NO doubt our readers are all set for a glimpse of the alphabet which M. Walker used in preparing his phonetic Ciphers Nos. 145 and 147, published in the last two issues. So without further preamble we take pleasure in appending it in full. The proper values of characters which have more than one sound in ordinary usage are shown in parentheses.
E (eel) Y (yes) Z I (it) W (we) S (see) A (ape) L ZH (azure) E (end) R SB (she) A (alms) M B A (an) N P A (all) NG D O (dog) H T O (old) V J U (up) F CH (chin) OO (moon) TH (the) G (go) OO (foot) TH (thin) KC
Instead of listing his characters alphabetically, our correspondent has arranged them in approximately their scientific order, beginning with the vowels—first column— the coalescents (W and Y) next, then the liquids (L and R), the nasals (M, N, and NG), the aspirate (H), and finishing up with the continuants (V to SH ) and explodents (B to K).
Since this alphabet does not use special characters for the diphthongs, it is necessary to represent these by the proper combinations of simple vowel sounds, thus: I by A-I (A as in alms, I as in it); OI by A-I (A as in all, I as in it); and OU by A-OO (A as in alms, OO as in foot).
So much for the phonetic alphabet; now for the ciphers. In No. 145 the following series of thirty-six symbols was used as cipher alphabet. 1 standing for E (long), 2 for I (short), and so on, Z, lastly, being used for K. To avoid confusion with the figures 1 and 0, the letters I and O are not used in the cipher alphabet.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 * 0 & A B C D E F G H J K L M N P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Decipherment with the key, of course, is done exactly as in the ordinary simple substitution cipher, as shown herewith where part of the cryptogram is given at (a), phonetic equivalents at (b), and ordinary spelling at (c). Mr. Walker's text is the well known quotation from Shakespeare.
(a) KD4FUN D9E6FN Z*FVD2E4F ... (b) FRENDZ ROMANZ KUNTRIMEN ... (c) "Friends, Romans, countrymen..."
Without the key, decipherment could start here with a comparison of the short words. Thus, the groups Li, L6V, and L3D, all beginning in L and B2L, ending in L, suggest the value TH (voiced) for L, and such words as THE, THEM, THIS, WITH, and so on, for the groups.
Taking L1 for THE and B2L for WITH, for example, would give the values 1=E (long), B=W, and 2=I (short). By substituting these throughout the cryptogram, other words are partly deciphered and additional phonetic symbols determined. Frequencies can also be considered. In fact, decipherment can proceed along the same lines as with an ordinary simple substitution alphabet.
All this, of course, requires more or less familiarity with phonetic spelling. And in this connection we may add that of all spellings the accepted orthography of the English language is the most irregular. This difference between sound and symbol, however, is not intentionally arbitrary. It is the result of gradual change in pronunciation which has not been accompanied by corresponding change in spelling.
For example, the spelling "knight" was phonetic in the fourteenth century, for then the initial "k" was actually sounded, and "gh" was pronounced like "ch" in German. So-called "spelling reforms" are only efforts to have the spelling of the language keep pace with the change in pronunciation. Books on phonetics are, fortunately, neither so rare nor so difficult to obtain as tho.se on cryptography. And we should be glad to send a short list of them, chosen with the needs of the cipher fan in mind, to any one who is interested.
In Cipher No. 147 the phonetic alphabet was represented by the following cipher series: (first column) I-I-E-E-A-A-A-A-O-U-U-U; (second column) W-Y-R- L-M-N-GG-QU-F-V-H-H; (third column) S-Z-SW-ZW-P-B-T-D-C-J-K-G. The pronounceable feature of this cipher was obtained by using vowels as substitutes for vowels, and consonants for consonants, letters of similar sound to those represented being used wherever possible.
Replace phonetic characters for these symbols, and the cipher, "Ort Nuhul Quupalt, yemd du hi gupult...," is transformed into that immortal and soul-stirring tragedy, "Old Mother Hubbard, went to the cupboard...," which many of our readers probably recognized at once through similarity of rhythm and meter.
Some of the symbols in this example signify more than one sound in the phonetic alphabet. But these additional values have been so selected as to avoid confusion or difficulty in translation if due attention is paid to context. At any rate, to Mr. Walker goes the honor of being the first to submit to this department a cipher using a true phonetic alphabet.
Last week's straight substitution Cipher No. 146 conveyed the message: "Circumstances never made the man do right who didn't do right in spite of them." We intended that you should mistake the letter after the apostrophe for an S. Did it fool you?
Turning to this week's layout, in No. 149 you will find a new straight substitution "crypt" by a newcomer to these pages. And in No. 150 you have a system which Mr. Napier found in an old magazine. We'll tell you all about it next week.
The last cipher is another of Mr. Walker's phonetic ciphers, using the same alphabet as the preceding examples, but this time entirely in numbers. See what you can do with it. The answers to all of these ciphers, also to No. 148 of last week, will be published next week.
Reader ciphers are pouring in now at a lively rate, which is very encouraging. For the greater the interest evinced in the department by the "customers," the more interesting is the department bound to be. Keep them coming, fans!
CIPHER No. 149 (Miss Hannah C. Jones, Far Rockaway, New York).
SZKO RYXLAOU COA RAOQCYWMS UKRRAUUIKM CU NMZZJ RLCUAOU. ZWA RCW UXAWT CW AWBZSCEMA AHAWYWN DYQL QLAJ.
CIPHER No. 150 (P. A. Napier, Louisville, Kentucky).
IS IR SNKBPDGXK AM AQBRKPM TZQH TN RDJFAQY A CHNEAM OE ISQ SDAOAO.
CIPHER No. 151 (M. Walker, Akron, Ohio).
22-8-16 26-10-17 14-1 15-10-21-31 23-1 15-10-21-15-2-4-26-32 6-18-31 23-1 29-4-26- 32 23-6-32 16-9-15-2-19 32-5-2-17 20-6-24 22-16-8-17 20-2-25 21-2-18-32-3-33 30-16-4- 26-32 20-6-21 31-16-10-19-36 23-3-16 36-10- 30 3 16-5-12-18-31 8-16 32-11 29-1-22-9-16.
In a recent issue we put the matter of solvers' lists up to the fans. "To be or not," that was the question. And to this query came the answer "yes" in no uncertain terms.
Accordingly you will find below our first list of solvers to the weekly ciphers. This list only includes Ciphers Nos. 51 to 110. Solutions to the first fifty, which, by actual count, numbered one hundred and thirty, are not given.
Arthur Bellamy leads, with a string as long as your arm. And John Q. Boyer comes next with answers to every "crypt" published since the inception of the weekly department. Other solvers are also well represented.
Look over this list for the solvers of your own ciphers. And send in your solutions for publication in future lists. For if this list is accorded a rousing welcome, and we're almost sure it will be, we will publish another one before long. Let your name be in it! Most of these aren't nearly as hard as they seem.