These are the judge's tips on solving it

A HIGH COURT judge’s obsession with an eccentric naval reformer holds the key to a riddle that yesterday transfixed Da Vinci Code fans and codebreakers on both sides of the Atlantic. The Times broke the story of how Mr Justice Peter Smith, the judge presiding over the plagiarism case brought against Dan Brown, the book’s author, had included a coded message of his own in the 71-page judgment.

Apparently random letters throughout the first 13 pages of the ruling had been italicised in bold type. When compiled in order they read SMITHYCODEJAEIEXTOSTGPSACGREAMQWFKADPMQZVZ.

Amateur codebreakers spent yesterday wrestling with the puzzle but last night few appeared to have guessed at its esoteric subject matter, the judge said. The Times legal weblog was flooded with readers’ suggestions for the cryptic message, ranging from “Jesusmaynothavediedonthecross” to “HolyBloodHolyGrailDaVinciCode”, a reference to the two books at the centre of the court case, which ended last month in a defeat for the claimants, Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh.

But last night Mr Justice Smith, 53, told The Times that his secret text had nothing to do with the lurid conspiracy theories at the heart of both books. Rather, he hinted, it involved a former First Sea Lord and could be uncovered only by using an ancient mathematical sequence that is integral to the plot of The Da Vinci Code.

In an e-mail he suggested: “Try letter substitution letter by letter applying the Fibonacci Sequence (in correct form).”

In DVC, as the novel was referred to during the case, the Fibonacci sequence, an ancient number progression in which each number is the sum of the two numbers preceding it, helps the book’s heroes to solve a vital clue. The first eight numbers in it are 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21.

Mr Justice Smith added that, in his code, the sequence then repeats itself. After the court had risen for the day, he offered a further clue: “Look at my entry in Who’s Who.” Mr Justice Smith’s recreational interests are listed as: “Titanic Historical Society, British Titanic Society, Jackie Fisher fan, reading military history, football.”

After a few hours’ excruciating scribbling, The Times finally decoded the judge’s message. It should read: “Smithy Code Jackie Fisher who are you Dreadnought.” Admiral John “Jackie” Fisher is widely regarded as the second most significant figure in the Royal Navy’s history, after Nelson. He revolutionised sea warfare by introducing the first modern battleship, HMS Dreadnought.

The judge said that he had been a Fisher fan since 1994.

He inserted the code into the judgment for his own amusement. “I never expected anybody to notice it. It was for my own pleasure. The answer is nothing to do with the case.”

He said that it took him “about 40 minutes” to devise.

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