Secret Codes

Why have a section on secret codes on a brainpower enhancement web site? Because doing cryptograms or inventing your own ciphers and codes is great brain exercise. More pages of cryptograms will be added here in the future, but what we have now is linked to below.

You'll also find pages with a bit of the history of secret codes, and pages explaining basic code breaking and code making. Enjoy.

Code Breaking - One of the basic tools used in cryptanalysis (code breaking) is letter frequency analysis. This page has a letter frequency table showing the average percentages for the use of letters in English. There is also a two-paragraph message in code for you to try breaking.

More On How To Break Codes - This is a continuation of the Code Breaking page, with the solution to the coded message, along with a short lesson on how to use letter frequency to break a code.

Cryptograms - One of the oldest versions known was a strip of paper wrapped around a stick. You'll learn about that and Caesar ciphers here.

Ciphers Or Cyphers? - What is the difference between a cipher and a code? A few definitions are covered here, as well as more information on how to create a secret code.

Cryptogram Puzzles - There are two cryptograms here. One is a very simple Caesar cipher, while the more difficult one uses numbers as substitutes for letters.

Cryptogram Solutions - The solution to the above puzzles are here. More importantly, there are detailed explanations of how to solve them.

Codes And Ciphers - This page is all about how to make secret codes that are simple, yet very difficult to break.

Notes:

New pages of cryptograms and ciphers will be listed here, so check back. They also will be announced in the Brainpower Newsletter. You can subscribe on the home page.

The secret codes covered here are essentially pre-computer encryption algorithms. They are fun, and great brain exercise, but they won't teach you much about the cryptanalysis of modern algorithms. On the other hand, if you are going into the field of encryption, this practice will get you in the right frame of mind.