Code Deciphering
During the Civil War, spies sent messages in code just in case they were
found by the enemy before delivery. But once they got into the right
hands, how did they read them? To decode, they would use two things: a
Cipher square, like the one below, along with a code breaking sentence.
Everybody knew the code breaking sentence. We’ll make ours simple:
Learning history is fun! First, we need to capitalize all the letters and
make it into one big word, like this: LEARNINGHISTORYISFUN
Next, we need our confusing coded message:
PREDLIGZHKCLOKBIOS
What you need:

Cipher Square

Code Breaking
Sentence

An important secret
message!
We need to put our code breaking sentence on top of our secret message, like this so the letter line up:
L E A R N I N G H I S T O R Y I S F U N
Just For Fun:
P R E D L I G Z H K C L O K B I O S
Code your own messages!
Find the first letter from
your code breaking
sentence on the top of your
cipher square. Then, find
the first letter from your
own message on the left of
the cipher square. Where
the two meet in the middle
is your first code letter!
Repeat for each letter in
your secret message!
Now, using your cipher square, take your finger and find the first letter of
your code breaking sentence (L) on the top and drag your finger down
the column until you see the first letter of your coded phrase (P). From
there, drag your finger over to the left and find the letter that matches
that row. So, your first letter of your coded message is E!
Keep doing this until you’ve matched up all the letters in the coded message. If you have greater or fewer letters in your secret message than
your code breaking sentence, that’s okay, you simply stop when you’re
done your coded message or start your code breaking sentence over
again.
Hint: Cross off letters in your code breaking sentence and your coded
message once you’ve decoded them so you won’t get confused!
E_________________
Want some more?
Decode the coded message using the same
code breaking sentence
as you did in the light
blue box, above:
NELMNZLGOMSW
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
Cipher Square