Here is a nice big scan of a 1940's Green Lama Club card. Print it out, sign it, and enjoy all of the extended privileges! I'm going to have to find and post the secret code key, though, so you'll be able to understand any instructions the Green Lama may send to you...
Some of the premiums were a part of the show: the propeller spinning medal had the secret word "COBRALHOFA" on it. The word was not so secret, however, as it was regularly announced on the series, though never spelled. During the time that Chuck was captured in some 1940 episodes, he would send out messages to the Captain which were coded messages. By taking a message and selecting every tenth word, the messages could be translated. Why ten? Because the COBRALHOFA was equal to ten letters. For example, one message was:
"Hello, Captain Midnight and everybody. It sure seems a long time since I have seen you and the old home at Black Gulch. I am feeling fine. This is on my word of honor. Do as Ivan Shark asks, flying to any point he says as swiftly as an arrow. Ivan Shark is a snake, a Cobra but..."
The second message was almost the same as the first in that the code words were repeated. Captain Midnight discovered that every tenth word in both messages were the same. He also knew that the coded words corresponded to the last five letters of the secret password, COBRALHOFA and that it was intentional for Chuck to use the word Cobra:
"Hello, Captain Midnight and everybody. Please do not delay long. Fly where Ivan Shark says. I will not be home again if you refuse. To do all these things on my account is a lot, I know. Remember that flying to Ivan Shark's direction as straight as an arrow is essential..."
Captain Midnight figured that Chuck would send a third message using the first part of the secret password which he alluded to in the earliest message. And a third arrived:
"Hello Captain Midnight. This is your last chance to come to an agreement with Ivan Shark. Please think it over. If you do not aggree, this will be the bridge that will separate us forever. You should do the right thing. The thing that will surely bring us together at last..."
Once all the messages were placed in the order of the secret word, the message gave away Ivan Shark's hiding place:
COBRALHOFA*************************************************
Come Over Bridge Right At Long Home On Flying Arrow
My buddy (and fellow TOTM'er) Jason just gave me this SPIFFY watch. Since there were no "proper" premiums for the incredible I Love A Mystery series (other than a few photographs of the cast members), this is about as close as anyone can come to having a decoder badge or glow-in-the-dark ring for the show.
Here's a shot (taken at a remote spot on the lunar surface, obviously!) of the 1940 Buck Rogers Rubber Band Gun! Originally offered by Onward School Supplies, this is a parody version offered by TOTM. Although I printed this onto cardstock and reinforced it with a layer of clear packing tape, it is still pretty flimsy. If you intend to use yours more than a few times, I would suggest printing it on regular paper and then gluing the paper to heavier stock (like a cereal box, or a comic book backing board). And even though this probably wasn't a radio premium (just a local business premium), Buck Rogers was on the radio. And I thought it was cool. So there. Try it out!
Here we have a 1943 Lone Ranger "Cryptograph Decoder", all set for the 2007 audience (both of you!). Of course, since it was wartime in 1943, many homefront resources were reserved for the war effort...hence the disappearance of those substantial metal decoders, leaving reams of disappointing paper ones in their wake. If there were ever any rubber or beefsteak decoders, they would have gone away, too.
Here’s a picture of the 1937 Radio Orphan Annie Silver Star Member "Secret Message" Ring. Way back then (gee, seventy years ago!) in order to achieve Silver Star status, young consumers, er, listeners were supposed to tell at least three friends about the benefits of drinking Ovaltine, and get each friend to give them an inner seal from an Ovaltine container, and then mail in all the seals. These special members received an official folder of "Special Secrets". Each year there was a slightly different silver-plated Silver Star ring. If you happen to have one of these in your drawer at home, take care of it – it’s worth several hundred dollars these days.
Use your 1937 Radio Orphan Annie "Sunburst" Decoder Badge to solve the secret message on the ring. If you don't happen to have a 1937 decoder, you can probably figure it out with a pencil and paper, plus this decoding primer that I lifted from somewhere (I forget where). Here's a helpful hint: the secret message starts off with: "I am a Silver Star Member".
How to solve a cipher
Solving substitution ciphers might seem hard at first, especially when you have no clues to go by, but it's not as difficult at it seems.
The key is to look for familiar elements. For instance, look for two-letter words, which most likely will be words like an, so, it, to, is, etc.
Also, look for double-letter combinations within words, which most likely will be oo, ss, ee, etc.
If you see the same three-letter word combination more than once within a phrase, chances are it will be the word "the", although other words are possible.
It also helps to remember the frequency with which we use letters of the alphabet. Here are the top 10 letters of the alphabet in order of frequency: E T A O N R I S H D. In a cipher, if you see one letter used often, chances are it's E, T, A or O.
The best thing to do is just plunge ahead with a hunch and see if it leads you anywhere. For instance, if you think a particular letter equals E, put down E on all those letters and work from there. You might have to backtrack and use other letters, but that's part of the fun of solving ciphers.
Facts to remember:
Most common 2-letter words - of to in it is be as so we he by or on if me my up an go no us am
Most common 3-letter words - the and for are but not you all any can had her was one our day get has
Most common 4-letter words - that with have this will your from want been good some time very when come here just
Most frequent letters - e t a o i n s r h l d c u m f p g w y b v k x j q z
Most frequent double letters - LL EE SS OO TT FF RR NN PP CC
*
More than 50% of all English words begin with: T, A, O, S, or W.
* More than 50% of all English words end with: E, S, D, or T.
* When F is the final letter of a word, the letter before it is usually O.
* When H is the final letter of a word, the letter before it is often G.
* When G is the final letter of a word, it is frequently part of ING.
HAPPY DECODING!
