[tonybaloney]

Of the last 3 ciphers given –

if you had trouble with the one beginning ‘Ch1962s th2…’ it’s possible that you’ve joined the wrong group

the ‘rebus’, apart from the bees, which seem to have put on considerable weight over the past few centuries, I take the head with what looks like an extra large ear to represent a ‘wen’ (when), - the hunter shooting from the tree, I believe the wooden structure he is on was called a ‘stand’ - & the girl on the ball represents the Roman Godess ‘Fortuna’ (fortune)

the book in cipher was simple substitution with just a slight difference between the system used for the title page and that for the text, the text only having the first & last consonants of each word enciphered.

This weeks cipher (in French) –

Duc D’Harve au Duc de Lorges 2nd September 1801



PS Welcome to Lyricalfaerie & Praveena

[Don Crownover]

If Toneybaloney can put French in here, I can put Morse Code. Western Digital's "My Book" external drive has the cooling vent holes arranged as morse code characters. Try your hand at decoding what this great high tech company put on their machine. One warning: this high tech company's message includes mis-spellings. I guess they are geeks, not poets.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Wdpro_morse_code.jpg  is a picture someone took of the three sides with code, lined up.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morse_Code  is for those who don't remember (or never knew) morse code.

Enjoy! Don

[tonybaloney]

Hi Trica-UY & Raskan17

This weeks cipher was written (presumably by the owner) on the back page of a copy of ‘Boethius Comfort of Philosophy’ which was published in 1560



PS. Don - I put that morse code in the image you gave a URL for - thought I'd got the image upside down & did it again! - found the 5 words eventually - hard to believe they made that many mistakes!?

Tony

[tonybaloney]

Keys to the ciphers given so far –

‘The charm’
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
S T U/V/W R W X O Y  L  ? I/J N M ? G ? D A B   C   F H K
(this looks like it was once a reciprocal key – presumably the ‘charm’ was copied several times allowing errors to creep in)


‘Padlock cipher’
KEY (+3,+1,-10,+8,-1,+6,+7,-6,+4,+12,-4,-7,-11,+11,-12,+9,+2,-3,-9,0,+13,-2,-5,+3,-8,+10) recurring.


‘Loyalist Lady’
fold so the tops and tails of the notes meet when the message reads – ‘Conceal yourself your foes look for you’


‘Sir Thomas Roe’
-  n  u  n  c  t
u  A  B  C  D  E
a  F  G  H  IJ K
r  L  M  N  O  P
e  Q  R  S  T  UV
s  W  X  Y  Z


‘Viscount Scudamore’
A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  W  X  Y  Z
5           4           3              2                 1
11          10          9              8                 7
13 14 15 16 18 19 20 21 23 24 25 26 27 29 30 31 32 33 34 36 37 38 39 40
69 68 67 66 64 63 62 61 59 58 57 56 55 53 52 51 50 49 48 46 45 44 43 42
71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94
95          96          97             98                99

Nulls – 6,12,17,22,28,35,41,47,54,60,65,70 (used as word dividers)
Three digit numbers represent places & people


‘’Thicknesse’



‘Ch1962 th2’
Key - a,e,i,o,u,l,m,n,r, replaced by 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9

‘Rebus’
‘I(eye) have receaved your(ewer) (letter) by my lady(die) li(bell)ing upon my person(parson) which(witch) was very pain(pane)full un me be(bee)cause I(eye) (can) doe the (music) when(wen) I(eye) (stand) thin(king) in the (fireplace) here(ear) and leave(leaf) the (rest) to(toe) fortune(Fortuna) and (fools) meane (time flies) I(eye) remain(mane) your(ewer) loving(Cupid) sister(star) Louise
Ha(hay)gue the 4 of January(Janus)

‘Book in cipher’
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
u r g p o s c y j i q t n m e d k b f l a w v z h x
Apart from headings only first and last consonants of each word are enciphered – ’ is an alternative substitute for h – ý an alternative substitute for y - ` stands for a false word division – an accented vowel indicates a false word division after the following letter.


Duc de Lorges’



‘Boethius’

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
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8  9  10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19  20
(triangle = 4 etc - is this just an old style of writing the numbers?)

‘Be me Henri Lange Forde organ maker of London dwellinge 29 the Minores’

[tonybaloney]

This weeks cipher comes from the end of a long letter in English to Colonel Richards, Allicante Castle 25th Feb 1709

50.86.57.61.43.55.41.56.53.43.70.72.39.17.73.58.82.67.72……..67.56.58.61.70.28.30.69.31.52.21.17.66.
25.44.71.56.73.38.26.31.18.70.72.58.34.51.57.75.53.72.68.19.43.72.41.74.48.43.18.55.265.266.267.50.
18.66.24.40.27.42.67.31.23.72.48.87.72.57.71.38.30.68.17.41.27.52.58.76.73.19.42.54.45.21.31.61.42.
54.36.68.56.38.43.37.39.75.60.56.54.71.40.29.68.88.27.30.56.33.41.72.266.30.54.31.50.87.68.40.57.66.
70.50.19.86.50.58.71.31.76.66.71.58.80.65.34.56.58.72.20.87.81.39.43.24.40.50.30.19.55.70.71.38.23.
86.50.17.88.77.30.65.67.86.69.30.24.75.67.31.49.88.50.17.66.25.40.74.56.72.57.73.38.29.25.18.68.73.
48.31.34.65.56.51.80.39.30.54.24.30.82.31.80.41.47.49.50.19.67.24.39.26.57.81.55.30.42.54.71.50.73.40.
29.71.57.80.55.31.

[Aaron]

Thanks for showing how those ciphers are solved, some of them are very creative.

[tonybaloney]

This weeks cipher comes from Sir Charles Babbages papers,
it was to the Duke of Somerset from his nephew Henry -


Pyri   Ulofv

Povvmgn mk uo gowr hw lq pgfjhyg ojaw msn wijheehpr brogruhegk, eff wjsr rvy

cpoy  vsp,  px okln pi xxysnla self xg  feevtalv   ljiu; vr moi egap hmfl ml yinz tngddg

 yglv uyeap-bql

                                                       Wjqv pgyk stritlmhfofi

                                                                     eutawk

                                                                       tiejc

[tonybaloney]

This weeks cipher comes from -

‘A Centurie of the Names & scantlings of such Inventions as att present I can call to mynde to have tried & perfected.’

a small booklet by EDWARD SOMERSET 2nd MARQUESS of WORCESTER circa 1650

‘Beside many omitted & some of three sortes willingly nott sett downe as nott fitt to be divoulged least ill use may be made thereof, butt to show ye such things are alsoe within my knowledge, I will here in myne owne characters sett downe att least one of each, nott to be concealed where dutie or affection oblidgeth me.’

[Aaron]

That's a very interesting cipher... I don't see very many repeating characters.

[tonybaloney]

Hi to David, s117 & rriss

This weeks cipher (in French) -

circa 1675

      A: H:

oteeeseano&aatdyarurieqehi
llrsnpsusrqrdiesltryrmunes,
iieresnyieeeoueetiocolducu
asusuccuteumuesdAsptponsrn
opulolsseeorqqrd’at6:ulmeseq
reetpryoutponlidsrsuossaoo
ducixhortnrmseaMhoeeur&one
nateueaisiuiqetoeeoudotaee
ruo&uslrsdnsrutaBedieencuq.
rpmglsrhuiynneanirtusdasaa
nrteleausmrcdsntlteyeabemy

Prince de Orange

[tonybaloney]

This weeks cipher comes from a letter to Dr. John Wallis dated - London July 22 1657

Dear fellow student
………………..I have sent you a word or two written in these characters which I showed you at your being here, and if you are a right Oedipus you will be able to unriddle it.



Send me the 24 letters according to this key, and then I shall say that there is no man that can conceal what he writes from you …..

Yours R. Lawrence

[tonybaloney]

Of the last 5 ciphers given –

The Col. Richards one is another homophonic cipher similar to the Visc. Scudamore cipher given previously but with the numbers arranged vertically rather than horizontally against the alphabet.

The one from Sir Charles Babbages papers re the Duke of Somerset is a periodic cipher in 3 parts, the opening 2 words, the main body of the text & the closing address are each enciphered using a different keyword – 6, 9 & 8 letter keywords respectively.

A Century of Names & Scantlings – is simple substitution.

Prince de Orange is a transposition cipher which needs to be written into columns 13 letters deep and the rearranged into the correct order to read the message.

John Wallis is of the PigPen variety.

[Aaron]

Thanks for the hints.

[tonybaloney]

This weeks cipher -

Two letters by an assassin 1778

I am much concerned at the account you give me of the loss our dear friend Charles – so great are our losses that you may be assured I want nothing to make me more determined to do the business of my journey here, tis determined by me to put the matter into execution the very first moment tis in my power & this is the last letter you’ll ever receive from me which I send you by our friend qtxdwy late of Swxfobyfswxo the under written is the plan of the matter.
I have discovered the exact tract the qxhe comes when he goes to the sfop walqy through the alleys in his zwoxk I am prepared and have fixed on the road for my yqzosy shall do you recommend to return to my last lodgings for some time & if the cause is ever so well shall not send you any account for fear of bxpzrmzkp.
There has been very great to do in the sokfxotyhd but from the whole think they will send more troops early in the spring indeed tis fully believed so here and the same txhxqdyk is likely to continue altho’ he has been roughly treated as you’ll see by the news papers – adieu my dearest friend and be assured nothing is to great for my Arm to attempt & may the almighty protect you & bless this my endeaver to relieve your injuries pray for me and expect no more till you see or hear of my safety, or death, yours with all truth.

11 Decem^r.                            I am Lfokz.

Was disappointed as to the time of his leaving London he is doubtful about getting a passage over to you cannot think how impatient I am to be at work. I am more convinced than before that a large body of – will be sent in as expeditious a manner as they can but at present they seem more imployed about the safety of the West Indies unless they do attribute the affair to one of us it will not answer the intent I only wait to learn the night he goes & that night will be the last he will have it in his power to torment us you know I used to hit the mark if not to a hair I could too an inch at 50 yards but I have managed to find out the spot & shall be very near to him before I pull the fatal trigger be assured I glory in the thought of being likely of being the instrument of relieving America or at least of revenging the horrors that our native country has sustained by the blood of our dearest friends & brothers & shall glory in seeing him fall who is & has been the cause of our sorrows.

Adieu till death. Yours sworn           I am Lfokz.
17 Dec^r .

qtxdwy is not determined how to go over for tis very difficult but leave London on 22^d but shall say no more than you may depend on me.   

[tonybaloney]

This weeks cipher -

1720’s
Letter addressed to ‘The Right Honble. Robert Walpole Esq.
at his house in Arlington Street’

Eym mbaat cpne rg dsr e arfd eieln ngonit I ay hsm tioede sion dr leet teuc fessp en nsnietoa sf atn niyr smr onivgt rona gdeoet o cheni snmn ode ea tahtsts mp etlee iom begtsyth sdnet mto inaoeem hyd pmyo at iemero fn daorsat

The above written is a sentence took out of Wilkins Mathematical Magick, w^ch. I shall transcribe, & tho every letter retain its natural signification yet they are transpose in a manner which casts them at such irregular distances, that the most skilful of your decipherers, tho they should have the copy it was taken from would never be able to decipher it. & yet I can show you how it is to be deciphered by once transcribing it. . . . . . . I will even yⁿ venture a considerable wager y^t they will not be able to decipher it. . . . . . I hope you will not be offended if I challenge your decipherers to a trial of their skill & if I cannot baffle & delude them I shall be contented to be sent to Bethlam as a proper place for so whimsical a projector. . . . . . if you require it, I can get such certificates of my assertion to the government as will entirely remove y^e suspicions you labour under. and I hope even my present endeavours to serve you will be esteemed as an instance of it, especialy since I am fully resolved should you slight my proposal, never to communicate to any who would be glad of an opportunity of employing it against the government.
I am S^r.                              Your most obedient serv^t
Ste: Thorpe

(In a second letter he gives the actual message) -

Amongst other impediments of any strange invention or attempts, it is none of y^e meanest discouragements, y^t they are so generally derided by common opinion, being esteemed only as the dreams of a distempered fancy.

(the copy of ‘Wilkins Mathematical Magick’ that I looked at has the 2 words ‘melancholy and’ before the word ‘distempered’ in the above paragraph.)

I have mark’d y^e a & m y^e two first letters. (given above in bold italic)

I have been very ill since I was last at your house to wait on you & am not yet in a condition of venturing so far but hope I shall be able to wait on you Monday next S^ber 21^s 1723

(can you find the method of transposition?)

[tonybaloney]

This weeks cipher -

Transactions between England & Scotland circa 1550

Plesith it your lordship to be advertisid on Saturday last the campes arrivid before this towne the frenche menne to Clarkinton the governour to Liddington, the same after none there were many off them hurt and off theyr horsis a grete sorte slayne and hurte, and off oure side Pelham a littill hurte on the calf of his legg and Tiberio on his hande but they are bothe hable to serve att all allarmes. The same night they gave ay hoste allarme about the towne as though they wold have geven the assauwlt but thartillery rewarded them so withe hayle shot that they abade not longe. Yesterday parte off them remanid theyr came nere to this towne and lodge betwey the river and the towne, and this laste night have caste a trenche betwey Taylers buttework and Wondams but set work alonge the highte off the hill, and gave ay hotte allarme during the same ???? doynge they have nott yett plantid any artillery but this nextt I think they will.

Yesternight I causid a sallye to be made upon certeyne that laye behynde the ??? and by the water side among the bankes and at the doers repert to me there wer above ??? slayne off the frenche part of my menne ?? which were slayne in spayling the Frenchmen that were slayne thus I comitt your Lordship to the Lord who longe maynte no the same in honour? Assuring your Lordship I never saw more wiling menne they bothe gentelmenne and soldeours. yo~ from Haddington the second off July


Your Lordships to comand
James Wylford

[Aaron]

Oo, a fancy substitution cipher.

[tonybaloney]

Let battle commence -

[tonybaloney]

Solutions for the last 8 ciphers are –

Col. Richards
A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z
17 20 23 26 29 32 35 38 41 44 47 50 53 56 59 62 65 68 71 74 77 80 83 86 89
18 21 24 27 30 33 36 39 42 45 48 51 54 57 60 63 66 69 72 75 78 81 84 87 90
19 22 25 28 31 34 37 40 43 46 49 52 55 58 61 64 67 70 73 76 79 82 85 88 91

Duke of Somerset
First 2 words period 6 using the keyword ‘muvray’
Main text of message period 9 using the keyword ‘cacoethes’
Last 5 words period 8 using the keyword ‘somerset’

Edward Somerset
Below is a photocopy from ‘Pall Mall Magazine’ 1896 Vol.8 No. 34 p.256 which happily is the key to the ‘scantlings’ message.

No. 30 – King Charles the first’s Shorthand Cipher, written by the King himself and initialled by him.

Prince De Orange
Transposition – write in columns 13 letters deep and rearrange columns in the sequence 12,7,13,16,19,21,5,8,11,14,17,20,22,1,3,6,2,4,9,15,10,18

John Wallis
? P Q|R ? N|L S A
F O U|Y ? M|K T B
E I W|? D H|G X C
    . ..      . ..     . ..

Assassin
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
o ? z b y ? e w x ? g f t h a s ? k q d l m ? ? p ?

Rt. Hon. Walpole
‘Mr. Thorpe’s Method of Secret Writing is performed thus. –

You must reduce what is to be written into Stanza’s of Letters of such a nature, w^ch. is discovered by the Number of letters each Word, and not by any Rule in Arithmetick, that being only a Blind, and designed to create a difficulty where there really is none. These Stanza’s are to be scituated in two, three or more Columns according to the quantity of Writing, w^ch. are also easily found out by the regularity of the Words at the beginning, middle and ending of each Column, every Word exactly corresponding in its proper situation.
     N.B. In Specimen N^o. 1 y^e Letters dashed under, (he had underlined Eym,  cpne and arfd in the first line) w^ch. are thereby shown to be irregular, must be first taken out. You then begin to write down the first Row of the outermost Letters on ye left hand of the first Column, beginning from the bottom to the top, and so you go on to y^e second, third, fourth and fifth Rows till all ye Letters of that Column are finished. After y^e same manner you proceed with the other Column, or Columns; and at last what Letters remain w^ch. are not enough for a Stanza, are either inserted at the end and then they are not marked, as in Specimen N^o. 2. Or else in some other place with a dash under them to distinguish them from y^e rest, as in this other Specimen.
     Ã¢â‚¬ËœTis to be read at first view as soon as ye Stanza’s are discovered.’

(the following may make it clearer – it is first written out as shown then read off upwards in column 1 then 2 etc.)

12345   678910
  a       m
 mon     ped
gstot   iment
 her     sof
  i       a

  n       n
 yst     tio
range   nsora
 inv     tte
  e       m

  p       t
 tsi     hem
tisno   eanes
 neo     tdi
  f       s

  c       h
 our     att
ageme   heyar
 nts     eso
  t       g

  e       e
 ner     dby
allyd   commo
 eri     nop
  d       i

  n       e
 ion     med
being   onlya
 est     sth
  e       e

  d       e
 rea     mpe
msofa   redfa
 dis     ncy
  t     
(it seems a few errors have crept in by the encipherer – this last stanza in the second column group contains all the letters underlined which the solver says should be taken out).

Transactions England Scotland

[Aaron]

The stanza cipher is pretty fascinating, I haven't seen that kind of cipher before.