CREATE YOUR OWN DECRYPTION DISC AND ENCRYPT YOUR SECRET MESSAGES
ENIGMATIC IMAGES
YOUR INDIVIDUAL SECRET CODE
To the exhibition WE NEVER SLEEP. To prevent everyone from reading their highly confidential messages, spies use secret codes. Only the sender and recipient of the message know the code to decode the hidden information. A deciphering disk can be an aid in this process. The word 'decipher' means 'to decode'. If the deciphering disk is set correctly, enigmatic texts are converted into readable messages in the blink of an eye.
THE FRENCH ARTIST GUY DE COINTET HAD A GREAT INTEREST IN ENCRYPTION TECHNIQUES AND SECRET WRITINGS
His works are enigmatic. This drawing of ink and pen on paper seems to contain a coded message. The writing in the center of the sheet is unreadable at first glance. Can you decipher the artist's message? Try reading the written sentence in the mirror! The title of the work can help you recognize the words. Do you know any other exciting secret writing?
YOU WILL NEED: SOLID CARDBOARD OR COLORED CLAY DRAWING CARDBOARD, COMPASS, RULER, PATTERN BAG CLIP, PENCIL, SCISSORS
INSTRUCTIONS
Using the compass, draw two circles of different sizes on the cardboard or clay drawing board and cut out both circles (we set the compass to 8.3 cm for the larger circle and 7 cm for the smaller circle). The cut out circles are the rotating disks of the deciphering disk. Place the smaller disk on top of the larger one so that the punctures of your compass are directly on top of each other. To make the code easy to read, divide the fields for the letters or characters. Make 26 small marks on the edge of the large disc at regular intervals (in our example, at 2 cm intervals). Then, with the help of the ruler, connect the opposite marks with each other through the center. The slices remain on top of each other and are divided into 26 equally sized "pie pieces". At the stitching point of the compass, now connect both slices with the pattern bag clip. Ask mom and dad for help if you need to enlarge the small hole!
On the big disc you write the alphabet from A to Z, each letter fills one field. The small disc shows your secret alphabet. Use different letters, numbers, signs and symbols as you like! You can paint or glue on the inner part of the small disk. For example, cut a third, smaller circle (we set the compass to 5 cm) out of colored paper and glue it in the center of the disk without covering your secret code.
To encode a message, think about which letter, symbol, or character your secret alphabet should begin with. Then rotate the small disk so that this field is under the letter A on the large disk (our secret alphabet begins with the three dots on top of each other). Don't forget to tell the recipient of your message how to set the decoding disk to be able to decode the message!
Tips
- You don't have a compass? Then use two round objects of different sizes and trace their shape on the cardboard or clay drawing board.
An old book is the perfect hiding place to safely deliver your secret messages! - Using a cutter, cut a pocket the size of your choice in several consecutive book pages - be careful when cutting, ask mom and dad for help. So that the book pages do not tear, connect the interfaces with craft glue!
