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)
“There is in human nature generally, more of the fool than of the wise; and therefore those faculties, by which the foolish part of men's minds is taken, are most potent.”— Francis Bacon, 1625, The Essays or Counsels, Civil and MoralCipher key: A=P B=V C=W D=Z E=T F=K G=A H=N I=L J=X K=U L=E M=D N=Y O=R P=O Q=F R=M S=Q T=I U=G V=B W=J X=H Y=S Z=C
“If a man does not make new acquaintances as he advances through life, he will soon find himself left alone. A man, sir, should keep his friendship in a constant repair.”— Samuel Johnson, 1791, Boswell, Life of Johnson, Life of Johnson (Boswell). Vol. II. Chap. II. 1755 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=Q B=R C=H D=E E=X F=O G=W H=T I=V J=S K=Z L=A M=C N=G O=Y P=L Q=J R=D S=N T=I U=M V=U W=K X=P Y=B Z=F
“The art of life is more like the wrestler's art than the dancer's, in respect of this, that it should stand ready and firm to meet onsets which are sudden and unexpected.”— Marcus Aurelius, 1862, Meditations (George Long translation, 1862)Cipher key: A=X B=P C=G D=J E=Z F=R G=U H=O I=M J=E K=Q L=W M=H N=C O=D P=T Q=F R=I S=Y T=V U=L V=A W=N X=K Y=S Z=B
“It takes a good deal of time to eat or to sleep, or to earn a hundred dollars, and a very little time to entertain a hope and an insight which becomes the light of our life.”— Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1844, Essays: Second SeriesCipher key: A=G B=J C=W D=H E=S F=P G=L H=C I=B J=E K=I L=U M=O N=F O=T P=K Q=X R=M S=D T=Q U=A V=Y W=Z X=R Y=V Z=N
“Is not marriage an open question, when it is alleged, from the beginning of the world, that such as are in the institution wish to get out, and such as are out wish to get in?”— Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1850, Representative Men, Montaigne (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=L B=A C=G D=P E=V F=M G=C H=E I=H J=Y K=S L=D M=B N=T O=Z P=Q Q=J R=W S=K T=I U=O V=X W=F X=U Y=N Z=R
“Our future progress and prosperity depend upon our ability to equal, if not surpass, other nations in the enlargement and advance of science, industry, and commerce.”— William McKinley, 1899, Third Annual Message to CongressCipher key: A=P B=V C=I D=F E=L F=G G=Y H=C I=B J=R K=M L=X M=S N=K O=Q P=H Q=O R=Z S=N T=D U=W V=A W=T X=U Y=J Z=E