Microcryptograms

The Shugborough Inscription is the most famous microcryptogram. It is located beneath a relief at Shugborough Hall in England. It consists of xxxx letters arranged in two lines:

  O U O S V A V V
D                  M

It is not known what this sequence of letters means.

This microcryptogram appears on the title page of a book called Cipher Message.

B-QRs-6

It is not known what these symbols mean.

This microcryptogram reads:

120B, 112A, 2Y

Strangely, it is said to encode a text consisting of 100 words. Unfortunately, it is not known how this is supposed to work.

In 1984, food technologist Günter Stoll was found dead, presumably murdered. A few weeks before his death, he is said to have written the word YOG’TZE on a piece of paper. Its meaning has never been established. In the meantime, the police have announced that they believe Stoll’s death was an accident.

Source: AI-generated

This dedication appears in Martin Gardner’s book Codes, Ciphers and Secret Writing. Thomas Bosbach (and perhaps others) found the solution: DEAR OLD POOFACE, encrypted using the Vigenère cipher with the keyword LOVE.

This tattoo is a microcryptogram. The meaning is unknown to me.

Source: Facebook

This Czech challenge from 1932 was intended to promote the film The Three Musketeers. Take a wild guess what the three words mean.

Source: Jozef Krajčovič

There are many examples of encrypted newspaper advertisements. However, I know of very few that appeared in German-language newspapers. This one was published in the Wiener Tagblatt on July 18, 1886. The advertisement itself is written in plain text, but what does the signature mean?

K.s.qu.m.h.p.

Unfortunately, I don’t know.

This unusual newspaper advertisement was published by the British private detective Ignatius Pollaky in The Times on 16 May 1865. The use of graphical elements in newspaper advertisements of the mid-nineteenth century was highly uncommon and likely increased the cost of the ad.

The meaning of this microcryptogram is unknown.

This French newspaper advertisement from Le Figaro (February 28, 1875) contains 12 musical notes:

Do mi, do mi, do ré, ré fa, ré fa, ré mi

Do they represent a piece of music? Or perhaps some other kind of message? No one knows.

Source: Didier Müller

Kaspar Hauser appeared in Nuremberg in 1828, claiming to be a boy who had grown up in a dungeon without any contact with the outside world. However, modern experts point out that Hauser’s account is medically impossible and highly implausible in many respects. The story of his confinement was therefore nothing more than a tall tale.

Even the alleged assassination attempt that ultimately led to Hauser’s death may have been staged. The wound he suffered could, in any case, have been self-inflicted. Hauser may simply have been unfortunate that his injury resulted in death due to blood poisoning or another complication.

The alleged confession letter, which strongly appears to have been written by Hauser himself, is signed with the letters “M. L. Ö.” It is not known what this microcryptogram means.

This is a now-painted-over graffiti inscription at Damaschkeplatz in Groß-Gerau, Hesse, Germany. The cryptogram is circled. It consists of only five symbols. It would be interesting to find out what they mean.

Source: Ruth Krämer-Klink

The Zodiac Killer’s fourth encrypted message is a microcryptogram. It supposedly contains his name, but it has never been solved.

The grave of the Freemason James Leeson is located in the heart of Manhattan. It bears an encrypted inscription that means MEMENTO MORI.

Another Freemason gravestone in Manhattan. James Lacey is buried here. Once again, the microcryptogram stands for MEMENTO MORI.

This Masonic medal from 1780 bears an encrypted inscription consisting of eight letters. Thanks to my blog reader Peter Lichtenberger, I know that the eight letters stand for H. T. W. S. S. T. K. S., meaning “HIRAM, TYRIAN, WIDOW’S SON, SENDETH TO KING SOLOMON.” This is a phrase from the Masonic initiation ritual.

Source: Library & Museum of Freemasonry, London