A Child's Garden of Cyphers

A Child’s Garden of Cyphers was a book written by Orrin Oscar Lutwidge using the alias “Orson Orville Liddell” and published by his company “Liddell and Lewis Publishers” in 1947.

Something in the Sea
Mark Meltzer used this book to decipher the symbol code on several puzzle boxes which he found while searching for his kidnapped daughter, Cindy.

This symbol code, referred to as “Lutwidgian cipher” covers the outside of the Lunchbox Puzzle and is used in unlocking the various levels of the Metal Box. It can also be seen on the cover of the book itself where it forms a rectangular border around the title. This border, when decoded, reveals the message:

(starting from the top left reading to the right:)
 * “Yawn not darer and wander nary/ Be warned and ready/ Dawn’s ray nears/ Will my wander’r nay”

(reading in the opposite direction down the left side:)


 * “Read now and be wary”

Notably, many word combinations in this message form an anagram of “Andrew Ryan”:


 * Yawn + darer: Andrew Ryan


 * Wander + nary: Andrew Ryan


 * Wander’r + nay: Andrew Ryan