Puzzle 1
Starter clue: U = T
ZEPNITSUEEFPBNGSCDSBUPDEHUNSXEGAO:UNSZAECSYUUNIUOEWPZYUXYUNFPBNBIGS.
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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- R
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- T
- U
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- X
- Y
- Z
Action Cryptograms Set 27
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: P = N
PYAVTGVMIVXANYPIIKYGAKUOVP;GUSNPRGKYRYUIVHNPRPUIINIPYAAKUEUSYEUHNPR.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
- L
- M
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Puzzle 3
Starter clue: Z = E
GAZQZVQZWZMWNZ,BAMGAZTMQZJMSHMUMQGAZT,GAZNZXXGAZJBKNNHMUMQGAZTXZNRZX.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
- L
- M
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Puzzle 4
Starter clue: L = T
LXGLYDLBMKYILGTN,KMBKQQAQYGTGJDIMLGLBIMXITTPWJKRLGSLBIPHQIYPKTLBIHI.
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: I = T
XLGIIKLCFLPDFJZD?IKDYXLYLIGSCTYXDNIJUD,ZLNIKTIJGIKDGICZZFJZDJGUTXDLZ.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
- L
- M
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Puzzle 6
Starter clue: Y = H
DYLEXONYLVYHPJQPEPDYPCIYGCCIEUPTIKTIBJIEDSHDYGEDYLEXONYLVYHPJQPYPCI.
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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- T
- U
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- X
- Y
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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)
- “You have too much respect upon the world: They lose it that do buy it with much care.”— William Shakespeare, 1597, The Merchant of Venice, Act I. Sc. 1 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=L B=C C=S D=P E=O F=M G=R H=N I=A J=Q K=J L=X M=F N=H O=D P=U Q=G R=K S=E T=V U=T V=Z W=B X=W Y=I Z=Y
- “Not always actions show the man; we find who does a kindness is not therefore kind.”— Alexander Pope, 1735, Moral Essays, Epistle I. Line 109 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=T B=X C=Z D=B E=R F=G G=W H=K I=S J=P K=H L=J M=Y N=I O=M P=N Q=V R=D S=F T=L U=E V=A W=U X=C Y=O Z=Q
- “There are people, who the more you do for them, the less they will do for themselves.”— Jane Austen, 1815, EmmaCipher key: A=H B=W C=Z D=J E=C F=G G=T H=D I=K J=Y K=I L=X M=O N=L O=Q P=B Q=R R=V S=U T=M U=F V=A W=P X=S Y=N Z=E
- “Two truths are told, As happy prologues to the swelling act of the imperial theme.”— William Shakespeare, 1606, Macbeth, Act I. Sc. 3 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=Y B=H C=J D=U E=X F=Z G=O H=M I=E J=G K=A L=T M=S N=D O=Q P=I Q=P R=C S=F T=L U=B V=K W=N X=W Y=R Z=V
- “Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of.”— Benjamin Franklin, 1746, Poor Richard's AlmanackCipher key: A=C B=W C=U D=E E=K F=L G=S H=G I=T J=I K=H L=O M=P N=R O=Z P=V Q=Y R=X S=Q T=A U=M V=J W=B X=D Y=N Z=F
- “Things which you do not hope happen more frequently than things which you do hope.”— Plautus, 195 BC, Mostellaria, Act I. Sc. 3, 40. (197) (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=J B=Q C=P D=T E=N F=Z G=A H=Y I=E J=U K=F L=I M=K N=W O=S P=O Q=D R=X S=L T=R U=M V=C W=B X=G Y=H Z=V