A slideshow used with keystage 3 students which introduces code breaking skills as a fun end of year project

1. Cryptography 101

2. The vocabulary of codes Anagram – letters of a word rearranged to say something else

3. bilateral – a code containing just 2 symbols

4. Cipher – a code in which each letter or number is represented by another letter or number

5. Code – the general term for any system that changes a message to make it harder or easier to understand

6. Cryptography – the art of writing coded messages

7. encryption – the act of concealing something by turning it into code

8. hieroglyphics – coded picture writing

9. key – the solution that allows you to decipher a coded message

10. Plaintext – the original message

11. 3 simple codes to warm you up!

12. 1: Reverse Codes

13. Full reverse DEHCTAW GNIEB SI ESUOH EHT EDISNI YATS Individual words YATS EDISNI EHT ESUOH SI GNIEB DEHCTAW Letter pairs TSYA NIISED HTH EUOES SI EBNIW GTAHCDE

14. WEOL RDKD FIR MOEMHTT HO ET OEUDTIS

15. WORK FROM THE OUTSIDE TO THE MIDDLE

16. 2: Number Codes

17. A – 1, B – 2 , C – 3 etc JOT = 10 / 15 / 20

18. 20 8 5 / 19 5 3 18 5 20 / 6 9 12 5 19 / 1 18 5 / 9 14 / 20 8 5 / 19 1 6 5

19. THE SECRET FILES ARE IN THE SAFE

20. 3: Vowel Codes

21. A E I O U

22. YUAR SICRIT PERCIL WOLL ERROVI UN MUNDEY MURNONG

23. YOUR SECRET PARCEL WILL ARRIVE ON MONDAY MORNING

24. Simple COMBINATION Codes Reverse codes Number codes Vowel codes

25. UNWRCOSHHCUUL

26. UNWRCOSHHCUUL Hint – 2 stage process using pair reversal and vowels

27. UN WR CO SH HC UU L ON WR CI SH HC OO L NO RW IC HS CH OO L

28. The code breaker’s challenge There are 9 parts to the code maker’s challenge – each step will give you part of a master key which you will need to crack the final code...and win a prize!

29. The code breaker’s challengePart 1 A mysterious letter has arrived on your doormat. It has an Egyptian postmark, and very neat, old-fashioned handwriting on the envelope. Inside is a single thin piece of paper, and written on it is a coded message: W R O T I U A T T H I E L P H E B I T

30. Greek Codes

31. The Spartan Scytale

32. Aeneas’ light hole code

33. Polybius grid code

34. A = 11, B = 12, S = 43, Y = 54

35. 34 45 42 / 13 34 51 15 42 / 24 43 / 12 31 34 52 33 / 42 15 44 45 42 33 / 44 34 / 12 11 43 15 / 11 44 / 34 33 13 15

36. Y O U R / C O V E R / I S / B L O W N / R E T U R N / T O / B A S E / A T / O N C E

37. The code breaker’s challengePart 2 After playing with your computer for several hours, you feel it’s time to take a break. You go to get a drink – but when you return, you realise instantly that someone has used the machine while you were away. A strange sequence of numbers has been typed out across the screen, and written beneath is the following message – ‘you’ve been flamed’

38. 142451241415442315 1131352311121544 243344343511244243 113314 21312435 15111323 35112442 114234453314

39. Caesar’s code

40. A B C D E F G A B C D E F G Letter shift version (3)KHOOR IHOORZ FRGH EUHDNHUV

41. Keyword version C FK F TEFSBEP WCTB F QBCLY BEFH !

42. Keyword protection

43. The Freemasons’ code

46. The code breaker’s challengePart 3 Your computer lets you know that someone has sent you an email. The address f the sender seems to be somewhere in Egypt. The message reads as follows: YPLQQ / LAA / SDO / HOSSOPQ / CJ / SDO / JOWS / SDPOO / YLBOEPOKGOPQ / YDKHHOJRO / KJQVOPQ

47. Written below this are what appear to be six random words: Computer Software Terminal Keyboard Hacker Mouse

48. Renaissance Codes

49. Bacon’s Bilateral code a AAAAA g AABBA n ABBAA t BAABAb AAAAB h AABBB o ABBAB u-v BAABBc AAABA I-j ABAAA p ABBBA w BABAAd AAABB k ABAAB q ABBBB x BABABe AABAA l ABABA r BAAAA y BABBAf AABAB m ABABB s BAAAB z BABBB Every ‘marked letter’ represents ‘B’ Every ‘unmarked’ letter represents ‘A’ Marking can include – underlining, italics, size differences, capitalisation, pin pricking, invisible ink

50. How wonderful it was to see you last weekend. I hope you enjoyed our day in London as much as I did. Howwonderful itwas to see you last weekend. Ihope youenjoyed our day in London as much as I did.

51. Howwonderful itwas to see you last weekend. Ihope youenjoyed our day in London as much as I did. Babbaabbabbaabbaaaaabaaaaaabaaabaaa Abbaaaaabbaaaaaabbaaaabbaaabaabaaaaaaaa You are in danger

52. The Vigenere tableau 1) Choose a keyword : MANCHESTER 2) Above your message write out the keyword repeatedly 3) Using the plaintext on the ‘x’ axis of the tableau and the keyword letters on the ‘y’ axis, compose the coded message (without the keyword, this is almost unbreakable)

54. SEND MANCHESTER

55. E E A

56. EEAF WLBPYKLW

57. To decipher, you simply reverse the rules by writing the keyword repeatedly above the coded message Then take the first letter of the keyword on the ‘x’ axis and follow the tableau down until it meets the code letter Read across to the ‘y’ axis to identify the original plaintext S E

58. Use the Vigenere tableau to crack these 10 words – when considered together you will be able to identify 5 popular TV soap operas Keyword = SOAP TFODC SKAN GOKH KHRTWH FSIVZPOJJG UCRDFOTXGB SBD KWDT ZCLAQ ZCMT

59. Modern Cryptology

60. Frequency tables E T A O N R I S H D L G C M U F Y P W B V K X J Q Z Single letter words - I or A in English Double letters tend to be – B D E F G L M N O P R S T Look out for short words from which you can make educated guesses Combine deduction, common sense, patience and guess work! Above all else – keep your key up to date

61. The code breaker’s challengePart 4 Someone has tucked 4 coded messages inside your bag when you were not looking. The first 3 are written using different codes. The 4th uses the same code as one of the first 3 and contains the answer you need for this part of the challenge.

62. CODE 1: P OMUPNQMU GPK AN SATTUH AHNATU OSU JPD OMUU HUPM OSU WUNOUMH WPFF JR OSU RAUFT Clues: O = T, A = I, G = M, N = S - -------- --- -- ------ ------ --- --- ---- ---- --- ------- ---- -- --- -----

63. CODE 2: TDMRM FS C SMNRMT PCSSCBM IMTWMML TDM SKUBBJMRS NCVM CLE TDM OJE DOUSM Clues: The letters from P-Z have not changed ----- -- - ------ ------- ------- --- --------- ---- --- --- --- -----

64. CODE 3: JSST JS DK TCS QNNJ ISCDKM TCS RSLQST MNNQ DK TCS INNGLFRS FKM JFGS RUQSKNINMY RSSR YNU Clues: F = A, Q = R ---- -- -- --- ---- ------ --- ------ ---- -- --- -------- --- ---- ---- ------ ---- ---

65. CODE 4: TDM WORE YOU LMME TO WRFTM EOWLCS TDM CLSWMR DMRM FS DOT Clues: E = D --- ---- --- ---- -- ----- ---- -- --- ------ ---- -- ---

67. The code breaker’s challengePart 5 You receive a message at school, telling you to go to the OMR. When you get there you find the following message scrawled on the wall…

68. Sir ArthURConAndoyLeWaS the CreatOr of The wOrlD’sGreaTesTdeTeCtiVeshErlOckholMEs. ConAnDOylE was BORniNedInBurgH, AnD Although HE studied medIcINe, hESOoN turned To WriTInG. Sherlock hoLMEsfiRSTApPEaRed In thE Novel a sTudy In sCarlet, WhiCHwAsNArrateD By HiSfriEnd Dr jOhN h. wAtsoN. thEdetecTIvE soon BEcaMe famous fOrhIsBrilLIaNT skills oFDeDUCtIon, AS WeLL AS fORHiSfIery Character. His arch-ENEmy Was tHEEviL professor MORiArty. Holmes waS So PoPulaR that eVeNafTerhE seemed to FAlL to HiSDeaTh during a FigHtAbovE A wATerfall, cONandOylE was fORCedtOBRInGhiM back AfTeR A hUgEPuBlICoUTcRy.

69. Crossword Codes

70. 1) Both sender and receiver must have the same blank crossword. 2) The message is written from left to right in the blank squares. 3) The code is then achieved by copying out the text again, but this time working vertically. 4) To decipher the message it must be written into the blank grid vertically but read off horizontally.

71. This method of creating a code is simple but very effective HCOEY TRSC HOEDBET AI IDTUFV SIEME MNT EOGIPVF TAE FCSLRE

72. The code breaker’s challengePart 6 A strange looking card arrived in the post this morning – addressed to you, with an Egyptian stamp on it. On one side, it has the code: 20 / 9 / 13 / 5 / 19 On the other side it says: LNTSWTES CSNE OAFTFHGAR NIIEI GTONCS RGHENF ATAAL TIRHTLTSY UGHX OEIRHLIW

73. Examining the postcard more closely you find a clue written underneath the stamp: the word ‘newspaper’. The following grids appeared in national newspapers on the day the card was posted. Fill the correct grid vertically to read off a horizontal message – the answer is a kind of insect.

74. Daily Telegraph

75. The Times

76. Daily Mirror

77. Daily Express

78. Typewriter codes & the history of QWERTY

79. One to the leftOne to the rightOne aboveOne belowAlternate between one or more of these variations with key

80. QGLR AIYBS SIWA L NIBJWT VINV NLJW QGWB UR WZOKISWA?

82. HWHMMMMK !

84. The code breaker’s challengePart 7 You are taking your laptop out of the cupboard to work on some homework for school, when you notice a sheet of paper taped to the underside. The printed message reads: DVLWW LRR BYC OQWB WCFCH OCBBCVW

85. Sherlock Holmes & the dancing men

87. The code breaker’s challengePart 8 You are visiting a museum at 221B Baker street on a school trip, when you stumble across an old piece of paper. It looks like a coded letter made up of odd looking stick men. Clues: How do letters usually start? Who is the letter to and from?

88. At school the next day, you are browsing through the library when you come across a folded piece of paper with your name on it, sticking out of an anthology of detective fiction. Upon opening it, you discover another set of dancing men – could this bring you one step closer to cracking the master code?

89. Shopping list codes

90. The code breaker’s challengePart 9 This morning you found a list scrawled on the back of one of your exercise books. None of your friends or family has owned up – is this list of purchases as innocent as it looks> Clues: The code is hiding a 7 letter word.

91. Newspaper’s bill £5 Dry cleaning £8 Take away pizza £7 Light bulbs £3 Fridge magnet £2 Car-park token £2 Cinema ticket £5

92. The final code breaker’s challenge!

94. QR codes

95. Augmented reality

97. The Vaudeville telepathy act

98. The GReY code

99. Pick a card...any card