Start by marking repeated letters, then use the supplied Caesar shift to decode the word. The letter pattern gives you a second way to check the answer. There is no need to guess the word from its shape alone.
Mark a pattern before decoding
Give each new letter a number, reusing it whenever that letter appears again. BALLOON becomes 1 2 3 3 4 4 5. A one-to-one substitution changes the letters but keeps this pattern.
Sample pattern
BALLOONShift 3; identify pattern, then decode the ciphertextEDOORRQ| Text | Pattern |
|---|---|
| EDOORRQ | 1 2 3 3 4 4 5 |
| BALLOON | 1 2 3 3 4 4 5 |
What to do
- Write the pattern beneath the ciphertext.
- Use the supplied shift to decode each letter.
- Write the pattern beneath the answer.
- Compare the two patterns and investigate any mismatch.
A pattern is not a unique answer
Several words can share a pattern such as 1 2 3 3 4. The pattern alone does not identify a word. Use the given shift to decode, then compare the two patterns as a check.
A quick extra question
BOOK becomes ERRN under shift 3. What pattern should both strings have?
For a clue with several words, keep the spaces visible while numbering letters across the whole message. A space is a word boundary, not another letter in the pattern.
Print a set with room to compare patterns
Pick a seed and question count for the pattern worksheet. Keeping the same seed, worksheet type, count, and generator version lets you return to the same set. Choose A4 or Letter. Include the answer pages for review, or leave them out while learners mark and decode the clues.