Crack the Code and Find the Secret Word

Cracking Codes & Cryptograms For Dummies has something extra — a secret word within the book for you to discover! This secret word isn’t listed in the Hints or Answers, and it isn’t mentioned anywhere within the book. The only way you can discover it is by solving the puzzles.

Here are a few pointers to get you started on the trail:

• The secret word occurs as a keyword within one of the substitution cryptograms.

• The cryptogram in question doesn’t have any introductory text saying that the puzzle has a keyword.

• Decrypt the cryptograms in the usual way. To reveal any possible keywords, write out the plaintext and cipher alphabet in two rows (a to z on the top line, and the encrypted cipher letters on the second line, beneath the alphabet). If the puzzle has a keyword, you’ll see a sequence of letters that spells out a word within the cipher alphabet.

• The secret word has more than three letters.

• Not all keywords are placed at the start of the alphabet.

Cracking Codes & Cryptograms Glossary

cipher

An encryption where each letter of the alphabet is replaced by a different letter, number, or symbol. As opposed to a code, where whole words are replaced by letters, numbers, or symbols.

Cracking Codes & Cryptograms Glossary

ciphertext

The encrypted message.

Cracking Codes & Cryptograms Glossary

keyword

A word which is used as a key to a cipher. The word is often written at the start of the ciphertext alphabet or into the top positions of a Masonic/Pigpen Cipher. The remaining letters of the alphabet make the remainder of the ciphertext alphabet.

Cracking Codes & Cryptograms Glossary

pattern word

A word which has repeating letters in it. This pattern of repeating letters is very helpful when cracking a cryptogram. The most widely seen pattern word is THAT - the letter T appears twice. When you see an encrypted word in the pattern 1- -1 (where the number 1 represents the enciphered letters), it’s most likely to be THAT. Another common pattern word is PEOPLE — if you see an encrypted word in the pattern 12-1-2, PEOPLE is a good guess.

Cracking Codes & Cryptograms Glossary

plaintext

The original message, in plain English.