Puzzle 1
Starter clue: N = E
NCNLDZTXFTOMEPBTTMPQLMSUEBNTENFMURBCBTNRKDPYNGLNUNTPBJNTPXOUXJNKXRD,KNOXLNBPFMUMEPQMSSDCNLBOBNR.
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 40
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: R = E
LRARAIRLGJQO,-GJVGGJRLRQOVMLEMRLWQHYQGPVYWMLEMELGQEYGEIREIORLSRWQYGJRMRLUELAVYBREURSRLPVBGEUDQUR.
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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- X
- Y
- Z
Puzzle 3
Starter clue: Y = A
XAQNEZRBFAIICBCPYQZAR,GYSZQYUZFQZGYRBUYXAP,GYRBADHGNTAAB,YRBYFYRCGCFFYPWGAPAUUYPWQNCWGYRXAQNBACJZU.
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: R = I
RJLGOBRNRSLGOFJFRCYI,DKLYCCILGOZMGAGXRECJGFYGSKZBRYXBRNRSCIKRP,ZYIDZNSCKRNSRPCZYIICJZWCLGOFGDYZWS?
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: L = E
FHAMWMDLSLCYLCYBCYAMGOMDDJCADLSLXMMWAMWM,QJCILUYJCWVLLOQJNSQJLY,COWIMMSTLO'YQMAACXLYISFOQLY'ICUCQLY.
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: K = O
SAOFKRSYOLWOLJNOMLCZKGCKHQZCKHPKSLBOLSAQOZ,QRSKNOSAQFRAKMAQFRONZMALSAOQRLVPRSOLNKHSKZCKHGWKFYLVC.
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)
- “Every known fact in natural science was divined by the presentiment of somebody, before it was actually verified.”— Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1844, Essays: Second SeriesCipher key: A=Z B=I C=V D=Y E=C F=W G=P H=G I=J J=M K=B L=R M=A N=E O=F P=T Q=U R=D S=L T=N U=S V=Q W=X X=O Y=H Z=K
- “Remember this, - that there is a proper dignity and proportion to be observed in the performance of every act of life.”— Marcus Aurelius, 170, Meditations, IV. 32 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=M B=C C=J D=L E=O F=W G=T H=G I=B J=H K=Z L=R M=P N=K O=S P=Y Q=I R=E S=V T=X U=F V=A W=D X=Q Y=N Z=U
- “Both kinds of federation, capitalistic and labor, can do much good, and as a necessary corollary they can both do evil.”— Theodore Roosevelt, 1902, Second Annual Message to CongressCipher key: A=O B=D C=E D=M E=K F=S G=C H=U I=F J=V K=J L=X M=W N=H O=Z P=R Q=T R=N S=P T=G U=L V=Q W=Y X=B Y=A Z=I
- “If you visit your friend, why need you apologize for not having visited him, and waste his time and deface your own act?”— Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1841, Essays: First SeriesCipher key: A=L B=V C=E D=W E=Z F=R G=O H=B I=D J=F K=H L=Y M=P N=S O=U P=M Q=X R=I S=T T=Q U=K V=J W=C X=G Y=N Z=A
- “If to do were as easy as to know what were good to do, chapels had been churches, and poor men's cottages princes' palaces.”— William Shakespeare, 1597, The Merchant of Venice, Act I. Sc. 2 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=T B=Y C=A D=W E=V F=I G=K H=F I=P J=H K=Z L=E M=O N=U O=N P=J Q=C R=Q S=R T=M U=L V=B W=D X=G Y=S Z=X
- “The most peaceable way for you if you do take a thief, is to let him show himself what he is and steal out of your company.”— William Shakespeare, 1599, Much Ado about Nothing, Act III. Sc. 3 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=H B=K C=Y D=Z E=V F=M G=R H=U I=X J=B K=O L=A M=W N=L O=E P=D Q=I R=S S=T T=Q U=G V=N W=C X=J Y=P Z=F