You’re sneaking through a concrete fortress in 1960. Nazi robots are everywhere. Your health is low, but you just found a scrap of paper with a string of numbers on it. This is the Wolfenstein The New Order Enigma system, and honestly, it’s one of the most frustratingly brilliant parts of the game. Most people just ignore these collectibles. They think they’re just "lore" or fluff. They’re wrong. These codes actually unlock entirely new game modes that change how the game plays, but the math behind solving them is just weird enough to make people give up.
MachineGames didn't just throw these in for fun. They’re a nod to the real-life Enigma machines used by the Germans in WWII. In the game’s alternate history, the technology advanced way faster than in our world. To "solve" them, you have to collect 72 different Enigma Code pieces scattered throughout the chapters. Once you have a full set, you head to the "Extras" menu and play a little game of "match the numbers." It sounds simple. It’s not.
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What Wolfenstein The New Order Enigma Codes Actually Unlock
If you spend your time hunting these down, you aren't just getting a trophy or an achievement. You're opening up "Bonus Modes." These are basically modifiers that turn the campaign into something much more intense.
Take 999 Mode, for example. You solve the first Enigma code, and suddenly you’re playing the game with 999 health and infinite ammo, but on the hardest difficulty (Über). It’s a power trip, but you can still die in seconds if you get sloppy. Then there’s Walk in the Park, which removes all HUD elements. No crosshair. No health bar. You have to rely on the visual cues of BJ Blazkowicz’s breathing and the blood on the screen. It’s immersive as hell, and it makes the stealth sections feel like a completely different game.
There’s also Hardcore Mode, which removes all health and armor pickups from the map. You have to be perfect. If you take damage, it’s permanent for that segment. Finally, Ironman gives you one life. One. You die, you start the whole game over. It’s brutal. Most players never see these modes because they can’t be bothered to find the scraps of paper.
How the Grid Actually Works
Solving the Wolfenstein The New Order Enigma codes requires you to manipulate two rows of numbers. You have a top row (your targets) and a bottom row (your inputs). You have to shift the numbers around until the sums or the patterns align with the internal logic of that specific code set.
Wait. Let's be real. Nobody actually "solves" these by logic the first time. You usually just click buttons until the red lights turn green. But there is a pattern. Each code set (1 through 4) uses a different mathematical sequence.
Code Set 1: The 999 Unlock
This one is the entry point. You need pieces 1:1 through 1:9. Once you have them, you're looking at a grid. The solution usually looks like a sequence of 01, 02, 03, 04... but then it skips. It mimics the shifting rotors of an actual encryption machine. You're basically "tuning" the code.
Code Set 2: Walk in the Park
For this set, you need the 2:1 through 2:9 scraps. The numbers start getting larger. You'll see 02, 04, 06—even numbers mostly. It’s easy to miss these pieces because they’re often tucked behind destructible crates or in vent shafts that you’d normally sprint past.
Code Set 3: Hardcore Mode
Now it gets annoying. The pieces (3:1 to 3:9) are often located in the "choice" timelines. Whether you chose Fergus or Wyatt back at the start changes some of the paths you take, meaning you might miss certain pieces depending on your timeline. You have to go back through Chapter Select to find what you missed. The math here involves 03, 06, 09... multiples of three.
Code Set 4: Ironman
The big one. 4:1 through 4:9. These are the most hidden. Think "underwater during the London Nautica level" or "in a safe you can only open if you have the right perk." The code sequence here is the most complex, often starting with 04 and jumping in weird increments.
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Finding the Damn Things
You can't just find them all in one go. You have to be thorough. Seriously. Use the perks. There is a perk called "Scout" that you get by performing stealth kills. Get it early. It marks "Commanders" on your map. Commanders are the guys who can call for reinforcements. If you kill them silently, they leave behind a map marker for all the Enigma codes in that area.
If you're just running and gunning, you’ll miss 80% of the Wolfenstein The New Order Enigma pieces. The game rewards you for slowing down. Check under desks. Look behind maps on the walls. Use the LaserKraftWerk to cut through grates that look like they lead nowhere. Usually, there's a gold item or a code scrap back there.
The Frustration of the "Missing Piece"
It happens to everyone. You have 71 out of 72 pieces. You’re looking at the menu, and it’s just one empty slot in Code Set 3. You check the chapter list. It says Chapter 10 has a missing item. You replay the whole level, and you still can't find it.
Check the "Berlin Catacombs" segments. Players often forget that the resistance base changes between missions. New areas open up. Old areas get blocked off. There are codes hidden in the base that only appear after you've completed specific story beats. Also, check the "Nightmare" levels (the old-school Wolfenstein 3D levels you play by interacting with the bed). Sometimes people think the codes are in there. They aren't. Don't waste your time looking for modern collectibles in a 1992-style pixel level.
Why the Enigma System Matters for the Story
It’s not just a gameplay mechanic. The Wolfenstein The New Order Enigma codes represent the Nazi's technological dominance. In the game world, they cracked the secrets of "Da'at Yichud," an ancient secret society with advanced tech. The Enigma codes are the simplified, militarized version of that knowledge. By "solving" them, BJ isn't just playing a mini-game; he's technically decrypting Nazi high-command communications to gain an edge. It’s a nice bit of narrative integration that most shooters don't bother with.
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How to Handle the Solve Screen
When you’re actually in the menu trying to input the numbers, don't overthink it. It's a grid.
- The top row is fixed.
- The bottom row is what you change.
- You are trying to create a specific sequence that the game recognizes.
If you are stuck and just want the modes, there's no shame in looking up the specific number strings. The game doesn't punish you for it. It just wants to know if you have the "keys" (the scraps) to open the door.
Actionable Steps for Completionists
If you want to wrap this up and get your Platinum trophy or just experience the Ironman mode, follow this specific path:
- Prioritize the Scout Perk: Do this in the very first chapter. Sneak up on the Commanders in the bunkers. If you don't get the Scout perk early, you're playing blind.
- Clear the Commanders First: In every big combat arena, find the Commander (the signal icon at the top of your screen). Kill him before he sounds the alarm. Once he’s down, your map will update with "Intel" locations. Those question marks on the map? Those are your Enigma codes.
- The Chapter Select Trick: Don't restart the whole game if you miss a piece. Use Chapter Select. You can grab a code, wait for the "autosave" icon in the corner, and then immediately quit to the main menu. You don't have to finish the level for the collectible to count.
- Timeline Hop: Remember that some areas are only accessible via the "Lockpicking" (Wyatt) or "Hotwiring" (Fergus) abilities. You will need to play through parts of both timelines to easily grab everything without pulling your hair out.
- Input the Sequences: Once you have the scraps, go to the "Extras" menu.
- Mode 1: Row 1: 01,02,03,04,05,06,07,08,09 | Row 2: 08,07,06,05,04,03,02,01,09
- Mode 2: Row 1: 02,04,06,08,01,03,05,07,09 | Row 2: 07,05,03,01,08,06,04,02,09
- Mode 3: Row 1: 03,06,09,03,06,09,03,06,09 | Row 2: 06,03,09,06,03,09,06,03,09
- Mode 4: Row 1: 04,08,03,07,02,06,01,05,09 | Row 2: 05,01,06,02,07,03,08,04,09
Verify your "Scout" perk progress in the Perks menu. If it's not leveled up, farm stealth kills in Chapter 2 at the checkpoint near the two guards by the stairs. This makes the hunt for the remaining scraps significantly less tedious.