The Secret Code Book is a short introduction to substitution ciphers. The chapters ease young readers into the concept of rotation ciphers and work their way up to the Vigen re cipher. Along the way, readers will also learn about geometric approaches to secret codes such as the Pigpen cipher. As a bonus, there is a brief description of frequency analysis and how it is used to crack secret codes. frper gpbqr obbx In addition, this book actively challenges readers with practice missions where answers are listed in the back. Also, there is a cut-out rotation template that is provided to make your very own cipher disk! After reading this book, you will have all the basic tools needed to create secret messages.

Explains various methods used in cryptography and presents examples to help readers in breaking secret codes

Presents a variety of codes and ciphers and includes messages to encode and decode

"As gripping as a good thriller." --The Washington Post Unpack the science of secrecy and discover the methods behind cryptography--the encoding and decoding of information--in this clear and easy-to-understand young adult adaptation of the national bestseller that's perfect for this age of WikiLeaks, the Sony hack, and other events that reveal the extent to which our technology is never quite as secure as we want to believe. Coders and codebreakers alike will be fascinated by history's most mesmerizing stories of intrigue and cunning--from Julius Caesar and his Caeser cipher to the Allies' use of the Enigma machine to decode German messages during World War II. Accessible, compelling, and timely, The Code Book is sure to make readers see the past--and the future--in a whole new way. "Singh's power of explaining complex ideas is as dazzling as ever." --The Guardian

Elementary account of ciphers, history, types, etc., with 151 examples of ciphers and codes. Solutions. Good introduction for beginners.

Explaining the mathematics of cryptography The Mathematics of Secrets takes readers on a fascinating tour of the mathematics behind cryptography—the science of sending secret messages. Using a wide range of historical anecdotes and real-world examples, Joshua Holden shows how mathematical principles underpin the ways that different codes and ciphers work. He focuses on both code making and code breaking and discusses most of the ancient and modern ciphers that are currently known. He begins by looking at substitution ciphers, and then discusses how to introduce flexibility and additional notation. Holden goes on to explore polyalphabetic substitution ciphers, transposition ciphers, connections between ciphers and computer encryption, stream ciphers, public-key ciphers, and ciphers involving exponentiation. He concludes by looking at the future of ciphers and where cryptography might be headed. The Mathematics of Secrets reveals the mathematics working stealthily in the science of coded messages. A blog describing new developments and historical discoveries in cryptography related to the material in this book is accessible at http://press.princeton.edu/titles/10826.html.