Final answer:
A transposition cipher rearranges the letters in the plaintext through predefined rules, often using blocks of text and a keyword to guide the permutation.
Step-by-step explanation:
A transposition cipher involves rearranging the letters in the plaintext according to a specific rule or algorithm. One common technique in transposition ciphers is to divide the plaintext into blocks of text and then change the order of the letters within each block. This can be guided by a keyword that determines the size of the blocks and the specific permutation applied to the letters within each block. The Zimmerman Telegram, for instance, utilized a transposition cipher to encrypt its message.