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 1
Hard · 47 letters
Starter clue: Y = E
PYXYSKYBQUSNVFGG,ONSFOYFXSKYOJNSPNEGMDYGYVSPKNGY.
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 2
Medium · 47 letters
Starter clue: O = E
NYOWCINOS'IOVOCEAQDDNCSONYOMOINWCEPSOQDSNYOQHOZA.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
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)
“Were the sky to fall, not an earthen pot would be left whole.”— Dutch proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=V B=S C=M D=B E=U F=A G=L H=Z I=J J=P K=H L=Q M=D N=O O=N P=W Q=K R=C S=T T=X U=Y V=F W=I X=R Y=E Z=G
“The master's eye and foot are the best manure for the field.”— Dutch proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=D B=C C=A D=O E=N F=X G=K H=I I=S J=W K=Z L=Q M=B N=T O=E P=U Q=F R=V S=R T=P U=G V=Y W=M X=J Y=H Z=L
“Idleness is hunger's mother, and of theft it is full brother.”— Dutch proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=W B=Y C=D D=I E=J F=Z G=N H=L I=A J=M K=B L=Q M=R N=K O=U P=O Q=S R=H S=F T=P U=G V=C W=V X=T Y=X Z=E
“Travel east or travel west, a man's own house is still the best.”— Dutch proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=L B=N C=F D=P E=X F=R G=E H=J I=U J=V K=T L=C M=Q N=H O=Y P=O Q=D R=Z S=G T=I U=K V=S W=B X=M Y=A Z=W
“Hastiness is the beginning of wrath, and its end repentance.”— Dutch proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=S B=I C=G D=P E=N F=T G=C H=E I=R J=W K=H L=A M=V N=L O=Z P=D Q=M R=K S=X T=J U=Y V=Q W=O X=B Y=U Z=F
“The fly flutters about the candle till at last it gets burnt.”— Dutch proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=J B=P C=X D=A E=M F=W G=S H=I I=O J=U K=N L=G M=B N=L O=Q P=Z Q=H R=E S=D T=K U=V V=F W=C X=T Y=R Z=Y