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.
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)
“Distrust of the capacity, integrity, and high purposes of the American people will not be an inspiring theme for future political contests.”— William McKinley, 1901, Second Inaugural AddressCipher key: A=R B=P C=Q D=O E=Y F=A G=I H=U I=J J=V K=D L=X M=L N=E O=K P=N Q=T R=C S=H T=Z U=B V=S W=M X=G Y=W Z=F
“Make it a point to do something every day that you don't want to do. This is the golden rule for acquiring the habit of doing your duty without pain.”— Mark Twain, 1897, Following the EquatorCipher key: A=P B=K C=H D=G E=N F=U G=W H=T I=X J=Z K=S L=R M=A N=C O=M P=B Q=I R=Y S=O T=F U=D V=L W=E X=J Y=Q Z=V
“The Duke of Wellington brought to the post of first minister immortal fame, - a quality of success which would almost seem to include all others.”— Benjamin Disraeli, 1845, Sybil, Book I. Chap. III (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=X B=P C=Q D=K E=Y F=Z G=N H=J I=T J=B K=R L=O M=F N=M O=I P=H Q=S R=L S=A T=W U=E V=C W=U X=D Y=V Z=G
“When we see men of worth, we should think of equalling them; when we see men of a contrary character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves.”— Confucius, 1861, The Analects (James Legge translation, 1861)Cipher key: A=Z B=H C=U D=W E=P F=I G=T H=V I=B J=Y K=R L=K M=S N=A O=G P=Q Q=E R=J S=M T=X U=O V=C W=F X=D Y=N Z=L
“There are characters which are continually creating collisions and nodes for themselves in dramas which nobody is prepared to act with them.”— George Eliot, 1872, MiddlemarchCipher key: A=V B=G C=R D=C E=A F=T G=S H=X I=P J=N K=F L=Z M=D N=H O=J P=E Q=M R=K S=W T=Q U=O V=Y W=I X=L Y=U Z=B