The Meccano Magazine

Discussion in 'Postwar' started by papiermache, Mar 20, 2021.

  1. papiermache

    papiermache Well-Known Member

    From the page headed:
    "Fireside Fun" in the magazine for June 1954.

    "Can You Decipher This Message?"

    " Police were expecting a crook to disclose his movements in a message to his confederate. On interception the message read as follows:

    113120718122519514419120

    (Signed) 1212
     
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  2. papiermache

    papiermache Well-Known Member

    " The key to the secret message lies in the signature '1212'. This told the confederate to take one numeral and then two numerals and so on alternately, and then to convert the numbers into letters accodring to their position in the alphabet."

    AM AT GRAVESEND SAT.
     
  3. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    Just as well most of us were not in charge at Bletchley Park
     
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  4. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    :mad: didnt see you there - where were you !! :unsure:

    TD
     
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  5. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    Methinks my deciphering skills would be

    Send reinforcements. We are going to advance.

    Send three and fourpence. We are going to a dance.
     
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  6. Tony56

    Tony56 Member Patron

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  7. papiermache

    papiermache Well-Known Member

    From February 1954 "Fireside Fun" :

    " A bank clerk placed 1,000 £1 notes in 10 piles, in such a way that he could make up any amount required without untying the 10 separate bundles.

    How many notes were there in each of the 10 piles?"

    Joke in March edition:

    Teacher: "Johnny Jones, spell 'weather' "

    Johnny: " W e t t h u r "

    Teacher: " Well, that's the worst spell of weather we've had for a long time."
     
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  8. timuk

    timuk Well-Known Member

    That number is imprinted in my memory from hearing so often on the radio during the 50s and 60s
    "..........................anyone with information, telephone Whitehall 1212". That along with the police telephone boxes flashing to attract the nearest constable.

    Tim
     
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  9. papiermache

    papiermache Well-Known Member

    See here for an article concerning BBC distress messages:

    The personal SOS messages the BBC used to send

    Apparently the 1212 number is still used to contact the police, but not urgently, preceded by 0300 123...

    The answer to the question:

    " The solution to the puzzle concerning the bank clerk is as follows: the numbers of bank notes in the 10 separate bundles were respectively 1,2,4,8,16,32,63,126,254,493."

    Screen Shot 2021-03-22 at 09.19.52.png
     

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