Cipher or Cypher? The Reason Behind Our Escape Room Name

Have you ever wondered about the difference between “Cipher” and “Cypher”?

Let’s dive into their history and explain why we chose “Cipher” for our World War 2 escape room in Milton Keynes.

 

  1. Where do Cipher and Cypher come from?

    The word “cipher” (or “cypher”) comes from the Arabic word “sifr,” which means “zero” or “empty.” The connection between this meaning and secret codes is actually pretty cool.

    A long time ago, people started using secret codes to hide important messages. The idea was to turn a message into something that looked like random letters, making it “empty” of meaning for anyone who didn’t know the code.

    So, the word “cipher” went from meaning “zero” or “empty” to describing the secret codes used to hide messages. This way, only people who knew how to crack the code could understand the hidden message, keeping the information secret and safe from others.

  2. Which one is more common?

    The American English “Cipher” is more common nowadays, even in the UK.

    “Cypher” is an alternative, and now less common spelling rooted in British English.

    Both are correct!

  3. Why we chose “Cipher”

    We picked “Cipher” for a few reasons:

  • It’s widely known and connects to decoding secret messages.
  • It appeals to people around the world.
  • It reflects the exciting and mysterious atmosphere of our escape room, where you’ll solve puzzles and uncover hidden clues, just like codebreakers during World War 2.
  • “Cipher” highlights the teamwork and clever thinking needed to complete our escape room challenges, similar to how codebreakers had to work together to decipher secret messages.

We reckon “Cipher” in one word really captures the excitement and complexity of codebreaking during World War 2, and emphasize the teamwork and problem-solving skills needed for success in our escape rooms.

Visit Cipher Escape Rooms in Milton Keynes to crack the code in your own immersive and challenging mission!

Online Booking and Gift Vouchers: https://flow.alphatiming.co.uk/ciphermk

Multi-activity Booking: Call 01908 904175