TheCodeBreakers
code—could not fathom. Between the explosions of the colorful Sicilian
equivalents for "dunce" and "jackass" and still other expletives were
references to operating procedure, meanings of specific codewords, and
so on. Needless to say, it proved a great help to Gylden in his Italian-code
solutions.
The Swedes also obtained much help from their own Foreign Office in
the form of diplomatic notes sent and received, reports of notes verbales,
aides-memoires of conversations with various ambassadors, and other
memoranda. This is common practice in all countries, but the Swedish
cryptanalysts carried it to a peak of perfection by using as their liaison
man a former foreign minister. Rickard Sandier, 56, had served in that
post from 1932 to 1939; he had also filled in as premier for 18 months in
1925 and 1926, and in 1934 had been elected president of the League of
Nations Assembly. Spare and round-faced, Sandier had been bitten by
annaabi.ee 
