Ciphers
Challenge Formats
How spacing, grouping, and other puzzle rules change the presentation of a cipher.
Also found as Aristocrat · Patristocrat · Checkerboard format
Cipher Method or Challenge Format?
A Cipher Method is the reversible transformation. A Challenge Format tells Decipher how the puzzle should be prepared and displayed. Aristocrat, Patristocrat, and Checkerboard change those surrounding rules. The cipher calculation stays the same.
Current formats
| Format | Cipher Method | What the format changes |
|---|---|---|
| Aristocrat | general simple substitution | keeps word divisions and punctuation; excludes self-mappings |
| Patristocrat | general simple substitution | A–Z-only text in groups of five; excludes self-mappings; no padding |
| Checkerboard | Polybius | separate five-letter row and column labels; coordinate stream shown as pairs or groups |
Names and rules
Decipher borrows these names from established puzzle terminology and follows the usual rules where they fit. These pages document Decipher’s own choices. When one differs from a common source or an organisation’s rulebook, the relevant page says so.