We trust combination locks to secure our valuables. But security is often an illusion. By understanding the microscopic imperfections inside a lock, we can bypass the code entirely.
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Inside a lock, wheels block a metal shackle. In a perfect world, you must align every wheel's "Gate" to the shackle's "Teeth" for it to open.
Target Combination: 3 - 7 - 2 - 9
Here is the secret: No lock is manufactured perfectly. The holes in the shackle are never perfectly aligned. Some are microscopic fractions of a millimeter off.
Hold the button below. With 0% error, all teeth hit at once.
With error > 0%, only one tooth binds first.
Because one wheel binds first, we can find the numbers one by one.
The Algorithm: Apply tension. Find the wheel that is hardest to turn (Binding). Turn it until it clicks.
Instructions: Hold Tension. Drag dials up/down.
The Binding Wheel will move very slowly (high friction).
When it hits the right number, it clicks and becomes loose.
To fight this, expensive locks add "False Gates"—shallow notches that feel like the correct number but don't open the lock.
Status: On Surface