Religious Cryptograms

Religious Cryptograms

Scripture and writing on faith, put behind a cipher.

Monks kept the ciphers alive through the dark centuries, so it is only proper that the Czar hands some back. This file holds passages of scripture and reflections on faith, drawn from a range of traditions.

These have an unusual solving profile. The language is often archaic - thee, thou, unto, shall - which breaks the ordinary short-word playbook, but replaces it with a better one: archaic English is highly formulaic. Once you recognize the register, whole constructions become guessable. Spot one THOU and you have found the seam.

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Questions for the Czar

Does the archaic language make these harder?

It makes them different rather than harder. Words like THEE, THOU, UNTO and SHALL break the usual short-word instincts, but archaic English is extremely formulaic - once you recognize the register, you can predict whole phrases rather than single letters.

Which traditions are represented?

Passages are drawn from a range of religious traditions and from writers reflecting on faith generally. Selection is based on what makes a good puzzle.