The Hidden Listener

There are a lot of codes hidden within the exercise book. We would suggest reading the book from cover to cover first. Within the book the author mentions a number of different ways of coding messages. We suggest you look for some of these ways within the pages of the exercise book. Look behind items stapled and stuck into the journal. Complete the wordsearch. Follow the instructions in the diary.

Look out for capital letters.

There is a string of code along the bottom of the page…

Look out for names of cities.

This is written in German.

This goes with your crossword from box 1.

Even when you know what to use this with it may need some jigging about, your first word begins with "M".

Look for place names in your newspaper that match places mentioned in your letters.

Once you've found the correct article place the tickets ordered from 1 to 3.

The puzzle matches up to form a square – the clue from your bus tickets should help you figure out how many characters form each side.

There is a message on both sides of the puzzle.

Your first word for one side of the puzzle is 'censor'.

In your letters from box 3 you will find two knitting patterns, these need decoding in different ways.

The letter dated the 17th of April's knitting pattern is a knock code, there is an acrostic down the side that should help you identify what to do first.

The acrostic says 'common letter' try to identify which knitting instruction appears the most frequently and substitute this for the letter 'E' which is the most common letter in the English alphabet.

Try to identify your STOP, this will be the last four letters of code, indicating the end of a sentence.

Your STOP is 'P3, P1, K5, inc3' therefore, S=P3, T=P1, O=K5 and P=inc3. E=K1.

This knitting pattern is morse code, the K1s and K3s represent dots and dashes where p1, p3 and sso represent, a new symbol, a new letter, and a new word respectively.

k3, p1, k3, p1, p3, k1, p1, k1, p1, k3, p1, p3, k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, p1, p3, k3, p1, p3, sso = — ..- … – = MUST

The coded note is written in Russian.

When translating this code directly it will not make sense as a Caesar shift has been used.

You should find out the Caesar shift use in your next box, but remember the Russian alphabet contains more than 26 characters.

The circles both go together using your split pin and create a cipher wheel… Keep hold of this as it will be useful when you encounter Caesar ciphers throughout the story.

Look closely at the letter, is there anything mentioned in it that might refer to something you have already received?

The numbers along the side and bottom of the letter correspond to the potato pie recipe in your cookbook.

With your number pairs, the first corresponds to the line of the recipe you need to look at. The second number corresponds with the word in that sentence.

Your first word is "more".

These strips should help you with your Russian note from Box 3.

The dark sections of the paper indicate the shift used.

With your number pairs, the first corresponds to the line of the recipe you need to look at. The second number corresponds with the word in that sentence.

The paperclipped code is a Caesar shift.

Take a close look at your box 3 letters to Penny.

The key to solving this is on the letter dated the 19th of August.

Look at the word pairs "river", "arena", and "sleep" and "Bunny".

This letter contains an acrostic.

The acrostic has a Caesar shift placed on it.

The Caesar shift here is the same as the one in your previous box.

There is a morse code message hidden in this pattern.

Look at the "m's" in the pattern, one m represents a dot, two represent a dash. The squares between your "m's" indicate where a new symbol or a new word begins.

This can be used to solve one of the coded notes within this box.

This will help with a previous knock code from box 3.

The knitting pattern is a letter substitution code.

Substitutions codes are trial and error, start with common letters for example "E".

Use the post card strip to help.

Some of the characters use a cursive style of penmanship.

Start from the bottom row of the post card.

Answer starts with the letter F.

This postcard is similar to a postcard from a previous box.

Overlay this postcard with the postcard from box 1 to read the secret message.

Keep an eye out for an acrostic.

The acrostic is a clue on how to reveal a name at the bottom of the letter.

Heat the bottom of the page to reveal a name.

Pay close attention to the back page.

The dates stamped at the bottom may be worth an extra look.

The first number of each date leads to a letter from the alphabet.

Look for the letters with a splodge on.

The letters on the left-hand side create an acrostic with a cipher.

X marks the spot, the words used to create the cipher are after P.S.

Two four letter words that are used to create the cipher are road & damp.

Look for the letters with a splodge on.

The letters on the left-hand side create an acrostic with a cipher.

X marks the spot, the words used to create the cipher are after P.S.

The two four letter words used to create the cipher are talk & bits.

Another item in this box helps you to solve the puzzle.

Use the postcard to see who you can rule out.

The last article on the back of the newspaper is very interesting.

You may need to wait for another box to solve this code.

Look closely at the pattern around the card.

Previous boxes should help you to translate.

A popular search engine may be of use.

Match the numbers on the cogs to the numbers on the board, the board with the numbers should be the board on top.

Secure the cogs using the bolts, make sure each cog is placed so the correct letter is showing through the gap. The telegram will tell you how which letters the cogs should start on.

Use the washers either side of the cogs to allow for movement, it can be very fiddly so maybe use another person to help or a clear plastic lid.

Always read the letters from box 1.

Turn cog two to the first letter on the telegram, the letter you can see from cog 1 is your first letter. When cog two is on the letter Q you should read the letter P from box 1.

To find the next letter move the next cog, so move cog 3 to read E, this gives you the letter L in box 1.

Your first 4 letters are P, L, E, A.

Continue to move cogs 2, 3, 4 & 5 and reading the letter in box 1 throughout the telegram to read the secret message.

Use the enigma machine to solve the code.