S O L V I N G C I P H E R S E C R E T S Edited by M. E . Ohaver

H E R E I S T H E W A Y T O S O L V E T H E N I H I L I S T C I P H E R

A N D S O M E C I P H E R S T O T R Y Y O U R S K I L L O N

IN our issue of March 28 we offered a sample of the famous Nihi l is t code which was a challenge to our readers to send us messages that M r . Ohaver could not translate. M a n y of the correspondents doubted his ability to do it without the keyword and

hoped that he would reveal the secret of his method. I t is no secret. Ski l l fu l cryptographers the world over know it , and as M r . Ohaver

says, this method is about as safe as a leaky rowboat i n the middle of the Atlantic. I t ' s al l in knowing how.

I n the department this week M r . Ohaver explains one deciphering method. H e says it 's easy. Maybe it is. T r y it for yourselves.

Incidentally he offers some more ciphers from readers and gives the key­words of a lot of Nihi l ist messages we have received. Y o u r own may be among them.

F the numerous correspond­ents who submitted Nihi l is t ciphers for solution in re­sponse to our invitation i n F L Y N N ' S for M a r c h 28, some were absolutely cer­

tain that their messages could not possibly be read without the keyword.

Others, not so confident as these, thought we might be able to decipher their crypto­grams, saying, however, that they were completely in the dark as to how it could be done.

B u t almost to an individual they wanted to know, i / we succeeded in deciphering their communications, by what method this could be accomplished.

A few of the more experienced fans suc­ceeded without the key in deciphering the

Nihi l i s t cipher in F L Y N N ' S for A p r i l 25. B u t for the benefit of the many who were tmable to do this, we have decided in re­sponse to insistent requests to publish here for the first time a full exposure of the method used in deciphering this k i n d of cipher.

T o begin with, the Nihi l is t cipher, while bearing certain other earmarks that assist in its identification by the initiated, is easily recognizable from the fact that its num­bers are never lower than 22 nor higher than n o .

I f this cipher be carefully examined with a view to discovering weak points i n its structure, it wi l l be found to consist in the use of a number of cipher alphabets in suc­cession. L i k e the Gronsfeld cipher, it is of the polyalphdtbetical type, each of its sev-

794

S O L V I N G C I P H E R S E C R E T S 795

eral alphabets being formed from the orig­inal simple numerical alphabet by modify­ing the latter with one of the numbers of the secondary or variable key.

A Nihi l is t cipher written w i t h a key word of ten letters thus would use a fixed series of ten cipher alphabets in a fixed order, and, in cipher parlance, would be said to have a period of l o .

T h e Nihi l ist cipher is, as far as safety is concerned, just about as valuable as a row-boat shot ful l of holes i n the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. T h i s cipher cannot hold a secret, for i t is as leaky as a sieve.

Under favorable conditions it may be solved by the method of trial guessing ex­plained in the article on the Gronsfeld cipher in F L Y N N ' S for June 6. Or it may be resolved by a general method for poly-alphabetical ciphers worked out by a Ger­man major, F . W . K a s i s k i , and described in his book, " D i e Geheimschriften und die Dechiffr irkunst," published in 1863.

Treatment by the K a s i s k i method con­sists first i n the mathematical determina­tion of the period, and then in the develop­ment of the several alphabets. A l l of these theories wi l l be ful ly treated in later articles. B u t for the present we shall confine our­selves to a much more ready method, that w i l l neither require as long a message as does Kas isk i ' s , nor as much time in its ap­plication.

Now, to get down to brass tacks, this special method consists in the determina­tion, first, of the number of letters in the" k e y (that is, of the period of the c i p h e r ) ; and, second, of the identity of each one of these key letters. T h i s latter step is, of course, equivalent to the determination of each cipher alphabet.

B y the K a s i s k i method a period is dis­covered by finding out the only one that i t could possibly be. B u t by this method, as paradoxical as it may seem, it is deter­mined by discovering what it is impossible for it to be.

T h i s is what detectives would cal l iden­tification by elimination. I f i t is absolutely certain, say, that one man out of a dozen has committed a murder, and eleven can prove their innocence, then the twelfth must be guilty, even though there may be no

direct evidence against him. J u s t so, i f we can prove that the period of a cipher is nothing other than four, for example, then jour must be the guilty party.

B y consulting the full description of the Nihi l i s t cipher in F L Y N N ' S for M a r c h 28 you wi l l find that the twenty-five numbers of the original alphabet, or primary key, are formed from the various combinations of the figures i , 2, 3 , 4, 5, and that the numbers of the final cipher result from ad­ditions of two of these figures.

T h i s being the case, it is possible to de­termine when two numbers cannot have been enciphered by the same key number by the following simple rule: It is impossi­ble for any two numbers whose units or whose tens differ by more than 4 to have been enciphered by the same key number.

I n taking these differences a zero in the units place is counted as ten. A n d the only exception to the rule is when a number ends in zero. T h i s always results from the addition of two fives, and causes the tens digit to be increased by i . Consequently, i n applying the rule, i must always be deducted from the tens figure of any num­ber ending in o.

T o illustrate the full application of the method, nothing could be much more ap­propriate than to use it in solving one of the recently submitted Nihi l ist ciphers. A n d for this purpose the cipher of Thomas J . Sul l ivan, New Y o r k C i t y , has been selected as especially fit in illustrating a l l of the necessary points.

F o r the purposes of this explanation, his cipher has been rewritten and numbered by fives, making it easy to tell at a glance the serial position of any particular cipher group:

(5) (10) (15) 55-38-85-48-78- 79-48-49-62-55- 89-102-30-96-69-

(20) (25) (30) 79-47-42-84-67- 85-48-93-50-78- 57-46-64-48-74-

(35) (40) (45) 39-73-59-77-78- 44-55-59-74-30- 84-87-58-78-54-

(50) (55) (80) B5-69-95-50-63- 50-59-49-85-83- 58-93-29-53-68-

(65) (70) (75) 48-58-74-76-33- 94-39-86-79-57- 58-74-4466-105-

(80) (85) (90) 50-86-80-56 70- 42-74-43-84-58- 87-70-69-68-73-

(93) (100) (105) 72-58-72-471961 48-68-67-75-46. 57-95-39-78-79.

796 F L Y N N ' S

I n the subjoined table you wi l l find al l of the data required to determine the period of this particular cipher.

F o r example, if the period is i, this would mean that the key consisted of but a single letter, and that consequently every number i n the cipher had been equally increased by the same number. T h e discovery of any two numbers not so enciphered would eliminate this period as a possibility. T w o such numbers are given in the first line of the table.

Incidentally, a Nihi l ist cipher with only a single letter as the key would be equiva­lent to a simple substitution cipher, and could be solved by any method commonly used with such ciphers.

I n the case of a period of 2, every second letter would have to be enciphered w i t h the same key number. T h e discovery of any two numbers separated by an interval of 2, which, according to the rule, were not so enciphered, would eliminate this period. T w o such numbers are (group 9 ) 62, and (group 11) 39, which have a unit 's differ­ence of 7.

A l l of the other periods should be sim­ilarly dealt with. T h e particular groups used in illustrating intervals 7 and 10 were selected to show the application of the rule to numbers ending in 0. Here you w i l l see the tens differences tabulated as 5 and 6, re­spectively, where actually they are only 4 and 5.

I N T E R V A L . G R O U P S F O R l l I N G P I F P E R E N C E S T H E I N T E R V A L , T B . N ' S - U N

1 (8r.2)- .SS: (gr- 8 ) - 85 5 2 (sr.O)—02: ( g r . l D — 39 7 8 (gr .6 ) -7n : (gr. 9 ) - 62 7 4 (gr.&)—62: ( g r . l 3 ) - SO 8 h (gr.4)—48: (gr. 9 ) - 62 e 6 (er.6)—70: (gr.12)—102 7 7 (gl-.6)-70: (gr.l3) — 30 (5) .S (gr .3 ) -85 : ( g r . l l ) - SO 5 9

10 (gr .3 ) -S5 : ( g r . 1 3 ) - 30 (6) 5

11 ( B r . l ) - 5 5 : ( g r . l 2 ) - 102 5 12 ( g r . l ) - 5 5 : ( g r . l S ) - 30 5 I S (gr.fl)-79: ( g r . l 9 ) - 64 5 14 (g i - . 4 )^8 : (giMS) — 42 e 15 (gr.8)—49: ( g r . 2 3 ) - 93 6 «

etc. etc. etc. etc. etc.

I t is now necessary to mention some facts that might escape your attention. T h e elimination of any number as a period also eliminates all factors of that number as pos­sible periods. For instance, if it is found that the period cannot be 12, neither can it be 7, 2 , 3, 4, or 6, a l l of which being evenly

divisible into 12 are thus automatically dis­posed of.

B u t the elimination of a given number as a period does not eliminate the multiples of such a number. T h u s , if it is found that 3 cannot be the period, it does not follow that 6, 9, 12, 13, et cetera, must on this ground also be rejected.

I t is always good policy to test each elim­ination by two or three trials wi th other groups. Also it is best before going further to verify the interval not eliminated b y thorough tests for positive results through­out the cipher. I n the present case there w i l l be found no instance where any groups separated by an interval of 9 provide a dif­ference larger than 4, as per the rule.

H a v i n g rejected every period but 9, i t may therefore be tentatively assumed that the period of the cipher is 9, because it is not found possible for it to be anything else.

Things now begin to look pretty black for Number Nine, don't they? So far, noth­ing but circumstantial evidence has been uncovered. B u t perhaps a little snooping may reveal something definite.

Proceeding upon the assumption that there are nine letters in the key, the next step is to learn just what these letters are. For this purpose the cipher is now divided into periods of nine groups each, and ar­ranged so as to form nine columns. I n this way al l of the groups enciphered by any particular key number are brought together into the same column.

(1) _(2) J3) (4) (.5) (6) (7) (8) (9)

55- 38- 85- 48- 76- 79- 46- 49- 62-55- 30- 102- 30- 96- 69- 79- 47- 42-64- 67- 85- 46- 93- 50- 78- 67- 46-64- 48- 74- 39- 73- .59- 77- 78- 44-65- 59- 74- 30- 84- 87- 58- 78- S I -OS- 69- 95- 59- 65- 50- 69- 49- 85-83- 68- 93- 29- 53- 68- 48- 88- 74-76- 36- 04- 39- 86- 79- 57- 58- 74-44- 66- 105- 60- 86- 69- 56- 76- 42-74- 48- 84- 68- 87- 70- 60- 68- 73-72- 58- 72- 47- 96- 48- 68- 67- 75-46- 57- 95- 39- 76- 79.

K E Y : 31-L, 14-D 51-V 15-E 42-R 35-P 24-17'oFlj'ir- L 15-B 2.5-K 25-K 24- I J 34-0 34-0 25- K 35-P 35-P

Now, since in the Nihi l ist cipher any figure is the result of the addition of two of the figures /, 2, 3, 4, or 5, it is clear that the units or tens figures in any column can only be from / to 5 greater than the units or tens figure respectively of the key num­ber for that column. Here the only excep-

S O L V I N G C I P H E R S E C R E T S 797

tion i s , as above, when a number ends i n o, its tens figure must be reckoned as / less than its actual value.

I t may now be mentioned that in the Nihi l i s t cipher 2 is a lways the result of the addition of i and / ; and o always repre­sents the sum of 5 and 5. S imilarly , 22, 30, 102, and no are always the doubles of I I ( A ) , 30 ( E ) , 51 ( V ) , and 55 ( Z ) re­spectively. T h e presence of any of these figures or numbers in a cipher, as in col­umns 3 ( V ) and 4 ( E ) of the foregoing cryptogram, w i l l thus always materially simplify operations.

T o illustrate the method of determining the figures of the key, take column i . Here the units r u n from 2 to 6. T h e 2 alone is evidence enough that the unit figure of the key is / ; but the 6 is additional proof, i n that i t is not larger than i b y more than five. T h e tens i n this same column run from 4 to 8. Consequently the tens figure of this key number must be 3, since 4-5-6-7-8 are within the prescribed limits of that figure. T h e first key number is thus found t o b e j r ( L ) .

When the cryptogram is long enough, i t is possible to determine a l l of the letters of the key i n this manner. A n d , further, since the cipher is thus mathematically de­cipherable, i t is unnecessary to know any­thing of the contents of the message in order to solve it.

T h e method would work just as well i f the message chanced to be, say, in French, and the key word happened to be German. A n d the decipherer would not have to un­derstand a single word of either language i n order to find the key.

B u t in a shorter cipher, it is not always possible b y this method alone to narrow each letter of the key down to but a single possibility. A s a general rule, as the length of the message decreases, or that of the key increases, the greater becomes the num­ber of mathematically possible numbers for each letter of the key.

Such a cipher is solved by trying all pos­sible combinations of the various key num­bers, i n search of those combinations that provide logical sequences of letters both in the key word and in the message. T h e cl i ­max is reached when the key is as long as,

or even longer than, the message itself. E v e n such a refractory case is, however, possible of solution by the method just men­tioned.

I n the present case more than one key number is mathematically possible in col­umns 2, 7, and 8. I n column 2, for ex­ample, the first figure of the key might be either i or 2 ; and the second, either 4 or 5 . T h i s makes possible for this column four different key numbers: 14 ( D ) , 15 ( E ) , 24 ( I J ) , or 25 ( K ) . Similarly , both col­umns 7 and 8 could be 24 ( I J ) , 25 ( K ) , 34 ( O ) , or 35 ( P ) . T h a t these two hap­pen to come out alike is, of course, purely accidental.

T h e key, insofar as i t has yet been deter­mined, wi l l stand "as shown in the above periodic arrangement of the cryptogram.

Poor old Number Nine, now just about completely enmeshed in the web of his own making, seems to be nearing the end of his rope.

W e can almost hear the rapping of the gavel, and the stern voice of the judge as he thunders: " Number Nine, stand up, and receive the sentence of this court ! "

B u t let's hang around a little longer. Maybe we' l l see this suspect get it in the neck.

Of the several key combinations possible w i t h the additional letters, that forming the word L I V E R P O O L fair ly shouts its pres­ence. A n d by actual trial it is the only one that w i l l provide plausible results in al l parts of the cryptogram.

F o r example, the second letter of the key can be either E or /. B u t E can be re­jected, however, since the key L E V E R P - L , by trial with the first period of the cipher gives I C O N O T - L as the translation, while L / V E R P - L gives I D O N O T - L ( I D O N O T - L , et cetera).

Again, the ninth period as deciphered by the key L - V E R P - L comes out C - Y P T O —A. Here the word intended obviously is C f ? Y P T O G R A ( m ) , thus determining with a single word a l l the doubtful letters of the key.

Here is M r . Sullivan's message complete­l y deciphered with the key L I V E R P O O L :

" I D O N O T B E L I E V E Y O U C A N S O L V E T H E N I H I L I S T C I P H E R

798 FLYNN'S

W I T H O U T T H E K E Y W O R D , A N D I S U B M I T T H I S C R Y P T O G R A M I N S U P P O R T O F M Y C O N T E N T I O N . "

So now you have the method. Quite lengthy to describe, it is simplicity itself to use.

T h e periods may be represented by a sim­ple row of numbers, each interval being crossed out as it is eliminated. T h e cipher may be then divided by pencil marks into periods of the determined length, and most of the work done mentally from the original cryptogram.

T o discover the key word is often but the work of two or three minutes.

Here are some Nihi l is t ciphers upon which to try out your newly acquired method. T h e y are selected from those sent i n re­sponse to the Nihi l ist challenge.

A n d , by the way, fans, let's try now to break the record. About two hundred of you submitted solutions to the Nihi l is t cipher in F L Y N N ' S for M a r c h 28.

Armed with this exposure, more than this should succeed in solving one or more of the following ciphers without the key ivords!

Here goes! C I P H E R No. I . T h i s one came un­

signed from Meriden, Connecticut. H o w ­ever, the sender had used his name as the key word.

104-50-46-73-76-85-36-86-49-89-64-50-58-86-94-78-65-65-30-97-96-69-69-76-87-78-43-96-49-99-66-50-28-66-77-77-37-84-39-98-96-50-46-73-74-69-45-76-67-108-86-80-29 - 66 - 56-78-66-53-48-68-76-87-39-73-73-98-45-53-48-79-106-69-60-94-66-98-45-66-49-108-64-59-46-73.

We're on, B i l l ! Y o u ' l l find what you are after in this article.

C I P H E R No. 2 N e i l C . Bierce, police headquarters, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, sends in this sample:

SOLUTIONS TO THE T h e first of the Gronsfeld ciphers pub­

lished in F L Y N N ' S for June 6 was enciph­ered by the same key used by Verne for the cryptogram i n his Giant Raft; and the mes­sage was a translation from the original French of that same cipher.

66-30-55-69-65-65-65-65-96-75-48-65-60-82-26-86-88-94-57-30-47-60-74-46-59-47-66-53-46-53-99-74-SS-78-76-66-57-58-34-99-73-35-57-57-53-84-29-37-78-73-35-66-57- 86-53-46-65-79-75-34-59-77-86-76-57-46- 60-74-45-65-55-53-55-59-

T h i s looks as though some one might have been watching the clock.

C I P H E R No. 3. T h i s one was sub­mitted by James Veale, D . D . , South Ozone P a r k , Long Is land. R e v . M r . Veale enjoys F L Y N N ' S and finds this department a store­house of curious and interesting informa­tion.

34-55-89-56-48-85-37-67-67-77-36-53-64-58- 77-47-59-57-45-35-57-34-70-66-46-39-89-57-60-84-26-48-70-46-30-84-24-66-79-47- 28-73-28-67-46-65-30-74-47-67-79-47-48- 86-28-66-50-66-59-66-46-46.

C I P H E R No. 4. Here is a specimen from an enthusiastic fan, Fredolf A . Holm-berg, of Augusta, K a n s a s :

59- 26-74-68-57-77-30-75-59-78-59-57-58-48-66-28-67-58-50-58-53-77-38-56-26-84-59-69-48-57-96-47-57-28-56-68-47-30-73-68-39-84-30-57-87-59-48-56-59-37-57-50-56- 59-77-26-54-75-39.

W e would be interested to receive full de­tails of the scheme mentioned in this cipher.

C I P H E R No. 5. J . Fleming Jones, State Game and F i s h Ranger, Okemah, Okla­homa, says:

97-79-80-47-53-78-78-57-74-76-79-38-57-76-68-84-74-59-56-46-96-57-67-85-67-88-59-48-53-37-65-53-86-88-47-69-66-68-77-57- 74-66.

A n d you can bet your last nickel that we w i l l do as he suggests.

C I P H E R No. 6. H e n r y Koester, New-burgh, New Y o r k , whose cipher follows, be­lieves in more ways than one that his mes­sage is in desperate need of his key word.

63-55-26-86-38-47-26-54-47-60-84-58-48-

26-44-47-30-56.

T h e keys and solutions to all of the above ciphers wi l l be found i n next Solving Cipher Secrets.

GRONSFELD CIPHERS T h e second of the two Gronsfeld ciphers,

using a longer key, in connection with a shorter message, was expected to be much more difficult of solution.

Here are the keys and solutions of these two ciphers:

S O L V I N G C I P H E R - S E C R E T S 799

C I P H E R No. I . K e y : 432513. Solution: " T H E R E A L A U T H O R O F T H E R O B ­B E R Y O F T H E D I A M O N D S A N D O F T H E M U R D E R O F T H E S O L D I E R S W H O E S ­C O R T E D T H E C O N V O Y , C O M M I T T E D D U R I N G T H E N I G H T O F T H E T W E N T Y -S E C O N D O F J A N U A R Y , O N E T H O U S A N D E I G H T H U N D R E D A N D T W E N T Y - S I X , W A S N O T T H U S J O A M D A C O S T A , U N ­J U S T L Y C O N D E M N E D T O D E A T H ; I T W A S I , T H E W R E T C H E D S E R V A N T O F T H E A D M I N I S T R A T I O N O F T H E D I A ­M O N D D I S T R I C T . Y E S , I A L O N E , W H O S I G N T H I S W I T H M Y T R U E N A M E , O R T E G A . "

C I P H E R No. 2. K e y : 465812462. Solu­t ion : J U L E S V E R N E W O U L D N O T H A V E T H O U G H T I T P O S S I B L E F O R Y O U T O H A V E D E C I P H E R E D T H I S W I T H O U T A K E Y .

M a n y polyalphabetical ciphers, such as the Nihi l is t and Gronsfeld ciphers, can be solved by a general method that does not re­quire any information as to the particular system used.

When a cryptogram is believed, however, to be in some particular cipher, often a special method can be successfully applied.

T h e method of tr ia l guessing described i n last Solving Cipher Secrets, while not as effective as some others, may often be used to advantage, either alone, or in combina­tion with other methods.

Normal Alphabet: A B C D E F G H I J Cipher Alphabet: E J O T Y D I N S X

A n d i t is especially adaptable, as you have already, learned, to the Gronsfeld cipher.

T h e solutions to the three Nihi l ist ciphers in the June 6 issue are intentionally with­held so as to give every one a chance to solve them by the method dealt with in this article.

T h e solutions to these ciphers wi l l be published, however, in the next Solving Cipher Secrets, together with those of the Nihi l ist ciphers in this issue.

T h e solution to the cipher by H y m a n Wacks, in F L Y N N ' S for M a y 16, is as fol­lows:

Y O U R L I F E I S I N D A N G E R . A V O I D M E . P O S T P O N E A T T E M P T O N F I R S T N A T I O N A L .

T h i s is a simple substitution cipher in which the key is formed by using the fifth letter of the alphabet, E, as the substitute for A; the fifth letter after E (namely, / ) for B; the fifth after that, 0, for C; and so on.

T h i s cryptogram does not use al l of the letters of the alphabet, but by determining the principle on which the key is based, the entire cipher alphabet, as given below, may be reconstructed: K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z C H M R W B G L Q V A F K P U Z

SOME CHALLENGE CIPHERS •Here, fans, is a letter that doubly deserves

your attention. For not only has i t come a long distance, but it contains, as well , an ingenious cipher to test your ski l l .

DEAR S I R : T h e following message is writ*^en in a secret

code known to smugglers: A H M I N G :

Y R T H S R K N V M G W F V H S R M B L N Z I F . E D . I f this message is solved, or cannot be

solved, please let me know the results. T h e readers of your magazine w i l l have a hard time deciphering i t . S . H U T C H I N S O N . Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands.

Here is an opportunity for you to benefit from your abil ity as a decipherer:

DEAR S I R : I w i l l give the money for one year's sub­

scription to F L Y N N ' S to the first person solv­ing the following cipher:

14 3 3 4 2 0 10 2 4 17 18 I I 14 o 4 I 6 9 1 20 3 3 3 13 O 10 8 9 4 8 2 0 I I 3 7 o 21 14 S 10 15 14 6 26 3 22 20 5 o 10 o I I 23 15 12 I I 5 I 10 7 7 5 14 o 7 9 24 0 8 4 I I I I 9 2 10 3 9 2 1 3 0 3 13 13 13 14 14 21 5 9 o I 2 12 o 4 o 16 4 3 4 1 2 0 1 8 1 9 4 5 5 4 2 3 6 3 3 9 1 7 7 5 8 2 4 2 I S 7 4 13 1 4 2 9 T h e only condition to this offer is that your

solution must be received with in one month from the date of the issue in which the cipher is published. J . L E V I N E , Long Beach, California.

Here is a cipher from M r . L . W . H a r k e , Chicago, I l l inois. I t is not of extreme diffi­culty. Neither is it as easy as it looks:

O A B A E A E A A O A E B A B T O after E A E A H 0 B T 8 after D O A C A A D O B C after H B T 7 plus i o 7 plus I after 8 A I O 8 A A D after C A S O

800 FLYNN'S

E T A B T B T A E after 4 then 4 O B after 4 O A H E A D B E O B B E X I I after E A E A H O after 6 E B T A B C A B E . R E D .

T h e following interesting cryptogram is submitted by M r . J . C . B e l l , 16910 E n d o r a Road, Cleveland, Ohio. Our correspondent is absolutely certain that his system is one which no l iving man can decipher. Here it is :

7-S5-54-28-13-8-33-0-3-21-39-32-29-0-S-9-23-13-0-9-52-20-2 -X-35-0-6-23-53-32-14-42-17-X-0-8-19-26-23-25-53-5-0-4-49-21-40-16-0-2-

47-19-31-49-45-3-28-10-0-12-43-0-13-37-2-3 l - X X - X - 4 7 -X-o -1 -2 -3 6-48-12 -9- X - 7-46-0-17-14-46-9-0-14-15-41-0-11-1-28-40-34-12-54-0-15-5-32-44-38-16-3-0-13-36-25-3-0-16-39-27-0-20-8-17-2-26-12 -X-31 -o -I8-44 -I5 -o-2g-I9-20-45-7-l3-3o-SS•

11-30-0-17-0-15-22-23.

M r . B e l l says that unti l his cipher is solved he is going to stubbornly insist that i t cannot be done.

T r y your hand, fans, and look for some more of these challenge ciphers at an early date.

IS YOUR KEY WORD HERE? Some more of the fans who submitted

ciphers in response to the recent invitation to solve Nihi l ist ciphers wi l l find their names and their key words listed here.

Another group w i l l be published in the next Solving Cipher Secrets.

W. R a y Cupps, Springdale, Pennsylvania. E D I T O R .

H . B . Elsom, Houston, Texas. H O U S T O N . Mrs. Geo. Englert, Toledo, Ohio. O H A V E R . J . C. Folsora, Glenrock, Wyoming. F O L S O M . Joe F . Faltz , Washington, District of Columbia.

C H I C A G O . Clarence S. Fox , Syracuse, New Y o r k . S Y R A ­

C U S E . George W. Ford , J r . , Denver, Colorado. F O R D . Jasper Freeman, Hinsdale, New Hampshire.

E A S T E R . Victor Freeman, Hamilton, Ontario. S E C R E T . Wil l iam R . Fr iske , Chicago, Illinois. S O V I E T . Mrs . C. G . Gay, St. Joe, Idaho. C I P H E R S . John A . Gonding, Omaha„ Nebraska. O H A V E R . Reuben Gordon, Baltimore, Maryland. M A ­

R I N E . R . E . Graham, Fresno, California. M O T H E R . James R . Heeney, Newark, New Jersey. R A -

D I O T I C . R . M . Hilgert, D . D . S., Footville, Wisconsin.

O H A V E R . Raymond Johnson, Brooklyn, New Y o r k .

Q U A L I T Y . Clifford S. Jones, Montreal, Canada. C A N A D A . W. E . Jones, Aurora, Illinois. J O R E S . Thomas M . Kennedy, Holyoke, Massachusetts.

S K I L L E D . Fred G . Knaus , New Orleans, Louisiana.

K N A U S . John A . Kronberg, E a u Claire, Wisconsin.

O H A V E R . Abraham Levine, New Y o r k , New Y o r k .

B E S T . Alfred Park L y o n , J r . , Yonkers, New Y o r k .

C O D E .

Daisy Malley, Pomerania P . O., New Jersey. M A L L E Y .

F . H . A . Martel , Battleford, Saskatchewan, Canada. C A N A D A .

J . G . Meerdink, Hoboken, New Jersey. S U C ­C E S S .

John McCormack, Dripping Springs, Texas. C I P H E R F A N .

Wil l iam T . M c C a w , Cambridge, Massachusetts. C H E E R .

Clyde M . McKinney , Lackawanna, New Y o r k . F L Y N N S .

W. C. McNerney, St. Louis, Missouri. C H I N A . Donald C. Burgess, Parsons, Kansas. COO-

L I D G E . Arthur L . Cadieux, Crookston, Minnesota.

H A R D . James R . Cain , Syracuse, New Y o r k . O H A V E R . John Campbell, Providence, Rhode Island.

M E O H A V E R . Leonard Caronfa, Washington, District of Co ­

lumbia. C A I R O . W. A . Caudill , Akron, Ohio. C I N C I N N A T I . T o m Clark, Oakland, California. O H A V E R . Paul M . Conlan, New Y o r k , New Y o r k .

M E O H A V E R . Paul M . Conroe, San Diego, California. C O N -

R O E . Clayton L . Couture, Adams, Massachusetts.

E D I T O R . John P . Crotty, J r . , Charleston, Massachusetts.

O H A V E R . Charles A. Cushman, St. Petersburgh, Florida.

B A B E R U T H . Harold Daly, Brooklyn, New Y o r k . V I R G I N I A . Mrs . C. R . De Santis, Los Angeles, California.

M H S W E E N E Y . Jack S. Dowd, East L y n n , Massachusetts.

C O D E . Alden Dowdy, Chicago, Illinois. O H A V E R . Vernon Driscoll, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

S P H I N X . Victor Dyer, San Francisco, California. V I C ­

T O R . 10 F W