Staples Wordlock combo lock uses letters, not numbers

We know this isn't exactly high security, but if you have trouble remembering the combo for your gym or school locker, the $5.98 Wordlock from Staples could be the perfect solution. With only five rings, and just 10 letters per ring, it's limited to just 1,000 combinations, so it's certainly not hack-proof. But given that it's analog, anyone trying to do a dictionary attack will have to actually stand there with a dictionary (or, more likely, a generated list of all 1,000 combos) and try them all.

Update: Thanks to everyone who pointed out that there are 100,000 possible combos; we skipped the math and went with Staples' product description. That makes a dictionary attack a bit harder; looks like the old lock-cutter is the way to hack into this one.

[Via bookofjoe]

[SkelPaff @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

10^5 = 100,000, not 1,000. Or maybe there's just 1,000 valid words?

[MathWiz @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

With 10 letters and five rings, it's 100,000 (a hundred thousand) combinations. Who is engadget run by?

[Sadlar @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

Assuming any combination is valid, I get 10^5 = 100,000 and not 1,000 which probably refers to valid English words or some such thing.

[bacon_skoda @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

my wordlock code is unlck.

[Gullop @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

....or they could look over your shoulder while you put it in, alot easier to remember a word than numbers.

[Gullop @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

....or they could look over your shoulder while you put it in, alot easier to remember a word than numbers.

[dumbass @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

hey, check it out, im the 89456194th person to realize that 10^5 is 100,000. can i have a cookie?

[danielle @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

ummm.. i think they meant REAL words.. not letter combinations.

[Eagle @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

Did anyone actually check the Staples link?

>>>Choose your combination from over 1,000 four-or five-letter words- anything from Alien and Chill to Salsa and Sarah.<<<

[jason @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

Eagle,
why would anyone actually look at the link when they have the amazing chance to prove engadget wrong (and be first about it)? way to go nerds. try reading the item description next time.

[Art Vandelay @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

salsa

[TheBlunderbuss @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

#7
No.
"it�s limited to just 1,000 combinations"
Seems like they meant 1,000 combinations to me.

#4
That's what I was thinking of. Even if it's a nonsense word, the sounds can be easily recalled.

A nifty play on an old tool, but not to be a serious security measure.

[Bart @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

Hmm... the Staples link mentions that the instructions have a "sample" wordlist. If they're not giving you all 1,000 words, doesn't that imply that your combination could be whatever you want it to be? Why would someone make a $6 letter-based combination lock and go out of their way to program it for 1,000 and only 1,000 specific words?

[Bart @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

Actually, I just checked te website and it says "Choose your combination from ***over*** 1,000 four-or five-letter words".

[Sophie @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

I had one of these locks in high school but with numbers - it was very quick to open becasue you could spin the numbers to a location based on feel with out having to look at it. But the rings are plastic so you can wack it with a hammer and break off the rings and line up the red dots to unlock the lock.

[aeo @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

This is just the old numeric combo lock we all used for our bicycles (or still do) with letters instead of numbers. All the manufacturer did was selected 5 rows of the most useful 10 letters that make the most meaningful combinations of words. It's an improvement of an old idea.

[Drew Breunig @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

Seems to me the best lockpick for this one is an cellphone with T9. It could easily deduce the possible (real) words, especially if the first letter was known.

[Peff_D @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

Art-

You got it buddy, number one condiment in America.

You know why don't you... ;)

[Lectoid @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

pfeh... my bolt cutters could brute force that lock in a matter of seconds.

[Nate MC @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

Even if there were only 10 possible combinations, it would still be faster to bolt cut the damn thing. I don't think it would survive some freon and a hammer either.

[Jason Sirota @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

I want to see you carry around some freon and a hammer into a jr. high school locker room and see how many weird looks you get.

[dennis groom @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

am i the first to realize that this was staples 2004 winner of the Staples Invention Quest? Do I get a cookie? There was a show about the contest and the winner a couple months ago...

http://inventionquest.dja.com/Pages/EasyProd.html

[Dan @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

I'm hungry, can I have a cookie? Anyway, someone needs to invent something like this except with interchangeable letter rings. So that way, you could make ANY 5 letter word just be switching off the rings.

[luke @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

Not that it matters. Pretty much every combination lock like this (not the Master-style 3 number back-and-forth locks) these days can be "picked" in a couple minutes or less. I have one I haven't used in a few years and I wanted to use it (as a hindrance rather than as security), so I just put pressure on the loop to pull the mechanism tight and twiddled the dials until each stuck, and poof! the lock was open.

$10 says this is just as easy to open, whether there are 1,000 or 1,000,000 possible combinations. These locks are acceptable as a hindrance, but no one should expect them to actually be secure. I've got three combo locks like this and have busted 'em all open.

[ArC @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

For crying out loud. 100,000 is the number of combinations to **brute-force**. A "dictionary attack" attempts to narrow the search space by only testing real words, not all possible letter combinations.

See Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dictionary_attack

If you use a Wordlock, you'd theoretically be better off with a non-word. It's the same reason software password checkers tell you not to just use a real word as your password. (Of course, in theory, you don't write down your password.)

[lupinstel @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

If engadget were using this lock their word would be "natch", they got it close in the picture with the word "match" though.

[Daydalaus @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

#25 You say that you could use a dictionary attack and narrow the 100,000 combinations. But the words are not forced to be in english... add more languages and we get more than 1,000 word combinations.

[Chris K @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

A spinning tumbler lock with even three "digits" would be a much better idea. "CAT" is much easier to remember than 36-24-36.

[Greg T @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

If you move the spindals to say "SALLY" it says "BITCH" on the other side. Somebody was having fun with letters!

[Nicole @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

My friend pressed the reset button on my word lock, and reset it to some random combination. Now i can't open it and want to get it open before school starts! Luke said he has busted his open, how did you do that?

[Suz @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

Mine is locked on me too... my word is not longer working... think it got reset.... now what do I do??????

[Suz @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

Mine is locked on me too... my word is not longer working... think it got reset.... now what do I do??????

[Christine @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

Omg mine is locked too. I can't get it open and i just got it today. I tried to put in Dully er sumthin n then sumhow it got reset to something else and i've been trying to get it open for hours now and I don't know what to do!!! eek! i need it before school starts! HElp!

[Suz @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

Someone told me there is a 1800 number for help?>

[Christine @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

really? did ya try calling and did it work?

[ANGEL @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

if anyone knows how to reset a word lock please e-mail @ [e-mail]

[Melissa @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

Well I just got a wordlock for my son and he thought you made your word THEN spin it then latch it...so we are also locked out! I found a 800 number but it said it was closed 1-800-425-0049...I called during normal hours and got that it was closed already...who knows...If anyone finds out how to unlock them please let the rest of us know! thanks!!

[Christine @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

well I still have my lock locked lol but um tom i'm gonna try to call this number it has on the brochure. 1-866-716-5558 so i dunno i'll update my comments if i opened it or not k ppl?

[lisa @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

daughter can't find the instructions...anyone want to tell her how to use it, she's 12 and in a panic!

[Christine @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

Well that settles it. I'm out of ideas. i can't get it open. I tried calling the ppl in regular hours but they don't answer or call back. Screw it I guess there's no way of opening this lock if u accidently forget the word or if u did sumtihn with it. it's hopeless. there goes $6 sumthin dollars down the drain. Now I have to stick to an ordinary Yale key lock.

[Rosa @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

my daughter got locked out too and I called the 1 800#. they told me I can return it back to staples and get another one. We will see.

[Suz @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

Locked out still: I tried 1-866-716-5558 ... they sent me back to the local store. The local store gave me a 1-800-425-0049 number & I'll call tomorrow. But get this, I said "well, if I can't get it off the nice way and have to use a bolt cutter, can I at least get my money back for this crappy product." And he said uhhhh... wait and see what the 1800 number people tell you. Everyone I've talked to at Staples & the headquarters seem very shocked when I tell them I'm not the only one having this same problem. So... call call call.

[Suz @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

I finally got a hold of support line. There's NO WAY to get the lock off once you have been locked out. The word gets changed if you accidently push in the button on the side as you close the lock. The only way to get it off is to destroy it (bolt cutters I guess) He did tell me that you can take the destroyed lock to Staples and get a new one or a in store credit. GOOD LUCK everyone!
Personal opinion.... not well designed if it is that easy to set a new word and get lock out.

[Jolene @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

Well, I'm having a bit of the OPPOSITE problem- I had opened my lock using my combo ("steak," haha) but when I went to use it, it wouldn't latch shut. So I guess it got jumbled and reset and I have no idea what the pass is now. I don't even remember how I put my first one in, because I couldn't find the directions. Yikes!

You know, for the price of one of these, you can get 6 key/combo locks.. they might not be as neat, but hey, if you lose one or have to break it, you're only out a buck! (Not to mention a friggin monkey would know how to use one of those)

[Jolene @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

Well, I'm having a bit of the OPPOSITE problem- I had opened my lock using my combo ("steak," haha) but when I went to use it, it wouldn't latch shut. So I guess it got jumbled and reset and I have no idea what the pass is now. I don't even remember how I put my first one in, because I couldn't find the directions. Yikes!

You know, for the price of one of these, you can get 6 key/combo locks.. they might not be as neat, but hey, if you lose one or have to break it, you're only out a buck! (Not to mention a friggin monkey would know how to use one of those)

[Jolene @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

***FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE LOST THE INSTRUCTIONS***

I found them online (in PDF format- you'll need adobe acrobat reader):

http://www.wordlock.com/Instructions.pdf

Hope that helps some of you! :o)

[Suz @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

Jolene:
I think you can just reset it again if it is open. Just select a new word and line it up.
Then press the button in on the side and hold it for a few secs and then try to close it.
Good Luck.

[Joe @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

I thought I had a o.k idea for an invention, up until I read all your negative comments.
Tonight a young friend told me how the other night she had to protect her passed out friend from drunken guys at a party. My invention is to take an improved wordlock, put it on a cool belt and call it a "Chasity Belt".

[Joe @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

For you idiots, it is wise NOT to use regular words!!!!

[Bill @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

For you idiots, it is wise NOT to use regular words!!!!