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Codes And Secret Messages
Learn about a variety of different codes, including computer codes, matrix codes, and some simple alphabet codes.
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Shifted Alphabet Code Informational Page
The Shifted Alphabet Code is very very easy to do. Begin by writing down the alphabet in order
on a piece of paper (or use the one below).
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Now pick a number between 1 and 25. Got it? I picked the number 3. Now, when you write down your
coded message, instead of writing the real letter, you find that letter in the alphabet and count
forward - as many letters as the number you picked.
So, if my message was "HI, HOW ARE YOU?" I would begin by finding the letter H, then counting foward
three letters, to get the letter K. Then, since the next letter is I, find the I and count forward to
get the letter L. Keep going through the whole message like that.
Uh oh...what about punctuation (like that question mark at the end of "Hi, HOW ARE YOU?"? Just
leave that exactly the way it is.
Uh oh again...what happens when I get to the letter Y? I can't count forward 3 letters, because there
aren't enough letters in the alphabet! That's okay...just start over at the beginning, after you count
the Z. So Y becomes B!
Get the idea? Now you can try the Encoder at the top of the page. This encoder Shifts all the letters
one, so an A becomes a B, a B becomes a C, and so on.
Is this code difficult to decode? Well, it's only a little bit harder to decode than the
Backwards Alphabet Code. Why? Because, in order to decode it, you need to
know how many letters the message was shifted in the first place! Of course, if you don't
know, it's not impossible...you just have to "unshift" it one letter at a time, until you get a message
that makes sense!
Do you think people use this code for things they need to keep secret? No, they don't. Because
it's too easy to decode. But it's still fun to play with.
Want To Try Something Completely Different?
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