Puzzle 1
Starter clue: U = E
KQUIUORKQJMPPWKWVDCUVDOUEMKQQVLZKIMXURYVJKZMSLUVIEUYUXMDUYJUVYLDMXU:EIMKQUIZRYFUVJU,YMKIRXVDZRYJMPPVYL.
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
Alexander Pope Cryptograms Set 12
5 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: L = E
JELXNQUZFXNQL,DNXIILKBNGXLYFQMBL,DILKLNOONQLTMBMOQLXKZXIDNXISEBYFILDLNSIF,MOYFEBNYJZYYNOSMSMNOFXLPJXAJKMNFL.
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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- U
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- X
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Puzzle 3
Starter clue: X = E
CNOIXVCADPNAVB!SAVZMNJ,VBXRNJXOHSNTXJFVBXHQXEHMQHTXXHEBNSGXEVNCBFQDNTX;JFWXHQBFQJFDDXYVXMWQBFQSNAMWDXQQIOHEX.
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: V = S
RTPVDXLSOOOSJVUTMMQXVDJQYRQOXBDQSVFSED!OXBD,IPDDSVSYPSMVYCQMXIQTFSLMYDV,VGPDSEVQYVOYCQMJYLCV,SLEYLSFXFDLMIOYDV.
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: K = E
YHCTLSV,MVXMVRYTHV,DRKVMZKLJUKCYUURTUS,MUYBKXMHDMVDYWYXDTTHKCTLTUS:EKHTDDRKXYLVDEFCRTZDRKHKCMLKDLYKS,HTLFKDDRKUMVDDTUMFDRKTUSMVYSK.
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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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 (5 solutions)
- “There with commutual zeal we both had strove in acts of dear benevolence and love: Brothers in peace, not rivals in command.”— Alexander Pope, 1726, The Odyssey of Homer (Pope's translation), Book IV. Line 241 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=K B=G C=Z D=L E=B F=P G=Q H=X I=R J=C K=T L=D M=O N=Y O=W P=M Q=H R=I S=F T=J U=E V=A W=U X=V Y=N Z=S
- “Poetic Justice, with her lifted scale, Where in nice balance truth with gold she weighs, And solid pudding against empty praise.”— Alexander Pope, 1728, The Dunciad, Book I. Line 52 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=Y B=L C=K D=W E=O F=S G=F H=Q I=H J=P K=R L=E M=A N=I O=N P=M Q=C R=V S=G T=B U=J V=Z W=X X=T Y=D Z=U
- “Forgetful youth! but know, the Power above with ease can save each object of his love; Wide as his will extends his boundless grace.”— Alexander Pope, 1726, The Odyssey of Homer (Pope's translation), Book III. Line 285 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=U B=H C=F D=L E=C F=I G=J H=A I=G J=W K=M L=Q M=N N=O O=R P=Y Q=S R=P S=B T=V U=Z V=T W=D X=E Y=X Z=K
- “Curse on all laws but those which love has made! Love, free as air at sight of human ties, Spreads his light wings, and in a moment flies.”— Alexander Pope, 1717, Eloisa to Abelard, Line 74 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=Y B=V C=G D=E E=D F=M G=P H=J I=F J=W K=X L=N M=T N=Z O=L P=R Q=H R=C S=A T=U U=B V=S W=K X=O Y=I Z=Q
- “In words, as fashions, the same rule will hold, Alike fantastic if too new or old: Be not the first by whom the new are tried, Nor yet the last to lay the old aside.”— Alexander Pope, 1711, An Essay on Criticism, Part II. Line 133 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=J B=K C=W D=T E=B F=Y G=Q H=N I=V J=U K=E L=R M=A N=G O=Z P=X Q=P R=H S=D T=O U=L V=S W=C X=F Y=I Z=M