Puzzle 1
Starter clue: J = O
ZEJBDEHJBVFUVGFBYUQZJRYXVQ,YJQJZYUMGLMUSJBQMUR.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
- L
- M
- N
- O
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- R
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- X
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- Z
Action Cryptograms Set 9
6 cryptograms to solve with a pencil. Each letter of the quote has been swapped for another letter, and the same swap holds all the way through.
20 pt ciphertext — the size a newspaper puzzle page never gives you. 26 pt ciphertext with wide letter spacing and room to write. Both sizes print on US Letter with the answer key on its own page.
Printing this web page instead? Press Ctrl+P (⌘+P on a Mac). The navigation and buttons drop away, and the answer key prints on its own page — open it below first if you want it included.
The puzzles
Puzzle 2
Starter clue: U = E
NOVMYLRNQAQRJUAOVJNUQAKOJUAMZUIUABMLU'VZMAJTLU.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
- L
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- O
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Puzzle 3
Starter clue: O = T
KDKOKZITOZFFRYJ,NTKOITO;KDKOKZITOOUWF,ZGFHBKOITO.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
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- O
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Puzzle 4
Starter clue: G = A
GUYTGZJGKFIGKTCIZGZHTFKTRTYQGZZFZHPTGKPGBZFMK.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
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Puzzle 5
Starter clue: E = T
EPLRHUMFDHWEBJEXQXCBEPRBYPEHUQRHBUCPHEFXVKHUQX.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
- L
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- O
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Puzzle 6
Starter clue: L = O
JOLGLRVXYLTGUJWWLATZDLEZMJZSMVWMZMXUQLTLZJGZXE.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
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Solver's cheat sheet
- Most common letters
- E T A O I N S H R D L U
- Most common 1-letter words
- A I
- Most common 2-letter words
- OF TO IN IT IS BE AS AT SO WE HE BY OR ON DO IF ME MY UP AN GO NO US AM
- Most common 3-letter words
- THE AND FOR ARE BUT NOT YOU ALL ANY CAN HER WAS ONE OUR OUT DAY GET HAS HIM HIS HOW MAN NEW NOW OLD SEE TWO WAY WHO BOY DID ITS LET PUT SAY SHE TOO USE
- Common double letters
- LL EE SS OO TT FF RR NN PP CC
- Common word endings
- -ING -ION -ENT -TION -LY -ED -ER -EST
- After an apostrophe
- T (don't) S (it's) RE (we're) VE (I've) LL (we'll) D (I'd)
Want this on its own sheet? Print the letter frequency chart.
Show the answer key (6 solutions)
- “Though you are a prudent old man, do not despise counsel.”— Spanish proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=K B=U C=B D=G E=H F=R G=P H=Y I=F J=O K=Q L=I M=S N=Z O=V P=J Q=N R=L S=C T=W U=E V=A W=X X=M Y=D Z=T
- “His own character is the arbiter of every one's fortune.”— Publilius Syrus, 42 BC, Sententiae (Maxims), 283 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=R B=Y C=D D=X E=G F=L G=Z H=K I=V J=T K=B L=N M=O N=H O=I P=Q Q=A R=C S=P T=U U=E V=S W=J X=M Y=W Z=F
- “If it is not seemly, do it not; if it is not true, speak it not.”— Marcus Aurelius, 170, Meditations, XII. 17 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=H B=K C=W D=F E=Z F=E G=P H=A I=N J=Y K=I L=X M=G N=D O=T P=J Q=B R=M S=V T=O U=R V=C W=U X=Q Y=L Z=S
- “A great man is a new statue in every attitude and action.”— Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1841, Essays: First SeriesCipher key: A=B B=C C=W D=Z E=X F=I G=A H=U I=S J=M K=N L=P M=O N=L O=Q P=D Q=Y R=V S=K T=E U=G V=H W=F X=J Y=R Z=T
- “The manly part is to do with might and main what you can do.”— Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1860, The Conduct of Life, Wealth (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=Z B=I C=W D=P E=T F=Y G=V H=A I=J J=S K=C L=E M=L N=K O=F P=H Q=D R=M S=Q T=B U=N V=U W=R X=O Y=G Z=X
- “Apologies only account for that which they do not alter.”— Benjamin Disraeli, 1871, Speech, July 28, 1871 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=U B=Q C=K D=F E=R F=V G=L H=J I=X J=A K=M L=O M=H N=B O=P P=Z Q=D R=G S=W T=N U=Y V=I W=C X=E Y=S Z=T