The Bletchley Riddle: Chapters 1–10

by Ruta Sepetys, Steve Sheinkin
A brother and sister — 19-year-old Jakob, a code breaker, and 14-year-old Lizzie, an investigator — find themselves in Britain's Bletchley Park during WWII. They are helping Britain decode the Nazi’s Enigma communications, while also trying to unravel a mystery surrounding their mother’s disappearance.

Here are links to our lists for the book: Chapters 1–10, Chapters 11–25, Chapters 26–43, Chapters 44–65, Chapters 66–94
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. deception
    the act of misleading
    I never imagined that at the age of fourteen I’d excel at deception.
  2. ploy
    a maneuver in a game, conversation, or situation
    “Apologies, Mr. Fleetwood. I didn’t realize I’d walked us so far today.”
    That was one of the lies, of course. The walk was a death dash. A ploy to ensure he’d be positively exhausted when we boarded the ship and entered our cabin.
  3. melancholy
    a feeling of thoughtful sadness
    “Perhaps you can understand my melancholy,” I say, placing my suitcase where he’ll be certain to trip over it. “Today is the last I’ll see of England before we sail for America.”
  4. precocious
    characterized by exceptionally early development
    Another benefit of the sage age of fourteen: There are many things you just know. Like the terrible truth that many British men who leave for the war will die in the war. Or the fact that Mr. Fleetwood enjoys one too many nips of Old Schenley. When I share things like that, people often say, “My, aren’t you precocious, Elizabeth.”
  5. cryptic
    having a secret or hidden meaning
    “But now he’s become so distant,” I charge on. “Cryptic. A positive enigma.”
    Jakob gasps, slamming his hand against a filing cabinet. A stack of folders tumbles to the floor.
  6. evasive
    deliberately vague or ambiguous
    My brother used to be dear to me. For years, I’d literally count the days, awaiting his return from boarding school so we could resume our adventures. But he’s changed. Completely. He’s being rude, evasive, and saying terrible things.
  7. evade
    use cunning or deceit to escape or avoid
    Evading capture, being straightforward, running long distances, making friends—those are just a few of my talents.
    Keeping secrets?
    It’s not one of my talents.
  8. steadfast
    marked by firm determination or resolution; not shakable
    What has happened to Jakob? Does he know how awful he’s being? He’s clearly memorized the handbook for horrible brothers. But no matter. My resolve is steadfast. I will hunt down the truth about Willa and thwart anyone who tries to stop me. Gran and Fleetwood included.
  9. gait
    a person's manner of walking
    A tall, narrow figure in a trench coat and hat stands alone on the moonlit platform. He starts toward us with the awkward gait of a marionette.
  10. cryptography
    the science of analyzing and deciphering codes
    I’d just been whisked away to Britain’s top-secret cryptography center. Some of the brightest minds in the country were gathered at this isolated estate with the mission of cracking German codes. And I was on the team.
  11. cipher
    a message written in a secret code
    We intercept German messages, but we can’t break the ciphers. And time’s running short.
  12. sabotage
    a deliberate act of destruction or disruption
    “Anyone could be an enemy agent. Scouting the roads. Planning acts of sabotage. Did you hear that German troops parachuted into Holland disguised as nuns?”
  13. quandary
    state of uncertainty in a choice between unfavorable options
    It’s an awful quandary because part of me knows that I’m a horrible secret keeper and have no business signing such a document, but another part of me is entirely intrigued.
  14. espionage
    the systematic use of spies to obtain secrets
    “Has my brother signed this document?” I ask.
    The Colonel nods. “Everyone at the Park has. And everyone working in conjunction with the Park. It ensures protection against espionage and the unauthorized disclosure of information.”
  15. nondescript
    lacking distinct or individual characteristics
    I look at the paper and recognize the address. It’s the same address my brother had given me: Room 47, Foreign Office, Whitehall, London. A nondescript postal collection depot overseen by the squat man in a frumpy suit.
Created on Mon Sep 29 17:39:48 EDT 2025 (updated Tue Sep 30 14:39:50 EDT 2025)

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