by Evangeline LaFond

If you had given me the choice at the end of Trinity term last year, I would gladly have eaten a whole handful of live wasps in exchange for never again having to go through the pain of Microsoft Authenticator’s two-factor authentication. As of Sunday of 0th week this Michaelmas, however, my outlook (no pun intended) has changed dramatically. No longer is Microsoft Authenticator a source of sorrow; indeed, at times I find myself even excited at an opportunity to sign in. My attitude has changed because I have turned this daily annoyance into a noble quest, nay, a scholarly pursuit of knowledge. The question: how long will it take for me to get every number, from 10 through 99, for two-factor authentication?

At the time of writing, I have crossed off fifty-six unique numbers of the ninety available options. You may think this means I am more than halfway there, but I am informed by reliable sources (a couple of maths students all too eager to procrastinate problem sheets to calculate exactly how long this project will take) that I still have a long way to go. I am almost convinced that Microsoft Authenticator knows about my quest and is trying to thwart me. I have had 73 as my authentication number six times already this term, yet thirty-four perfectly good numbers remain out of my reach, not even used once for authentication! Nonetheless, I press on in the face of adversity. Just this morning, I crossed off 35 for the first time. What number may come next?