Hand Ciphers are hand written secret codes! For over 2000 years hand ciphers have been used by Kings, Queens, Military leaders, Spies, and Scientists to write secret messages.

The Atbash Cipher was originally a substitution cipher used for the Hebrew alphabet. It is one of the earliest known ciphers to have been used, and is very simple. The first letter of the English Latin alphabet "A" is replaced by the last letter "Z", "B" becomes "Y" and so forth. Create your own secret code with Atbash!

ROT13 is another substitution cipher. In the English Latin alphabet, the characters are "rotated" after the 13th letter. So "A" becomes "N" and "B" becomes "O".

Caesar Cipher is a substitution cipher that also uses a key or shift. The key is a numerical value of how many letters down the alphabet after the first letter the plaintext letter becomes in the ciphertext. For example, with a shift or key of 3, "A" becomes "D". A 3 letter shift is known to have been used by Julius Caesar.
...
Atbash Cipher
Type your message to encrypt or decrypt:

...
ROT13
Type your message to encrypt or decrypt:

...
Caesar Cipher
Type your message to encrypt:

* Note that Atbash and Rot13 can encrypt and decrypt, while the Casesar Cipher used here needs to encrypt and decrypt separately. It has a set key of +3, so to decrypt, you will need to use a key of -3.

Type your message to decrypt:

Practice

Guess the encryption method: Atbash, ROT13, or Caesar? Try your secret code on paper. Then check your work with the ciphers above!

Chess Pieces
*Hint* Famous Historical Figure

  1. nzib jfvvm lu hxlgh


  2. Zigsfi Arnnvinzmm


  3. Vfbebxh Lnznzbgb


  4. Hgjdu Doodq Srh

Battle of Midway Ship
*Hint* Event

  1. Gur Onovatgba Cybg


  2. Mvzzreznaa Gryrtenz


  3. Yzggov lu Nrwdzb


  4. Wkh Jrog Exj

Secret Code Text
*Hint* Secret Code

  1. Gsviv yv nzmb nvzmh rm szmw gl ivnlev gsv yvzhg gszg gilfyovh gsv dliow

  2. Gung jr funyy znxr jne gbtrgure naq gbtrgure znxr crnpr. Jr funyy tvir trareny svanapvny fhccbeg, naq vg vf haqrefgbbq gung Zrkvpb vf gb erpbadhre gur ybfg greevgbel va Arj Zrkvpb, Grknf naq Nevmban.

  3. DI vkruw rq iuhvk zdwhu

  4. Vg jnf rneyl fcevat, jnez naq fhygel tybjrq gur nsgreabba. Gur irel oerrmrf frrzrq gb funer gur qryvpvbhf ynathbe bs havirefny angher