Until the 20th century, most women in China were forbidden from using written language. So the women of Hunan Province developed a secret script, which they called Nü Shu (women’s writing), composed of thousands of phonetic icons. Embroidering the italic alphabet on fans and clothing, the women passed it from generation to generation in defiance of societal norms. The last person who was proficient in the underground language died in 2004. You can get acquainted with Nü Shu characters in the puzzle below, then use them to help spot any other coded languages you may find throughout the issue.
The 21 Nü Shu cards above have been jumbled below. The top card is flipped over. Which character is it?
By Mark L. Gottlieb, Mike Selinker, and Teeuwynn Woodruff