Puzzle 1
Starter clue: W = O
PGXCWQLWXKEWPLWYKZRFGZMKFGMXCMEYUXYOYKMPIYUKCWOMEYEGWRO.
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 17
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: D = T
DQYYSYAWTCWBQWKUWASVDDVQKDSOSIWDMQKJYQZWCBSCMWDQUODBVQK.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
- L
- M
- N
- O
- P
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- Y
- Z
Puzzle 3
Starter clue: E = O
BECTMBAIIZEYTEHECSXQGZY,HECMFNTENMZEYLGYHQAYFNJNZAZTNNTM.
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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Puzzle 4
Starter clue: J = E
SGALJTSDDFJVJANZQSKAIJ,ALJKJTSDDFJZNEKHRASRJNGTSRUJOZJVV.
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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Puzzle 5
Starter clue: D = T
PVZVDDAUQFTOZYODDVSGLLFQEZVJOZYDAGDDAUQEZVJZVDAOZYGDGMM?
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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Puzzle 6
Starter clue: B = E
LBCBAKRIWJOLZHRLHBALOLZWJBABHWOWVKBRMSJOHJERVIABOLKRVGW.
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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- W
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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)
- “The fox does not do as much mischief in a year as it pays for in an hour.”— Spanish proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=Q B=V C=F D=L E=N F=C G=H H=W I=P J=G K=S L=D M=I N=J O=R P=T Q=X R=U S=K T=B U=Y V=Z W=O X=E Y=A Z=M
- “Till old experience do attain to something like prophetic strain.”— John Milton, 1645, Il Penseroso, Line 173 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=D B=R C=P D=T E=F F=W G=Z H=U I=M J=G K=N L=Y M=H N=J O=S P=V Q=I R=Q S=O T=X U=C V=A W=E X=B Y=L Z=K
- “Words will not do for my aunt, for she does not put faith even in deeds.”— Spanish proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=I B=W C=R D=C E=O F=H G=U H=F I=L J=V K=X L=P M=S N=E O=J P=B Q=A R=G S=M T=D U=Q V=K W=Z X=Y Y=T Z=N
- “If the will be set on virtue, there will be no practice of wickedness.”— Confucius, 1861, The Analects (James Legge translation, 1861)Cipher key: A=T B=J C=M D=L E=P F=B G=F H=A I=U J=E K=R L=H M=Q N=O O=D P=X Q=V R=C S=I T=W U=K V=S W=Y X=G Y=Z Z=N
- “Do not they bring it to pass by knowing that they know nothing at all?”— Terence, 166 BC, Andria, The Prologue. 17 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=H B=Q C=M D=T E=K F=B G=A H=C I=Z J=W K=X L=S M=L N=U O=I P=D Q=Y R=F S=P T=R U=E V=O W=J X=V Y=G Z=N
- “Never do a thing concerning the rectitude of which you are in doubt.”— Pliny the Younger, 105, Letters, Book I. Letter XVIII. 5 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=R B=E C=V D=S E=Y F=K G=B H=C I=A J=H K=D L=N M=F N=P O=I P=X Q=M R=O S=W T=Z U=Q V=U W=T X=L Y=J Z=G