Permuation of 3 digit combination of 5 numbers

I have a wall safe that I forgot the combination to. The manufacturer has gone out of business so my only option is to try all the combinations (or remove it from the the wall).

It is a push 5 push button safe (similar to office door locks) that uses 3 sequences. For the combination, each position can only be used only once and up to 2 buttons can be pushed at a time. For example 1-2, 3-4, 5.

Does excel have a formula that permeates the various combinations?

Does the lock respond to the last sequence of three?

Is {1 2 3} pressed singly and sequentially, a valid combination?

If the combination were {1 2 3}, and you pressed {5 1 2 3}, would the lock open after pressing the 3?

Sorry to hear about your prediciment. I got 3060 possible unique combinations: 60 for 3 unique numbers out of five and 3000 for the combinations of pushing two at the same time.

My math may be off, but I think you are probably going to need a locksmith.

abousetta

Hello trose4540,

It seems odd, if not suspicious, you trying the combinations manually. You could save yourself considerable time by contacting a lock and safe company. Perhaps in the future you should keep the combination in a bank safe deposit box.

Leith, this looks like a homework assignment since I just realized that shg is right. I don't know how locks work, but if they work by sequencal numbers without an interim period between inputs then 5123 should be the same as 123. Of course there is also another permutation I didn't think about 1 + 2 + 34 or 1 + 23 + 4 or 12 + 3 + 4. This twist will definately throw a wrench into anyone appetite in trying to open the safe manually.

abousetta

P.S. Know any good locksmiths???

Hello abousetta,

When I was a teenager, I wanted to be a locksmith.

Combination Lock Operation
Mechanical combination locks use a wheel pack. Each wheel has a tab on both sides called a wheel fly. The spindle that runs through the middle of the wheel pack is attached to a special wheel called the drive cam. This wheel as tab called the drive pin that catches the on the wheel fly of the adjacent wheel. Each wheel has a notch. When the right combination is dialed, all the wheels and their notches line up perfectly. Once the notches are aligned, the fence, a metal bar, drops down. This allows the bolt to move freely and the lock to open.

Leith, you are a many of many wisdoms. Its interesting how much knowledge there is out in the world and how little each one of us holds in our brains. Really interesting... I wonder if one day they will come up with a computer that can hold a lot of this information and retreive it acurrately and instanteously for us so that we don't have to remeber so much. Makes me wonder sometimes what the future holds for us...

abousetta

The word cheap is such an ugly word... I prefer cost-concious

Hello trose4540,

A push button safe won't take nearly as long as dial type. You will need time to check the possible combinations. Don't forgot to write down the combinations that you have already tried.


@abousetta -

Pecuniary Conservationist (noun) - A person whose is careful about spending money.

Synonyms: cheap, conservative, frugal, miserly, penny pincher, skinflint, tightwad

My point exactly... cheap is such an ugly word

Does it mean if I go to forums to ask for help rather than hire a consultant then I am a 'Pecuniary Conservationist' or a man seeking knowledge

abousetta