Synopsis

A collection of over a 1,000 secret messages, mainly from the Victorian era, which appeared in the personal columns of various newspapers.

With the ever increasing popularity of puzzles and mysteries (i.e. Suduko, The Da Vinci Code), all who delight in solving will find something to amuse here - ranging from the extremely simple to some quite complex systems with several remaining unsolved.

For those who are just curious to know what they were saying the keys are given where available.

"Because there are many ciphers which I would read as easily as I do the apocrypha of the agony column - such crude devices amuse the intelligence without fatiguing it" [VALLEY OF FEAR].

Sherlock Holmes

View Sample View Book Information

Purchase Options

Back to top

Sample

INTRODUCTION

Along with the introduction of the pillar box in the 1850’s, 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 – you’ll meet all kinds of people, a curate; gambler; members of parliament; pathologist, prisoner; probationer, ships captain, singer and many more.

Whether you’re a Sherlock Holmes or an Inspector Clouseau there’s 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

L’ABBANDONATA. – 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. Don’t 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

View Synopsis View Book Information

Purchase Options

Back to top

Reviews

View Synopsis View Sample View Book Information

Purchase Options

Back to top

Purchase Options

This book is available in the following formats:

eBook DownloadPaperback

View Synopsis View Sample

Book Information

View Synopsis View Sample

Purchase Options

eBook Download Options

eBook Download Price: £4.95 (Pounds Sterling)

  Download In Acrobat Reader Format

Authors OnLine would like to e-mail you information about its published books from time to time. If you do not want us to do this, please untick this box. N.B. At the author's request some features of Acrobat may have been disabled to prevent breaches of copyright. These may include, printing, selecting text, copying and pasting.
NB. By default these features are not available with Microsoft Reader.

Purchase Options

PaperBack Purchase Options

To purchase this book direct from Authors OnLine
Please call: (UK) (01633) 676629
(9am - 4pm Mon-Fri GMT)
or email: book.sales@authorsonline.co.uk

Buy From Amazon.co.uk (UK/EEC) £9.95
Buy From Amazon.com (USA/North American) $ 15.95

Purchase Options

HardBack Purchase Options

This book is not available in Hardback
Other Purchase Options