There is a classic moment in A Christmas Story when Ralphie, a dedicated member of Little Orphan Annie’s radio club, receives his decoder ring. Now, he can decipher the messages that only holders of the ring understand. Rushing to the bathroom…
During the Spanish-American War, an equally frustrating drama ensued over the use of a cipher typewriter. This story is from the Evening Times (Washington, D.C.), October 21, 1898:

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