Alan Turing and the Codebreaking Machine

An illustrated inventions story from Wonder Inventions — free to read, with narration.

Alan Turing and the Codebreaking Machine — an illustrated inventions story. 10 illustrated pages, free to read on Wonder Inventions.

Alan Turing and the Codebreaking Machine — book cover — Wonder Inventions
Alan Turing and the Codebreaking Machine — an illustrated inventions story. 10 illustrated pages, free to read on Wonder Inventions.

Page 1

Rafael sighed, kicking a loose stone along the cobblestone path. "Another day, another load of coal to haul," he grumbled. Oscar, his friend, skipped ahead.
Rafael sighed, kicking a loose stone along the cobblestone path. "Another day, another load of coal to haul," he grumbled. Oscar, his friend, skipped ahead. "Cheer up, Rafael! At least it's cool down here in the tunnels beneath the village. Besides," Oscar added, pointing his flashlight at a strange, glowing symbol etched into the tunnel wall, "what do you think this is?"

Rafael sighed, kicking a loose stone along the cobblestone path. "Another day, another load of coal to haul," he grumbled. Oscar, his friend, skipped ahead. "Cheer up, Rafael! At least it's cool down here in the tunnels beneath the village. Besides," Oscar added, pointing his flashlight at a strange, glowing symbol etched into the tunnel wall, "what do you think this is?"

Page 2

Rafael shrugged, but his curiosity was piqued. Back at his family's small cottage, Rafael helped his mom set the table for supper.
Rafael shrugged, but his curiosity was piqued. Back at his family's small cottage, Rafael helped his mom set the table for supper. "Pass me the candle, please," she said, nodding toward the shelf. That sparked a thought in Rafael's mind: 'How did people even see in the dark before candles?'"

Rafael shrugged, but his curiosity was piqued. Back at his family's small cottage, Rafael helped his mom set the table for supper. "Pass me the candle, please," she said, nodding toward the shelf. That sparked a thought in Rafael's mind: 'How did people even see in the dark before candles?'"

Page 3

That night, after supper, Rafael raced to his room, his mind buzzing. His room was filled with gadgets, gizmos, and scientific diagrams tacked to the walls.
That night, after supper, Rafael raced to his room, his mind buzzing. His room was filled with gadgets, gizmos, and scientific diagrams tacked to the walls. He pulled a large, leather-bound book from his shelf - his 'Invention Encyclopedia.' As he opened it, the room began to spin, and a bright light engulfed him.

That night, after supper, Rafael raced to his room, his mind buzzing. His room was filled with gadgets, gizmos, and scientific diagrams tacked to the walls. He pulled a large, leather-bound book from his shelf - his 'Invention Encyclopedia.' As he opened it, the room began to spin, and a bright light engulfed him.

Page 4

Rafael stumbled, landing hard on cobblestones. The air was thick with smoke and the clatter of machinery. "Where am I?" he wondered aloud.
Rafael stumbled, landing hard on cobblestones. The air was thick with smoke and the clatter of machinery. "Where am I?" he wondered aloud. A man with glasses and a rumpled suit hurried past, muttering, "We must break the code! Time is running out!" He noticed a poster on the wall: 'Bletchley Park, 1941.'

Rafael stumbled, landing hard on cobblestones. The air was thick with smoke and the clatter of machinery. "Where am I?" he wondered aloud. A man with glasses and a rumpled suit hurried past, muttering, "We must break the code! Time is running out!" He noticed a poster on the wall: 'Bletchley Park, 1941.'

Page 5

Suddenly, a tall woman with curly brown hair approached. "You must be the new recruit," she said briskly. "I'm Astrid. Come with me. We're on a tight schedule.
Suddenly, a tall woman with curly brown hair approached. "You must be the new recruit," she said briskly. "I'm Astrid. Come with me. We're on a tight schedule. Dr. Turing is waiting to explain the intricacies of the Enigma machine."

Suddenly, a tall woman with curly brown hair approached. "You must be the new recruit," she said briskly. "I'm Astrid. Come with me. We're on a tight schedule. Dr. Turing is waiting to explain the intricacies of the Enigma machine."

Page 6

Inside a large room filled with complex machinery, a man with slightly disheveled hair and a thoughtful expression stood before a giant machine.
Inside a large room filled with complex machinery, a man with slightly disheveled hair and a thoughtful expression stood before a giant machine. "Welcome," he said, adjusting his tie. "I'm Alan Turing. As the ancient Greek philosopher Plato said, 'Human behavior flows from three main sources: desire, emotion, and knowledge.' We must use all three to understand this machine and break the code."

Inside a large room filled with complex machinery, a man with slightly disheveled hair and a thoughtful expression stood before a giant machine. "Welcome," he said, adjusting his tie. "I'm Alan Turing. As the ancient Greek philosopher Plato said, 'Human behavior flows from three main sources: desire, emotion, and knowledge.' We must use all three to understand this machine and break the code."

Page 7

"This, Rafael, is the Bombe," Turing explained, pointing to the machine. "The Germans are using the Enigma machine to encrypt their messages, and we need to…
"This, Rafael, is the Bombe," Turing explained, pointing to the machine. "The Germans are using the Enigma machine to encrypt their messages, and we need to decipher them to win the war. Each Enigma message was costing the Allies vital resources, so much so that analysts estimated that codebreaking efforts saved '14 million tons of shipping.'" Rafael's eyes widened. "But how does it work?"

"This, Rafael, is the Bombe," Turing explained, pointing to the machine. "The Germans are using the Enigma machine to encrypt their messages, and we need to decipher them to win the war. Each Enigma message was costing the Allies vital resources, so much so that analysts estimated that codebreaking efforts saved '14 million tons of shipping.'" Rafael's eyes widened. "But how does it work?"

Page 8

"It uses electrical power to rapidly test different Enigma settings," Turing said. "It's not perfect. We encountered many errors when building it.
"It uses electrical power to rapidly test different Enigma settings," Turing said. "It's not perfect. We encountered many errors when building it. For example, the original drum was too heavy for the electric motors so it was scaled down." Suddenly, alarms blared. "A new message! Quick, everyone to your stations!" Turing shouted.

"It uses electrical power to rapidly test different Enigma settings," Turing said. "It's not perfect. We encountered many errors when building it. For example, the original drum was too heavy for the electric motors so it was scaled down." Suddenly, alarms blared. "A new message! Quick, everyone to your stations!" Turing shouted.

Page 9

As the Bombe whirred and clicked, Rafael remembered the strange glowing symbol he saw in the coal mine tunnels. He quickly sketched it in his notebook. "Dr.
As the Bombe whirred and clicked, Rafael remembered the strange glowing symbol he saw in the coal mine tunnels. He quickly sketched it in his notebook. "Dr. Turing!" he exclaimed. "That symbol... it might be a clue! An engineer that worked in Bletchley Park estimated that 'using all Bombes available, between 1939 and 1945, at least 2.5 million Enigma messages were deciphered.'" Turing looked at the symbol, his eyes widening.

As the Bombe whirred and clicked, Rafael remembered the strange glowing symbol he saw in the coal mine tunnels. He quickly sketched it in his notebook. "Dr. Turing!" he exclaimed. "That symbol... it might be a clue! An engineer that worked in Bletchley Park estimated that 'using all Bombes available, between 1939 and 1945, at least 2.5 million Enigma messages were deciphered.'" Turing looked at the symbol, his eyes widening.

Page 10

"You're right!" Turing shouted. "That's the key to unlocking a hidden setting!" He quickly adjusted the Bombe, and moments later, a string of letters appeared.
"You're right!" Turing shouted. "That's the key to unlocking a hidden setting!" He quickly adjusted the Bombe, and moments later, a string of letters appeared. "We've cracked the code!" Back in his room, Rafael closed the Invention Encyclopedia. He ran downstairs. "Mom, I know how important electricity is! And engineering! It can even help break codes!" He couldn't wait to see what invention he would discover next.

"You're right!" Turing shouted. "That's the key to unlocking a hidden setting!" He quickly adjusted the Bombe, and moments later, a string of letters appeared. "We've cracked the code!" Back in his room, Rafael closed the Invention Encyclopedia. He ran downstairs. "Mom, I know how important electricity is! And engineering! It can even help break codes!" He couldn't wait to see what invention he would discover next.

About this story

  • Audience: kids (ages 6–12)

Questions and answers

Questions and answers about Alan Turing and the Codebreaking Machine

Read Wonder Inventions on your phone

Wonder Inventions is available on Android. Get Wonder Inventions on Google Play.

More Wonder Inventions stories

All Wonder Inventions stories · Open the library