Puzzle 1
Starter clue: P = T
PFDODNODUDMRJPFDMBOVEMFBNPPNRJPBPFDPDNTFRJIMRPFBWPMBOEX,NJEPFDNEQNJPNIDNORXRJIUOBLJBJ-NTPRBJ.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
- L
- M
- N
- O
- P
- Q
- R
- S
- T
- U
- V
- W
- X
- Y
- Z
Action Cryptograms Set 39
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: W = E
XOAWXJQXVNCAXEWXRJSLVFQBFJCWWUIWRJWKJLCWIWAYLAQWKTSJGLBJTSJVWFF,YLALVWJGXJRLQWFJLFLQWVLJSRW.
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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Puzzle 3
Starter clue: N = E
KDUYDFZLO,FBNUNEKUN,FKTAFDGKIFBLIQOTOFBNZTUNTIYFKXTRNTUNTOKITMVNGUKWLOLKIEKUPBTFNWNUFBNZXTZMN.
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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Puzzle 4
Starter clue: F = E
WNWOACWTTAFFZWQFA,PCWPLZSMHFDWNLOFPCFNJWVPYSJWVP,SMHACWTTZLOBOFGFVWUMMB;WOBSFPWTPMUFPCFVBMIFTT.
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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Puzzle 5
Starter clue: N = E
JCNHNUHNRNFRTNKCFBUOAFUTTIZONUOACNHFZBJCZOWMXYJFON!QNNRIHFSJNTTZOWJCNZHCURRZONMMNMJFJCNYOCURRP.
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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Puzzle 6
Starter clue: J = E
FVVHJGRFGEJJQYJQFRQMREBYJCJIWMRSGOZJC,IZQBYFQGSGJRFGEJJMEQYJEQCFQJPWSZQSLBYMRYNMRQSCWMEJNSVNJU.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
- L
- M
- N
- O
- P
- Q
- R
- S
- T
- U
- V
- W
- X
- Y
- Z
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)
- “There are few in the world who attain to the teaching without words, and the advantage arising from non-action.”— Laozi, 1891, Tao Te Ching (James Legge translation, 1891)Cipher key: A=J B=O C=Z D=E E=D F=H G=B H=Y I=G J=N K=X L=M M=W N=A O=R P=T Q=V R=I S=K T=C U=F V=L W=U X=S Y=Q Z=P
- “A great many brave actions must be expected to be performed without witness, for one that comes to some notice.”— Robert Louis Stevenson, 1881, Virginibus Puerisque and Other PapersCipher key: A=R B=U C=B D=J E=V F=S G=H H=Q I=P J=T K=D L=O M=K N=Y O=G P=Z Q=M R=C S=I T=W U=X V=N W=E X=A Y=F Z=L
- “Our duty is, therefore, to act upon things as they are and to make a reasonable provision for whatever they may be.”— Thomas Jefferson, 1806, Sixth Annual Message to CongressCipher key: A=C B=H C=J D=U E=F F=T G=P H=X I=N J=Z K=O L=I M=B N=E O=S P=W Q=G R=K S=Q T=A U=R V=L W=V X=M Y=D Z=Y
- “A man shall see faces, that if you examine them part by part, you shall find never a good; and yet altogether do well.”— Francis Bacon, 1625, The Essays or Counsels, Civil and MoralCipher key: A=S B=D C=H D=X E=Q F=E G=V H=U I=W J=P K=Z L=I M=O N=M O=N P=T Q=C R=K S=Y T=L U=G V=R W=A X=J Y=B Z=F
- “There are people who can do all fine and heroic things but one! keep from telling their happinesses to the unhappy.”— Mark Twain, 1897, Following the EquatorCipher key: A=D B=C C=H D=X E=V F=O G=Q H=R I=F J=T K=W L=Z M=S N=E O=N P=Y Q=K R=P S=M T=L U=A V=J W=G X=B Y=U Z=I
- “All men can see the tactics whereby I conquer, but what none can see is the strategy out of which victory is evolved.”— Sun Tzu, 1910, The Art of War (Lionel Giles translation, 1910)Cipher key: A=P B=W C=R D=K E=S F=A G=N H=M I=B J=E K=X L=F M=I N=V O=Q P=G Q=T R=C S=O T=Z U=D V=L W=Y X=J Y=H Z=U