Ancient Runes
Problem
Here is a table containing all the letters of the alphabet:
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A
|
B
|
C
|
D
|
E
|
|
F
|
G
|
H
|
I
|
J
|
|
K
|
L
|
M
|
N
|
O
|
|
P
|
Q
|
R
|
S
|
T
|
|
U
|
V
|
W
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X
|
Y
|
|
Z
|
|
|
|
|
It has six rows (going from left to right) and five columns (going from top to bottom). The Vikings communicated in writing by making simple scratches on wood or stones called runes. Sometimes they were written in a secret or coded way. Here is 'was' written in NRICH's coded runes:
Can you work out how the code works using the table of the alphabet?
Here is a message in secret runes:
Can you decipher it?
Perhaps you can make up your own message.
Getting Started
Each symbol has a line drawn vertically (from top to bottom).
Can you see a connection between the number of lines drawn off the left of this vertical line and the row where the letter is in the table?
Perhaps there is a similar connection between the lines off the right and the column position?
Student Solutions
Thank you for all the solutions you sent in to us. Do remember to explain how you get to your answer - we want to know your thinking and reasoning.
Tutku at Erenkoy Isik School in Turkey wrote to tell us how he found out the message:
I looked at the word "WAS" and I found that, "W" has 5 lines for left that shows us the number of the row which the letter is written.
And it has 3 lines for right that shows us the number of the column which the letter is written in.
And this rule is the same for A and S .
So I found the secret message:LOOK UNDER THE STONE
Rachel at Nightingale Junior School explains very clearly how to decipher the code:
Look at the left hand side of the first rune. Count the number of sticks. This tells you how many rows to go down on the letter chart. Put a ruler on this row to make sure you don't get lost.
Next look at the right hand side of the same rune. Count the sticks. This tells you how many columns to go across in the alphabet chart. Follow the column down with your finger until you get to the row you put your ruler on. Where they meet is the letter you need.
You decode the whole message like that.
Another Rachel sent in her own message. Perhaps you can work out what it says?
Teachers' Resources
Ancient Runes
Here is a table containing all the letters of the alphabet:
|
A
|
B
|
C
|
D
|
E
|
|
F
|
G
|
H
|
I
|
J
|
|
K
|
L
|
M
|
N
|
O
|
|
P
|
Q
|
R
|
S
|
T
|
|
U
|
V
|
W
|
X
|
Y
|
|
Z
|
|
|
|
|
It has six rows (going from left to right) and five columns (going from top to bottom). The Vikings communicated in writing by making simple scratches on wood or stones called runes. Sometimes they were written in a secret or coded way. Here is 'was' written in NRICH's coded runes:
Can you work out how the code works using the table of the alphabet?
Here is a message in secret runes:
Can you decipher it?
Perhaps you can make up your own message.
This activity requires some lateral thinking - a bit of fun!