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.
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)
“The United States fully accepts the profound truth that our own progress, prosperity, and peace are interlocked with the progress, prosperity, and peace of all humanity.”— Herbert Hoover, 1929, Inaugural AddressCipher key: A=E B=J C=F D=O E=L F=G G=Q H=W I=Y J=R K=C L=S M=A N=M O=B P=Z Q=H R=P S=N T=K U=V V=X W=T X=D Y=U Z=I
“Ours is the great example of a prosperous and free self-governed republic, commanding the admiration and the imitation of all the lovers of freedom throughout the world.”— James K. Polk, 1848, Fourth Annual Message to CongressCipher key: A=O B=Q C=S D=A E=X F=I G=E H=Z I=J J=Y K=P L=N M=F N=L O=V P=K Q=G R=W S=C T=U U=H V=D W=M X=T Y=R Z=B
“Some are vocal under a good influence, are pleasing whenever they are pleased, and hand on their happiness to others, as a child who, looking upon lovely things, looks lovely.”— Robert Louis Stevenson, 1881, Virginibus Puerisque and Other PapersCipher key: A=I B=X C=T D=U E=W F=E G=N H=Z I=B J=H K=P L=D M=S N=A O=V P=J Q=C R=Q S=G T=K U=R V=M W=Y X=L Y=O Z=F
“To be in company, nicely dressed herself and seeing others nicely dressed, to sit and smile and look pretty, and say nothing, was enough for the happiness of the present hour.”— Jane Austen, 1815, EmmaCipher key: A=S B=I C=T D=G E=U F=K G=M H=P I=D J=Y K=E L=V M=B N=W O=Z P=Q Q=R R=L S=N T=C U=X V=H W=F X=J Y=A Z=O
“Sir, I think all Christians, whether Papists or Protestants, agree in the essential articles, and that their differences are trivial, and rather political than religious.”— Samuel Johnson, 1791, Boswell, Life of Johnson, Life of Johnson (Boswell). Vol. II. Chap. V. 1763 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=J B=E C=B D=M E=R F=H G=L H=O I=P J=F K=V L=K M=S N=A O=Z P=D Q=U R=C S=Y T=W U=X V=T W=Q X=I Y=N Z=G