Not sure which cipher? Identify it

Polybius coordinates plus a repeating numeric key, added digit by digit without carry — Vigenère on numbers.

Type

polyalphabetic substitution cipher

Breaking it

medium to break by hand

Era

Russia, 1880s

Name

Russian Nihilist prisoners smuggling numbers past the censors; a forerunner of the VIC cipher

Modes

encrypt · decrypt · cryptanalysis

Ciphertext to break

Hints

I
Key length
II
Key numbers
III
Square
IV
Done

The stream has 0 numbers. A repeating key leaves periodic fingerprints — pick the period the cards rank highest.

Too few numbers for a period analysis — paste a longer cryptogram.