# Codebreaker / Linguistics Game: Wanna Play? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 22, 2002, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/codebreaker-linguistics-game-wanna-play/99545 "2002-03-22T16:03:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jman/32/4416_2.png) [@Jman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jman)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/codebreaker-linguistics-game-wanna-play/99545/1 "2002-03-22T16:03:47Z")
Ok, this is my first attempt at a SDMB ‘game’ such as the 20 questions stuff and such. This is for all you people who like to break codes or are interested in ancient alphabets or the like. I developed my own personal alphabet a few years back. I can write and read it with no problems. However, no one else (except my linguistics teacher in college) ever got a key for the alphabet. Here’s the challenge. This link leads to a scan of some writing in my alphabet. The first person to properly translate the message into the roman alphabet wins. The prize is my admiration. I sometimes right journal entries or doodles in this alphabet…so if you learn, you could then read them. 🙂 Also, the text is in English, just not with the Roman alphabet. Another hint: there are more than 26 letters in this alphabet. I did not use them all, though. Up for the challenge? [Here’s the image.](http://balder.prohosting.com/gravbulb/sdmbgame.html) ---
**Author:** ![Jman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jman/32/4416_2.png) [@Jman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jman)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/codebreaker-linguistics-game-wanna-play/99545/2 "2002-03-22T16:18:06Z")
UPDATE: I changed the picture to a clearer version of the exact same paragraph…the first sample had some letters that were poorly written…the handwriting in there now should be clearer… ---
**Author:** ![MilTan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@MilTan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MilTan)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/codebreaker-linguistics-game-wanna-play/99545/3 "2002-03-22T16:42:03Z")
Well, that wasn’t too bad. I’m a little unsure about a few of the “letters,” as they are double letters that are only used once in the message. The other tricky part was figuring out the letter doubling. (btw, what made it easy was that you used a plain text that had a lot of key words that had significant meaing in the context of your challenge. Had you used a completely random passage from a book, or a little known quote, it would have been harder. Partially known plain text attacks aren’t that hard) > [@](#): > > This is a test. I’m checking to see if anyone can decipher my alphabet. I know that a professional codebreaker would likely have no trouble doing so, but I wonder if the average person can do it. Should you figure this out, post a translation of it on the SDMB. Maybe if you all pool your brains, it can be done. ---
**Author:** ![Jman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jman/32/4416_2.png) [@Jman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jman)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/codebreaker-linguistics-game-wanna-play/99545/4 "2002-03-22T17:35:35Z")
Damn…I figured someone would get it, but not that fast. Good show, MilTan. I figured most people would catch the key words (like ‘the’ or ‘I’ of course), and go from there… yeah…probably should have done a more exotic form of text…hmmm… Jman ---
**Author:** ![auntie\_em](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@auntie\_em](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/auntie_em)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/codebreaker-linguistics-game-wanna-play/99545/5 "2002-03-22T19:30:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MilTan \* > \*\*Well, that wasn’t too bad. I’m a little unsure about a few of the “letters,” as they are double letters that are only used once in the message. The other tricky part was figuring out the letter doubling. > > (btw, what made it easy was that you used a plain text that had a lot of key words that had significant meaing in the context of your challenge. Had you used a completely random passage from a book, or a little known quote, it would have been harder. Partially known plain text attacks aren’t that hard) > > \*\* You must kick ass at the cryptoquotes. ---
**Author:** ![Flamsterette\_X](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/41988e/32.png) [@Flamsterette\_X](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flamsterette_X)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/codebreaker-linguistics-game-wanna-play/99545/6 "2002-03-22T20:17:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by auntie em \* > \*\* > > You must kick ass at the cryptoquotes. \*\* I agree! I don’t think I would have gotten this, since I am not good AT ALL when doing cryptograms!