Pigpen cipher

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The pigpen cipher uses graphical symbols assigned according to a key similar to the above diagram.
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The pigpen cipher uses graphical symbols assigned according to a key similar to the above diagram.

The pigpen cipher (sometimes called the masonic cipher or Freemason's cipher) is a simple substitution cipher exchanging letters for symbols based on a grid. The use of symbols is no impediment to cryptanalysis however, and cryptanalysis is identical to that of other simple substitution schemes. The example key shows one way the letters can be assigned to the grid.

The scheme was developed and used by the Freemasons in the early 1700s for record-keeping and correspondence (Newton, 1998, p. 113).

[edit] Example

Using the example key, the message "X marks the spot" is rendered in ciphertext as:

An example pigpen message

[edit] External links


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