What are the rules of communication among cardinal electors during the conclave?

I was intrigued by this May 2025 article from the *Time* magazine: [10 Surprising Facts about Papal Conclaves](https://time.com/7282265/papal-conclaves-surprising-facts-history/) where #2 is: > **Cardinals will be on a strict diet to prevent secret messaging** > >In an attempt to influence cardinals and establish communication between the conclave and the outside world, messages have previously been hidden in food coming into the Sistine Chapel during the voting process. > >Foods that could conceal messages such as pies and chickens, as well as cutlery and glasses, have been prohibited. Following tradition for the upcoming conclave, nuns will prepare local food such as lamb skewers, spaghetti, and boiled vegetables for cardinals. But the restrictive communication seems to *also* be in effect among the cardinal-electors themselves *during conclave*. Quote from the same article that implies the rule of non-communication between votes: > If a decision still has not been made after three days, a break of up to one day is permitted, allowing for prayer and discussion amongst cardinals. But this process can continue indefinitely, until a majority is reached. While I understand how they should be insulated from outside world (i.e. no smartphones), I don't understand the need to prohibit discussion among the current 135 cardinal-electors. Wouldn't discussion between votes (which I heard is at least 2 times per day) help them to reach the consensus? Or at least one discussion per day after a few rounds of votes? I also understand that there is a deliberate pre-conclave discussions which include the rest of the 252 members of the College of Cardinals, so that the wise input from those not eligible can be in the mind of the cardinal electors for factors of consideration. This is also for the cardinal electors to get to know the view of what they consider to be *papabile*. **My question**: What are the precise rules for communication among cardinal electors **during** (not before) the conclave, and what is the *rationale* for those rules? I'm specifically interested whether there are any restrictions of *oral* (not written / recorded) discussion between votes.