"Encrypted message. Game of "spy": a guide to encryption Encrypted letters for children 6 7 years old

Imagine the world around you, in which there is not a single secret, not a single unsolved riddle. How boring it would be! Who loves everything mysterious and secret more than anyone else in the world? Of course, children! Their inquisitive mind strives to explore the unknown, to find the key to all the secrets.

On the other hand, a child, like any other person, has his own secrets: how else could he feel like an individual and preserve his “I” in front of the people around him, including adults. Let's remember ourselves as children: when writing a note to a school friend, did we write it using 33 letters of the alphabet? Most likely not: a special secret alphabet served these purposes. Each group of friends had their own, but, one way or another, it helped keep secret what we didn’t want to tell everyone.

Almost everyone will like this game of “spy” and “detective”. How great it is to imagine yourself as agent 007 or a character in your favorite detective story! In addition, secret writing perfectly develops thinking: after all, converting some signs into others, incomprehensible, is only half the battle; you also need to be able to quickly read the encrypted messages of your comrades. And this is a real logical puzzle, no less! Its implementation requires concentration, attention and a good sense of rhythm from the young codebreaker.

Isn't that interesting? Please be patient and read this article to the end. In it you will find detailed tips on creating a secret cipher, as well as learn where it can be used, and get acquainted with a brief history of cryptography - the science of encryption.

Where there is a person, there is a secret, or Some interesting facts from the history of encryption

• Everyone has their own secrets, so it is fair to say: “Where there is a person, there is a secret.” Back in the 2nd millennium BC. in Ancient Egypt there was a writing system called enigma, and by the Greeks in the V-IV centuries. BC. One of the first encryption devices, “Skitala,” was invented. By the way, the Greeks came up with the idea of ​​​​translating letters into numbers (if only they knew that in the future their idea would turn into the so-called “school cipher”, more about it below).
• In ancient India, secret writing was considered one of the 64 arts that women should master.
• The first book about encryption was published in Arabic in 855 and was called “The Book of Man’s Great Striving to Unravel the Mysteries of Ancient Writing.”
• In Rus' from the XII-XIII centuries. Litorrhea was used - a special alphabetic code, when the vowels in words remained in place, and the consonants changed places.
• Both children and adults are familiar with Arthur Conan Doyle's detective story "The Dancing Men." But few people know that humanoid icons were invented back in the 8th century. Emperor Charlemagne.
• But the writer (and part-time mathematician) Lewis Carroll invented his own method of encryption, and in very unusual circumstances. One cold winter evening (as always), many brilliant thoughts were spinning in his head. But I didn’t want to get out from under the warm blanket to light a candle, so Carroll came up with the idea nycgrapher– a special stencil with which you can write in the dark!

What is a secret code? Instructions for a young detective.

There are a great many such ciphers. There are even entire cryptographic “libraries” on the World Wide Web, where all these codes are collected, decrypted and conveniently formatted. You can change some letters for others, letters for numbers, real signs for fictitious ones.

A striking example is the above-mentioned “school cipher” - probably the simplest and fastest method of encryption. Its principle is to remember the numbers of letters in the alphabet and replace the letters with numbers, separated by commas. For example, the word "mom" would look like "14, 1, 14, 1." For greater secrecy, the numbers can be shifted - for example, with an interval of +3: the letter A will turn into 4, and M into 17.

An analogue of the “school cipher” can be created by typing on an ordinary computer keyboard: simply replace the Russian letters with the corresponding Latin characters. By the way, this will help improve your typing skills.

This also includes “dancing men” and L. Carroll’s nycgraphy. Come up with your own original code: you can do this not only with your friends and peers, but also with your whole family, and then find encrypted notes in the kitchen in the morning. Great exercise for the mind!

Examples:
alarm clock - 4, 23, 7, 12, 15, 32, 17, 12, 14 (key - letter number +2)
candy - rjyatnf ("keyboard" cipher)
store - nizgagam, toy - akshgrui, shoe - kontiob (try to guess the key to this code yourself!)

2. Half-word

This encryption method was used back in Ancient Rus' to classify secret messages and documents. The half-word signs vaguely resemble real letters, but unfinished. You can do the opposite - add new elements to well-known letters so that they change almost beyond recognition.

3. Inserting extra sounds

In every class there are such “polyglots” who periodically start talking to each other in an incomprehensible language. You listen and listen – and you can’t make out whether it’s English, German or some kind of gibberish! The last assumption is closest to the truth. So-called “gibberish” consists of words in your native language with extra sounds inserted after each syllable. Let’s say we want to pronounce the word “school” so that only our narrow group of friends understands it. There is nothing simpler: we add some syllable to it, for example, “ro”, and instead of “school” we get the mysterious “shkorolaro”. And if you insert “ro” before the syllables, no one will hear the famous word!

By the way, if the previous encryption method is suitable exclusively for written negotiations, then this one is simply ideal for oral ones.

Examples:
gift - pokudakurokku
bookmark - zamekladmekame
University - Uzonizoverzosizotetzo

4. The letter is backwards.

Everything here is extremely simple and clear: we write all the words backwards. Or maybe someone will be able to speak such an encrypted language! In any case, the logic will become simply ironclad.

Examples:
backpack - kazkyur
steam locomotive - zovorap
computer - retweak
informational - yynnoitsamrofni
electricity - yaigreneortkele

5. Creative cryptography.

Who said that letters and words need to be replaced with similar squiggles? After all, a secret alphabet can be created from alternative symbols. There is a 3D pipeline alphabet, where the letters are differently curved pipes. And experimenter John Regsdale recently, in 2006, came up with the Puzzle Code, where the parts of the message are parts of a complex puzzle. If you are good with imagination (and this is probably the case), come up with your own unique code and tell everyone about it!

Where can the art of secret writing come in handy?

– For secret correspondence with friends. But in class it’s better not to do this, but to listen to the teacher and remember new information, which will definitely come in handy later!

– For your own notes, which are not intended for prying eyes.

– For a smart and exciting game. This entertainment will go a long way at any party, especially a themed one, where you invite guests to act like great detectives or cool secret agents.

– When going on a long journey, we always stock up on good books and fun games. Why not solve some encrypted story instead of a crossword puzzle? You can do this at speed, together with friends!

– In language lessons – foreign or native. This is an excellent alternative to textbook exercises: deciphering a famous poem or catchphrase will certainly attract interest in the subject being studied and allow you to master spelling in a fun way.

Try yourself in the role of a brilliant cryptographer - and test the capabilities of your mind!

Once upon a time, the eldest Nastya and I voraciously played detectives and detectives, came up with our own codes and methods of investigation. Then this hobby passed and now it has returned again. Nastya has a fiancé, Dimka, who enthusiastically plays scouts. My daughter shared his passion. As you know, in order to transmit important information to each other, intelligence officers need a code. With these games you will also learn how to encrypt a word or even an entire text!

White spots

Any text, even without a code, can turn into hard-to-read gibberish if the spaces between letters and words are incorrectly placed.

For example, this is what a simple and understandable sentence turns into "Meet me at the lakeside" - "Meeting Yanaber Yeguozera".

Even an attentive person will not immediately notice the catch. But experienced intelligence officer Dimka says that this is the simplest type of encryption.

No vowels

Or you can use this method - write the text without vowels.

As an example, here is a sentence: "The note lies in the hollow of an oak tree that stands at the edge of the forest". The ciphertext looks like this: "Zpska lies in dpl db, ktr stt n pshke ls".

This will require ingenuity, perseverance, and, possibly, the help of adults (who also sometimes need to exercise their memory and remember their childhood).

Read it backwards

This encryption combines two methods at once. The text must be read from right to left (that is, vice versa), and spaces between words can be placed at random.

Here, read and decipher: "Neleta minv oak, manoro tsop irtoms".

Second for the first

Or each letter of the alphabet can be represented by the letter that follows it. That is, instead of “a” we write “b”, instead of “b” we write “c”, instead of “c” we write “d” and so on.

Based on this principle, you can create an unusual cipher. To avoid confusion, we made mini-cheat sheets for all participants in the game. It is much more convenient to use this method with them.

Guess what kind of phrase we have encrypted for you: "Tjilb g tjsibmzh fiobue mzhdlp – po ozhlpdeb ozh toynbzhu shmarf".

Deputies

The "Replacement" method is used on the same principle as the previous cipher. I read that it was used to encrypt sacred Jewish texts.

Instead of the first letter of the alphabet, we write the last, instead of the second, the penultimate one, and so on. That is, instead of A - Z, instead of B - Yu, instead of C - E...

To make it easier to decipher the text, you need to have the alphabet and a piece of paper with a pen on hand. Look at the letter matches and write it down. It will be difficult for a child to estimate by eye and decipher.

Tables

You can encrypt text by first writing it into a table. You just need to agree in advance which letter you will use to mark the spaces between words.

A little hint - it should be a common letter (such as p, k, l, o), because letters that are rarely found in words immediately catch the eye and because of this the text is easily deciphered. You also need to discuss how big the table will be and how you will enter the words (from left to right or from top to bottom).

Let's encrypt the phrase together using the table: At night we go to catch crucian carp.

We will denote a space with the letter “r”, writing words from top to bottom. Table 3 by 3 (we draw in the cells of a regular notebook sheet).

Here's what we get:
N B I M O T K A Y
O Y D R V A S R
CH R E L I R R E.

Lattice

In order to read the text encrypted in this way, you and your friend will need the same stencils: sheets of paper with squares cut out on them in random order.

The encryption must be written on a piece of paper in exactly the same format as the stencil. The letters are written in the hole cells (and you can also write, for example, from right to left or from top to bottom), the remaining cells are filled with any other letters.

The key is in the book

If in the previous code we prepared two stencils, now we will need identical books. I remember back in my childhood the boys at school used Dumas’s novel “The Three Musketeers” for these purposes.

The notes looked something like this:
"324 s, 4 a, b, 7 words.
150 s, 1 a, n, 11 sl...”

First digit indicated the page number,
second– paragraph number,
third letter– how to count paragraphs from above (v) or from below (n),
fourth letter- word.

In my example, you need to look for the necessary words:
First word: on page 324, 4th paragraph from the top, seventh word.
Second word: on page 150, 1 paragraph from the bottom, eleventh word.

The decryption process is slow, but no outsider will be able to read the message.

Once upon a time, the eldest Nastya and I voraciously played detectives and detectives, came up with our own codes and methods of investigation. Then this hobby passed and now it has returned again. Nastya has a fiancé, Dimka, who enthusiastically plays scouts. My daughter shared his passion. As you know, in order to transmit important information to each other, intelligence officers need a code. With these games you will also learn how to encrypt a word or even an entire text!

White spots

Any text, even without a code, can turn into hard-to-read gibberish if the spaces between letters and words are incorrectly placed.

For example, this is what a simple and understandable sentence turns into "Meet me at the lakeside" - "Meeting Yanaber Yeguozera".

Even an attentive person will not immediately notice the catch. But experienced intelligence officer Dimka says that this is the simplest type of encryption.

No vowels

Or you can use this method - write the text without vowels.

As an example, here is a sentence: "The note lies in the hollow of an oak tree that stands at the edge of the forest". The ciphertext looks like this: "Zpska lies in dpl db, ktr stt n pshke ls".

This will require ingenuity, perseverance, and, possibly, the help of adults (who also sometimes need to exercise their memory and remember their childhood).

Read it backwards

This encryption combines two methods at once. The text must be read from right to left (that is, vice versa), and spaces between words can be placed at random.

Here, read and decipher: "Neleta minv oak, manoro tsop irtoms".

Second for the first

Or each letter of the alphabet can be represented by the letter that follows it. That is, instead of “a” we write “b”, instead of “b” we write “c”, instead of “c” we write “d” and so on.

Based on this principle, you can create an unusual cipher. To avoid confusion, we made mini-cheat sheets for all participants in the game. It is much more convenient to use this method with them.

Guess what kind of phrase we have encrypted for you: "Tjilb g tjsibmzh fiobue mzhdlp – po ozhlpdeb ozh toynbzhu shmarf".

Deputies

The "Replacement" method is used on the same principle as the previous cipher. I read that it was used to encrypt sacred Jewish texts.

Instead of the first letter of the alphabet, we write the last, instead of the second, the penultimate one, and so on. That is, instead of A - Z, instead of B - Yu, instead of C - E...

To make it easier to decipher the text, you need to have the alphabet and a piece of paper with a pen on hand. Look at the letter matches and write it down. It will be difficult for a child to estimate by eye and decipher.

Tables

You can encrypt text by first writing it into a table. You just need to agree in advance which letter you will use to mark the spaces between words.

A little hint - it should be a common letter (such as p, k, l, o), because letters that are rarely found in words immediately catch the eye and because of this the text is easily deciphered. You also need to discuss how big the table will be and how you will enter the words (from left to right or from top to bottom).

Let's encrypt the phrase together using the table: At night we go to catch crucian carp.

We will denote a space with the letter “r”, writing words from top to bottom. Table 3 by 3 (we draw in the cells of a regular notebook sheet).

Here's what we get:
N B I M O T K A Y
O Y D R V A S R
CH R E L I R R E.

Lattice

In order to read the text encrypted in this way, you and your friend will need the same stencils: sheets of paper with squares cut out on them in random order.

The encryption must be written on a piece of paper in exactly the same format as the stencil. The letters are written in the hole cells (and you can also write, for example, from right to left or from top to bottom), the remaining cells are filled with any other letters.

The key is in the book

If in the previous code we prepared two stencils, now we will need identical books. I remember back in my childhood the boys at school used Dumas’s novel “The Three Musketeers” for these purposes.

The notes looked something like this:
"324 s, 4 a, b, 7 words.
150 s, 1 a, n, 11 sl...”

First digit indicated the page number,
second– paragraph number,
third letter– how to count paragraphs from above (v) or from below (n),
fourth letter- word.

In my example, you need to look for the necessary words:
First word: on page 324, 4th paragraph from the top, seventh word.
Second word: on page 150, 1 paragraph from the bottom, eleventh word.

The decryption process is slow, but no outsider will be able to read the message.

My memories from childhood + imagination were enough for exactly one quest: a dozen tasks that are not duplicated.
But the children liked the fun, they asked for more quests and had to go online.
This article will not describe the script, legends, or design. But there will be 13 ciphers to encode the tasks for the quest.

Code number 1. Picture

Code 2. Leapfrog.

Cipher 3. Greek alphabet.

Code 4. Vice versa.

Write the assignment backwards:

• every word:
  Etishchi dalk extra Jonsos
• or an entire sentence, or even a paragraph:
  Etsem morkom momas v - akzaksdop yaaschuudelS. itup monrev an yv

Code 5. Mirror.

(when I did the quest for my children, at the very beginning I gave them a “magic bag”: there was a key to the “Greek alphabet”, a mirror, “windows”, pens and sheets of paper, and all sorts of unnecessary things for confusion. Finding the next riddle , they had to figure out for themselves what from the bag would help them find the answer)

Code 6. Rebus.

The word is encoded in pictures:

Cipher 7. Next letter.

We write a word, replacing all the letters in it with the following ones in alphabetical order (then I is replaced by A, in a circle). Or the previous ones, or the next ones after 5 letters :).

CABINET = SHLBH

Code 8. Classics to the rescue.

I took a poem (and told the children which one) and a code of 2 numbers: line number number of letters in the line.

Example:

Pushkin "Winter Evening"

The storm covers the sky with darkness,
Whirling snow whirlwinds;
Then, like a beast, she will howl,
Then he will cry like a child,
Then on the dilapidated roof
Suddenly the straw will rustle,
The way a belated traveler
There will be a knock on our window.

21 44 36 32 82 82 44 33 12 23 82 28

Did you read it, where is the hint? :)

Code 9. Dungeon.

Write the letters in a 3x3 grid:

Then the word WINDOW is encrypted like this:

Code 10. Labyrinth.

My children liked this code; it is unlike the others, because it is not so much for the brain as for attention.

So:

On a long thread/rope you attach the letters in order, as they appear in the word. Then you stretch the rope, twist it and entangle it in every possible way between the supports (trees, legs, etc.). Having walked along the thread, as if through a maze, from the first letter to the last, the children will recognize the clue word.

Imagine if you wrap one of the adult guests in this way!
Children read - The next clue is on Uncle Vasya.
And they run to feel Uncle Vasya. Eh, if he is also afraid of tickles, then everyone will have fun!

Code 11. Invisible ink.

Code 12. Rubbish.

Code 13. Windows.

Code 14. Map, Billy!

1. inexpensive (similar to about 4 dollars per set)
2. quickly (paid - downloaded, printed - everything took 15-20 minutes)
3. There are a lot of tasks, with plenty to spare. And although I didn’t like all the riddles, there was plenty to choose from, and you could enter your own task
4. everything is decorated in the same monster style and this gives the holiday effect. In addition to the quest tasks themselves, the kit includes: a postcard, flags, table decorations, and invitations to guests. And it's all about monsters! :)
5. In addition to the 9-year-old birthday boy and his friends, I also have a 5-year-old daughter. The tasks were beyond her, but she and her friend also found entertainment - 2 games with monsters, which were also in the set. Phew, in the end - everyone is happy!

Games for the ability to concentrate

Games with cards

"Tricky Numbers"

Option 1

To play the game you will need 20 cards on which you need to write numbers from 1 to 20.

2 people participate, for example an adult and a child. The cards are shuffled, half are given to the child, who lays them out in front of him in random order. The adult places one of his cards in front of the child. Having seen a number on it, the child must choose from his cards the card with the nearest number in ascending or descending order (this must be agreed upon in advance) and place it on top. If he also has the next number in order, then he will put another card, etc. Then the adult lays out the second card. The child performs the same task. The game continues until one of the participants runs out of cards.

Option 2

To play the game you will need the same 20 number cards.

The cards are shuffled and laid out in front of the child in a square of 3 in 3 rows, that is, 9 randomly selected cards out of 20 are used. The child must rearrange the cards so that the numbers are in ascending (or descending) order, starting from the upper left corner.

As you practice with cards, the tasks become more complex: more of them can be used, and the time to complete the task is limited.

"One after another"

To play you will need a set of cards with all the letters of the alphabet.

Place the cards in front of your child. However, put some letters out of alphabetical order. The child must look carefully at the cards and change their places so as to restore the alphabetical order. You can start classes with 3-4 incorrectly placed cards. Subsequently, the tasks become more complicated, the number of necessary movements increases.

The ability to concentrate is well trained when playing a game to accurately copy the original sample. We suggest you use alphabetic material for this; this will help your child complete assignments in the Russian language accurately.

"Don't lose letters"

To play the game you will need cards on which you need to write combinations of letters that look like words, but are not.

The child is given the task of rewriting the lines accurately. Variants of this game differ in difficulty levels. At the initial stage of classes, you can carry out the first and second versions of the game, composing lines similar to those given below: a total of 7-8 letters are used in a letter combination, of which 3-4 letters alternate.

Option 1

SLASELLA DASSEKE SELASSA

Option 2

CORRIX KUSURA IKOSSIR

Option 3

PREMARAP STASSIT RAMMETATE

Option 4

RAKISSUMAKIRU KAMMUKAR

Option 5

PERILLIMENATE KOSIKUMARANN

Option 6

RAPETONUKASHIMS PELAKUSSI

Analogues of the third to sixth options are used at those stages of training with a child when he can easily cope with the first options of the game, that is, he will learn to concentrate attention to a certain extent. A classic game for developing attention is tasks to find differences in pictures. We suggest looking for differences in combinations of letters, numbers, and geometric shapes. This will develop the vigilance needed when doing written work in class.

"Find differences"

To play you will need paired cards (see example below).

By comparing the cards, the child must find the specified number of differences in the signs.

Option 1

Look carefully and find 3 differences.

Option 2

Look carefully and find 5 differences.

Option 3

Option 4

Look carefully and find 6 differences.

Games for concentration and attention switching

To train concentration and switch attention, it is very useful to periodically play “Encryption”. For first-graders, simple versions of “Encryption” with keys are suitable. For older children - “Encryption” with permutations and omissions, where completing tasks requires a higher degree of ability to concentrate and switch attention. It is very important for a child to learn to switch attention from one object to another. This will help you avoid mistakes when performing various tasks in class: from copying from the board to solving math examples.

"Encryption" with keys

To play the game you will need cards with encryption keys, which correspond to letters and numbers, for example: A - 1.

Numbers from 0 to 9 are used, that is, you can encode 10 letters, of which words should be composed. You give your child the task of encrypting words using a key. The simplest options contain short words and simple keys. These options are used in the initial stages of classes with first graders. On a piece of paper, you write words in a column, give it to the child and offer to write its secret code next to each word.

Option 1

river - 0564; squeak - 7216; oven - 7598; slippers - 34762; brush -62138

peach - 750126; print - 759438; brick - 620729

Option 3

cake - 4734; labor - 4359; grass - 43212; sleeve - 35021; product - 47123

cow - 073712; gate - 173742; turn - 8717374

screwdriver - 74163402; horseshoe - 8790712; square - 0129324

You can play it the other way around too. In this case, it is necessary to encrypt the words in advance, give the child the key and offer to decrypt them. It will be very interesting for your child to solve words by replacing numbers with letters.

“Encryption” with permutations and omissions

To play the game you will need a sheet of paper on which you need to write words and sentences in advance, leaving free space for writing down the encryption.

Various encryption options are offered.

Option 1

Encrypt words and sentences by writing words backwards.

sleeve - vakur

It's cold outside today. - Yandoges an etsilu ondoloh.

Option 2

Encrypt the words by swapping the first and last syllables.

good - rustling; weather - dagopo; mathematics - cathematics

Option 3

Encrypt the sentence by writing it with all vowels omitted.

We go to school. — Zhdm in school.

You can come up with other encryption options.