Abstract: A safety lock and key includes a cylindrical stator and rotor having conventional spring-loaded moving rotor pins and moving stator pins. A first rotor pin/stator pin combination is at substantially 45 degrees to a first face of the key while a second rotor pin/stator pin combination is substantially perpendicular to a second face of the key on the opposite side. The centerlines of the rotor pin/stator pin combinations pass through the center of rotation of the rotor. A housing in the key contains a moving element and emerges from the first face of the key inclined at the same angle as the first rotor pin/stator pin combination. The housing also emerges from the second face of the key through a tapered bore that receives the second rotor pin/stator pin combination. A tapered head of the second rotor pin engages a rear portion of the moving element in the housing, thus engaging the moving element with the first rotor pin/stator pin combination.