Building Your Own Cipher Grid

Written By Morgan Burns

Building Your Own Cipher Grid

Once you understand how a Polybius or checkerboard cipher works, the natural next step is building your own. This is a hands-on walkthrough for designing a cipher grid from scratch, whether you want it for a puzzle box, a game night, or just the satisfaction of encoding your own notes.

Step 1: Choose Your Grid Size

A 5x5 grid handles the standard 26-letter alphabet by merging two letters (usually I and J). If you want to keep every letter distinct, or add digits and punctuation, go with a 6x6 grid instead, giving you 36 cells, enough room for A-Z and 0-9. Bigger grids are harder to memorize but harder to crack, so match the size to how the cipher will actually be used.

Step 2: Pick a Keyword

A keyword scrambles the letter order so your grid isn't just a plain A-to-Z layout anyone could guess. Choose a memorable word or phrase, write it out removing duplicate letters, then fill in the remaining alphabet in order. This single step is what turns a toy cipher into something that actually resists casual guessing.

Step 3: Build the Table

Lay your scrambled alphabet into the grid row by row, labeling rows and columns 1 through 5 (or 1 through 6). This is your key, the same table both the sender and receiver need to encode and decode messages, so keep it consistent and keep it private if the cipher needs to stay secret.

Step 4: Test It

Encode a short test phrase, then hand it to someone else with only the empty grid template and see if they can reconstruct your keyword layout and decode it. If they can't without help, your cipher is working as intended. If it falls apart the moment someone tries frequency analysis, consider adding a second layer, like a transposition step, on top of your grid.

Step 5: Make It Yours

Add small personal touches: a nonstandard cell order, a rotating keyword that changes monthly, or a hybrid that borrows a shift from the Vigenère cipher. The beauty of a grid cipher is that the basic structure is dead simple, but the number of ways to customize it is nearly endless.


  1. Alien Magic — William Benjamin — https://books2read.com/u/4EdvBl

  2. All The Flowers In The Rainbow — Ronald Bartholomew — https://books2read.com/u/4ArqDN

  3. Blackwood Mountain's Secret — Jack Wilson — https://books2read.com/u/bxxWWv

  4. Bomb Iran — Jack Wilson — https://books2read.com/u/mqjV66

  5. Choke Point — Garrison West — https://books2read.com/u/3LPpd7

  6. Commander in the Chief House — James Essex — https://books2read.com/u/mdZpRw

  7. Cyber Dracula on the Moon — Stephen Jacobs — https://books2read.com/u/47KzBE

  8. Draconicum Astralis — Frank Jackson — https://books2read.com/u/38NWqB

  9. Dragon Beast 2: The Global Resonance — Orion Graves — https://books2read.com/u/mgMPo0

  10. Dragon Beast: Magic of the Machine — Orion Graves — https://books2read.com/u/31ND1W

  11. Dull World — Jack Wilson — https://books2read.com/u/mgDRgv

  12. Echoes of Eternity — Frank Jackson — https://books2read.com/u/3kXX7g

  13. Echoes of the Machine — Blake Edwards — https://books2read.com/u/bO5Gjo

  14. Elysium: The AI Conundrum — Buddi T: GAL — https://books2read.com/u/brdvvM

  15. Enhancing Cyber Culture — Stan Bradley — https://books2read.com/u/4N5O7x

  16. Enhancing Tech Theory — T. T. Samuels — https://books2read.com/u/3112aa

  17. Existential Reflections — Jean Francois Enrique — https://books2read.com/u/bwgPgP

  18. From Khartoum to Kharg Island — Liam Conrad — https://books2read.com/u/mB0Qkv

  19. Galaxy Outlaws — Jack Wilson — https://books2read.com/u/bQEeVP

  20. He Who — Morgan Burns — https://books2read.com/u/mZGQ92

  21. Heady Days — Barnaby Finch — https://books2read.com/u/mZ6JxE

  22. History in Time: Middle East — Neville St Claire — https://books2read.com/u/4DvDlg

  23. I'm You — Morgan Burns — https://books2read.com/u/3L7ljJ

  24. I(You!) — Morgan Burns — https://books2read.com/u/m0DwlV

  25. Introduction to Algorithms — Harold Morrison — https://books2read.com/u/m08kOl

  26. Magic Aliens — Marvin Hamner — https://books2read.com/u/3G7EqK

  27. Memory Days — Yug Gohan — https://books2read.com/u/4DvOQr

  28. Mirror of Memories — Steven Jacobs — https://books2read.com/u/bwALVv

  29. Neon Sanctuary — Marvin Hamner — https://books2read.com/u/b6glaZ

  30. Ocean Moon — Rane Corvus — https://books2read.com/u/3LPpdX

  31. Peaks — Robin Crystal — https://books2read.com/u/mYlZRY

  32. Portals — Chester Craig — https://books2read.com/u/4EOrRO

  33. Practical Mysticism I — Brent Newman — https://books2read.com/u/b5yp17

  34. Practical Mysticism II — Brent Newman — https://books2read.com/u/3L7QpM

  35. Practical Mysticism III — Brent Newman — https://books2read.com/u/4XpxK9

  36. Practical Mysticism IV — Brent Newman — https://books2read.com/u/4EV2Wz

  37. Practical Mysticism V — Brent Newman — https://books2read.com/u/479q77

  38. Practical Mysticism VI — Brent Newman — https://books2read.com/u/b5yKgG

  39. Quade's Cosmos — Blake Edwards — https://books2read.com/u/brjVoY

  40. Raid Island — Frank Jackson — https://books2read.com/u/bQ8Kx6

  41. Silicon Cross — Rane Corvus — https://books2read.com/u/mvAWee

  42. Singularity — Harold Morrison — https://books2read.com/u/m279l1

  43. Skin to Sea — Brooks Miller — https://books2read.com/u/mZ9q0R

  44. Soot and Sapphire — Garth Toxo — https://books2read.com/u/bx2Yeo

  45. Souls Beneath — Zoules The Magnificent — https://books2read.com/u/mgQdyD

  46. Sovereign Intelligence — Jack Wilson — https://books2read.com/u/479LKR

  47. Sovereign Sync — Rane Corvus — https://books2read.com/u/3JzZVg

  48. Sovereign Sync II — Rane Corvus — https://books2read.com/u/3kRLK8

  49. Starman — Chad Winthrop — https://books2read.com/u/mKgZZ5

  50. System Restore — Emit Jugal — https://books2read.com/u/3ndwOx

  51. The 9/11 War — Liam Conrad — https://books2read.com/u/b66x8M

  52. The Aldous Huxley Compendium — Brent Newman — https://books2read.com/u/3LPQoD

  53. The Celestial Nomad — Russell Lavine — https://books2read.com/u/m2nqwj

  54. The Chrono Accord — Frank Jackson — https://books2read.com/u/mdBa1l

  55. The Cosmic Awakening — Stan Bradley — https://books2read.com/u/bPPvA7

  56. The Dream Navigator — William Benjamin — https://books2read.com/u/bpvXR6

  57. The Elaraeon — Garth Toxo — https://books2read.com/u/38A8wL

  58. The Fabric of the Hill — Preston Ashcroft — https://books2read.com/u/meYZxl

  59. The Forgotten Enclave — Lyle Davenport — https://books2read.com/u/bO2koA

  60. The Game of Win — Barnaby Finch — https://books2read.com/u/mYNrPM

  61. The Glass Garden — Jonathan Smith — https://books2read.com/u/3n9kpo

  62. The Good Ghost — Ronald Bartholomew — https://books2read.com/u/bzElEn

  63. The Hard Handover — Tomison Peters — https://books2read.com/u/meWP2g

  64. The Infinite Spiral — Steven Jacobs — https://books2read.com/u/499ddW

  65. The Mnemosyne Protocol — Harold Morrison — https://books2read.com/u/4AqgV0

  66. The Node Seven Sync — Rane Corvus — https://books2read.com/u/3GnWLn

  67. The Perpetual Twins — Ronald Bartholomew — https://books2read.com/u/3RENkp

  68. The Soot of Oakhaven — Garth Toxo — https://books2read.com/u/3REVpx

  69. The Temporals — Morgan Burns — https://books2read.com/u/m29EaG

  70. The Visionary — Preston Ashcroft — https://books2read.com/u/4jZ5wl

  71. The War That Rewrote the Middle East — Liam Conrad — https://books2read.com/u/3L7o95

  72. The Zeus Mandate — Russell Lavine — https://books2read.com/u/m0yVYP

  73. They Are Here — Yug Gohan — https://books2read.com/u/3RW5Zv

  74. Venus Rising — Marvin Hamner — https://books2read.com/u/38Nr76

  75. Verses Through the Ages — Morgan Burns — https://books2read.com/u/baENGP

  76. Visions Through Time — Lyle Davenport — https://books2read.com/u/mvAYVe

  77. War and Wisdom — Liam Conrad — https://books2read.com/u/mgMjwK

  78. Whispers from the Stars — Blake Edwards — https://books2read.com/u/4X19rL

  79. Whispers of the Old World — Steven Jacobs — https://books2read.com/u/bz89g2

  80. William Tell — Liam Conrad — https://books2read.com/u/49AM6M

  81. X-9 — The Robotic Van Helsing — Marvin Hamner — https://books2read.com/u/mvgwxX

  82. XOXO — Garth Toxo — https://books2read.com/u/4XWRp5

  83. Zephyrz — Garth Toxo — https://books2read.com/u/47L2PN

  84. Zooz — Frank Jackson — https://books2read.com/u/3y0WOZ


  1. Alien Magic — William Benjamin — https://books2read.com/u/4EdvBl

  2. All The Flowers In The Rainbow — Ronald Bartholomew — https://books2read.com/u/4ArqDN

  3. Blackwood Mountain's Secret — Jack Wilson — https://books2read.com/u/bxxWWv

  4. Bomb Iran — Jack Wilson — https://books2read.com/u/mqjV66

  5. Choke Point — Garrison West — https://books2read.com/u/3LPpd7

  6. Commander in the Chief House — James Essex — https://books2read.com/u/mdZpRw

  7. Cyber Dracula on the Moon — Stephen Jacobs — https://books2read.com/u/47KzBE

  8. Draconicum Astralis — Frank Jackson — https://books2read.com/u/38NWqB

  9. Dragon Beast 2: The Global Resonance — Orion Graves — https://books2read.com/u/mgMPo0

  10. Dragon Beast: Magic of the Machine — Orion Graves — https://books2read.com/u/31ND1W

  11. Dull World — Jack Wilson — https://books2read.com/u/mgDRgv

  12. Echoes of Eternity — Frank Jackson — https://books2read.com/u/3kXX7g

  13. Echoes of the Machine — Blake Edwards — https://books2read.com/u/bO5Gjo

  14. Elysium: The AI Conundrum — Buddi T: GAL — https://books2read.com/u/brdvvM

  15. Enhancing Cyber Culture — Stan Bradley — https://books2read.com/u/4N5O7x

  16. Enhancing Tech Theory — T. T. Samuels — https://books2read.com/u/3112aa

  17. Existential Reflections — Jean Francois Enrique — https://books2read.com/u/bwgPgP

  18. From Khartoum to Kharg Island — Liam Conrad — https://books2read.com/u/mB0Qkv

  19. Galaxy Outlaws — Jack Wilson — https://books2read.com/u/bQEeVP

  20. He Who — Morgan Burns — https://books2read.com/u/mZGQ92

  21. Heady Days — Barnaby Finch — https://books2read.com/u/mZ6JxE

  22. History in Time: Middle East — Neville St Claire — https://books2read.com/u/4DvDlg

  23. I'm You — Morgan Burns — https://books2read.com/u/3L7ljJ

  24. I(You!) — Morgan Burns — https://books2read.com/u/m0DwlV

  25. Introduction to Algorithms — Harold Morrison — https://books2read.com/u/m08kOl

  26. Magic Aliens — Marvin Hamner — https://books2read.com/u/3G7EqK

  27. Memory Days — Yug Gohan — https://books2read.com/u/4DvOQr

  28. Mirror of Memories — Steven Jacobs — https://books2read.com/u/bwALVv

  29. Neon Sanctuary — Marvin Hamner — https://books2read.com/u/b6glaZ

  30. Ocean Moon — Rane Corvus — https://books2read.com/u/3LPpdX

  31. Peaks — Robin Crystal — https://books2read.com/u/mYlZRY

  32. Portals — Chester Craig — https://books2read.com/u/4EOrRO

  33. Practical Mysticism I — Brent Newman — https://books2read.com/u/b5yp17

  34. Practical Mysticism II — Brent Newman — https://books2read.com/u/3L7QpM

  35. Practical Mysticism III — Brent Newman — https://books2read.com/u/4XpxK9

  36. Practical Mysticism IV — Brent Newman — https://books2read.com/u/4EV2Wz

  37. Practical Mysticism V — Brent Newman — https://books2read.com/u/479q77

  38. Practical Mysticism VI — Brent Newman — https://books2read.com/u/b5yKgG

  39. Quade's Cosmos — Blake Edwards — https://books2read.com/u/brjVoY

  40. Raid Island — Frank Jackson — https://books2read.com/u/bQ8Kx6

  41. Silicon Cross — Rane Corvus — https://books2read.com/u/mvAWee

  42. Singularity — Harold Morrison — https://books2read.com/u/m279l1

  43. Skin to Sea — Brooks Miller — https://books2read.com/u/mZ9q0R

  44. Soot and Sapphire — Garth Toxo — https://books2read.com/u/bx2Yeo

  45. Souls Beneath — Zoules The Magnificent — https://books2read.com/u/mgQdyD

  46. Sovereign Intelligence — Jack Wilson — https://books2read.com/u/479LKR

  47. Sovereign Sync — Rane Corvus — https://books2read.com/u/3JzZVg

  48. Sovereign Sync II — Rane Corvus — https://books2read.com/u/3kRLK8

  49. Starman — Chad Winthrop — https://books2read.com/u/mKgZZ5

  50. System Restore — Emit Jugal — https://books2read.com/u/3ndwOx

  51. The 9/11 War — Liam Conrad — https://books2read.com/u/b66x8M

  52. The Aldous Huxley Compendium — Brent Newman — https://books2read.com/u/3LPQoD

  53. The Celestial Nomad — Russell Lavine — https://books2read.com/u/m2nqwj

  54. The Chrono Accord — Frank Jackson — https://books2read.com/u/mdBa1l

  55. The Cosmic Awakening — Stan Bradley — https://books2read.com/u/bPPvA7

  56. The Dream Navigator — William Benjamin — https://books2read.com/u/bpvXR6

  57. The Elaraeon — Garth Toxo — https://books2read.com/u/38A8wL

  58. The Fabric of the Hill — Preston Ashcroft — https://books2read.com/u/meYZxl

  59. The Forgotten Enclave — Lyle Davenport — https://books2read.com/u/bO2koA

  60. The Game of Win — Barnaby Finch — https://books2read.com/u/mYNrPM

  61. The Glass Garden — Jonathan Smith — https://books2read.com/u/3n9kpo

  62. The Good Ghost — Ronald Bartholomew — https://books2read.com/u/bzElEn

  63. The Hard Handover — Tomison Peters — https://books2read.com/u/meWP2g

  64. The Infinite Spiral — Steven Jacobs — https://books2read.com/u/499ddW

  65. The Mnemosyne Protocol — Harold Morrison — https://books2read.com/u/4AqgV0

  66. The Node Seven Sync — Rane Corvus — https://books2read.com/u/3GnWLn

  67. The Perpetual Twins — Ronald Bartholomew — https://books2read.com/u/3RENkp

  68. The Soot of Oakhaven — Garth Toxo — https://books2read.com/u/3REVpx

  69. The Temporals — Morgan Burns — https://books2read.com/u/m29EaG

  70. The Visionary — Preston Ashcroft — https://books2read.com/u/4jZ5wl

  71. The War That Rewrote the Middle East — Liam Conrad — https://books2read.com/u/3L7o95

  72. The Zeus Mandate — Russell Lavine — https://books2read.com/u/m0yVYP

  73. They Are Here — Yug Gohan — https://books2read.com/u/3RW5Zv

  74. Venus Rising — Marvin Hamner — https://books2read.com/u/38Nr76

  75. Verses Through the Ages — Morgan Burns — https://books2read.com/u/baENGP

  76. Visions Through Time — Lyle Davenport — https://books2read.com/u/mvAYVe

  77. War and Wisdom — Liam Conrad — https://books2read.com/u/mgMjwK

  78. Whispers from the Stars — Blake Edwards — https://books2read.com/u/4X19rL

  79. Whispers of the Old World — Steven Jacobs — https://books2read.com/u/bz89g2

  80. William Tell — Liam Conrad — https://books2read.com/u/49AM6M

  81. X-9 — The Robotic Van Helsing — Marvin Hamner — https://books2read.com/u/mvgwxX

  82. XOXO — Garth Toxo — https://books2read.com/u/4XWRp5

  83. Zephyrz — Garth Toxo — https://books2read.com/u/47L2PN

  84. Zooz — Frank Jackson — https://books2read.com/u/3y0WOZ

Morgan Burns
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