Transform your text into the mysterious Pigpen cipher - an ancient symbolic code used by Freemasons. Type your message below and see it instantly converted to secret symbols.
The Pigpen cipher (also known as the Masonic cipher or Freemason's cipher) is a fascinating geometric simple substitution cipher that replaces letters with symbols based on a grid pattern. This historical encryption method has been used by Freemasons since at least the 18th century for secret communications.
The cipher works by replacing each letter with a symbol derived from a grid system. The standard pigpen cipher uses two grids and two crosses, with each shape containing a specific set of letters. The symbols are actually fragments of the grids, with the location of the letter in the grid determining its symbol.
Beyond its use by Freemasons, the pigpen cipher was also utilized during the American Civil War by Union prisoners in Confederate prison camps. Its visual nature made it easy to learn and use without having to memorize complex substitution tables.
Today, the pigpen cipher is primarily used for:
This tool uses the BabelStonePigpen font to instantly convert your text into the Pigpen cipher format. While the cipher doesn't provide strong encryption security by modern standards, it remains a fascinating historical method and a fun way to write encoded messages.
No, the Pigpen cipher is a simple substitution cipher and can be easily broken using frequency analysis. It should be used for fun and educational purposes rather than secure communications.
The traditional Pigpen cipher only includes symbols for the 26 letters of the English alphabet. Numbers and special characters typically remain unchanged, though some variations of the cipher include symbols for numbers.
The name "Pigpen" comes from the grid structures used to create the cipher, which resemble animal pens or enclosures. The visual appearance of these grids inspired the name.
You can download your encoded message as a PNG or PDF using the buttons provided, then share it via email, messaging apps, or social media. The recipient will need a Pigpen cipher reference chart to decode it.