Friday 20-Minute Challenge Kit #1: Cryptic Word Ciphers & Team Speed Quiz

1. Facilitator Instructions

• Setup Time: 5 minutes. Post the cipher and rules in your team Slack/Teams channel.

• Timer: Set a countdown clock for 20 minutes.

• Scoring Breakdown: 3 rounds of ciphers. 300 points per solved cipher. 100 bonus points for completing all 3 within 15 minutes.

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2. Team Ciphers Handout (Copy/Paste Ready)

• Cipher 1 (Caesar Shift +3): WKH VHFUHW WR VSHHG LV IRFXV

• Cipher 2 (Anagram Reversal): EMOCLEW OT EHT ETOMER BZPULE BULC

• Cipher 3 (A1Z26 Numeric): 20-5-1-13-19-15-12-22-5-4

Task: Decrypt all three phrases and submit the master message.

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3. Sealed Answer Key & Debrief

• Cipher 1: "THE SECRET TO SPEED IS FOCUS" (Shift back by 3)

• Cipher 2: "WELCOME TO THE REMOTE PUZZLE CLUB" (Word reversal)

• Cipher 3: "TEAM SOLVED" (1=A, 2=B, etc.)

• Debrief Questions:

  • What pattern recognition strategies worked best?

  • How did your team divide and conquer the 3 different puzzles?