A little over a year ago, the Fermilab Office of Public Affairs received a curious letter in code (see the image below). It has been sitting in our files all that time and we haven't had much of a chance to look into breaking the code, nor are we particularly expert at this!

If you have a cryptological bent, perhaps you'd take a crack at this code and email us anything you find at letters@symmetrymagazine.org.

Note that this scan is from a fax of the original. The holes punched in it were not in the original and a tiny sliver has been cut off the top of the page where the fax information was printed. I'm hoping that the precise positioning on the page isn't relevant!

©Fermilab

Update: A few people have been asking for more information about the physical letter that arrived as it could contain clues. Here are answers to some of your questions and any other information that might be relevant.

The letter came delivered by USPS on Mar 5, 2007, addressed to:

Fermilab
Kirk Rd. & Pine
Batavia, IL 60510

It was hand addressed but came in an envelope where you pull on the ends for it to come apart.

It was postmarked in Chicago but I can't read any more details on the faxed version I have. (I shall try to get the original.)