A code is a symbol which stands for more symbols – e.g. 
for I am happy.
Babington’s code comprised a substitution cipher, plus code symbols for the more common words (e.g. 2 for AND, 4 for WITH) and some more sophisticated symbols for various kings, queens, places etc, plus nulles (to be ignored), plus a double (double the adjacent letter) and so was thought to be uncrackable.
Here is a substitution cipher mixed with code symbols for a JCC Coding Challenge.
Can anyone crack it with just two clues? Let’s see … Please email me if you can.
Clues:
- Both passages are from Jess’s favourite play (see Book Ciphers if you don’t know).
- Letters stand for letters. Symbols stand for words or, in one case, an instruction (eg null, void, double).
- Finding the cipher will unlock the quotations.
- The cipher has a related key
Example A
$ KSOG MU{X ∞ GI{EC ¶YGEXLEG UZ §G
$ §G MU{X ∞ KFESY SMSO ¶ IUYE
¡ ¶Z ¶ Y{BZ XUWE ¢ S GUXLEF HBM ZEM HEZI UZ TESLEZ
GTS{X HETBXK ¶ § BP # GBEYZUIUEG
Example B
XBLE X{BWG ZBI MUIT ¶ EOEG HJI MUIT ¶ YUZK
¡ ¶FEPBFE UG MUZREK AJCUK CSUZIEK HXUZK
Here’s a very big hint if you are struggling …
If you need a way in – start with the cipher.
Example A: There’s a single letter – S. That must be a or i.
There is another word SMSO – most likely away, or possibly afar.
So the key begins with S – and it’s related to the text. Who wrote it?
