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Code cracked for Margam shipwreck padlock solving 400-year-old mystery (www.bbc.co.uk)
submitted 4 days ago by to c/goodnewseveryone@piefed.social
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The brass lock, found in the sand near Port Talbot, forms part of a 1583 shipwreck treasure hoard.

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[–] 6 points 3 days ago* (4 children)

Four discs with only six letters on each disc and he couldn't find the combination? Something tells me he wasn't trying very hard.

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  • [–] 1 point 3 days ago (3 children)

    1296 possible combinations?

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  • [–] 5 points 3 days ago (2 children)

    A few hours over the course of twenty years should have done it. I bet he tried the right combo but with a slight misalignment that kept it from opening. An hour a day would let you get through all the combinations in a week or two, depending on the quickness and nimbleness of your fingers.

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  • [–] 3 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

    With four seconds per combination you can go through all of them in less than 2 hours.

    On second thought, probably it was a bit stuck, to be fair, I would be afraid to pull too hard even knowing the right combo.

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