samc98•1d ago

Question about how historical cipher breakers might approach our team's communication gaps

After reading about the Enigma code, I can't help but draw parallels to the vague emails from upper management.

4 comments

4 Comments

oscar_henderson351d ago

Decoding my grandma's grocery shorthand (all those carrot symbols) felt like cracking the Enigma code.

jakeb8123h ago

Comparing it to the Enigma code really highlights how complex personal shorthand can get. I've seen older generations develop these systems out of necessity, and they're often more nuanced than they appear. Did you ever find out why she used carrots specifically, or was it just her thing?

drew27722h ago

Lol the Enigma code comparison is spot on. My buddy Mike had to decipher his aunt's recipe cards once, and she used little star symbols for everything. Took him weeks to realize stars meant 'add sugar' because she had a major sweet tooth. He finally cracked it when he found an old note linking stars to her favorite bakery, which was wild.

beth_butler21h ago

You know, I once read about how during World War II, families used coded symbols in cookbooks to pass along covert messages. It was in a history article detailing how everyday items like recipe cards could double as clandestine communication tools. That context makes these personal shorthand systems feel like part of a much older tradition of hidden meaning.