ɐkˈoːɹdɪŋ tə skˈɛptɪkəl ɪnvˈɛstᵻɡˌeɪɾɚ ɡˈoːɹdən stˈaɪn ðə "sˈiːkɹᵻt" kˈoʊd hæd ˈæktʃuːəli bˌɪn pɹˈiːviəsli pˈʌblɪʃt ɪn ɐ bˈʊk ˌɔn pˈeɪdʒ wˈʌnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈaɪv ʌv hˈæɹəld kˈɛləks baɪˈɑːɡɹəfi haʊdˈiːni: hɪz lˈaɪf stˈoːɹi ænd ɪt wʌz lˈaɪkli fˈoːɹd hæd ɹˈɛd ɪt.
According to skeptical investigator Gordon Stein the "secret" code had actually been previously published in a book on page 105 of Harold Kellock's biography Houdini: His Life Story and it was likely Ford had read it.