Bacon cipher encoder
Francis Bacon devised this cipher to hide messages, and it is popular in puzzles and escape rooms. It is a puzzle cipher, not protection.
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Processing and privacy: The result is calculated inside your browser and your data is not sent to any server.
How to use it
- Enter text and alphabet version.
- The result appears straight away and updates as you edit.
- Copy the result, or copy a link that keeps the same values to share it.
How it is calculated
The letter number n in the chosen alphabet (A = 0) is written in 5-bit binary, then 0 becomes A and 1 becomes B. Example: H = 7 = 00111 = AABBB.
Example
Inputs: Alphabet version = Original 24 letters (I=J, U=V). Result: Encoded text: AABBB AABAA ABABA ABABA ABBAB / BABAA ABBAB BAAAA ABABA AAABB; Letters processed: 10.
Hello world
AABBB AABAA ABABA ABABA ABBAB / BABAA ABBAB BAAAA ABABA AAABB
Limits and caveats
- This is a puzzle and teaching cipher that is easy to break, so never use it to protect passwords or sensitive data.
- Digits and symbols are dropped, and words are separated by /.
- In the original alphabet I and J share one code, as do U and V.
Questions about this tool
What is the difference between the 24 and 26-letter versions?
In Bacon's original, I and J share one code and so do U and V. The modern version gives every letter its own code.
How is the Bacon cipher hidden in normal text?
A cover text is written in two typefaces, one standing for A and the other for B, so it looks ordinary.
Can I use 0 and 1 instead of A and B?
The idea is binary, but this tool writes A and B as in the original cipher.