2010-09-27 09:02:54 -06:00
|
|
|
Tokens
|
|
|
|
|
======
|
|
|
|
|
|
2020-09-11 20:16:58 -06:00
|
|
|
We used to use tokens extensively for categories outside of MOTH
|
|
|
|
|
(like scavenger hunts, Dirtbags Tanks, and other standalone stuff).
|
2010-09-27 09:02:54 -06:00
|
|
|
|
2020-09-11 20:16:58 -06:00
|
|
|
We still occasionally pull out tokens to deal with oddball categories
|
|
|
|
|
that we want to score alongside MOTH categories.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Here's how they work.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Description
|
|
|
|
|
------------
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tokens are a 3-tuple:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
> (category, points, nonce)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We build a mothball with nothing but `answers.txt`,
|
|
|
|
|
and a special 1-point puzzle that uses JavaScript to parse and submit tokens.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Generally, tokens use colon separators, so they look like this:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
category:12:xunap-motex
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Uniqueness
|
|
|
|
|
--------
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Because they work just like normal categories,
|
|
|
|
|
you can't have two distinct tokens worth the same number of points.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
When we need two or more tokens worth the same amount,
|
|
|
|
|
we make the point values very high,
|
|
|
|
|
so the least significant digit doesn't have much impact on the overall value.
|
|
|
|
|
For instance:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
category:1000001:xylep-nanox
|
|
|
|
|
category:1000002:xenod-relix
|
|
|
|
|
category:1000003:xoter-darox
|
2010-09-27 09:02:54 -06:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Entropy
|
|
|
|
|
-------
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3 octets provides 24 bits of entropy. This gives 16777216 possible
|
|
|
|
|
tokens in each category. The longest contest yet run lasted 24 hours,
|
|
|
|
|
which would give 2^24/24/60 = 11650 tokens per category per minute. I
|
|
|
|
|
think this is a large enough pool to discourage brute-force attacks.
|
|
|
|
|
Assuming /dev/urandom is as good as is claimed, brute-force would be the
|
|
|
|
|
only way to attack it.
|
