A Code in the Nose is the second half of the fifth episode of The New Scooby-Doo Mysteries and originally aired on October 6, 1984. With a story by Cynthia Friedlob and John Semper, this episode features the gang being hired by the US government to deal with a spy called Codefinger.

The episode begins a fun spy intro parody where Scooby dressed in an overcoat and hat are trying to dodge a spotlight. We then cut to a top secret army compound that is so secret, we are not told where it is.

The spy Codefinger has broken in and finds the New Top Secret Government Decoder, which he steals, and escapes in a jeep after gassing the security guards. The chase on his tail is hot, so he stashes the decoder at Pingree’s Department Store.

Meanwhile, in the Mystery Machine, which Shaggy is driving this time. The gang are on their way to the department store so Daphne can exchange a broken toaster. We learn Pingree’s Department store has a very generous return policy. Unfortunately, as they try to enter the store, a trap welcome mat slides them down to a secret headquarters. There is a funny burnt toast gag here that had me cracking up.

We learn the gang have been chosen for an ultra top secret mission and the military has chosen ‘Normal People’ to find the decoder so they do not alert Codefinger. The decoder is so top secret, and all we know is that it looks like an ordinary household appliance, which narrows it down to 2,000 items. But, if you say a certain code word, Myrtle, the decoder’s name, will respond.

There are some very funny code phrases and an extra funny payoff when Daphne reads hers. So the gang split up and talk to different appliances, and we get a humorous extended scene involving a showroom salesperson. Eventually the gang do find the appliance and it is a table top fan. Except Alphonse the Showroom salesperson accuses them of shoplifting the fan and gets the department store detective to accost them.

The gang disguise themselves to hide from the detective, but unfortunately Shaggy and Scooby run into Codefinger who swipes the fan back. Codefinger isn’t so bright and tries to run up an escalator that is going down and Scrappy is able to grab the decoder and Daphne is able to return it to the army general. Before she hands it over to Major Birch, she reveals that he is Codefinger as he has a splotch of makeup on his uniform.

Codefinger steals the decoder but is stopped accidentally by Scooby, and the episode ends rather abruptly with another spotlight gag.