Pigpen / Masonic cipher

Pigpen cipher decoder

Match each mark in your clue to the visual key, build the symbol sequence, and decode it as plain text.

01 / Decoder

Build the ciphertext

Common 26-letter key
Grid–grid–X–X mapping A–I use an undotted 3×3 grid; J–R repeat those cells with dots; S–V use undotted X sections; W–Z repeat those sections with dots.

Selected symbols

0 / 300 items

Choose matching symbols from the key below.

Pigpen has no standard Unicode alphabet, so this decoder accepts its own drawn keys instead of pasted look-alike characters or font glyphs. Each space also counts as one item.

Symbol keypad and exact key

Activate the symbol that matches your clue. The letter beneath each shape is the plaintext assigned by this decoder.

Undotted grid · A–I

Rows: ABC / DEF / GHI

Dotted grid · J–R

Rows: JKL / MNO / PQR

Undotted X · S–V

Order: top / left / right / bottom

Dotted X · W–Z

Order: top / left / right / bottom

Decoder messages

Ready. Choose the first symbol from the key.

02 / Result

Decoded text

No result yet

The result uses uppercase A–Z and the spaces you add. Changing the selected symbols clears this result until you decode again.

03 / Guide

How to read this key

  1. Match the outline first. For A–R, choose the grid cell whose surrounding lines match the mark. For S–Z, choose the matching top, left, right, or bottom section of the X.
  2. Check the dot. No dot selects A–I or S–V. A dot selects the same outline in J–R or W–Z.
  3. Build words in order. Add a space where the clue separates words, use Backspace for a mistaken choice, then decode and copy the plaintext.

Mapping used

Undotted grid
A B C / D E F / G H I, read left to right and top to bottom.
Dotted grid
J K L / M N O / P Q R in the same nine cell positions.
Undotted X
S, T, U, V in top, left, right, bottom order.
Dotted X
W, X, Y, Z in top, left, right, bottom order.

Limits and security

  • This tool supports only the mapping shown above, with separate letters I/J and U/V. Keys that rotate or reorder the X, put the X between the two grids, use a keyword, merge letters, or use a Rosicrucian layout are not interchangeable.
  • It does not scan photos, recognize handwriting, or decode pasted characters. Pigpen fonts often map ordinary keyboard characters to private visual glyphs, and look-alike Unicode shapes do not define one standard alphabet.
  • The input is limited to 300 symbols and spaces. Punctuation and digits have no entries in this 26-letter key.
  • Pigpen is a monoalphabetic substitution: repeated letters keep repeated shapes and common patterns remain visible. It is useful for puzzles and learning, not for protecting passwords, personal data, or confidential messages.