Ciphering or encoding means making a piece of writing incomprehensible to those who are not in on the secret. Deciphering or decoding is the reverse process. A code is a table of words, abbreviations, numbers, or other symbols which can be substituted for words. You can even combine different symbols according to your needs.



Most people already know some simple codes. Perhaps you're familiar with the code which is created by reversing the alphabet Z is substituted for A, Y for B, and so on. Or there is the code that simply uses numbers instead of letters, starting at any letter of the alphabet and going backward or forward.

You can make such simple codes more difficult if you combine them. For example, you might replace the first and last letters of a word by the letters immediately following them in the alphabet. It is a good idea to break up long words into two parts when using this code.

We are waiting for you XF BRF XAITINH GOS ZOV

In addition, you could also encode the result with an alphabet of numbers.

Typewriter Code

If you know how to touch type with all ten fingers, you can construct a code by typing from a different basic position. For example, instead of resting your left fingers on asdf and the right on jkl, shift them a line up on the keyboard to qwer and uiop. Thus, when you type

wait for us

it comes out:

2q85 r94 7w.

Strip Writing

You do not need a key to read or write this remarkable code. All that is necessary is a rod or a stick. However, you have to be careful that the sender's and receiver's sticks are exactly the same size. For this purpose, two pieces of the same broomstick are ideal.

If you are the one who is sending the message, wrap a strip of paper around the rod so that the edges touch each other, and fasten the ends with thumbtacks. Then, write the message along the rod, turning it a bit after each line. To send the message, simply take off the strip and roll it up. Anyone intercepting the message will rack his brains trying to figure it out. But the intended receiver merely has to wrap the strip around his half of the stick, and he can read the message without any trouble.

Chessboard Code

The accompanying illustration gives a key for a code that substitutes two numbers for every letter. The letter "I" has been omitted because it can be confused with the number 1, and you may substitute "x" or any other letter of your choice. First find the letter you want, then the number in the column to the left, and finally the number in the row at the top. Always write the number from the left column first. In this code, the words MEET ME AT THE SEASHORE would read: 82656594 8265 6194 947365 9365619373849265.

To make it harder for outsiders to break the code, you can divide the numbers into random groups. The receiver will know that each pair of numbers represents one letter. In this case, a comma was placed between two words:

8 265/6594, 8 265 61-9 4 947 3-65/, 936 5619/ 373 84 92 65. The other signs are there just to confuse the outsiders.

Another such code uses two letters for each letter of the message. Use any consonants at the left; put the vowels at the top. Using this key, VACATION would come out RABABIBAGORIFOFI. The same sorts of complications to prevent interception of the message can be used here as with the other example.