Reverse Cipher
Reverse text by characters, words, or lines. A simple but effective cipher for geocaching puzzles.
Examples
Characters: Hello World →
dlroW olleH
Words: Hello World →
World Hello
Lines (multi-line text):
First line → Last line
What is a Reverse Cipher?
A reverse cipher is one of the simplest forms of text encryption where the order of characters, words, or lines is reversed. While easy to decode, it's often combined with other ciphers to create more complex puzzles.
Types of Reversal
Character Reversal
Every character in the text is reversed, reading from right to left:
- Input: GEOCACHING IS FUN
- Output: NUF SI GNIHCACOEG
This is the most common type of reverse cipher used in puzzles.
Word Reversal
The order of words is reversed, but letters within words stay the same:
- Input: GEOCACHING IS FUN
- Output: FUN IS GEOCACHING
Line Reversal
For multi-line text, the order of lines is reversed:
- Input: Line 1
Line 2
Line 3 - Output: Line 3
Line 2
Line 1
Reverse Cipher in Geocaching
Reverse ciphers appear frequently in geocaching puzzles because:
- Simple but effective: Easy to create, satisfying to solve
- No key needed: Self-decrypting with the same operation
- Combinable: Often layered with other ciphers
- Recognizable: Reversed text has distinctive patterns
Recognizing Reversed Text
Look for these signs that text might be reversed:
- Unusual letter patterns: Common endings become beginnings
- Punctuation at start: Periods and question marks appear first
- Word spacing: Spaces in unexpected positions
- Mirror-like appearance: Symmetry hints at reversal
Combined Ciphers
Reverse ciphers are often combined with:
- Caesar cipher: Reverse then shift
- Atbash cipher: Reverse then substitute
- A1Z26: Convert to numbers then reverse
- Multiple reversals: Reverse words AND characters
Mirror Writing
Related to reverse cipher is mirror writing, where text is written to be read in a mirror. Leonardo da Vinci famously used this technique in his notebooks.
Mirror writing combines horizontal flipping with character reversal, creating text that reads correctly when reflected.
Self-Inverse Property
The reverse cipher is self-inverse (also called involutory)—applying it twice returns the original text:
- Original: HELLO
- Reversed once: OLLEH
- Reversed twice: HELLO
This makes it especially useful when the same tool is used for both encoding and decoding.