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.
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)
“Man is not the creature of circumstances. Circumstances are the creatures of men.”— Benjamin Disraeli, 1826, Vivian Grey, Book VI. Chap. VII (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=N B=R C=X D=K E=U F=B G=S H=Y I=W J=G K=T L=P M=O N=Q O=H P=V Q=E R=L S=I T=M U=D V=Z W=J X=F Y=C Z=A
“To an active external commerce the protection of a naval force is indispensable.”— George Washington, 1796, Eighth Annual Message to CongressCipher key: A=K B=N C=Y D=J E=A F=I G=E H=Q I=H J=U K=L L=R M=F N=M O=V P=O Q=B R=X S=G T=Z U=D V=P W=T X=S Y=C Z=W
“Shall I bend low, and in a bondman's key, With bated breath and whispering humbleness.”— William Shakespeare, 1597, The Merchant of Venice, Act I. Sc. 3 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=P B=N C=K D=V E=Q F=C G=F H=I I=Z J=S K=G L=X M=T N=R O=U P=B Q=W R=H S=D T=O U=E V=A W=L X=M Y=J Z=Y
“How far that little candle throws his beams! So shines a good deed in a naughty world.”— William Shakespeare, 1597, The Merchant of Venice, Act V. Sc. 1 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=Z B=P C=H D=S E=L F=E G=B H=U I=G J=C K=Q L=I M=R N=M O=F P=O Q=V R=Y S=D T=K U=J V=W W=N X=T Y=A Z=X
“O, it is excellent to have a giant's strength; but it is tyrannous to use it like a giant.”— William Shakespeare, 1604, Measure for Measure, Act II. Sc. 2 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=N B=W C=G D=R E=V F=A G=L H=B I=X J=U K=S L=K M=F N=P O=Y P=H Q=T R=J S=I T=C U=M V=Z W=O X=Q Y=E Z=D
“The sweet of nature is love; yet, if I have a friend I am tormented by my imperfections.”— Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1841, Essays: First SeriesCipher key: A=B B=X C=M D=C E=P F=V G=Z H=Y I=F J=D K=G L=J M=A N=R O=E P=O Q=K R=L S=T T=H U=N V=Q W=I X=S Y=U Z=W