Puzzle 1
Starter clue: S = E
YSVGKYAOJACSJNSNKXSLQPKXOKGSLATJGRQJZPRSJUZGE,QPKXXKRSPJAZKG,JGRJESGSPKILPSEJPRQKPAOSPZEOALKQKAOSPL.
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
- S
- T
- U
- V
- W
- X
- Y
- Z
Character Cryptograms Set 16
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: S = E
OLSUSISUBSGSUKCSHZYKWDTGDFXTZGH,QSKYS,IDUWZS,KGHFTYDKCTUHSUQUSIKDCKGHYDIDCKGHUSCDBDTZFCDVSUWJKUSFSYZUS.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
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- M
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Puzzle 3
Starter clue: S = E
VTSOCSXUVZEVTSNZYSCIASIV,VTSUIVSNCUVHZEUVKOWCCSIOH,DIXVTSUIYUZQDJUQUVHZEUVKZJQUNDVUZIKAWKVJSBCSKSCYSX.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
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- M
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Puzzle 4
Starter clue: Q = E
KVQOGIAURGG,EVRYVRTTIRSKFVINQICCFMCYQSKVQKDIZQSAFJVIHGQK,KVQYVIDIYKQDFJKVQODRCYQFJSQCHIDLUQRCZGQJKFMK.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
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- M
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Puzzle 5
Starter clue: J = E
AJK'TRHLXAJKSTOBJOVOBFJCEGSIJNBGEBSHKJT;OKLSINKXTEHSQOBLLELBOQSIJNKQOBLWHOCNSMOGSJBSIJA,SETHGGJBOCCOCNZJ.
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: G = I
VIHYHUHDHYBEQGUVIHBPYSOVBPPRGUGPUQESGNH,UPFPYHVIEUVBPIEGYQPYVBPTYEGUQ;VIHFPQVAUGDHYQESLAESGVWGQOGDHYQGVW.
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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- S
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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)
- “We know that peace comes from honesty and fair dealing, from moderation, and a generous regard for the rights of others.”— Calvin Coolidge, 1927, State of the Union AddressCipher key: A=T B=V C=P D=X E=G F=J G=N H=B I=U J=A K=O L=S M=Z N=C O=H P=R Q=F R=D S=E T=Y U=L V=K W=Q X=M Y=W Z=I
- “Wherever general education is found, peace, virtue, and social order prevail and civil and religious liberty are secure.”— Rutherford B. Hayes, 1880, Fourth Annual Message to CongressCipher key: A=J B=G C=L D=I E=M F=S G=N H=D I=V J=Y K=A L=H M=X N=Q O=W P=Z Q=P R=K S=E T=O U=R V=B W=T X=F Y=C Z=U
- “The credit of the Government, the integrity of its currency, and the inviolability of its obligations must be preserved.”— William McKinley, 1897, First Inaugural AddressCipher key: A=M B=P C=R D=A E=F F=J G=Z H=Y I=N J=B K=S L=Q M=X N=G O=C P=W Q=L R=K S=E T=H U=I V=T W=U X=D Y=V Z=O
- “The playbill, which is said to have announced the tragedy of Hamlet, the character of the Prince of Denmark being left out.”— Sir Walter Scott, 1825, The Talisman, Introduction (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=Y B=Z C=N D=R E=W F=O G=L H=M I=A J=F K=T L=K M=U N=V O=P P=Q Q=E R=I S=D T=S U=B V=H W=X X=J Y=C Z=G
- “Men's judgments are a parcel of their fortunes; and things outward do draw the inward quality after them, To suffer all alike.”— William Shakespeare, 1606, Antony and Cleopatra, Act III. Sc. 13 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=M B=R C=L D=Z E=O F=C G=F H=U I=H J=E K=N L=D M=Y N=I O=A P=B Q=W R=J S=T T=S U=V V=P W=Q X=G Y=X Z=K
- “There never was in the world two opinions alike, no more than two hairs or two grains; the most universal quality is diversity.”— Michel de Montaigne, 1580, Essays, Book II, Chap. XXXVII. Of the Resemblance of Children to their Fathers (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=U B=W C=Z D=V E=A F=M G=I H=E I=H J=B K=J L=Q M=C N=K O=D P=O Q=S R=P S=L T=G U=N V=T W=Y X=F Y=R Z=X