Looking for something to do for a rainy day? Here’s an idea for a spy hunt you can play at home straight from one of our Special Agents at Vancouver Mysteries Mission Control. Hide a series of secret messages around your home using scytales.
How to send a secret message using a scytale
What is a scytale you ask? Don’t worry, it’s not a deadly species of hornet. It is an ancient tool that was used by the Greeks and Spartans to deliver secret messages. It consisted of a cylindrical object with a strip of parchment wrapped around it. This strip of parchment had a message inscribed on it. You could only read the message when the strip was wrapped around the cylinder. But, when the strip of parchment was unwrapped from the cylinder, all you would have is a strip of parchment with a list of randomly placed letters. Are you ready to create your very own scytale for your indoor spy game?
What You Need
It’s quite easy and while there is no mystery to making a scytale, it is quite fun. I’m not kidding. I made the one shown in the pictures below and I am not that crafty.
You should be able to find everything you need…indoors. I used a pencil for the cylinder, but you can use any type of cylinder shaped object. You can try making one with a plastic tube or toilet paper roll.
To make one with a toilet paper roll, you will first need to find toilet paper, which is a whole other indoor game of mystery.
Materials
How To Do It
How it Works
After I completed writing my message, I unwound the strip of paper from the pencil.
What I was left with was random letters written vertically on the strip of paper as shown here.
This is what your secret agents will find on their spy hunt. They will then wind the message strips around the cylinder you gave them.
Spy Game – Instructions
How to plan your own spy game at home
If this spy hunt is for a special occasion, your messages could eventually lead to a hidden prize or gift somewhere in your home!
Have fun agent… this message will not self destruct… If you enjoyed this activity you might try your spy skills at our outdoor game Secret Mission.