Codes and Ciphers :: Trifid Cipher

The Trifid Cipher is the Bifid Cipher taken to one more dimension. Instead of using a 5x5 Polybius Square, you use a 3x3x3 cube. Otherwise everything else remains the same. As with the Bifid Cipher, the cube can be mixed to add an extra layer of protection, but for these examples we not be using a mixed alphabet cube.

The first step is to use the cube to convert the letters into numbers. We will be writing the numbers vertically below the message in the order of Layer, Column, Row.

secret message
311213 2133111
123322 1211112
121321 2211132

The numbers are now read off horizontally and grouped into triplets.

311 213 213 311 112 332 212 111 121 213 212 211 132

The cube is used again to convert the numbers back into letters which gives us our ciphertext.

sppsdxmabpmjf

To decipher a Trifid encrypted message, you first convert each letter into its corresponding number via the cube. Now, divide the long string of numbers into three equal rows. Now, read off each column and use the cube to convert the three numbers into the plaintext letter.

• 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