnorM (13 steps), 4yn (13 steps), perryzjc (13 steps), Jack2bs (13 steps), Nika (17 steps), Tariq Kharsa (21 steps), fmd (32 steps), Genesis (32 steps), hellman (41 steps), rdubi (48 steps), RCoder01 (57 steps), dozingcat (71 steps), Shadowwws (72 steps), ? (104 steps), Mystiz (182 steps), /dev/ur4ndom (207 steps), ? (447 steps), zeski (1041 steps), someone12469 (2657 steps)


Challenge 2 (16-bit add):

Neobeo (2624 steps), Jack2bs (10084 steps), dozingcat (12674 steps), Mystiz (12784 steps), rdubi (30672 steps), ? (33158 steps), 4yn (35747 steps), /dev/ur4ndom (73963 steps), Nika (107784 steps), zeski (144786 steps), someone12469 (197254 steps), vEvergarden (4452197 steps)


Challenge 3 (16-bit multiply):

Neobeo (50489 steps), Jack2bs (183548 steps), Mystiz (610290 steps), dozingcat (1190261 steps), /dev/ur4ndom (7379250 steps), 4yn (8551011 steps), Nika (9639600 steps), someone12469 (90288738 steps), zeski (104253148 steps), vEvergarden (223823834 steps)


Challenge 8 (SHA-256):

/dev/ur4ndom (3717778 steps)

"?" entries are waiting on name selection