Puzzle 1
Starter clue: Y = S
KIXLXVFKYQYKXLBCLTNFHSTUUBFHKLXHKYFYFHFKYXYYXHMXTYRXLBMVTKFMTHRTLXVFMTHTYKIXMBLLBHYMIBBJYQYKXLFKYXJC.
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
Easy Cryptograms Set 53
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: Q = E
OIFEQIQKQGBZWPFJQFBGUQLFWGCNYZZQJCZGDQKU,FBJIFEQAKGYLIRBGRIOBLGCPWGDBAYRRIQRIKQFJRIFRROQURIQPRGLQRIQK.
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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- U
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- X
- Y
- Z
Puzzle 3
Starter clue: N = E
ZPFVCRNDWZFDVFNENFUMZZOHXCOZTTZYHD;LPWWJNUVFNWJNYVDWBNZBYNXDJZPYORJZZDNWZJVENVEXDXWXCMVRGPVXCWVCRNSXWJ.
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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- X
- Y
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Puzzle 4
Starter clue: G = E
KQIGAPIGKMGVRPXAQFGRUQUFGGSAFGKGJQPNGKQVVUGGSQIEGNRDKGAQDKAFGYUPJPXGLGQVQDUVUGGSQIPKKDNFRTQXS,QXSKAQUW.
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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- Y
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Puzzle 5
Starter clue: T = O
YTTYQVQSQYVDTGQBAJDQDATGGJNZHTY,XYVHZLTJEVDQQFZTSTEETLZRXZYTYQLTJEVTNNTDQCHOTGTJDFQXDJGQDZTQGXVHAXZQHZ.
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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- Y
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Puzzle 6
Starter clue: Y = O
FOWLRYEJKLJHYGYGXYDVECHOYG!OZKLJHYGHPLKLJHVCLGQOZECJHNCJXANLKKOLH,OPYECMFOWLGYDJGJKLJHYGEVYGXYDVECHOYG,O.
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 (6 solutions)
- “The merit system of making appointments is in its essence as democratic and American as the common school system itself.”— Theodore Roosevelt, 1901, First Annual Message to CongressCipher key: A=X B=O C=F D=W E=U F=I G=J H=N I=H J=L K=T L=M M=C N=K O=B P=Q Q=Y R=D S=G T=A U=P V=R W=Z X=E Y=S Z=V
- “I have here only made a nosegay of culled flowers, and have brought nothing of my own but the thread that ties them together.”— Michel de Montaigne, 1588, Essays, Book III, Chap. XII. Of Physiognomy (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=B B=N C=F D=W E=V F=A G=O H=X I=H J=D K=R L=G M=P N=C O=I P=M Q=E R=T S=Q T=J U=S V=K W=Y X=Z Y=U Z=L
- “Our ancestors are very good kind of folks; but they are the last people I should choose to have a visiting acquaintance with.”— Richard Brinsley Sheridan, 1775, The Rivals, Act IV. Sc. 1 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=Z B=P C=N D=S E=V F=R G=Q H=K I=X J=H K=M L=B M=G N=E O=D P=U Q=J R=C S=W T=F U=Y V=A W=T X=I Y=L Z=O
- “Sometimes we fail to hear or heed these voices of freedom because to us the privilege of our freedom is such an old, old story.”— Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1941, Third Inaugural AddressCipher key: A=T B=J C=K D=U E=B F=H G=E H=Z I=M J=V K=S L=G M=W N=C O=X P=I Q=O R=A S=D T=N U=R V=F W=Y X=L Y=P Z=Q
- “No one defends or excuses corruption, and it would seem to follow that none would oppose vigorous measures to eradicate it.”— Theodore Roosevelt, 1904, Fourth Annual Message to CongressCipher key: A=C B=X C=V D=S E=L F=M G=R H=I I=J J=U K=Z L=W M=B N=P O=G P=Q Q=E R=H S=F T=O U=Y V=D W=K X=A Y=N Z=T
- “Give you a reason on compulsion! If reasons were as plentiful as blackberries, I would give no man a reason upon compulsion, I.”— William Shakespeare, 1597, King Henry IV, Part I, Act II. Sc. 4 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=K B=J C=L D=M E=U F=G G=N H=S I=X J=A K=R L=E M=D N=B O=I P=W Q=T R=Y S=Z T=H U=Q V=P W=V X=C Y=O Z=F