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Take One Letter Spy Code Resource

This document describes how to make and use a code wheel for encrypting and decrypting messages. It involves cutting out two circles - one large and one small - and attaching them together with a split pin so the inner circle can spin. Letters are written on both circles, and spinning the inner circle scrambles the letter alignment. A code is chosen using a pair of letters to encrypt messages by looking at the outer circle for the plaintext letter and inner circle for the ciphertext equivalent.

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Nando Correia
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57 views

Take One Letter Spy Code Resource

This document describes how to make and use a code wheel for encrypting and decrypting messages. It involves cutting out two circles - one large and one small - and attaching them together with a split pin so the inner circle can spin. Letters are written on both circles, and spinning the inner circle scrambles the letter alignment. A code is chosen using a pair of letters to encrypt messages by looking at the outer circle for the plaintext letter and inner circle for the ciphertext equivalent.

Uploaded by

Nando Correia
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Code Wheel: for encrypting and deciphering messages

This activity can be easily differentiated to accommodate different ages and abilities. The idea is to use
two circles to create a Code Wheel to encrypt and decipher messages.

What you need

Easier version:
Circle Templates printed on card
Scissors
Pencils/pens
Split pins

Harder version:
Card
Pair of compasses
Protractor
Pencils/pens
Scissors
Split pins

How to do it:

1) Cut out one big circle and one little circle


2) If using blank templates then the alphabet needs to be written on both the inner circle and outer
circle (preferably in capitals on the outer wheel and lower-case on the inner wheel)
3) Use a split pin to join the two circles together
4) Spin the inner wheel to a position where the letters are ‘incorrectly’ aligned
5) Choose one pair of letters to remember your code: e.g. A=w (make sure you write this down
somewhere)
6) Write a short sentence and encode it. Make sure you know which of the circles is your for the
letters of your original sentence and which is for your code.
7) Share your coded sentences and wheels to see if other people can decode your message.

Ideas for adapting the exercise:

• Studying Ancient Egypt? Create a Hieroglyphs wheel.


• Use the code wheel to create a shapes and symbols code.
Code Wheel: what it will look like!
Below is an example of a complete code wheel. If I use the outer wheel as my original letters the sentence.

I like code wheels! would become E hega ykza sdiihw!

D E
F
C G
z a
B b H
y c

A x d I
w e
Z J
v f
Y
u
g K
X t
h L

W s
i
M
r
V j
q N
k
U p l
o m O
n
T
P
S Q
R
Template: Outer Wheel with alphabet

D E
F
C G

B H

A I

Z J

Y
K
X
L

W
M

V
N
U
O
T
P
S Q
R
Template: Outer Wheel blank
Template: Inner Wheel (blank and with alphabet)

z a
b
y c
x d

w e

v f
u
g
t
h
s
i
r
j
q
k
p l
o m
n
Template: Combined Wheels (to show placement)

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