Grid Code

Grid Code

Another way of writing a message in code is to divide the message into a grid and then scramble it a bit. Look at this message:

Cub camp is a lot of fun!

Now, using a grid with four columns (1-4) and two rows (A and B)...

	1	2	3	4
A	Cub	camp	is	a
B	lot	of	fun

...the message can be written...

Cub lot camp of is fun a

...by writing all of the words in column one, then those in column two, etc. If you know which grid is used, you can translate the message. You just need to know the number of rows and columns.

Using the four column grid above, translate the following message. (HINT: There are four horizontal rows, so write out the first four words in a vertical column, etc.):

I can it mess hope read looks to that this like me you because a.

The decoded message is as follows: (But don't look until you've tried it yourself!)

	1	2	3	4
A	I	hope	that	you
B	can	read	this	because
C	it	looks	like	a
D	mess	to	me

You can practice making up your own coded message on the grid given below (bur don't make your message two long - only 16 words will fit on this particular grid)!

	1	2	3	4
A
B
C
D

Coded Message:

Note: I would like to thank the leaders of the 27th Burlington "B" Pack and the 1st Port Nelson Pack. The "grid code" activity and the code history are based on their "Gold Doubloons" activity run at the 1997 Cuboree!

Akela@15thburlington.org