Advanced Cipher Hunt
About 90 minutes, outside, for ages 11 and up.
Where it works
Works in any outdoor space
Who it's for
ages 11 and up
Ciphers To Try:
- a message shifted by a number (Caesar cipher)
- a message written backwards
- a message using only the first letter of each word
- a message swapped in pairs of letters
Today's Challenge
- 1.Which cipher was hardest to crack?
- 2.Which cipher was fastest to write?
- 3.Could you invent your own cipher?
Quick Start: What you need
- 1notebook
- 2pen
The Goal
A harder sequel to the classic code hunt using more than one kind of cipher.
How to start
- 1
Gather what you need: notebook and pen. Nothing else required.
- 2
Head outside and try: a message shifted by a number (Caesar cipher), a message written backwards, a message using only the first letter of each word, a message swapped in pairs of letters.
- 3
Talk about what you made. Start with "Which cipher was hardest to crack?"
- 4
Print the worksheet to plan it out and keep what you make.
Invent Your Own Cipher
Design a brand new code system below, then explain the rule so someone else could learn it.
During World War II, the U.S. Marines used Navajo speakers to create a code that was never broken by the enemy.
If you want to push it further
- Combine two ciphers into one message
- Time how fast you can decode a message from a sibling or parent
Print it and go
The worksheet has the checklist, the prompts, and a space to draw in. One page, ready for a bag or a glovebox.