Lorenz used the International Teleprinter Code, in which each letter of the alphabet was represented by a series of five electrical impulses. Extra letters were generated by the rotors and added to the original text. Five of the twelve rotors followed a regular pattern and two pinwheels dictated the pattern of the other five. To decrypt a message, the receiving Lorenz added the same obscuring letters.
Interested in Natural history?
Get updates with your personalized Culture Weekly
You are all set!
Your first Culture Weekly will arrive this week.