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INTRODUCTION
Along with the introduction of the pillar box in the 1850s, messages appearing
in cipher began to flourish in the Agony columns of various newspapers. It
became a hobby amongst some to try to unravel their mysteries, sometimes
mischievously inserting a message of their own.
Ranging from simply writing the message backwards; omitting the vowels;
advancing one or more letters in the alphabet; simple substitution;
transposition; using multiple alphabets or any combinations of the above, the
following is a collection from the 19th and early 20th centuries.
The following pages contain all the messages that appeared in cipher, some
relating to them not in cipher and a few plain messages to show how the column
got its name.
Keys to their solution (where available) will be found at the end of each
chapter.
By solving these mysterious messages youll meet all kinds of people, a
curate; gambler; members of parliament; pathologist, prisoner; probationer,
ships captain, singer and many more.
Whether youre a Sherlock Holmes or an Inspector Clouseau theres something here
you can decipher.
Happy solving.
Jean Palmer
No.5.-Slmpi at Cqgnl and Fpink. Sophm of Chgo. Spngk Cmkqn. Chgik at qgnl,
qknp in Fhnio. A Ckpgl Flopn mlhi hipo Snmlo Enqkh. Songm. - J. de W. Mon 1st
Jul 1850
A LADY, whose parentage and connections entitle her to respect, if not to
veneration, has reason to believe that anonymous aspersions and improper letters
(purporting to be written by her) are circulating to her discredit. She
earnestly hopes that the recipients of any such document will be cautious of the
credence they attach to it. Fri 2nd Apr 1852
C. A N4MSS 4HQO THM4O MG BANNMESO 4A: Pj FSQE ESONN JAQ. A.S.
May 9.
Wed 11th May 1853
July 1st.-Glfg vhg xlnkirh ! Vxireva vm xsruuiv vg ivmwva-nlr nlm xizblm !! Mon
4th Jul 1853
To A. - I fear our Cypher is detected and known Do NOT WRITE again at present;
I will endeavour to send you a fresh one. W. M. Le beau temps viendra. Tue
23rd Aug 1853
FLO. 1821 82374 29 30 84541. 185270 924 184 182 82460. 84314 8842 31 8599420 31
8355 7239241 8218. 726 85400 021. Wed 21st Sep 1853
CREATURE.- YAIX8E7Z2EBOX7AZUSOEX2A4ZJUKO6EM1OXUZ2EBOXMOO7ZKU78OXUZ1OVPXWAS
ZM1OKKXYAIZPEHOX8E6OZAVZYAI6KO1VX. Thu 15th Dec 1853
CARNAGE.-JP and JL to Thetr Oupea Tmi L tonh Ill. H.Y.T., or send all further
applications respecting the A. of H. to the D. of P. Sat 21st Jan 1854
To AIBARA. Thyt llmeu rchng dorch ngng, cntb tru? I lve btfru, wrtchdnd illth I
amnd xpct tobe. I implr uto snd ndrcvr tomyn ghbrs 1 lneto ssreme I myyt hpe.
Wht spll hsmd uso frfl, rso nlke yrslf. Mynly trsrmy lfed pnds nyr cmplnc. Thu
16th Nov 1854
UNREQUITED LOVE. Be more explicit. Tue 28th Nov 1854
It is not UNREQUITED LOVE. Thu 30th Nov 1854
DID 20 21,23,10,19 my 26,19,8,8,19,6? I 21,3,8 13,3,9,6,7. Allright. I
am 15,8 8,19,2 16,9,6,13 7,8. Write. W. Tue 13th Feb 1855
LABBANDONATA. Bmfybo esb Spdigpsu sfqpsufe efbe. J tbx zpv zftufsebz Npbuf
wbjomz tfbsdife ufo zfbst Mea culpa ! Mea culpa ! WRITE. - G.G. Thu 23rd Jun
1864
X19212, 712121119xx, z04, 0, 204111114x, 20B25x, xcs7019, 20az, B1111c2019 18 19
2z, 2104xx1421 319, x7m, z04, 204111114x, z67z, m04a, H042z, 1119za112, a2319xx,
18B1219, XB119. Sat 2nd Jun 1866
6tf2zlw 9v88 ndmf2vjjvf8 4tpv 8d6v2zw4jv6 av 2vjav ifzjv jd. E.D.
W.d6 92v88 ndm an dil 8ivvj evj. Mon 2nd Dec 1867
To S.H.H. Susamume tuto yuyou fufruromum alullul. Sat 9th Jan 1869
PDCE Papa has arrived. Knows all. I refused your name. Fearful scene.
Proposed. Accepted. Should we ever meet, Remember, utter strangers. Dont
write, unsafe. Pity and forget me. Farewell for ever. Greenwich. Wed 17th Mar
1869
TO GIPSY LEILA. 15a 1a 17a 9a 18x 19a 9a 11a 11x 12a 14a 13a 4a 1a 24x 4a 14x
24a 14a 20x 22a 1a 13a 19x 12a 14a 13a 5a 24x 1a 17a 5x 24a 14a 20x 22a 5a 11a
11x 5a 21a 5a 17x 24a 14a 20a 17x 14a 22a 13x 7a 14a 4x 2a 11a 5a 18a 18x 24a
14a 20x 4a 1a 17a 11a 9a 13a 7x 1a 13a 18a 22a 5a 17x 9a 13x 19a 9a 12a 5a 18x
28th. Mon 27th Sep 1869
R.E.C.H. g3 m54b5yu B1y5. K1c5 312 e6hh p6fm uk6y f1u5. Yk4hh 95 94sj uk2bym43
4fm y55 312 4pu5bf11f 1b 5i5f6fn uk6fj 1p g5. 6 b5g46f e6uk h1i5 312by p1b 5i5b
5u65pp5. Thu 12th Aug 1875
3321233516. 13161919162721302327163224 1122272119162112 16 25 29
2921221113211228302127312123. Thu 11th Nov 1875
CAPTAIN B. You are mistaken in your estimate of the lady, for she, like many
more of her class, is an honourable English gentlewoman compelled, by
circumstances over which she has no control, to maintain herself and others by
following the profession of an actress. WORLEDGE. Moreton-place, Pimlico. Sat
27th May 1876
3 3 2 1 2 3 3 5 1 6 2 9 1 5 2 6 1 6 1 3 2 9 2 1 1 9 1 6 1 3 3 3 1 5 2 9 1 6 3 1
2 1 2 3 2 7 2 1 2 2 1 2 1 5 3 4 2 1 1 1 1 2 1 9 3 3 1 6 1 2 1 9 3 5 2 1 2 1 1 2
1 5 3 5 3 4 2 1 3 5 1 1 1 7 1 3 1 6. Mon 2nd Apr 1877
Chsecnarfchdiaptrispttfchpihttfchamfchdoeptngfchalhtlfchefchcahtnfchtofchsihtllfchbilpteivptifchmifchfaeptthfptulfchasfchefchbilptievptifchyohtufcharhtifchmuhtstfchfehtndfchsomptionptifchtofchricptievptifchlitpttirptsfchwrhtethtifchsohtonfchtofchnofchtwhtofchbihtstfchlohtvif.Chwenptdirptmirptif.
Thu 24th Jul 1879
ECALAP Ardnaxela eht ta sekal elpirt eht no strecnoc ocserf la eht ot og
syadrutas dna syadsruht syadseut no. Fri 16th Jun 1882
CEM. I e g c n e h d n h a o a s s b i s e r c g d h l i h u s a c c b k h e i
e . Mon 31st Jul 1882
FLOTSUM. I you please to lines few a send feeling been you have terribly have
I lonely indeed is letter your you see shall precious no time usual at to hope
to-day letter when to-morrow one receive to unable said I foot press why come do
please meant you once right I am pity great a again I met ever we great a up put
would I but deal amount any through go your for humiliation of darling Eillen
dearest Sake. TWO. Thu 14th Aug 1884
PAUL (3.a.14.9.i.11.5) 20.o.u. (8.11.o.18.). 6.o.18 I. (9.o.17.e.) 20.o.u.
(8.e.e.12.) 16.14.u.e (16.o.) 10e (5.o16.) a.9.9 (20.o.u.14)
3.e.a.14 (9.e.16.16.e.14.15) 18.14.i.16.e (o.4.16.e.11.) i.16.15
(13.u.i.16.e.) 15.a.4.e (i.4) 20.o.u (5.o.) a.18.a.20 (15.e.11.3)
20.o.u.14 (3.i.14.e.2.16.i.o.11.) i.10.10.e.3.i.a.16.e.9.20 Wed 20th Aug
1884
DARLING MUMMY. Poor Jim die finks, Mighty misrules, gets hoodman often. Do
write. Ever and for ever yours. Wed 12th Jan 1887
DEAREST. I did use the Invisible. I.C. Fri 29th Jul 1887
5-42. 35-95. 48-6. 63-136. 57-40. 59-157. 52-115. 5-131. 11-157. 41-106. 33-22.
63-136. 4-91. 4-129. 63-75. 30-132. 20-103. 53-145. 5-42. 63-53. Mon 12th Mar
1888
231AXXI 84BXV 129BXX 211BXVI 212BXLVIII 2AXXVIII 232BI 29AVIII 188BVIII 31AII
92AII 17BXLIX 69BXXIV 156BXXXIV 107BXXXIV 176AXXXIX 41AXIII 263BXIII 266AXXXIII
20BII 167BXIX 232AXXXIV 236BXIX. Mon 10th Jul 1893
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