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Every detective club needs codes so nobody can read your notes. Kristopher is our codes expert
and he helped me write this page. Here are the four we use the most.
| CODE #1: THE PIGPEN CIPHER |
The pigpen cipher is really old. They say soldiers and secret societies used it hundreds of
years ago. Instead of letters you draw little shapes. First you draw the KEY. Two tic-tac-toe
boards and two big X's. The second board and the second X get dots.
A | B | C J.| K.| L.
---+---+--- ---+---+---
D | E | F M.| N.| O.
---+---+--- ---+---+---
G | H | I P.| Q.| R.
\ S / \ W /
T X U X . X . Y
/ V \ / Z \
(The second X has a dot in each part. It's hard to draw on a computer.)
To write a letter, you draw the lines that are AROUND it in the key. Here is what they look
like:
|
| A = _| | B = |_| | C = |_ |
| D = ] | E = [] | F = [ |
| G = ¯| | H = |¯| | I = |¯ |
| S = V | T = > | U = < |
| V = ^ (upside down V) |
|
J through R are the same shapes as A through I but with a dot in the middle. W, X, Y and Z are
the same as S, T, U and V with a dot.
WORKED EXAMPLE: Let's write FORT.
F is in the first board, middle row, right side. Lines on the left, top and bottom. So: [
O is in the dotted board in the same spot. So: [ with a dot in it.
R is in the dotted board, bottom right. So: |¯ with a dot.
T is the left part of the first X. So: >
FORT = [ [· |¯· >
It looks like alien writing. That's the point!
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| CODE #2: THE SHIFT CODE |
In a shift code you move every letter down the alphabet the same number of spaces. Julius Caesar
used one with a shift of 3, so it's also called the Caesar cipher. Write the alphabet, then write
it again under it, starting 3 letters later. When you get to the end you go back around to A.
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
DEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZABC
To put a letter in code, find it on the top line and write the one under it. To decode, go from
the bottom line to the top.
WORKED EXAMPLE: MEET AT THE FORT
M goes to P. E goes to H. E goes to H. T goes to W. So MEET = PHHW.
A = D, T = W. So AT = DW.
T = W, H = K, E = H. So THE = WKH.
F = I, O = R, R = U, T = W. So FORT = IRUW.
MEET AT THE FORT = PHHW DW WKH IRUW
You can use any shift. Just make sure the person you send it to knows the number! We change ours
every month. (Not telling you this month's.)
TRY IT YOURSELF! Shift of 3:
FRSSHU LV WKH EHVW VQLIIHU
Answer (highlight the space below with your mouse):
COPPER IS THE BEST SNIFFER
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| CODE #3: BACKWARD WRITING |
This is the easiest one. You just write every word backward. Leonardo da Vinci wrote his
notebooks in mirror writing, backward from right to left, so you could only read them easy in a
mirror. He was a genius so it must be a good idea.
EXAMPLE:
SECRET MEETING SATURDAY
becomes
TERCES GNITEEM YADRUTAS
For extra secret, put the words in backward order too:
YADRUTAS GNITEEM TERCES
If you are really good you can do real mirror writing where the letters are backward too, and
then you hold it up to a mirror. Desiree can do it. It takes forever.
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| SECRET INK: LEMON JUICE |
This is the coolest thing on this whole page. You write a message that is INVISIBLE and then you
make it appear!
YOU NEED:
- Lemon juice (from a real lemon or the plastic lemon in the fridge)
- A cotton swab or a little paintbrush
- Plain white paper
- A lamp with a regular light bulb
- A GROWN-UP
STEPS:
1. Squeeze some lemon juice into a cup. Add a few drops of water.
2. Dip the cotton swab and write your message on the paper. Don't use too much juice or it
wrinkles.
3. Let it dry all the way. Now it's invisible! You can write a regular boring note on the other
side so nobody suspects.
4. To read it, have your grown-up hold the paper close to the light bulb (not touching) for a few
minutes. Move it around slowly.
5. The writing turns light brown and appears like magic!
WHY IT WORKS: My dad explained it. The lemon juice gets toasted by the heat before the paper
does, so it turns brown first. Like toast.
| SAFETY: Light bulbs get really
HOT. Always do this part with a grown-up. Don't touch the bulb and don't leave the paper on it.
Never use a candle or the stove. My mom made me put this in and she is right. |
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| SQUAD CODE WORDS (for the walkie-talkies) |
CODE RED = Come to the fort NOW
THE EAGLE = a grown-up is coming
SNOWBALL = I have to go in for dinner
BLUE SKY = all clear
COPPER ONE = Copper got out again, everybody look
OVER = I'm done talking, your turn
(We have more code words but those are only in the fort notebook.)
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