How the Enigma Code Machine Was Built

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

How the Enigma Code Machine Was Built — an illustrated inventions story. 10 illustrated pages, free to read on Wonder Inventions.

How the Enigma Code Machine Was Built — book cover — Wonder Inventions
How the Enigma Code Machine Was Built — an illustrated inventions story. 10 illustrated pages, free to read on Wonder Inventions.

Page 1

Tala bounced on her toes, peering out the window. The tiny houses below were frosted with sugar-like snow, each painted a different bright color.
Tala bounced on her toes, peering out the window. The tiny houses below were frosted with sugar-like snow, each painted a different bright color. "Look, Adam, Mrs. Gable is shoveling her roof again!" she exclaimed, pointing. Adam chuckled, watching the miniature woman struggle with a comically large shovel. "I still can't believe we live inside a snow globe."

Tala bounced on her toes, peering out the window. The tiny houses below were frosted with sugar-like snow, each painted a different bright color. "Look, Adam, Mrs. Gable is shoveling her roof again!" she exclaimed, pointing. Adam chuckled, watching the miniature woman struggle with a comically large shovel. "I still can't believe we live inside a snow globe."

Page 2

"I wonder," Tala mused, turning from the window, "how did people even communicate before phones and the internet?" Adam shrugged, fiddling with a small…
"I wonder," Tala mused, turning from the window, "how did people even communicate before phones and the internet?" Adam shrugged, fiddling with a small, intricately carved wooden train. "Guess they just shouted really loud!" Tala giggled, then raced to her bookshelf, her twin braids flying behind her. "Wait 'til you see what's in here, I bet it will blow your mind!"

"I wonder," Tala mused, turning from the window, "how did people even communicate before phones and the internet?" Adam shrugged, fiddling with a small, intricately carved wooden train. "Guess they just shouted really loud!" Tala giggled, then raced to her bookshelf, her twin braids flying behind her. "Wait 'til you see what's in here, I bet it will blow your mind!"

Page 3

She pulled out a large, ancient-looking book. The cover glowed with a soft, golden light. "The Wonder Invention Encyclopedia!" she exclaimed.
She pulled out a large, ancient-looking book. The cover glowed with a soft, golden light. "The Wonder Invention Encyclopedia!" she exclaimed. Adam looked up, his eyes widening. As Tala opened the book, a whirlwind of sparkling dust filled the room. "Here we go again!", Adam groaned, then watched the room begin to spin.

She pulled out a large, ancient-looking book. The cover glowed with a soft, golden light. "The Wonder Invention Encyclopedia!" she exclaimed. Adam looked up, his eyes widening. As Tala opened the book, a whirlwind of sparkling dust filled the room. "Here we go again!", Adam groaned, then watched the room begin to spin.

Page 4

They landed with a thump in a dimly lit room filled with strange machinery. "Where are we this time?" Adam asked, brushing himself off.
They landed with a thump in a dimly lit room filled with strange machinery. "Where are we this time?" Adam asked, brushing himself off. A stern-looking man with spectacles perched on his nose approached. "Welcome to Bletchley Park, 1940. I am Alan Turing, and you two are not supposed to be here."

They landed with a thump in a dimly lit room filled with strange machinery. "Where are we this time?" Adam asked, brushing himself off. A stern-looking man with spectacles perched on his nose approached. "Welcome to Bletchley Park, 1940. I am Alan Turing, and you two are not supposed to be here."

Page 5

"Bletchley Park? Alan Turing?" Tala gasped, pulling out her notebook. "You're building the Enigma machine! The code-breaking machine that helped win the war!"…
"Bletchley Park? Alan Turing?" Tala gasped, pulling out her notebook. "You're building the Enigma machine! The code-breaking machine that helped win the war!" Alan Turing raised an eyebrow. "Indeed. But it's not just about winning wars, young lady. It's about understanding, about communication, about breaking down barriers between minds."

"Bletchley Park? Alan Turing?" Tala gasped, pulling out her notebook. "You're building the Enigma machine! The code-breaking machine that helped win the war!" Alan Turing raised an eyebrow. "Indeed. But it's not just about winning wars, young lady. It's about understanding, about communication, about breaking down barriers between minds."

Page 6

"But how does it work?" Adam asked, pointing at the machine's complicated wiring. "It's far more complicated than my train, that's for sure!" Turing sighed.
"But how does it work?" Adam asked, pointing at the machine's complicated wiring. "It's far more complicated than my train, that's for sure!" Turing sighed. "The Enigma encrypts messages by scrambling the letters. Each day, the machine is set with a different combination. It's like a complex puzzle, constantly changing."

"But how does it work?" Adam asked, pointing at the machine's complicated wiring. "It's far more complicated than my train, that's for sure!" Turing sighed. "The Enigma encrypts messages by scrambling the letters. Each day, the machine is set with a different combination. It's like a complex puzzle, constantly changing."

Page 7

"But how did you figure out how to crack the code?" Tala asked, her eyes shining with curiosity. Turing smiled slightly. "It was a long and arduous process.
"But how did you figure out how to crack the code?" Tala asked, her eyes shining with curiosity. Turing smiled slightly. "It was a long and arduous process. Many failed attempts, many late nights. But as Louis Pasteur said, 'Chance favors only the prepared mind.' We had to understand the machine perfectly, find its weaknesses, and exploit them."

"But how did you figure out how to crack the code?" Tala asked, her eyes shining with curiosity. Turing smiled slightly. "It was a long and arduous process. Many failed attempts, many late nights. But as Louis Pasteur said, 'Chance favors only the prepared mind.' We had to understand the machine perfectly, find its weaknesses, and exploit them."

Page 8

Tala flipped through her notebook. "I remember reading that you even built a machine to help crack the code. The Bombe, right?" Alan Turing nodded. "Indeed.
Tala flipped through her notebook. "I remember reading that you even built a machine to help crack the code. The Bombe, right?" Alan Turing nodded. "Indeed. It was designed to rapidly test different Enigma settings. It wasn't perfect, but it significantly sped up the process. Before, it would take weeks to decode a single message; now, it could be done in hours."

Tala flipped through her notebook. "I remember reading that you even built a machine to help crack the code. The Bombe, right?" Alan Turing nodded. "Indeed. It was designed to rapidly test different Enigma settings. It wasn't perfect, but it significantly sped up the process. Before, it would take weeks to decode a single message; now, it could be done in hours."

Page 9

Just then, a siren wailed, and a frantic voice shouted, "Incoming message! Top priority!" Turing straightened up. "Duty calls.
Just then, a siren wailed, and a frantic voice shouted, "Incoming message! Top priority!" Turing straightened up. "Duty calls. You two must return to your own time now. Remember, communication is the key to understanding, and understanding is the key to peace."

Just then, a siren wailed, and a frantic voice shouted, "Incoming message! Top priority!" Turing straightened up. "Duty calls. You two must return to your own time now. Remember, communication is the key to understanding, and understanding is the key to peace."

Page 10

Back in her room, Tala closed the Encyclopedia. "Wow!" Adam exclaimed. "That was amazing! To think, all that work just to send secret messages!" Tala grinned.
Back in her room, Tala closed the Encyclopedia. "Wow!" Adam exclaimed. "That was amazing! To think, all that work just to send secret messages!" Tala grinned. "And today," she said, grabbing her phone, "we can talk to anyone, anywhere, instantly! And the smartphone industry generates over 500 billion per year, all thanks to the tech Turing set the stage for!" She tapped a message to Winona. "Want to build a snowman?"

Back in her room, Tala closed the Encyclopedia. "Wow!" Adam exclaimed. "That was amazing! To think, all that work just to send secret messages!" Tala grinned. "And today," she said, grabbing her phone, "we can talk to anyone, anywhere, instantly! And the smartphone industry generates over 500 billion per year, all thanks to the tech Turing set the stage for!" She tapped a message to Winona. "Want to build a snowman?"

About this story

  • Audience: kids (ages 6–12)

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