MW Codes, Ciphers, and Puzzle Series: Acronyms

Although maybe not considered an official type of code to hide secrets, the acronymic process can be used in certain ways and situations to conceal messages, clues, and hints in treasure hunts or other mysteries.  The word Acronym is officially defined as a word formed from the initial letters of other words and holding a connective meaning.  An example of such would be the word ‘Scuba’ which comes from using the first letters of ‘Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus.’

Another example is MW’s free to play Tap4Treasure hunt’s newsletter, the ‘BLAST’; standing for Bulletin for Licensed Agents Seizing Treasures.

Acronyms have been around for thousands of years.   It is well known that ichthys (ΙΧΘΥΣ), Greek for fish, which stands for Iesous Christos THeou hUios Soter (Jesus Christ, God’s son, and Savior), is how the image of a fish for the symbol for Jesus originated.

While the above examples are true Acronyms, the method of taking first letters to provide other words have been used in other ways to hide messages.

Take for example The Whistle Pig armchair treasure hunt.  Within this book, a hidden message was found by taking first letters of sentences in its last chapter.  Not exactly like a true Acronym, but similar in process.

The message found in The Whistle Pig: Bare the Cross, Leave the Center, Find the Fruit, is believed crucial in someway to solve the location of the hidden key of the book.  Still to this day, the hunt remains unsolved.

Another example of acronymic usage to provide clues was seen in the 12th Plate Treasure Hunt.  One of the clues for the hunt for the Gold Coin (successfully found in June 2017) was found in the sentence below.

The ‘Stickmen’ decode to DRIVER, and the first letters of the preceding words spell SCREW.  Those involved in the hunt, and who had visited the location of where the treasure was thought to be hidden, were aware of a random ‘ScrewDriver’ stuck in the Earth there.  The last part clued searchers into the fact that it was ‘not part of DIX’ (DIX being a nearby park searchers were distracted by).

One of the more historical mysteries and clues, however, given by using the acronymic process is the Rennes le Chateau mystery; made famous by Dan Brown’s novel, The Da Vinci Code.  Many feel the word ‘GRAAL’ (French for Grail) is hidden within the church of Rennes le Chateau by use of taking the first letters of the Saint’s names of statues and forming the letter M (for Mary Magdalene); connecting the two.

The statues of Saints are:

St. Germaine
St. Roch
St. Antoine de Padoue
St. Antoine l’Ermite
St. Luc (pulpit)

Extensive renovations were made by Berenger Sauniere inside the RLC (Rennes Le Chateau 😊) church during the later half of the 1800’s, and it is known he spent lavish amount of monies.  How he was able to gather so much wealth is a mystery yet today.

Much debate surrounds the possibilities of whether he learned some secret about Jesus and Mary Magdalene (and was paid to keep it quiet) or if he found an actual treasure of some sort, like relics from the Temple of Solomon.  No one knows for certain, and huge speculation and an abundance of theories continue to pop up today about this particular real life mystery.

The Race Excites All!  So Utilize Resources Enthusiastically….   the adventure!