GSSA Spy School Level Three - Steganography: The Null Cipher

One common form of steganography is called a null cipher. In this type of stego, the hidden message is formed by taking the first (or other fixed) letter of each word in the covertext.

Use the first letter of each word in the covertext below (between the names) to decipher the secret message:

Chris~

So, Amy bought every lamp?! Lucky Amy! I've started auctioning decent old unsigned books. Luckily every auction's going excellent! News tomorrow!

~Gareth

(Answer: TNEGA ELBUOD A SI ALLEBAS)

GSSA Spy School Level Three - Cryptography: The Pig Pen Cypher

CLICK FOR LARGER IMAGE

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 (or the "pigpen") surrounding it.

Now, using the information above, decode the following message:


(Answer: TOPS EHT SKRAM X)

MORE EXCITING CONNECTIONS:

Click here to use an on-line Pigpen cipher creation tool courtesy of the SIGNAL CORPS ASSOCIATION

Click here to download a pigpen true type font for your computer courtesy of Andrew West's BABELSTONE

Click here to see an actual gravestone containing a Pigpen cypher courtesy of the BLACK CHAMBER

Special thanks to Wikipedia

GSSA Spy School Level Three - Communication Without Words

Hand signals can provide spies with a way to talk to each other without being heard by enemies.

American Sign Language is a system made up of hand gestures, representing words, used by the deaf to communicate. Wouldn't that be a fun way to speak secretly?!

Did you also know you can form the letters of the alphabet with your hands to spell out words? You can! Here's how:

CLICK FOR LARGER IMAGE

Using what you have learned from above, decipher the following message:

Now you practice! Soon you too will be communicating without words!


(ANSWER: PLEH DEEN)

GSSA Spy School Level Two - Cryptography: The Substitution Cypher

Today's lesson in GSSA Spy School is a refresher on the substitution cypher. Do you remember what you have learned? Try to decode the message below using your cypher wheel or this key:

B=A

If you can't remember or have trouble, you can research substitution cyphers by doing a search within this blog on all of our posts about substitution cyphers. Simply type in the words "substitution cypher" in the Blogger search box above our main title, and click {search this blog}. GOOD LUCK! (Answer below)

DSZQUPHSBQIZ JT B GVO BOE VTFGVM TLJMM UP MFBSO




Answer: NRAEL OT LLIKS LUFESU DNA NUF A SI YHPARGOTPYRC

GSSA Spy School Level Two - Steganography: Puzzles

Puzzles are not only clever, but a fun way to pass a secret message!


Try it yourself. Find the following in the word search puzzle above:

.......ACADEMY.............CRAZY.................GET.................KNOW...............SECRET..
.......ADEN......................CYPHER..............HELP...............NOW..................SPY.........
.......BAD.........................GARETH..............JUDGE...........RISK..................TRUE......
.......CHAT......................GEAR....................KID................RUN.....................ZACH...

Once you have found all the words - use the remaining letters to form a secret message!

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _!



Answer: NEVES TA EM LLAC

GSSA Spy School Level Two - Cryptography: ADFGX Cipher

Created by the Germans during World War I, the ADFGX cipher uses only five letters — A, D, F, G, and X. It’s based in a five-by-five grid.

It works kind of like Battleship - if you have ever played that game! The first letter of the sequence referring to the column down and the second letter referring to the row across. So... DF would equal M and FX would equal H.

Using that code, the word SPY would appear like this:

DG AD AA

Notice that the letters I and J appear in the same box. This is because there is only 25 boxes available, and 26 letters in the alphabet! However, the letter J does not get used very often, thus the code is still quite easy to decipher with the key.

Now you try it! (Answer below)


XX GA AG FG AF AF FX FG FA XX FA XX FD

Since some letters appear more frequently than others in words, the ADFGX cipher would have been pretty easy to crack if the same grid was used for weeks at a time.

However, the Germans changed the letter locations in the grid every day, making it more difficult to decipher intercepted messages.

Answer: (TI DID OHW WONK I)

GSSA Spy School Level Two - Cryptography: Image Messages

One way to keep a message secret is to use images and a decoder.

Agents can send each other messages written in images instead of letters, as long as they all know which image represents which letter. An enemy would have a difficult time figuring it out — unless they got your decoder! Don't let it fall into the wrong hands!

Now you try! (Answer below)

Share the decoder key with your fellow agents.
Memorize it, or keep it in a VERY safe place.

Answer: (NUF SI TAHT LOOHCS A SI ASSG)