Pivots

When the search changed family, and why

Each time the work moved from one family to another, with the experiment it followed. Each pivot has a page that says why it happened then, what came before, and the change we believed was needed.

23 pivots so far.

pivotdateafterfromtodetails
P12026-10-1451 keyed periodic6 transposition then tableauFrom keyed periodic keys to a transposition before the table
P22026-10-14121 keyed periodic5 GromarkFrom keyed periodic keys to a running numerical key (Gromark)
P32026-10-15866 transposition then tableau3 two-component keyFrom moves before the table to two-component keys
P42026-10-16118the sweep across the eight directionsF1 first, then the ranked order of workFrom a sweep across the directions to a ranked order of work
P52026-10-16128F1 one keyed stage, no moveF6 a move, then the tableFrom one keyed stage to a move, then the table
P62026-10-16135F6 a move, then the tableF1 one keyed stage, no move (reopened)Back to F1, to unblock what is blocked
P72026-10-17157F1 one keyed stage, no move (reopened)F6 a move, then the tableFrom F1, closed for the second time, to a move, then the table
P82026-10-17167F6 a move, then the tableF12 Stein's way: look, quantify, then cribFrom a move, then the table, to Stein's way
P92026-10-17172F12 Stein's way: look, quantify, then cribF3 a two-part key with a combinerFrom Stein's way to a two-part key with a combiner
P102026-10-17180F3 a two-part key with a combinerF2 masked plaintextFrom a two-part key with a combiner to masked plaintext
P112026-10-17183F2 masked plaintextF4 Sanborn's visual systemsFrom masked plaintext to Sanborn's visual systems
P122026-10-17186F4 Sanborn's visual systemsF10 alphabets that change after every letterFrom Sanborn's visual systems to alphabets that change after every letter
P132026-10-17188F10 alphabets that change after every letterF11 agency hand systems, now publicFrom alphabets that change after every letter to agency hand systems
P142026-10-17192F11 agency hand systems, now publicF8 HillFrom agency hand systems to Hill
P152026-10-17194F8 HillF5 GromarkFrom Hill to Gromark
P162026-10-17196F5 GromarkF9 substitution, then a moveFrom Gromark to substitution, then a move
P172026-10-20204F6 a move, then the tableF2 masked plaintextFrom the reopened F6 to masked plaintext
P182026-10-20205F2 masked plaintextF11 agency hand systemsFrom masked plaintext to the agency hand systems
P192026-10-20205F11 agency hand systemsF5 GromarkFrom the agency hand systems to Gromark
P202026-10-27229A cheaper decider (D1)F13 ciphertext onlyFrom the cheaper decider to ciphertext only
P212026-10-28243F13 ciphertext onlyF14 Scheidt's mask, keyed by wordsFrom ciphertext only to Scheidt's mask, keyed by words
P222026-10-30257the cheaper decider (D2, D1b) and the cells it reopened in F1F13 ciphertext only (D3's F13.4c at 6-19, then F13.4h)From the cheaper decider to ciphertext only
P232026-11-04267F1's cost-blocked residues (F1.4's two free alphabets)F15 K1-K3 as a guide to K4's content (F15.1, the content model)From F1.4's last residue to K1-K3 as a guide to content

The families themselves are on the families page; the order they are worked in is on Priorities.

Rendered from the record on 2026-11-05 17:14 UTC; updated after every experiment.
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