Edward Elgar (1857-1934) is known not only for his musical talent, composing such titles as Pomp and Circumstance and The Dream of Gerontius, but also for creating a code which many say remains unsolved to this day. Written in 1897, eighty seven squiggly characters form a secret message referred today as the Dorabella cipher.
The encrypted note was included with a word of thanks to the Penny family. After spending a few days visiting the Penny’s home, Edward and his wife, Caroline Alice, wrote to the Penny’s expressing their gratitude for the stay. Edward decided to enclose an encoded message especially for ‘Miss Penny’ who was the 22 year old daughter of the Penny family, and who Edward had become friends with.
Even though Edward was twenty years her senior, Dora and he remained lifelong friends. Edward even included her in his famous Enigma Variations, which also contains another unsolved ‘enigma’. The musical piece was dedicated to ‘my friends pictured within’. Each of the 14 variations ‘described’ someone close to Edward. Dorabella, Edward’s nickname for Dora Penny, was the name given to Variation X and the music depicted Dora’s subtle stutter.
Dora was never able to decipher the personal note given to her by Edward and placed the message aside for many years. It was later published, along with Dora’s memoir entitled Edward Elgar: Memories of a Variation, in 1937.
Edward is known to have enjoyed codes, puzzles, and riddles. And although he was extremely good at them, the message he sent to ‘Miss Penny’ should not have been that difficult. Wanting Dora to be able to decode the message, he shouldn’t have made it indecipherable; or so one would think. Nonetheless, the code is considered unsolved to this present time. (by most-there are some who have claimed to have solved the cipher, but these solutions are not without questions)
The eighty-seven E like characters (most likely a play with Edward Elgar’s initials E.E), is similar to a cipher key found amongst his papers. Eight directions of the swirly symbols (right, left, up, down, and tilted various ways) are written in a row. Eight Columns, containing 3 letters for a total of 24(I and J, and U and V, share the same space), are then written underneath. An E character with only one loop would correspond to the first row of letters; two loops to the second and three to the third.
Applying this key to the Dorabella cipher note, however, provides nonsense. It’s possible a second method of encoding is needed, but that seems unlikely, since Dora wasn’t even said to be aware of the first key. Putting the ‘e like characters’ through a letter frequency test do show the cipher may be a simple substitution cipher. But again, no one has been successful cracking the code by use of this method.
There are 20 different symbols involved in the encrypted message. Considering the various orientations of the symbols, signify they might provide directions. Noticing the largest symbol could relate to a move of ‘4’, a Polybius square could be suggested. A person applying the code to the square could reach any letter needed within a 5×5 grid filled with 25 letters (i/j sharing the same space) by moving the direction each symbol indicates.
For example, the first symbol could have the decoder move 3 spaces to the right. The next could direct a move of 4 in reverse (wrapping around), followed by moving diagonally down 3 and so forth. In case of a duplicate letter, two opposite subsequent symbols could meant to be used together.
Edward was a composer of music who moved elegantly up and down the scales. It’s possible he used this technique of moving around a square to encode his secret message to ‘Miss Penny’. A correct arrangement of letters within the grid may decipher and give meaning to the note.
Not impossible, though, if one uses the discovered key which utilizes an 8×3 (24 symbol) grid, one realizes 4 letters/symbols are missing. The meaning of the hidden message is one which may play on the words of ‘Miss Penny’ and be clearly seen. Perhaps the 4 symbols missing correspond to that of ‘DORA’ and so one of the messages from Edward is ultimately, ‘Missing DORA’ (Miss(ing) Penny or even PENY). From nothing could the code be revealed.
LIKE A TREASURE
eest Sixe,
Your articles about the MARANATHA book and puzzle have recently become unexpected, with your unusual inclusion of the Catenary Arch, (smiles) and now an article about the Dorabella Cypher, which may seem like an odd departure, appearing not immediately relevant to the book or puzzle. (rubyfelixir rubs paws together rapidly) Let us see if we can… make something of it.
As an aside, if the letters D O R A are excluded from the cypher message, then you couldn’t spell the words DEAR, or LOVE. Because there is no LOVE without DORA? 😛
Of course, that doesn’t exclude those words being in the message, in the form of LV or E, if the letters D O R A are to be tipped back in. This means that the letter E could actually represent an entire word, DEAR, not just a single letter.
Right. (rubyfelixir smacks his paws together)
The name ‘Dora’ is “a female name of Greek origin, derived from Dorothea or Theodora, meaning “God’s Gift”, from (doron) “gift” + (theos) “god”. The earliest form of the word is the Mycenean Greek do-ra, meaning “gift”.
The French name ‘Doré’ is also a female name and comes from the French word ‘Doré’ which may be translated as golden, golden-colored, gold, gilt, gilded, covered in gold. Hence it can also mean “Blonde”. Notice the convergence between a ‘precious gift’, and ‘gold’.
So, we go from an article about a lost word, to an article about missing gold!
And there is the English name ‘Dore’, which derives from the same Old English root as door, signifying a ‘gateway’ or pass between two kingdoms… A very regal arch. Although I assume that the French ‘Doré’ is the origin of the English girls name ‘Dorrie’, because what parent would name their child after a door?
So, we come from an article about an arch, to an article about a door, or gateway. From an article about an arch in which there is a lost word, to an article about a message with a lost word, a missing name. A name that is a precious gift from God, that is like gold. A word and a name contained in a DOOR.
In the word ‘door’, a word which is also a female name.
D’OR DE RENNES? 😛
UR such a cat!