PigPen Cipher Fun for DIY Escape Rooms

Hey there! Have you ever wanted to send a secret message that only you and a chosen few could understand? Look no further than the pigpen cipher! This cipher uses a grid of lines and dots to represent each letter of the alphabet. It’s super easy to use; all you need to do is write out your coded message using the pigpen grid and then have your recipient decipher it using their own grid. It’s like having your own secret language, and it’s perfect for those times when you want to keep your conversations hush-hush. Perhaps though you are looking for a way to send secret codes in your DIY escape room. In this post you will find some fun ideas on how to easily use the Pigpen cipher decoder in your next escape room. 

HOW PIGPEN CIPHER WORKS

I put together a short video on how the Pigpen cipher works. It really is so super simple. I absolutely love using this in my treasure hunts and escape room games as it looks kind of like an alien or ancient language.

When it comes to adding this type of cipher into your own room you can mix things up a bit. Once you have the grid system drawn down you can easily make your own variations, and mix the letters around, add in symbols or even covert each letter into a different code so there are two layers of encryption. All you will need to do is ensure the players can find the key to solving the cipher. This can be locked in a box or displayed as a poster somewhere. Watch the video to grasp the simple concept and then get a little creative.

BRIEF HISTORY

I will keep this short and sweet, but I find the history of ciphers rather interesting. Totally aware that most people won’t care, lol. So anyhoo, the basic form of this cipher has its origins way back in 1531. A man called Henrich Cornelius Agrippa published “Three Books of Occult Philosophy”, where he described a cipher very similar to the Pigpen but uses a single square grid with dots to encode the letters. The code he wrote about would later be known as the Rosicrucian cipher.

In the early 17th century, a group called the Rosicrucian Order emerged. They would use this grid system cipher in their text. This is a fascinating order, and if you love all things esoteric and occult, I would encourage you to read more about them. The code was then adopted by the Freemasons, who then switched to using pigpen. As the most famous and prolific users of this kind of cipher, it’s often referred to as the Freemason’s or Masonic Cipher. 

HOW TO USE THE PIGPEN IN AN ESCAPE ROOM

Now back to the fun stuff. You can download the free pigpen cipher printable I have created or draw your own grid to match your escape room theme. In my kids pirate themed escape room, I used bones to represent the grid system. I used a vintage-looking piece of paper to look like an old map as the background. The finished pigpen cipher looked fab and matched the escape room theme perfectly.

Use the pigpen cipher in your DIY escape room to reveal clues to hidden objects, passwords or any secret information the players will need. You can easily create pigpen cipher puzzles. Grab a cheap jigsaw puzzle from the dollar store or pound shop and write your message on the reverse of the completed puzzle using the pigpen cipher font. Super simple but a fun secret code for players to discover. 

MORE WAY TO USE THE CIPHER

• Use it to give the digits to a locked box.
• Use it on picture frames to reveal a word.
• Use masking tape on the floor to write out a secret message.
• Glue toothpicks and dried beans to represent your message onto a piece of card. Place the clue inside a box and have the players feel the shapes.  *Don’t make the message too long.
• Take photos of each letter of your pig pen message. Make each photo unique. You can draw the shape of one letter in the sand, paint the letter onto the pavement using water, lay out sticks etc.  When you have enough pictures print out and place them in your escape room for players to discover.

If you love the idea of using the pigpen cipher but are looking for even more creative escape room ideas I have blog post with a few more tips that should help you.

GRAB THE FREE TEMPLATE

So go ahead and give the pigpen cipher a try, and see how much fun you can have. Grab the free printable by accessing my template available in Canva. Canva is totally free to use. If you don’t already have an account you will asked to create one, but it takes just a few seconds. When you have the template you can use my pigpen font to make your own message, puzzles and clues.

So with a little bit of creativity you can put together some fun puzzles using the pigpen cipher. Add it into your DIY escape rooms, send fun messages to your kids or other half or create a treasure hunt to reveal a birthday treat. If you use this cipher with your kids or for creating fun clues I would love to hear how it goes, and if you have some fun ideas of ways to use the cipher feel free to share your ideas.