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Thanks Pkd - I'll check this out

Pkd,

I've had a look at this site but can't fathom.

I think the problem is that we have the text and the cypher of the text (with some omissions) and have to work out what the Playfair code-square is (in particular the front-end message).

I have:
SUITCASE WINE LARBOARD
HCUP?SGS I?CO HD?D?BDL

Any steer on what to do next would be greatly appreciated

I got the "playfair codeword" from 36a wine which in the grid is I?CO

There are only 3 letters for the blank which work in the decoder that pkd gave. Use "playfair breaker with wine and i?co" using a then b then cetc for your missing letter.....doesn't take long to get the 3 that actually work. If you get the 3 choices I am sure you will deduce which one is correct.
Ask again if you are stuck/ if i have confused you more!!

Thanks Sudokulover - I'll try this

Thanks again Sudokulover - it worked - all finished

Have finished this thanks to all on this thread. Not very keen on playfair, prefer normal solving. It would have been helpful if some indication of the keyword was included in the grid or clues or title. Where does "criticism rejected" come into it? Maybe i'm missing something. Any thoughts?

Hi Spreadman,

The second word of the keyword reversed has a definition of criticism in Chambers.

Hi pkd
Thanks for that, I see it now.
DOOHHHH

Still totally confused by how to find the "word", have checked the suggested web-site but it's totally beyond me. Have tried all the encrypted & plain text words but am getting no-where. Please someone put me out of my misery and give me a massive clue for idiots before I take full leave of my senses.

Thank you

Hi Manic Mary,
When you go onto the website, put in wine as the known word and i?co as the coded word . Start with iaco then ibco, icco, idco and so on until you reach izco. Three possible key words will come up. One of them is correct. If you do a rough playfair square for each word and try the other two words that you know, you will find which one is correct. As a guide to the correct one, think of the south coast.