Do you want to be the next Alan Turing? Well, If you can crack this secret message, you’re well on your way to cracking the top-secret Nazi code, Enigma.
Okay, maybe not–cracking this code only takes four steps:
Practice by decrypting this word: TBEIIR
Find the corresponding number values of each letter in this word. Each letter corresponds with a number from 0 to 25 (A=0, B=1, C=2, D=3…).
In this case the values are (T) 19,(B) 1, (E) 4, (I) 8 , (I) 8, ( R )17
Next, subtract the number values of the key word “PEA” from the values of the letters in the secret text, and make sure to add 26 to negative answers.
P=15, E=4, A=0
(T) 19, (B) 1, (E) 4, (I)8 (I) 8, ( R) 17
-(P) 15, -(E) 4,-(A) 0, -(P) -15, (E)-4, (A) 0
The answer is 4, 23, 4, 19, 4, 17
Finally, find the letters that correspond with these number values, and voila, you’ve cracked the code and found that the secret word is EXETER!
Now, try to decipher this message:
A E C V Z I S F K I W Y E K W L A E R
M U Q W S U D Z B R Q W E I E I S A Z G D C
E D O N R V A S E R B A
Answer:
“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I remember, involve me and I learn.”
–Xun Kuang (312-230 BC) and adapted by Benjamin Franklin