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Author: Charlotte Webb
  • Activity
  • 15 minutes

Could you be a code breaker?

Updated Thursday, 16th December 2021
Test your problem-solving skills and try to crack our secret messages using clues.

Find out more about The Open University's Mathematics courses and qualifications



Code Break is an interactive Web app consisting of three ciphers: Pigpen, Caesar and simple substitution (solved by frequency analysis). Earn stars for each challenge, and learn about code-breaking through the ages by playing our interactive ‘Could you be a code breaker?’

Front image capture for the game 'CODE BREAK' Click on the image above to start playing CODE BREAK.

Instructions

For best results, use a modern web browser. Upgrade to the latest version of Internet Explorer or try a free alternative like Google Chrome, Firefox or Safari.

If you would like to enter the world of mathematics to see how it underpins the world around us then check out these free courses from OpenLearn:

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    Learn more to access more details of Succeed with maths: part 2
  • Introduction to number theory

    Introduction to number theory

    This free course, Introduction to number theory, is a branch of mathematics concerned with the properties of integers. Section 1 introduces Euclid’s algorithm, which is used to find the HCF of two integers, and the idea of congruences, mathematical statements used to compare remainders when two integers are each divided by another integer. ...

    Learn more to access more details of Introduction to number theory
  • Mathematics for science and technology

    Mathematics for science and technology

    Maths is intimately entwined with science and technology, whether it is used to analyse data collected on plants in the Amazon rainforest, to calculate the trajectory of a comet or design a bridge to connect two countries. This means that science and technology go hand-in-hand with maths, and that a firm grasp of maths is crucial for studying ...

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