From 1833 to 1836 two lovers in England exchanged 35 love messages via encrypted newspaper advertisements. The key is known. Can my readers help me to decrypt these messages?
The book The Agony Column Codes & Ciphers by Jean Palmer (i.e., Tony Gaffney, a reader of this blog) presents over a thousand encrypted newspaper advertisements from Victorian England. Many of these encrypted ads contain love messages, while others were placed by business people in order to send news to partners and customers. Ignatius Pollaky, a private investigator of the Victorian era, communicated via newspaper ads, too.
Tony, who is an excellent codebreaker, has solved most of the cryptograms described in his book, but some still wait to be deciphered. On Klausis Krypto Kolumne I have published many an article about ads taken from Tony’s book, especially about the unsolved ones. In August last year, I asked my readers to help decrypting a series of 20 advertisements the key of which was known. Many readers followed my call, and so the whole series was transferred to plaintext within only a few days.
Today, I want to introduce another advertisement series from Tony’s book and again I ask my readers for help. The series in question consists of 35 ads, which makes it the longest in Tony’s book. These advertisements were published in the Morning Chronicle and The Observer in the 1830s. Apparently, the first one was placed by a person in order to write his or her lover a secret message. So these ads either represent a message exchange between two lovers or a series of messages somebody sent to his or her sweetheart.
Here is the first ad of this series (it’s hard to read, but we don’t have to bother, as Tony’s book provides transcriptions):
The whole ad series was encrypted with the following substitution table:
a k e l i m o n u p y q b 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 r c s d t f v g w h x j z 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35
Now I would like to get a complete decryption of all 35 messages. I started by decrypting the first message myself. Following the motto “many hands make light work” it would be great if my readers could do the same with the 34 remaining ones. If you have decrypted an ad or a part of it, please leave a comment. Thanks to all who take part!
1. Morning Chronicle Thu 12th Sep 1833
14. 32102912. 22121217. 141313. 13162912. 29122320. 141313. 1520. 261624271623. 321025. 16232612231226. 243210173012. 1628. 2524121217. 101726. 101423. 3132142432. 14. 32102912. 22121217. 2723201730. 281623. 2732142525. 13102527. 31121211. 1027. 32101519271617. 2416182327. 14. 32102912. 17121427321223. 25121217. 1623. 3212102326. 28231615. 24. 28. 2514172412. 201618. 13122827. 1026141218. 13162912. 301626. 2213122525. 201618. 281623. 12291223. 53. 311023121217. 252723121227.
I HAVE BEEN ILL, LOVE, VERY ILL. MY DOCTOR HAS ORDERED CHANGE OF SCEEN AND AIR WHICH I HAVE BEEN TRYNG FOR THISS LAST WEEK AT HAMPTON COURT. I HAVE NEITHER SEEN OR HEARD FROM C F SINCE YOU LEFT ADIEU. LOVE, GOD BLESS YOU EVER, 53 WAREEN STREET
2. Morning Chronicle Fri 13th Sep 1833
14. 32102912. 23122412291226. 27321215. 13162912. 1520. 141317122525. 192312291217271226. 1520. 101725311223141730. 27321215. 221228162312. 201225271223261020. 13161611. 281623. 27321027. 1910191223. 3123142712. 12173013142532. 13162912. 17123327. 27141512. 251026. 251026. 1026141218.
3. Morning Chronicle Fri 20th Sep 1833
53. 311023231217. 252723121227. 28142735231620. Square. 31321027. 26162512. 1520. 26121023. 3115. 15121017. 2220. 251020141730. 27321027. 3212. 312314271225. 2731142412. 1417. 273212. 25101512. 261020. 14. 32102912. 23122412291226. 1617131220. One. 2732142525. 31121211. 101726. 27321027. 26162512. 171627. 251020. 27321027. 201618. 32102912. 25121217. 273212. 15162317141730. C. 1623. 31321217. 14. 151020. 32161912. 2716. 2212. 15102612. 31121313..2220. 251212141730. 201618. 3123142712. 12291223. 26121023122527. 2220. 231227182317. 1628. 19162527. 14. 1015. 3016141730. 161827. 1628. 27163117. 281623. 10. 281231. 26102025. 1030101417. 13162912.
4 .Morning Chronicle Sat 21st Sep 1833
14. 1015. 221227271223. 26121023. 13162912. 101726. 32161912. 31321217. 14. 231227182317. 28231615. 273212. 24161817272320. 31142432. 31141313. 2212. 1417. 10. 26102025. 2716. 251020. 2118142712. 31121313. 14. 241017171627. 13162912. 12331923122525. 1520. 2812121314173025. 1025. 14. 3116181326. 221827. 20161823. 19161623. 2610183032271223. 321631. 1425. 253212. 1520. 19231020122325. 1714303227. 101726. 261020. 2532101313. 2212. 281623. 321223. 2312241629122320. 101726. 20161823. 321019191417122525. 14. 241017. 251020. 1716. 15162312. 13162912. 1617131220. 27321027. 14. 1015. 201618231225. 101726. 2016182325. 1617131220. 27141313. 2612102732.
5. Morning Chronicle Sat 12th Oct 1833
26121023122527. 311413131015. 31321027. 3116181326. 14. 30142912. 1428. 14. 2416183126. 221827. 251212. 201618. 101726. 27121313. 201618. 101313. 14. 2812121313. 101726. 2732141711. 221827. 2616. 171627. 26121023. 13162912. 19231020. 2616. 171627. 2212. 101730231220. 31142732. 1512. 31321217. 14. 27121313. 201618. 281623. 14. 241017171627. 11121219. 1427. 28231615. 201618. 101720. 131617301223. 14. 1015. 1417. 1910231425. 101726. 321025. 22121217. 281623. 2732142525. 31121211. 321631. 251417241223131220. 2616. 14. 171631. 231230231227. 13121029141730. 131617261617. 1432102912. 25121217. 31. 22. 17101512. 1417. 161712. 1628. 273212. 12173013142532. 191019122325. 321631. 18173210191920. 32102912. 14. 22121217. 2514172412. 2732141716141730. 27321027. 201618. 102312. 1417. 27163117. 14. 32102912. 1417. 24161724122118121724. 192312291014131226. 18191617. 24. 28. 2716. 131227. 1512. 231227182317. 14. 2212301417. 1520. 34161823171220. 2716. 151623231631. 14. 28121023. 14. 2532101313. 2212. 16221314301226. 2716. 15101112. 2532162327. 252710301225. 18191617. 102416181727. 1628. 1520. 321210132732. 3132142432. 273212. 171231251910191223. 27321025. 15182432. 253210111217. 1026141218. 26121023. 13162912. 1026141218. October 10.
6. Morning Chronicle Tue 22nd Oct 1833
No. 5. 2732142525. 131227271223. 14. 2616. 171627. 18172612232527101726. 31. 22. 311025. 1017. 1223231623. 221827. 201618. 32102912. 1716. 24161728142612172412. 1417. 1512. 1716. 176. 231027321223. 27321017. 20161823. 17101512. 253216181326. 122524101912. 1520. 13141925. 1623. 101720. 31162326. 1623. 26121226. 1628. 15141712. 27321027. 2416181326. 13121026. 2716. 10. 261425241629122023. 1628. 161823. 1417271223242618232512. 14. 3116181326. 231027321223. 261412. 102012. 10. 32181726331226. 2612102732. 221827. 313220. 131227. 25182432. 10. 3123122432. 1025. 14. 1015. 30142912. 201618. 10. 15161512172725. 18171210252017122525. 221017142532. 1512. 15231615. 20161823. 102012. 281623. 12291223. 101726. 131227. 1512. 261412. 2814232527. 131227. 1512. 11171631. 321631. 1425. 20161823. 2610183032271223. 101726. 27121313. 1512. 27321027. 201618. 101726. 101313. 102312. 31121313. 24. 28. 321025. 2312271823171226. 261822131417. 1417. 22162620. 141015. 2118142712. 31121313. 1026141218. 201618. 32102912. 281623221426. 1512. 2716. 251020. 31321027. 14. 2532101313. 12291223. 2212. 27141313. 2612102732.
7. Morning Chronicle Thu 31st Oct 1833
No. 6. 26. 26. 31. 14. 241017171627. 2732101711. 201618. 1025. 141618303227. 281623. 20161823. 273116. 11141726. 131227271223. 1427. 321025. 3014291217. 1512. 171231. 13142812. 101726. 25191423142725. 14. 1015. 273210171112281813. 101726. 2213122525. 301626. 281623. 20161823. 261018303227122325. 2312241629122320. 14. 241017171627. 3123142712. 1025. 14. 28121213. 1623. 2732141711. 31321217. 273212. 221633. 1623. 191024111227. 1520. 13162912. 31141313. 27321217. 27121313. 101313. 27141313. 27321217. 26121023. 31. 14. 13142912. 16171320. 281623. 201618. 101726. 27321027. 301626. 151620. 2213122525. 101726. 19231225122329. 1520. 31. 101726. 321425. 281015141320. 321425. 20161823. 15. 2416172527101727. 192310201223.
8. Morning Chronicle Mon 11th Nov 1833
1234589. 26121023122527. 11141726122527. 22122527. 1628. 151217. 14. 1015. 1417. 2310192718231225. 31142732. 20161823. 11141726. 1923122512172725. 10. 31122312. 1427. 171627. 281623. 273212. 251819162327. 20161823. 26121023. 11141726. 13122727122325. 3014291225. 1512. 10. 2812121314173025. 27321027. 201618. 2616. 13162912. 1512. 1415182527. 2412232710171320. 25141711. 1817261223. 273212. 311214303227. 1628. 20161823. 1114172617122525. 10. 31321027. 1619231225251225. 1512. 2527141313. 15162312. 1425. 27321027. 1428121023. 142532101313. 1712291223. 2212. 10221312. 2716. 26122512232912. 2220. 101313. 14. 241017. 2616. 273212. 1312102527. 1628. 20161823. 28102916182325. 14. 32102912. 1716. 3216191225. 221827. 27321027. 1520. 281827182312. 24161726182427. 10. 26122712231514171226. 26182720. 31141313. 2212. 1024241219271226. 101726. 101313. 1520. 14151912232812242714161725. 28162330291217.
9. Morning Chronicle Wed 27th Nov 1833
10. 11. 12. 2616. 171627. 26121023. 26121023. 31. 11141313. 1512. 2118142712. 2220. 20161823. 1114172617122525. 14. 2616. 23121026. 10. 14. 1015. 1025. 31121313. 1025. 14. 241017. 123319122427. 2716. 2212. 221827. 321019191417122525. 26. 31. 14. 2532101313. 1712291223. 1712291223. 11171631. 101720. 15162312. 1520. 26. 221620. 10. 321425. 251425271223. 321425. 141313. 31. 201618. 102312. 10173314161825. 281623. 20161823. 2610183032271223. 14. 241017. 10. 2616. 28121213. 281623. 201618. 141726121226. 14. 2616. 31. 1025. 31121313. 1025. 19231020. 1428. 273212. 3116231326. 311025. 15141712. 31. 14. 3116181326. 30142912. 1427. 101313. 2716. 251212. 201618. 1428. 1427. 31122312. 221827. 281623. 10. 151615121727. 27321217. 14. 2732141711. 14. 2416181326. 2212. 3210191920.
10. Morning Chronicle Fri 20th Dec 1833
13. 14. 301626. 2213122525. 201618. 1520. 26121023. 31. 281623. 20161823. 29122320. 11141726. 131227271223. 14. 32102912. 221823171226. 101313. 14. 31142532. 14. 2732141711. 3123142712. 101726. 27121313. 201618. 101313. 14. 2732141711. 1520. 22231627321223. 10. 25. 102312. 10. 1314271312. 221227271223. 14. 1015. 171631. 1417. 273212. 24161817272320. 1027121726141730. 27321215. 1520. 163117. 321210132732. 321425. 29122320. 26121314241027. 10. 14. 32102912. 15101720. 273214173025. 1617. 1520. 15141726. 3132142432. 1510111225. 1512. 29122320. 181732101920. 1520. 16171320. 24161528162327. 10. 2416172516131027141617. 321425. 273212. 3216191225. 2816. 25161617. 251212141730. 201618. 221827. 17162732141730. 1628. 101720. 151615121727. 321025. 162418231226. 2716. 1512. 1027. 1623. 2514172412. 273212. 27141512. 273212. 27141512. 201618. 2519161112. 1628. 1417. 20161823. 26121023. 131227271223. 19231020. 19231020. 2616. 171627. 131227. 1512. 2212. 2516. 13161730. 31142732161827. 32121023141730. 28231615. 201618. 1030101417. 301626. 2213122525. 201618. 31. 10. 2016182325. 10. 19231020. 301626. 23122527162312. 20161823. 261018303227122325. 321210132732. 321425. 1520. 2416172527101727. 192310201223.
11. Morning Chronicle Fri 27th Dec 1833
15. 26. 26. 31. 1428. 201618. 11171231. 10. 24161528162327. 20161823. 13122727122325. 102312. 2716. 1512. 14. 311025. 2732142525. 15162317141730. 31321217. 20161823. 26121023. 131227271223. 311025. 22231618303227. 1512. 1617. 1520. 1117121225. 2732101711141730. 301626. 281623. 25121726141730. 1512. 2516. 26. 10. 11141726. 10. 28. 321025. 1520. 26121023. 31. 10. 321631. 2514172412231320. 2616. 14. 19231020. 321415. 2716. 2213122525. 10. 19231625191223. 201618. 1520. 22. 321425. 10. 1314271312. 221227271223. 14. 1015. 221314252712231226. 17121023121320. 2716. 17162732141730. 281623. 10. 1710252720. 241618131326. 14. 32102912. 1026141218. 12291223. 26121023122527.
12. Morning Chronicle Thu 16th Jan 1834
16. 17. 14. 31142532. 14. 2416181326. 28141726. 3116232625. 27321027. 3116181326. 12331923122525. 32101328. 273212. 3023102714261812. 10. 13162912. 1520. 321210. 2327. 2812121325. 27163110232625. 201618. 14. 1015. 2312271823171226. 2716. 27163117. 1022162312. 273212. 2810271830122515182432. 221227271223. 27321017. 12331912. 24271226. 14. 1015. 13161611141730. 2816233110232631142732. 1817251912101122. 1312281623. 281222. 1417. 3216191225. 1628251212141730. 201618. 2616. 31231427. 12. 15121026121023. 241617251613141730. 131227271223. 31. 26312616. 19231020. 2616. 231215221223. 31321027..10243210231427. 1220. 1427. 1425. 10101313. 273212. 13162912. 10. 27121726122317122525. 3132142432. 103212102327. 311226261226. 2716. 142725. 25162323163125241017. 28121213. 2532101313. 2716. 142725131025. 27. 27322316222214173025. 22122016182325.
13. Morning Chronicle Sat 15th Feb 1834
19. 20. 1632. 1520. 26121023122527. 22122527. 2814232527. 101726. 16171320. 282314121726. 1431142532. 14. 31142532. 14. 2416181326. 251212. 201618. 2716. 27121313. 201618. 321631. 14. 28121213. 27163110232625. 201618. 14. 1015. 15182432. 221227271223. 141726121226. 17121023131220. 31121313. 201618. 2616. 171627. 2519121011. 162820. 161823. 261018. 3032271223. 14. 1015. 10173314161825. 2716. 32121023. 14. 32102912. 22121217. 1417. 273212. 24161817272320. 281623. 3. 3112121125. 10. 16171320. 2312271823171226. 13102527. 1714303227. 1026141218. 1520. 26121023122527. 3123122414291226. 19. 2118142712. 25102812.
14. Morning Chronicle Thu 27th Feb 1834
20. 14. 28121023. 1520. 26. 28. 31. 1425. 141313. 10. 241017171627. 3123142712. 2716. 1512. 193223101925. 321425. 26. 2610183032271223. 1425. 3116232512. 14. 32102912. 22121217. 2623121015141730. 2616. 19231020. 2616. 19142720. 1512. 14. 11171631. 201618. 3116181326. 1428. 20161811171231. 273212. 2527102712. 1628. 1520. 2812121314173025. 1428. 1417. 1427. 16171320. 273212. 3116232625. 101313. 31121313. 1026141218. 15. 26. 26. 28. 31.
15. Morning Chronicle Mon 31st Mar 1834
22. 23. 15. 1425. 171627. 2118142712. 31121313. 201618. 2616. 171627. 251020. 11. 31162326. 1022161827. 26. 1623. 241615141730. 2716. 27. 1520. 22. 15. 26. 1623. 31142732. 15. 171631. 221827. 23122718231725. 2716. 26. 1417. 10. 281231. 26102025. 14. 1015. 1417. 28121023. 281623. 15. 231210251617. 311425321225. 2716. 251212. 31. 1026141218 . 26. 28. 1026141218.
16. Morning Chronicle Sat 3rd May 1834
26. 27. 28. 15. 321025. 11121927. 321223. 22. 221827. 1425. 15182432. 221227271223. 15. 321025. 321026. 10. 131427271312. 27231618221312. 101726. 10. 3023121027. 15101720. 252723183018131225. 221228162312. 253212. 2416181326. 2223141730. 32122325121328. 2716. 102511. 31. 2716. 25121726. 321223. 10171627321223. 27. 221228162312. 273212. 9. 15. 14. 3212. 241017. 2416172912171412. 15. 3212102327. 1425. 2716. 281813. 2716. 251020. 15162312. 27321017. 1026141218. 26. 26. 28. 31. 26. 10. 101313. 102312. 23121512152212231226. 2220. 15.
17. Morning Chronicle Mon 12th May 1834
29. 26. 26. 11. 28. 15162312. 27321017. 121716183032. 15. 1425. 15182432. 221227271223. 3123142712. 273212. 151615121727. 201618. 11171631. 201618. 31141313. 2212. 1819. 2518251912172412. 1425. 273212. 32121313. 3132142432. 151413271617. 2516. 1024182310271320. 261225242314221225. 1417. 273212. 321627. 1024161326. 23123014161725. 3132122312. 273212. 25161813. 1425. 10132712231710271320. 271625251226. 28231615. 273212. 10232616182325. 1628. 32161912. 2716. 273212. 191227231428141730. 23143016182325. 1628. 2616181927. 102623121026. 1026141218. 262628.
Kommentare (2)