KIDS

 Spy Games

Crack the code and decipher the secret message

Codes & Other Spy Stuff

Ciphers and Codes—What’s the Difference?
A cipher is a way of hiding the meaning of a sentence by using a different symbol for each letter of the alphabet. When a spy translates a message into a cipher, she is enciphering the message. When another spy who has received that message figures out its meaning, he is deciphering the message. A code is a way of hiding the meaning of a sentence, phrase or word by using another sentence, phrase or word that has been agreed upon ahead of time. When a spy translates a message into code, he is encoding the message. When another spy who has received that message figures out its meaning, she is decoding the message.
Pig Latin
Pig Latin is a kind of code. Each word is substituted by another word. To encode a word into Pig Latin, take the first letter or letter sound (th, pl, wr, sl, str, cr, etc.) of that word and move it to the end of the word, and then add “ay.” (For vowels, use “way” instead of  “ay.”) So, “Here is the secret message” would be: “Ere-hay is-way e-thay ecret-say essage-may.” 

Crack the Code
See if you can crack (decode) this coded message written in Pig Latin:
Elcome-way o-tay y-may ebsite-way. If-way ou-yay an-cay ecode-day is-thay ecret-say essage-may, ou-yay are-way a-way uper-say euth-slay!
Answer: Welcome to my website. If you can decode this secret message, you are a super sleuth! 
Substitution Cipher
Each letter in a substitution cipher is replaced by another symbol. In an alphabetical substitution cipher, each letter is replaced by another letter of the alphabet. Sometimes the substitution is simple. For instance: you can use the next letter in the alphabet as a replacement: “a” would become “b”;  “b” would become “c”; and so on (and “z” would become “a”). Sometimes the substitution is more complex. For instance: in the first word, use the next letter in the alphabet as a replacement, but in the second word, use the second letter in the alphabet after that letter, and in the third word, use the third letter in the alphabet after that letter, and so on. For instance, in the first word, “a” would be “b” and “b” would be “c” but in the second word, “a” would be “c” and “b” would be “d” and so on. Or you could use a completely random substitution. In that case, the person deciphering the message would need a key to the code, so he would know what those random substitute letters are. You could also use other symbols, in addition to letters of the alphabet. In that case, too, you would need a key to decipher the message. Unless both people have the key, it would be much more difficult to figure out what the message says!
Decipher the Secret Message
This message is written in a simple alphabetical substitution cipher. See if you can figure out what it says:
Zpv ibwf kvtu efdjqifsfe uijt tfdsfu nfttbhf. Dpohsbuvmbujpot!
Answer: You have just deciphered this secret message. Congratulations!

WEBSITES & RESOURCES

 

Spies and Codes

Attention all wannabe secret agents: Check out these websites and resources about spies, codes and other secret stuff.
CIA Kids’ Zone
Secret Codes for Kids
Jasper Maskelyne: Magician and Spy

 

Dogs and Other Animals

As you know, I’m crazy about animals, especially dogs. If you like them, too, here are some websites for you.
American Kennel Club
Animal Planet: Dogs
Simon’s Cat
Baby elephant video

 

Other Stuff, Including Language Fun

Jokes, puns, poetry, prose, even grammar. Check out some of my favorite websites for language-y stuff.
Fuse #8 Poetry
Book Spine Poetry
Silly animal jokes

 

Authors and Illustrators I Like

Check out these websites of some of my favorite authors and illustrators.
Maryann Macdonald
Steve Sheinkin
Dan Gutman
Adam Rex
Rebecca Stead

Karina Yan Glaser
Louise Borden
Kate diCamillo
Douglas Florian
Lemony Snicket (aka Daniel Handler)
Ralph Steadman
Adam Shaughnessy
Rosemary Wells
Jerry Spinelli

Louis Sachar

 

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Please let me know if I’ve left out something you like. You can email me
here.