Cipher Wheel

Cipher Wheel is a code-breaking puzzle on a brass wheel. Each note is in code, and you turn the rings until it reads as plain English.

How to play

The outer ring holds the letters as written. The rings inside hold the letters they stand for. The written letter in the window at the top is the one being read. Tap any letter in the note to swing it into the window.

In the turning levels, each ring has one right position. The note re-reads itself at every click.

In the blank-ring levels, each written letter stands for a different plain letter, and no letter stands for itself. Turn the inner dial to your guess and press the knob in the centre to stamp it. The stamp fills in all over the note. Press the knob again on the same pair to lift a stamp.

The clock starts on your first move.

Levels

1. One ring: turn it until the note reads.
2. Two rings: each word's ink shows which ring it reads off.
3. Three rings: brass, copper and steel, each with its own turn.
4. Keyed ring: the ring starts with a keyword, then the rest of the alphabet.
5. Blank ring: stamp every letter. Three are given.
6. Cryptogram: stamp every letter, from nothing.

Controls

• Mouse / touch: drag a ring round, or tap one of its letters to bring it under the window. The arrow buttons turn it one letter. Tap the knob to stamp or lift.
• Keyboard: Left and Right turn the ring or dial. Up and Down switch rings, or step through the note's letters. On a blank ring, type a letter to stamp it, Backspace to lift, and Enter or Space to press the knob.

Daily challenge

Today's note is a cryptogram, the same one for everyone. It changes at midnight, your local time. Only your first finish counts, and solving on consecutive days builds a streak.

Scoring

Your time is your score, and lower is better. Your first finish of today's note goes on the daily board and the all-time board. Replays are not scored.

Tips

• In a cryptogram, start with short words. A one-letter word is A or I, and THE is the commonest three-letter word.
• With several rings, solve one at a time. A ring clunks when its words read.
• The Eyepiece shows which stamps are right. It and the Hint button are both counted on your result card.
• A given letter can't be lifted, and its plain letter can't go anywhere else.