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had to be arranged to form a large 12-sided polygon. The number of ways of arranging all the
pieces is so huge that certain people hailed Christopher as a mathematical genius. A prize was
also offered. He worked for over a decade to create the puzzle (and has also written excellent
books on sudoku puzzles).

Two mathematicians from Cambridge University working together obtained the correct answer
first, although there was more than one correct solution. Using a computer they applied a
technique that was developed in computer science. They began by getting the computer to
attempt combinations within a small area. When they finally understood how best to proceed
they got the computer to attempt the whole area and it was eventually solved.

They arrived to the puzzle later than all the others, who had already programmed computers in
their attempts too. Various people put together 205, 206 etc. pieces but they couldn't program
their computers to get all 209. There was only one other person who submitted a correct
solution and they started the puzzle some time before the two Cambridge University
mathematicians.

Christopher then asked the two mathematicians to create Eternity 2, a puzzle that they had to
program a computer to create. With so many combinations no one could program a computer to
solve it, even if they had millions of computers working together. People helped one another in
their attempts. Solvers had to settle for competing for the second prize: who could fit the most
number of pieces, using computers again.

What went wrong with the first Eternity? The problem was that although there were many wrong
combinations there were also many correct ones. The mathematicians believed that with 70
pieces instead it would have been impossible to solve. Christopher wasn't a mathematician. For
Eternity 2 there was one correct solution.

With any system that has a huge, huge number of wrong combinations there should only be one
correct solution. Anyone can create a flawed system with a huge number of permutations but
failed to consider the strength of its weakest point. Very very very famous software companies
are included in this list. (Either they employed some hopeless cryptographers or they didn't
employ any at all.)

There are infinitely many encryption systems out there. Out of this infinite which one encrypts
passwords?

"Ain't got a clue, mate."

How do I know there's only one? Maybe there's infinitely many? I will say there is only one but
you will need to read on.

How are we going to reduce this amazingly infinite number down to just one, one which will
allow an ordinary person to create extremely secure passwords, many of them, and with great
ease? How hard is that? How hard exactly is that?

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