TUTORIALS › VERBAL REASONING

Word-Number Codes

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In a word-number code, every letter has its own secret number.
That number never changes throughout the puzzle.

C
IS
2
A
IS
1
T
IS
3
S
IS
4
C↓2A↓1T↓3S↓4=2134
Introduction

Every letter has a secret number

In 11+ word-number code questions, every letter in the puzzle maps to a fixed number. Once you know one letter's code, it applies everywhere it appears.

VERBAL REASONING

About the Word-Number Codes lesson

In a word-number code, each letter stands for a fixed number. The question gives a few words with their codes and asks for the code of a new word, or the word behind a new code. In this lesson your child matches codes to words and watches each discovery carry across the puzzle.

The main skill is deduction. Once one letter is known, it is known everywhere it appears. Children learn to start with the shortest word or the letter that repeats, and to use shared letters to unlock the rest.

Worked example

Question: CATS is coded 2134. What is the code for ACT?

Answer: C is 2, A is 1, T is 3 and S is 4. ACT uses A, C and T, so its code is 1, 2, 3, which is 123. The new word reuses letters we already know.

Who it suits

This lesson suits children aged 8 to 11 who like puzzles, and those who give up on code questions because there is too much to track. It teaches a tidy way to keep notes.

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