Coding-Decoding

In Coding decoding will be given a word and its coded form and required to decode the logic behind the
coding. Once you have figured out the logic, you can then apply it to another given word to find its
coded form.

Letter coding:
Letter coding is a method of changing information from its original form into coded messages. It
involves things like converting words or phrases into other words or symbols using specific patterns or
rules.

Number coding:
Number coding is a method of assigning specific numerical values to words, phrases, or numbers
that can later be decrypted using predefined rules. This technique is commonly used in computer
programming and data security and also in covert communication.

Short cut to remember few letters and their codes:

F – 6(Key in computer board)
G – 7 (G-7 Countries)
H–8
J – 10 (Jockey)
K -11 (kings 11 Punjab)
L – 12 (Twelve)
M -13 & W – 23
P – 16
T – 20 (T -20 Matches)
V – 22 (Victory Symbol)

Reverse coding:
If A = Z; (from beginning first letter is A & from end first letter is Z)
B = Y; (from beginning second letter is B & from end second letter is Y)
………..
P =?
Note: Sum of two letters must be 27, Ex: A + Z = 1 + 26 = 27
P = 16 and need 11 i.e. K
(Or)
Short codes
AZ = Azharuddin; BY = Boy; CX = Six
DW = Dynamic Women; EV = LOVE or Electric vehicle; FU = Fun
GT = Grand Test; HS = High Score;
IR = IRS or Indian Railways; JQ =……..
KP = Kapil Dev; LO = LOVE; MN = Man

Standard Types of Questions:

 Letter Coding
 Number & Symbol Coding
 Mixed Coding
 Substitution
 Coding-Decoding
8. If in a certain code language ‘PUT’ is
Foundation Questions: written as ‘57’, then how will ‘BAT’ be
Coding Based on Rearrangement of Letters written in that language?
(a) 25 (b) 60
1. If in a certain code language ‘THREAT’ is (c) 55 (d) 23
written as ‘RHTTAE’, then how Will
‘PEARLY’ be written in that code? 9. If in a certain code language ‘AT’ is written
(a) EAPLRY (b) AEPLRY as ‘20’, ‘BAT’ is written as ‘40’, then how
(c) AEPLYR (d) AEPYLR will ‘CAT’ be written in that language?
(a) 30 (b) 50
2. If in a certain code language (c) 60 (d) 70
‘TELANGANA’ is written as
‘ELNATAGNA’, then how will ‘CREATE’ 10. If in a certain code language ‘DEW’ is
be written in that language? written as ‘1625529’, ‘GET’ is written as
(a) RETCAE (b) RETACE ‘4925400’, then how will be ‘two’ is written
(c) RTECAE (d) TERCAE in that language?
(a) 400529522
Coding Based on Replacement of Letters (b) 400529225
(c) 400925225
3. If in a certain code language ‘TREND’ is (d) 400225925
written as ‘USFOE’, then how will ‘ENTRY’
be written in that code? 11. If ‘REASON’ is coded as 5 and ‘BELIEVED’
(a) GNUSZ (b) FOUSZ as 7, what is the code number for
(c) FUDSZ (d) FOUZS ‘GOVERNMENT’?
(a) 10 (b) 6
4. If in a certain code language ‘NAME’ is (c) 9 (d) 8
written as ‘OYPA’, then how will ‘TEAM’
be coded in that language? 12. If E = 5 & HOTEL = 12, then LAMB =?
(a) UCDI (b) UCID (a) 7 (b) 10
(c) UICD (d) UDCI (c) 26 (d) 28

Opposite Letters Coding 13. If RAIN = 8$%6, MORE= 7#8@ then

REMAIN =?
5. If in a certain code language ‘NOTION’ is (a) #@7$%6 (b) #@&$%6
written as ‘MLGRLM’, then how will (c) 8@#$%6 (d) 8@7$%6
‘VECTOR’ be written in that language?
(a) EVXLGI (b) EVGXIL Study the following information carefully and
(c) EVXGIL (d) EVXGLI answer the questions (for [Link] 14& 15) given
below it:
Coding of Letters by Their Left & Right Letters In below table
LETTER P N A J I R E B U K
6. If in a certain code language ‘BAT’ is DIGIT CODE 5 3 9 1 4 6 2 7 0 8
written as ‘ACZBSU’, then how will ‘SIX’ be
written in that code? CONDITIONS
(a) RTHJYW (b) RHTJYW 1. If both the first and the last letters in the
(c) RTHWJY (d) RTHJWY group are vowels, both should be coded as $
2. If both the first and the last letters in the
7. If in a certain code language ‘BOMBAY’ is group are CONSONANTS, both should be
written as ‘MYMYMY’, then how will coded as #
‘TAMILNADU’ be written in that code’ 14. What is the code for RBUKAE?
(a) TIATIATIA (b) MNUMNUMNU (a) #70892 (b) 670892
(c) MNDMNDMND (d) ALDALDALD (c) 670982 (d) 607892
Number Coding
15. What is the code for KUNAJB?
 Coding-Decoding
(a) 803917 (b) #0395# occupies, then which one of the following
(c) #0391# (d) $0391$ represents “LUCKNOW"? (CSAT 2022)
(a) OGXPMLD
Coding by Substitution/Word Replacement (b) OGXQMLE
(c) OFXPMLE
16. In a certain code language “PRE NOT BIS
(d) OFXPMLD
“means “SMOKING IS HARMFUL“&“VOT
DOR NOT “means “AVOID HARMFUL 3. In a code language ‘MATHEMATICS’ is
written as LBSIDNZUHDR’. How is
HABIT “& “DOR BIS YEL” means ‘CHEMISTRY’ written in that code
“PLEASE AVOID SMOKING “. What is language? (UPSC CSAT 2021)
(a) DIDLHRSSX
the code for HABIT? (b) BIDNHTSSX
(a) NOT (b) DOR (c) BIDLHTSSX
(d) DGFLIRUQZ
(c) VOT (d) BIS
4. In the English alphabet, the first 4 letters are
17. If ‘green’ is called ‘red’, ‘red’ is called ‘blue’, written in opposite order, and the next 4
‘blue’ is called ‘white’, ‘white’ is called letters are written in opposite order and so
‘yellow’, ‘yellow’ is called ‘pink’, then what on; and at the end Y and Z are
is the colour of grass? interchanged. Which will be the fourth
(a) Blue (b) Yellow letter to the right of the 13thletter? (UPSC
(c) Violet (d) Red CSAT 2021)
(a) N
18. If ‘milk’ is called ‘curd’, ‘curd’ is called (b) T
‘salt’, ‘salt’ is called ‘sugar’, ‘sugar’ is called (c) H
‘water’, then what is used to make tea (d) I
sweet?
(a) salt (b) curd
5. The letters from A to Z are numbered from
(c) sugar (d) water
1 to 26 respectively. If GHI = 1578 and DEF
= 912, then what is ABC equal to? (UPSC
19. If “Fabulous” is coded as “61233631”, then
CSAT 2020)
what will be the code for “Square”?
(a) 492
(a) 192114 (b) 103195
(c) 1918135 (d) 183195 (b) 468
(c) 262
20. If “ACE” is coded as “0-78-620”, then what (d) 246
will be the code for “BAD”?
(a) 14-0-252 (b) 16-0-248 6. If every alternative letter of the English
(c) 62-0-4100 (d) 16-0-4096 alphabet from B onwards (including B) is
written in lower case (small letters) and the
UPSC PYQS remaining letters are capitalized, then how
is the first month of second half of the year
1. If ‘ZERO’ is written as ‘CHUR’, then how is written? (UPSC CSAT 2019)
‘PLAYER’ written? (CSAT 2023) (a) JuLY
(a) SOCAGT (b) JUly
(b) SODBGT
(c) jUlY
(c) SODBHT
(d) SODBHU (d) julY

2. If the order of the letters in the English 7. If LSJXVC is the code for MUMBAI, the
alphabet is reversed and each letter code for DELHI? (UPSC CSAT 2018)
represents the letter whose position it (a) CCIDD
(b) CDKGF
 Coding-Decoding
(c) CCJFG (a) 1
(d) CCIFE (b) 4
(c) 3
8. If RAMON is written as 12345, and (d) 5
DINESH as 675849, then HAMAM will be
written as? (UPSC CSAT 2018)
14. If NO is coded as 210, NOT is coded as 4200
(a) 92233
and NOTE is coded as 21000, then how is
(b) 92323 NOTES codes? (CSAT 2025)
(c) 93322 (a) 399000
(d) 93232 (b) 420000
(c) 440000
9. In a certain code, '256' means 'red colour (d) 630000
chalk', '589' means "green colour flower' and
'254' means 'white colour chalk'. The digit in 15. If FRANCE is coded as 654321 and
the code that indicates 'white' is (CSAT GERMANY is coded as 9158437, then how
2017) is YEMEN coded? (CSAT 2025)
(a) 2
(b) 4 (a) 54321
(c) 5
(d) 8 (b) 81913

10. A military code writes SYSTEM as SYSMET (c) 71913

and NEARER as AENRER. Using the same
code, FRACTION can be written as: (CSAT (d) 71813
2016)
(a) CARFTION 16. In a certain code if 64 is written as 343 and
(b) FRACNOIT 216 is written as 729, then how is 512
written in that code? (CSAT 2025)
(c) NOITCARF
(d) CARFNOIT (a) 1000
11. If in a certain code, 'ABCD' is written as 24
(b) 1331
and 'EFGH' is written as 1680, then how is
'IJKL' written in that code? (CSAT 2024)
(c) 1728
(a) 11880
(b) 11240
(d) 2197
(c) 7920
(d) 5940

12. If in a certain code, 'POT' is written as

ATOP and 'TRAP' is written as APART.
Then how is 'ARENA' written in that code?
(CSAT 2024)
(a) AARENA
(b) AANREA
(c) AANEAR
(d) AANERA

13. Cryptic language is popular since ages,

mostly in the field of espionage and sending
classified messages. If 'I LOVE YOU' is
coded as 7, then how would you code 'GO
TO HELL' in the same language? (UPSC
IES 2023)