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The Cryptogram is highly autobiographical and is often referred to Mamet’s own Long Day’s Journey into Night. Coupled with the night-time scene, it signals an intimate night journey inherently dangerous and painful. Coupled with Mamet’s traumatic childhood, the meaning of the play has been predominantly negative. The image of the boy holding the knife heading up to the attic where all kinds of betrayals reside has been the focal point of contention. And also the ｢indeterminacy of the play’s resolution has exasperated audiences and critics alike. I think the boy’s gesture foreshadows the life of the playwright, who learned to turn aggression into art. The knife became a pen. What I am arguing in this paper is that, if properly decoded, The Cryptogram ultimately shows, as Mamet so lucidly and consistently addresses in his prose works, the possibility of community and trust. Through the exceptionally precocious and smart protagonist John, Mamet’s alter ego, Mamet suggests what has been lost and what needs to be regained both in individual lives and in society.