Games with Codes and Ciphers

Intrigue your friends with birthday prophecies, spin a mystifying wheel of fortune, travel through the Valley of Fear, and take on Dad's Challenge! This collection presents scores of intriguing brainteasers from the fascinating world of codes and ciphers. Assembled by a master puzzle-maker, these activities are inspired by sources as diverse as the Sherlock Holmes stories and the procedures of the U.S. Navy. Code-breakers ages 8 and up can go on cryptic treasure hunts, engage in surreptitious writing, send secret messages, and learn all about fingerprinted words. Other puzzles feature a foolproof code (perfect for keeping a private diary), three-letter patterns, a nonreciprocal alphabet, and much more. The stimulating and entertaining challenges include easy-to-follow directions as well as complete solutions.