Codes and Ciphers :: Route Cipher

A Route Cipher is very similar to a Rail Fence cipher with one exception. You still write the message vertically in columns, but instead of reading off the secret message horizontally, you read it off using a predetermined pattern. For example, lets use a spiral pattern for this one:

T S A C T S G
H I S R M S E
I S E E E A J

The last J is just a random letter to fill in the space. If we are using a clockwise spiral to read off the message, then it becomes:

TSACTSGEJAEEESIHISRMSE

A more complex pattern could be, "every other letter going backwards to the front and then every other letter going forwards to the end again", which would give you a secret message of:

JEEISRIGTATSCSHSMESEA

The complex pattern makes this algorithm difficult to decipher unless you know the key.

• Monoalphabetic Cipher
• Caesar Cipher
• Atbash Cipher
• Keyword Cipher
• Pigpen / Masonic Cipher
• Polybius Square
• Polyalphabetic Cipher
• Vigenère Cipher
• Beaufort Cipher
• Autokey Cipher
• Running Key Cipher

• Transposition Ciphers
• Rail Fence
• Route Cipher
• Columnar Transposition
• Polygraphic Substitution
• Playfair Cipher
• Bifid Cipher
• Trifid Cipher
• Four-square cipher

• Other Ciphers and Codes
• Book Cipher
• Beale Cipher
• Morse Code
• Tap Code
• One-time Pad
• Scytale
• Semaphore
• ASCII
• Steganography
• Techniques
• Frequency Analysis