You don't really trust your new teacher this year. His name is Mr Pitnick and he writes using a secret code that no-one can understand. You are determined to break the code. But it seems impossible.
The other day, you saw a note on his desk that said:
63 83072110 5305830583370553 1085 370774 21858305 83635842 10859763550210!
What is going on? It's been three months, and still no-one knows how to read the notes he writes.
The really weird thing is, he has books on his desk written in the same code, such as... "028538 1085 1005235002 8323100205832310635021." and "028538 1085 10075397 5002635870530597 63971085 0558055010536350631074."
It's so frustrating that you can't read those either!
One day, you make an important discovery. You find a message that is half translated into code. The message reads:
R-e-m-e-m-b-e-r t-o finish reading the book tonight.
53-05-83-05-83-37-05-53 10-85...
This might be the key to finding out how to solve his secret writings! It seems that each two-digit number stands for a letter! For example, "53" seems to stand for "r". After school you sneak into the classroom and try to translate some of his messages.
You decide to use this tool (or the old version). You take his message and start building your codebook. Start by copying his first message - 5305830583370553 1085 - which means "remember to" - into the program. Click on the first number and type "r". Can you see how it reveals where the other letters are? Once you have entered these few letters, click on "new message" and copy some more of his codes. You may have to guess what some letters are. Make sure you DO NOT close or reload the browser window or you will lose your work.
Good luck. Listed below is what you find on his desk:
Stuck on a big plastic bag:
2102853232639755 58632110. 63 97050570 1085 370774:
- 3753052370
- 83635842
- 252383
- 106383 10238321
On a pile of completed maths worksheets:
5305830583370553 1085 83235342 235858 100205 8323100221 38855342. 63 210285075870 55631305 05235002 21100770059710 92055385 850710 8577 859705 02079770530570! 370710 63 38635858 3705 97635005... 778553 978538. 63 708597'10 38239710 1085 37588538 8374 5085130553.
On a sticky note next at the edge of the desk:
5305830583370553 1085 50235858 830783. 210205 235838237421 38855353630521 10022310 63 2383 978510 052310639755 059785075502 5385504221 239770 21239770. 232142 020553 6377 2307971074'21 7763771074 5002635870530597 235305 7085639755 8542.
In a black book in the desk draw:
83052121235505 21059710 37235042 1085 37232105: 028538 235305 100263975521 5585639755 8597 02858305 37232105? 740521, 63 02231305 23 258537 02055305 2310 100205 215002858558. 10020574 708597'10 42978538 63 2383 2397 2358630597 8577 508507532105. 10020574 502397978510 53052370 8374 50857005. 02230223022302230223!
In a black book in the desk draw (again):
5305830583370553 1085 21059770 1085 83235321: 0205585885 02858305 37232105. 77538583 978538 8597 63 38635858 3705 21059770639755 859705 5002635870 05235002 38050542 1085 83235321. 63 42978538 748507 02231305 37050597 38236310639755 23 58859755 10638305. 63 970505700570 1085 05235397 1002056353 1053072110 7763532110. 63 02231305 100205 5385378510 530532582350058305971021 5305237074 1085 5585. 708597'10 3885535374, 10020574 235305 588550420570 6397 100205 5007323785235370 :-)
Did you manage to crack the code? Should you be worried?
Looking for another challenge? Click here for Codebook Challenge 2.