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Also known as: rot-13
A letter substitution rotating each alphabetic character thirteen places, so applying it twice restores the original text. Used on Usenet to obscure spoilers, punchlines, and material some readers would rather not see unprepared, never as encryption. Nearly every newsreader has a single key or menu item that decodes a selection. Text groups still use it where reading something should take a deliberate act.
Browse all terms in Culture & History, or see the full Usenet glossary.