PigPen

History

The history of the Pigpen cipher, also known as the Masonic cipher or Freemason's cipher, is not well-documented. It is believed to have been used by Freemasons during the 18th and 19th centuries as a simple substitution cipher to communicate secret messages within the fraternity.

The name "Pigpen cipher" comes from the resemblance of its symbols to the grids used for feeding pigs, with each letter represented by a unique arrangement of dots or lines within the grid. The cipher's association with Freemasonry has led to speculation about its origin and purpose, but concrete historical evidence is scarce.

Today, the Pigpen cipher is primarily known as a recreational cipher and is used in puzzles, games, and educational activities to introduce basic concepts of cryptography and code-breaking. It has also gained popularity as a nostalgic element in fictional works set in the past or involving secret societies.

Some quotes from online:

“Hysin claims it was invented by Freemasons. They began using it in the early 18th century to keep their records of history and rites private, and for correspondence between lodge leaders. Tombstones of Freemasons can also be found which use the system as part of the engravings”.

“The pigpen cipher, which dates back to the 18th century, is also known as the Masonic cipher or Freemason cipher because of its use by secretive groups that purportedly shield their practices from public scrutiny”.

“The Masonic Cipher, known more commonly as the Pigpen Cipher, is seldom used today but still remains a part of Freemasonry's rich history. Read on to learn of its possible origins and how it can be deciphered”.

How it works

Pig pen ciphers work by replacing letters with specific symbols, a symbol for each letter in the alphabet. Below is a picture (help sheet) of what each symbol represents as a letter:

It may be hard to understand how each symbol looks in a cyphertext, so looking at the plaintext “hi there” being encrypted means the resulting cyphertext would be:

When decrypting a pig pen cipher, it’s helpful to have a help sheet to decrypt the cyphertext (or you'll have to memorise the symbols).

How it works (in the game)

In the User vs Computer game mode, a cyphertext will be presented to the user, alongside a help sheet.

The help sheet is interactable and can be used by clicking on the symbols that appear in the cyphertext, appearing in the box below the help sheet. If you make a mistake, you can click the ‘Clear’ button to start again. You don’t need to interact with the help sheet if you would rather just read from it to find the plaintext, as the ‘interactable’ function is only there if you feel you need it.

Put your answer in the answer box once you’ve found the plaintext.