Puzzle 1
Starter clue: X = E
FOXVJOTEXQWXHXVNXKMVXDMWVXWMLTHRICXDNNMTVGMVX,TVKOXDTVVMNLWMYJNBXTWVNOXMNOXWNOWXX,JKMVMNWXQXTNYGBXHHMV.
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
Confucius Cryptograms Set 7
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: A = E
GKAOWMA,ZLMADWMTGCGKAWDAT,GCDZYAGKAXMAQG;ZLMADWMTGCVMZALTQ,GCQKCNGKAXQZLFAMZGO;ZLMADWMTGCGKAOCBLD,GCGMAWGGKAXGALTAMSO.
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
Puzzle 3
Starter clue: I = T
IYNCNGZBEVYTIYNGEFHNEIZKHKEBICNGKHPTWHQNDIINCGEFNIBIYNHCVBCKZ,VGZIYGIIYNTMNGCNKPNZIIYNHCGFIHBEZZYBDPKEBIFBSNDLIBIYNS.
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
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- T
- U
- V
- W
- X
- Y
- Z
Puzzle 4
Starter clue: G = E
AKGJAGHGGVGJFDAFEOK,AGHKFTZUOKYJMFDGSTIZZYJXOKGV;AKGJAGHGGVGJFDIRFJOEIEPRKIEIROGE,AGHKFTZUOTEJYJAIEUHIJUGQIVYJGFTEHGZNGH.
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
Puzzle 5
Starter clue: P = T
XOGZPPZLKXDQRZLTDRKZHMDGPAAPTZLQZO,EMPPTZITDLDIPZLAWPTZKMRZLXALQDO,IDLLNXOJAMPXOTXKIAOUMIPVTDPTZRLAWZKKZK,XKVTDPXTDFZOAPNZPDPPDXOZUPA.
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 (5 solutions)
- “When I have presented one corner of a subject to any one, and he cannot from it learn the other three, I do not repeat my lesson.”— Confucius, 1861, The Analects (James Legge translation, 1861)Cipher key: A=Z B=L C=J D=C E=V F=W G=Y H=S I=B J=I K=D L=F M=O N=T O=H P=X Q=P R=U S=K T=A U=Q V=N W=R X=E Y=M Z=G
- “They are, in regard to the aged, to give them rest; in regard to friends, to show them sincerity; in regard to the young, to treat them tenderly.”— Confucius, 1861, The Analects (James Legge translation, 1861)Cipher key: A=E B=U C=O D=G E=Q F=C G=T H=K I=Z J=P K=H L=N M=R N=W O=Y P=X Q=S R=J S=L T=D U=B V=F W=A X=M Y=V Z=I
- “The reason why the ancients did not readily give utterance to their words, was that they feared lest their actions should not come up to them.”— Confucius, 1861, The Analects (James Legge translation, 1861)Cipher key: A=B B=O C=R D=U E=N F=C G=A H=I I=T J=Q K=D L=P M=F N=E O=X P=L Q=V R=K S=M T=Y U=J V=W W=G X=Z Y=H Z=S
- “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=W B=J C=P D=F E=R F=O G=E H=S I=A J=N K=H L=Z M=K N=V O=T P=Y Q=X R=C S=Q T=U U=D V=M W=B X=G Y=I Z=L
- “In letters I am perhaps equal to other men, but the character of the superior man, carrying out in his conduct what he professes, is what I have not yet attained to.”— Confucius, 1861, The Analects (James Legge translation, 1861)Cipher key: A=O B=J C=Z D=A E=B F=V G=L H=Q I=C J=G K=S L=R M=U N=Y O=N P=T Q=M R=P S=X T=H U=D V=W W=F X=I Y=K Z=E