Codebreaking

A Practical Guide

Klaus Schmeh author Elonka Dunin author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Little, Brown Book Group

Published:10th Dec '20

£16.99

Available to order, but very limited on stock - if we have issues obtaining a copy, we will let you know.

Codebreaking cover

'The best book on codebreaking I have read', SIR DERMOT TURING

'Brings back the joy I felt when I first read about these things as a kid', PHIL ZIMMERMANN

'This is at last the single book on codebreaking that you must have. If you are not yet addicted to cryptography, this book will get you addicted. Read, enjoy, and test yourself on history's great still-unbroken messages!' JARED DIAMOND is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Guns, Germs, and Steel;Collapse; and other international bestsellers

'This is THE book about codebreaking. Very concise, very inclusive and easy to read', ED SCHEIDT

'Riveting', MIKE GODWIN

'Approachable and compelling', GLEN MIRANKER


This practical guide to breaking codes and solving cryptograms by two world experts, Elonka Dunin and Klaus Schmeh, describes the most common encryption techniques along with methods to detect and break them. It fills a gap left by outdated or very basic-level books.


This guide also covers many unsolved messages. The Zodiac Killer sent four encrypted messages to the police. One was solved; the other three were not. Beatrix Potter's diary and the Voynich Manuscript were both encrypted - to date, only one of the two has been deciphered. The breaking of the so-called Zimmerman Telegram during the First World War changed the course of history. Several encrypted wartime military messages remain unsolved to this day. Tens of thousands of other encrypted messages, ranging from simple notes created by children to encrypted postcards and diaries in people's attics, are known to exist. Breaking these cryptograms fascinates people all over the world, and often gives people insight into the lives of their ancestors. Geocachers, computer gamers and puzzle fans also require codebreaking skills.

This is a book both for the growing number of enthusiasts obsessed with real-world mysteries, and also fans of more challenging puzzle books. Many people are obsessed with trying to solve famous crypto mysteries, including members of the Kryptos community (led by Elonka Dunin) trying to solve a decades-old cryptogram on a sculpture at the centre of CIA Headquarters; readers of the novels of Dan Brown as well as Elonka Dunin's The Mammoth Book of Secret Code Puzzles (UK)/The Mammoth Book of Secret...

The enthusiasm of the writing will likely pull the reader through the book . . . a good introduction to cryptology. -- Chris Christensen * Cryptologia *
Quite the best book on codebreaking I have read: clear, engaging and fun. A must for would-be recruits to GCHQ and the NSA! -- Sir Dermot Turing, author of Prof, the biography of his uncle, Alan Turing
Approachable, accessible, this book brings back the joy I felt when I first read about these kinds of things as a kid. -- Phil Zimmermann, creator of PGP cryptography, inductee to the Internet Hall of Fame
This is THE book about code breaking. Very concise, very inclusive, and easy to read. Good references for those who would make a code like Kryptos. -- Ed Scheidt, Central Intelligence Agency
What could be more exciting, challenging, mysterious, and important in war than codebreaking? What could be a safer way to send a compromising message to your secret lover than to encrypt the message? If you already love spy stories and tales of business skulduggery in supposedly unbreakable ciphers, this is at last the single book that you must have. If you are not yet addicted to cryptography, this book will get you addicted. Read, enjoy, and test yourself on history's great still-unbroken messages! -- Jared Diamond is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Guns, Germs, and Steel; Collapse; and other international bestsellers
Riveting. Dunin and Schmeh show us that we each have our own inner codebreaker yearning to be set free. Codebreaking isn't just for super-geniuses with supercomputers, it's something we were all born to do. -- Mike Godwin, creator of Godwin’s Law, former general counsel, Wikimedia Foundation
Codebreaking is a remarkable treatment of the art of decoding of hand-created codes. Clear and conversational in tone, it transforms a sometimes daunting topic into an approachable and compelling story. Its comprehensive survey of manual codes and techniques for cryptanalyzing them is thoroughly illustrated with real historical examples, from the Voynich Manuscript to the Zodiac Killer's encrypted messages. An excellent book for starting a deep-dive into cryptanalysis. -- Glen Miranker, former Chief Technology Officer, Apple Computers
This is the book of my dreams: A super-clear, super-fun guide for solving secret messages of all kinds, from paper-and-pencil cryptograms to Enigma machines. With deep knowledge and skillful storytelling, Dunin and Schmeh capture the joy and power of codebreaking. -- Jason Fagone, author of the bestselling The Woman Who Smashed Codes: A True Story of Love, Spies, and the Unlikely Heroine Who Outwitted America’s Enemies
This is the book we've all been waiting for, a page-turner packed with intrigue and mystery - the first practical book on codebreaking for the digital age. Code experts and enthusiasts Elonka Dunin and Klaus Schmeh patiently explain the basic types of codes and ciphers, and how to detect which scheme is being used. Say you discover an aged letter covered with mysterious symbols tucked into an old book in the attic. An encrypted communication from a long-dead relative, no doubt. But what does it say? Fear no more. With over a hundred cloak-and-dagger examples, ranging from the Emperor Ferdinand II, the Holy Roman Emperor from the House of Habsburg in the 1640s; to the Zodiac Killer in northern California in the 1960s, this is what you need. What a great way to introduce a new generation to the romance of mathematics! -- Scott Kim, who gave The Art of Puzzles TED talk, puzzle designer for Discover and Scientific American
Elonka and Klaus have created an incredible resource in this guidebook to codebreaking. In essence they found a code that needed breaking and solved it for us since a practical, up-to-date source like this did not yet exist. I cannot wait to use this book, not only to solve any cryptograms I might stumble across, but also to build new ones in my own works. An incredible, practical, up-to-date resource for codebreaking which has not existed up until now. -- Starr Long, former executive producer, Walt Disney Company
A wonderful mix of ciphers. Beginners will be hooked on exploring the world of encryption, and those who are experienced will find much that is new. -- Craig Bauer, Editor-in-Chief of Cryptologia and author of Unsolved! The History and Mystery of the World's Greatest Ciphers

Cryptography? Ciphers? I thought this would be an easy book to put down.

I was very wrong.

-- Steve Meretzky, co-author with Douglas Adams of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy computer game
Wow! A book that promises to break the code to codebreaking itself. For more than a decade, I led a team of experts trying to decipher the levels of meaning in the pop-culture works of Dan Brown. Through the publication of several such guidebooks, Elonka Dunin stood out as primus inter pares among our experts on codes. I am putting this book on gift lists for many occasions and for numerous people! -- Dan Burstein, author and editor of the New York Times-bestseller, Secrets of the Code
A fun book telling the neat and weird secret histories, plus a practical guide to solving most any cipher. I wish that I had had a book like this back when I was in high school. -- Bradley Schaefer, founder of the MIT Mystery Hunt, Professor, Physics and Astronomy, Louisiana State University
If you're looking for a source book to learn the art and science of cracking codes, it's hard to find a better collection than the deep and well-documented collection in this book. The original cryptext is there along with the mathematical and practical tools for stripping away the layer of secrecy to read the information hidden inside. -- Peter Wayner, author of Disappearing Cryptography, Being and Nothingness on the Net
Elonka and Klaus are two of today's leaders in the analysis of unbroken ciphers, and with their book, you'll have the tools to join them. Codebreaking: A Practical Guide is a fantastic resource that describes not only the means and methods to break what once were considered unbreakable ciphers, but also contains intriguing histories and tales of how they've used these tools to attack real-world ciphers that have held their secrets for years. I'd recommend this book to anyone who's interested in learning the combination of deduction, intuition and perseverance involved in codebreaking. -- Wes Dafler, American Cryptogram Association
A great resource for all types of codes and ciphers, and covers different parts of history and cultures with the respect that is deserved, including for Native Americans. -- Lonnie Henderson, Master Sergeant, United States Air Force (retired), Comanche code breaker
A fascinating collection of the world's most interesting codes and ciphers and how to break them. Full of facts and fun. A must for anyone who enjoys solving quirky puzzles. -- Michael Smith, author of the #1 bestseller Station X: The Codebreakers of Bletchley Park and The Emperor’s Codes
Pure genius meets joy in this truly one-of-a-kind compendium . . . This book will reward everyone from the curious novice to the invested researcher . . . all the while providing tools for readers to do their own explorations into the field. -- Dr Theda Daniels-Race, M. B. Voorhies Distinguished Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Louisiana State University
What a terrific cognitive romp through some of the most important cognitive puzzlers, challenges, sizzlers and stumpers throughout history, written by two of the brightest minds alive! Highly recommended for taking out one's aggression on cerebral challenges rather than, say, Twitter and Facebook friends. I cannot wait to curl up on the couch with this book and a strong cup of coffee. -- Dr Constance Steinkuehler, Informatics Professor, University of California, former Senior Advisor in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy
THROW YOUR OTHER BOOKS AWAY! This book goes well beyond the "how" by including historical examples, practical attacks and challenges to solve. This high-quality cryptography resource is all you need to truly understand many ciphers. -- Tyler Akins, developer, Cipher Tools
At last a comprehensive book guiding readers through the world of codes and ciphers. Lots of general information for the casual reader, plus plenty of worked examples for enthusiasts. -- Joel Greenberg, author of Gordon Welchman: Bletchley Park’s Architect of Ultra Intelligence and Alastair Denniston: Code-Breaking from Room 40 to Berkeley Street and the Birth of GCHQ
Fills a gap and is very welcome . . . Strongly recommended for anyone interested in classical ciphers. -- Paolo Bonavoglia, cryptologic historian, mathematics teacher at the Liceo Foscarini (retired)
The crypto explorer's Baedeker. It introduces you to a variety of both famous and lesser known cryptograms throughout time, while it guides you carefully through the various processes of unraveling their secrets. -- Frode Weierud, CERN electronics engineer (retired), Visiting Research Scholar, Bletchley Park Trust
Plainspoken and informative, Codebreaking: A Practical Guide shows the incredible depth of knowledge of the two authors while retaining a clarity most books of this sort have trouble duplicating. Both experts and novices will enjoy exploring the pages of this wonderful tome. -- John Feil, author of Beginning Game Level Design
If you ever wondered about secret messages on old postcards and tombstones, in newspapers and telegrams, or are fascinated with famous unsolved riddles like the Voynich manuscript and the Kryptos sculpture, this book is for you. Dunin and Schmeh are two internationally known experts on cryptology, and here they show you step by step how to crack codes and ciphers from long before the earliest radio transmissions and interceptions to long after the commercial union of military technology and entertainment in networked computing. -- Peter Krapp, Professor of Media Studies and Informatics, Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences, University of California, Irvine
I have been a creator and solver of puzzles both virtual and physical my whole life, I even gave my wife a GPS-enabled puzzle box as a wedding present to lead her to our honeymoon. That being said, I could hardly imagine even approaching the problems Elonka Dunin and Klaus Schmeh have tackled. Fortunately for my ego, there remain a few even Elonka has not yet solved. However, if you wish to start down the rabbit hole, there is no better place to start than Codebreaking: A Practical Guide. I even hear that there are a few other hidden secrets embedded in this book! Good luck! -- Richard Garriott, computer gaming pioneer, ‘Lord British’ (Ultima Online)
I don't know if it's talent or genius . . . but these people are in a different world when it comes to good old logic and brains. It seems that codebreaking requires imagination, stamina and courage to follow its path to wherever it leads. Pure brilliance is barely enough to qualify for this gig. I could never decipher or encrypt anything in this category. I will never be solving cryptograms. But this book will take you on an amazing journey through an incredible maze. Darn exciting, I must say! -- David Lucas, award-winning composer, discoverer of Blue Öyster Cult, the cowbell guy!
Cryptography can seem like a daunting subject, but in this book Elonka and Klaus have made it understandable, approachable, and most of all: fun! Filled with many real-world examples of the use of classical cryptography techniques, the book successfully conveys the authors' contagious passion for the art of uncovering hidden messages. There is nothing quite like the satisfaction of applying the skills described in this book to unlock the mysterious secret messages. After reading this book you will be equipped with many tools to help you do it, too! -- Dave Oranchak founder of ZodiacKillerCiphers.com and host of Let’s Crack Zodiac
Codebreaking: A Practical Guide is an extremely well-documented and enjoyable book written by Elonka Dunin and Klaus Schmeh. The book provides an overview of all classical ciphers and explains with exemplary clarity how to solve them. Entertaining examples are given at each stage and challenges are presented to the reader. A long time has passed since we last saw a book dealing with the solving classical ciphers. This book is a must have in any amateur cryptographer's library. The historical perspective of the book is also extremely important as essential background to the rich history of our field for new students who will later specialize in the more mathematical aspects of modern cryptology. An excellent book! -- David Naccache, Fellow, International Association for Cryptologic Research
Best suited for those who want to read about codebreaking with actual examples. Many specimens with images, ranging from encrypted postcards to historical messages, are conveniently classified in chapters and their solutions are explained. -- Satoshi Tomokiyo, webmaster of Cryptiana: Articles on Historical Cryptography
A book with many interesting stories behind real historic cryptograms. These are clustered according to the ciphers behind. And the best thing: You are introduced to free and modern software to break them yourself. -- Bernhard Esslinger, Professor of Applied Cryptography at the University of Siegen, Germany
I'll say it in cleartext: This is the most useful book on codebreaking you can have in your library. -- A. J. Jacobs
Easy to grasp, amateur-friendly, full of real-life examples of encryption and systematically surveys the main encryption methods in a fresh way. A lovely starting manual for any crypto novice. -- Benedek Láng, Chair of Philosophy and History of Science Department, Budapest University of Technology and Economics
A practical and engaging guide to the codes and ciphers that have been used throughout history. The story behind a code is often as important and compelling as the code itself, and Dunin and Schmeh never fail to deliver with each one they examine. -- Scott M. Jones, Director, Electronic Frontiers Forums Track at Dragon Con, Atlanta
A comprehensive, yet accessible resource for a contemporary understanding of the past and present of codebreaking. The kind of resource that is useful for beginners, yet encyclopedic for more experienced readers. -- Lindsay Grace, Knight Chair of Inte...

ISBN: 9781472144218

Dimensions: 232mm x 154mm x 40mm

Weight: 651g

528 pages