Coding - Decoding

A CODE is a 'system of signals'. Therefore, Coding is a method of transmitting a message

between the sender and the receiver without a third person knowing it. The Coding and
Decoding Test is set up to judge the candidate's ability to decipher the rule that codes a
particular word/message and break the code to decipher the message
Types:
Type 1: Letter Coding
Type 2: Direct Letter Coding
Type 3: Number/Symbol Coding
Type 4: Matrix Coding
Type 5: Substitution
Type 6: Deciphering Message Word Codes
Type 7: Deciphering Number and Symbol Codes for Messages
Type 8: Jumbled Coding

Type 1: Letter Coding

In these questions, the letters in a word are replaced by certain other letters according to a
specific rule to form its code. The candidate is required to detect the coding pattern/rule and
answer the questions accordingly.
Problems
1. If in a certain code, LUTE is written as MUTE and FATE is written as GATE, then how
will BLUE be written in that code? (Bank P.O 2004)
(a) CLUE (b) FLUE (c) GLUE (d) SLUE

2. If in a certain language, MADRAS is coded as NBESBT, how is BOMBAY coded in that

language?(M.A.T. 2004)
(a) CPNCBX (b)CPNCBZ (c) CPOCBZ (d) CQOCBZ (e) None of these

3. If FISH is written as EHRG in a certain code, how would JUNGLE be written in that code?
(a)ITMFKD (b) ITNFKD (c) KVOHMF (d) TIMFKD (S.S.C. 2000)

4. In a certain code, TWINKLE is written as SVHOJKD, then how would FILTERS be written
in the same code? (Agriculture Officers 2005)
(a) EHKSDQR (b)EHKUDQR (c) EGKUDQR (d) GJMSFST (e) None of these

5. In a certain code, ROAD is written as URDG. How is SWAN written in that code?
(a) VXDQ (b) VZDQ (c) VZCP (d) UXDQ (B.T.M 2006)
6. In a certain code language, OPERATION is written as NODQBUJPO. How is INVISIBLE
written in that code?
(a) JOWJTJCMF (b) JOWJTHAKD (c) HMUHTJCMF (d) HMUHTHAKD (e) None of these

7. In a certain code, FAVOUR is written as EBUPTS. How is DANGER written in that code?
(a) CBFFDS (b)CBMHDS (c) EBFHDS (d) EBHHFS

8. If SUMMER is coded as RUNNER, the code for WINTER will be

(a) SUITER (b) WALKER (C) VIOUER (d) SUFFER

9. In a certain code, PRODUCTIONS is written as QQPCVEUHPMT. How is

ORIENTATION written in that code?
(a) PQJDOVBSJNO (b) PQJDOUBUJPO (c) PSJFOVBSJNO (d) NSHFMVBSJNO (e) None
of these

10. If, in a code, MIND becomes KGLB and ARGUE becomes YPESC, then what will
DIAGRAM be in that code?
(a) BGYEPYK (b) BGYPYEK (c) GLPEYKB (d) LKBGYΡΚ

Type 2: Direct letter coding

What we have studied till now was 'rule-coding' in which letters were assigned codes
according to a set pattern or rule concerning the movement or reordering of letters and one
needs to detect this hidden rule to decode a message But, sometimes, particular letters are
made codes for particular letters without there being any set pattern. For example, let us
consider a language in which A is coded as W, C as P, E as T, L as Z, S as B and T as K. Then,
the code for CASTLE in that language is PWBKZT. Such type of coding is called direct-
coding. In direct-coding, the code letters occur in the same sequence as the corresponding
letters occur in the words. In questions on direct-coding, either the particular codes of letters
are given or the codes of two or more words are given and one is asked to find the codes of
given words involving only those letters for which the codes have already been mentioned
Problems
1. If in a certain code, O is written as E, A as C, M as I, S as O, N as P, E as M, I as A, Pas N
and C as S, then how will COMPANIES be written in that code? (Bank P.O 2004)
(a) SMINCРАМO (b) SEIACPАМО (c)SEINCPAMO (d) SEINCΡΜΙΟ (e) Nor None of these

Directions (Questions 2 to 10): The word 'DELIBERATION' has been written in four different
code languages as shown against (A), (B), (C) and (D) below, followed by ten words as ten
questions. In each question, the word at the top is written in four different codes, only one of
which is same as one of the four code languages in which 'DELIBERATION' has been written.
The alternative with that code is your answer.
DELIBERATION
(A) mgaslgdnesbr (B) fmasgmdnesbr (C) fpasgpxutsnr (D) rpxslpdglsnt

2 BROAD
(a) gpndf (b) ldbnm (c) Ingdf (d) gnudj

3. RATE
(a) dnlg (b) dglm (c) xwep (d) dnem

4. NATION
(a) rntsbr (b) tgesnt (c) rutsnr (d) rgesbr

5. LENIENT
(a) agrsgre (b) amtsmte (c) aprsmrt (d) xptsmti

[Link]
(a) rmnx (b) rpnd (c) rpnx (d) tpgd

[Link]
(a)exnmg (b) ednfm (c) txnjp(d) idgjp

8. NOTE
(a) rbem (b) rpeg (c) rnep (d) tbip

9. LEADER
(a) amufmd (b) apnmpd (c) apnfpx (d) xpgrpd

10. BRAIN
(a) gxnsr (b) ldusr (c) gxusr (d) ldnst

Type 3: Number/ Symbol coding

In these questions, either numerical code values are assigned to a word or alphabetical code
letters are assigned to the numbers. The candidate is required to analyse the code as per the
[Link], letters and numbers are correlated to each other in no other way except in
relation to the position of the letters in the English alphabet. So, either this relation holds or
the coding has to be done as per a set of given rules. In all other cases, the question is one of
direct-coding.
Problems
1. If AT = 20, BAT = 40, then CAT then CAT will be equal to
(a) 30 (b) 50 (6) 60 (d) 70

2. If ZIP = 198 and ZAP = 246, then how will you code VIP?
(a) 174 (b) 222 (c) 888 (d) 990 (B.B.S 2004)

3. If DEER = 12215 and HIGH = 5645, how will you code HEEL? (M.A.T 2002)
(a) 2328 (b) 3449 (c) 4337 (d) 5229

4. If E =5 and HOTEL = 12, how will you code LAMB?(S.S.C 2001)

(a) 7 (b) 10 (c) 26 (d) 28

5. If ZEBRA can be written as 2652181, how can COBRA be written? (S.S.C 2002)
(a) 302181 (b) 3152181 (c) 31822151 (d) 1182153

6. If WORK is coded as 4-12-9-16, then how will you code WOMAN? (R.R.B 2002)
(a) 4-12-14-26-13 (b) 4-26-14-13-12 (c) 23-12-26-14-13 (d) 23-15-13-1-14 (e) None of these

7. If ACNE can be coded as 3, 7, 29, 11, then BOIL will be coded as

(a) 5, 29, 19, 27 (b) 5, 31, 21, 25 (c) 5, 29, 19, 25 (d) 5, 31, 19, 25

8. If O = 16, FOR = 42, then what is FRONT, equal to?

(a) 61 (b) 65 (c) 73 (d) 78

9. If REASON is coded as 5 and BELIEVED as 7, then what is the code for GOVERNMENT?
(a) 6 (b) 8 (c) 9 (d) 10

10. If DRIVER = 12, PEDESTRIAN = 20, ACCIDENT = 16, then CAR =?

(a) 3 (b) 6 (c) 8 (d) 10

Type 4: Matrix coding

In each of the following questions, a word is represented by only one set of numbers as given
in any one of the alternatives. The sets of numbers given in the alternatives are represented by
two classes of alphabets as in the two given matrices. The columns and rows of Matrix I are
numbered from 0 to 4 and those of Matrix II from 5 to 9. A letter from these matrices can be
represented first by its row and then the column number e.g., in the matrices for questions 1
to 4, M can be represented by 14, 21, etc.; O can be represented by 20, 32, etc. Similarly you
have to identify the correct set for the word given in each question.
Problems
 Type 5 : Substitution
In this type of questions, some particular words are assigned certain substituted names. Then
a question is asked that is to be answered in the substituted code language.
Problems
1. If 'white' is called 'blue', 'blue' is called 'red', 'red' is called 'yellow', 'yellow' is called 'green',
'green' is called 'black', 'black' is called 'violet' and 'violet' is called 'orange', what would be
the colour of human blood? (Bank P.O 2002, 03, 04; M.A.T 2004)
(a) Red (b) Green (c)Yellow (d) Violet (e) Orange

2. If 'oranges' are 'apples', 'bananas' are 'apricots', 'apples' are 'chillies', 'apricots' are 'oranges'
and 'chillies' are 'bananas', then which of the following are green in colour?(SCMHRD, 2002)
(a) Apricots (b) Apples (c) Chillies (d) Bananas (e) Oranges

3. If 'pen' is 'table', 'table' is 'fan', 'fan' is 'chair' and 'chair' is 'roof', on which of the following
will a person sit?
(a) Fan (b) Chair (c) Roof (d) Table (e) Pen

4. If 'bat' is 'racket', 'racket' is 'football', 'football' is 'shuttle', 'shuttle' is 'ludo' and 'ludo' is
'carrom', what is cricket played with?
(a) Racket (b) Shuttle (c) Football (d) Carrom (e) Bat

5. If 'sky' is 'star', 'star' is 'cloud', 'cloud' is 'earth', 'earth' is 'tree' and 'tree' is 'book', then where
do the birds fly? (Management Trainees 2005)
(a) Cloud (b) Data inadequate (c) Sky (d) Star (e) None of these

6. If 'room' is called 'bed', 'bed' is called 'window', 'window' is called 'flower' and 'flower' is
called 'cooler', on what would a man sleep?
(a) Window (b) Cooler (c) Bed (d) Flower (e) None of these

7. If 'book' is called 'watch', 'watch' is called 'bag', 'bag' is called 'dictionary' and 'dictionary'
is called 'window', which is used to carry the books?
(a) Dictionary (b) Watch (c) Bag (d) Book (e) None of these

8. If 'cushion' is called 'pillow', 'pillow' is called 'mat', 'mat' is called 'bedsheet' and 'bedsheet'
is called 'cover', which will be spread on the floor?
(a) Cover (b)Bedsheet (c) Mat (d) Pillow (e) None of these

9. If 'orange' is called 'butter', 'butter' is called 'soap', 'soap' is called 'ink', 'ink' is called 'honey'
and 'honey' is called 'orange' which of the following is used for washing clothes?
(a) Honey (b) Butter (c) Soap (d) Ink (e) Orange (Bank P.O 2003)
10. If 'sand' is called 'air', 'air' is called 'plateau', 'plateau' is called 'well', 'well' is called 'island'
and 'island' is called 'sky', then from where will a woman draw?
(a) Well (b) Island (c) Sky (d) Air (e) None of these

Type 6: Deciphering message word codes

In this type of questions, some messages are given in the coded language and the code for a
particular word or message is asked. To analyse such codes, any two messages bearing a
common word are picked up. The common code-word will thus represent that word.
Proceeding similarly by picking up all possible combinations of two, the entire message can
be decoded and the codes for individual words found.
problems
1. In a certain code language, 'col tip mot means 'singing is appreciable', 'mot baj min' means
'dancing is good and tip nop bai means 'singing and dancing, which of the following means
'good' in that code language?( M.A.T 2005)
(a) not (b) baj (c) min (d) None of these (e) Cannot be determined

2. In a certain code language, 'mink yang pe' means 'fruits are ripe', 'pe lao may mink' means
'oranges are not ripe' and 'may pe nue mink' means 'mangoes are not ripe'. Which word in that
language means 'mangoes'?
(a) may (b) pe (c)nue (d) mink

3. In a certain code language, tom kun sud' means 'dogs are barking', 'kun jo mop' means
'dogs and horses' and 'mut tom ko' means 'donkeys are mad'. Which word in that language
means 'barking'?
a) sud (b) kun (c) jo (d) tom (e) ko

4. In a code language, 'mok dan sil' means 'nice big house', 'fit kon dan' means 'house is good'
and 'warm tir fit' means 'cost is high'. Which word stands for 'good' in that language?
(a) mok (b) dan (c) fit (d) kon

5. If 'ski rps tri' stands for 'nice Sunday morning', 'teh sti rps' stands for 'every Tuesday
morning' and 'ski ptr qlm' stands for 'nice market place', which word stands for 'Sunday'?
(a) ski (b) rps (c) tri (d) qlm

6. In a certain language, 'pre nat bis' means ' smoking is harmful', 'vog dor nat' means 'avoid
harmful habiť and 'dor bis yel' means 'please avoid smoking'. Which of the following means
'habit' in that language?
(a)vog (b) nat (c) dor (d) bis (e) None of these
7. In a certain coding system, 'rbm std bro pus' means 'the cat is beautiful', 'tnh pus dim std'
means 'the dog is brown', 'pus dim bro pus cus' means 'the dog has the cat'. What is the code
for 'has'? (M.A.T 1999)
(a) std (b) dim (c)bro (d) cus

8. In a certain code language, 'put tir fin' means 'delicious juicy fruit', 'tie dip sig' means
'beautiful white lily' and 'sig lon fin' means 'lily and fruit. Which of the following stands for
'and' in that language?

(a)lon (b) fin (c) sig (d) None of these

9. In a certain code language, 'dom pul ta' means 'bring hot food', 'pul tir sop' means 'food is
good' and 'tak da sop' means 'good bright boy'. Which of the following does mean 'hot' in that
language?
(a)dom (b) pul (c) ta (d) Cannot be determined (e) None of these

10. In a certain code language, 'po ki top ma' means 'Usha is playing cards', 'kop ja ki ma'
means 'Asha is playing tennis', 'ki top sop ho' means 'they are playing football ' and 'po sur
kop' means ' cards and tennis' which word in that language means. 'Asha'?
(a) ja (b) ma (c) kop (d) top (e) ki

Type 7: Deciphering number and symbol codes for

messages
In this type of questions, a few groups of numbers/symbols, each coding a certain message,
are given. Through a comparison of the given coded messages, taking two at a time, the
candidate is required to find the number/symbol code for each word and then formulate the
code for the given message.
problems
1. In a certain code language, 'pen pencil' is written as '$£', 'eraser sharpener' is written as
'@#' and 'pencil eraser' is written as '$@'. Then, what is the code for 'pen'? (R.B.I 2002)
(α)# (b) $ (c) £ (d) None of these (e) @

2. In a certain code, '786' means 'study very hard', '958' means 'hard work pays' and '645'
means 'study and work'. Which of the following is the code for 'very'? (M.B.A 2005)
(a) 8 (b) 6 (c) 7 (d) None of these (e) Cannot be determined

3. In a certain code language, '123' means 'hot filtered coffee'. '356' means 'very hot day' and
'589' means 'day and night. Which digit stands for 'very'?
(a) 9 (b) 5 (c) 8 (d) 2 (e) 6
4. In a certain code language, '234' means 'spark and fire', '456' means 'spark is cause' and
'258' means 'fire is effect'. Which of the following numerals is used for 'cause'?
(a) 3 (b) 4 (c) 5 (d) 6 (M.B.A 2002)

5. In a certain code language, '253' means 'books are old', '546' means 'man is old' and '378'
means 'buy good books'. What stands for 'are' in that code? (R.R.B 2002)
(a) 2 (b) 4 (c) 5 (d) 6 (e) 9

6. In a certain code, '467' means 'leaves are green', '485' means 'green is good' and '639' means
'they are playing'. Which digit stands for 'leaves' in that code?
(a) 4 (b) 6 (c) 7 (d) 3 (e) None of these

7. In a certain code language, '134' means 'good and tasty', '478' means 'see good pictures'
and '729' means 'pictures are faint'. Which of the following digits stands for 'see'?
(a) 9 (b) 2 (c) 1 (d) 8 (M.A.T. 2001)

8. In a certain code language, '3a, 2b, 7c' means 'truth is eternal'; '7c, 9a, 8b, 3a' means 'enmity
is not eternal' and '9a, 4d, 2b, 8b' means 'truth does not perish'. Which of the following means
'enmity' in that language?
(a) 3a (b) 7c (c) 8b (d) 9a (e) None of these

Type 8: Jumbled coding

In this type of questions, certain sample words are given along with their codes. The candidate
is required to decipher individual codes for different letters by comparing, taking two words
at a time, and then answer the given questions accordingly.