Puzzle 1
Starter clue: E = T
NVBGDE,NENQGQHNBBNDFKEEYGUUCYUCNGEIEOIEOYFWOEQYBYEOICQGQNENQEYNVRIVE.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
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- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
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Ralph Waldo Emerson Cryptograms Set 18
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: W = A
CUCMWRWJCRIGZUOXGTWKKWNNFAUWUCGEUOWUWRWERWXOWLFUOWUWKKGIWENFOFUWVFM.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
- L
- M
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Puzzle 3
Starter clue: F = E
OKSFKNMNFPKFNESNBPLPKNFN,MTIGEBOITEHJFGEPHRHMYKTZEPYFFLKTZKSKHGFPFTEH.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
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- M
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Puzzle 4
Starter clue: Q = E
UQMWIQGLCZQWOTDQRGXMRGBRGELHWPQGQILZQGJQXMWXROLGZKAQWOTDQVPKRXOULDBO.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
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Puzzle 5
Starter clue: X = E
KSXRBXXKYHMUKDPXORVYQX;CXK,OHOSUQXUHPOXMJOUNKYPNXMKXJLCNCONIXPHXWKOYMR.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
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- L
- M
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Puzzle 6
Starter clue: T = I
HGXETAVUTRTHCZPBNHYKXTEBZHHGNHMGTRGANCXNETUCSXKXNQ,SYHTETBXOGNYEHTSUX.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
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- L
- M
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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)
- “In fact, it is as difficult to appropriate the thoughts of others as it is to invent.”— Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1876, Letters and Social Aims, Quotation and Originality (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=Z B=F C=R D=C E=T F=U G=A H=D I=E J=Q K=L L=Y M=W N=I O=H P=K Q=S R=V S=M T=B U=P V=N W=G X=J Y=O Z=X
- “It is a maxim worthy of all acceptation that a man may have that allowance he takes.”— Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1841, Essays: First SeriesCipher key: A=P B=G C=I D=Q E=N F=E G=O H=B I=W J=X K=L L=V M=S N=C O=H P=J Q=U R=M S=D T=F U=T V=K W=A X=Y Y=Z Z=R
- “Life is a series of surprises, and would not be worth taking or keeping if it were not.”— Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1844, Essays: Second SeriesCipher key: A=C B=U C=J D=Q E=O F=E G=W H=T I=D J=B K=I L=P M=A N=S O=L P=R Q=X R=H S=F T=N U=V V=Z W=M X=Y Y=K Z=G
- “We have no pleasure in thinking of a benevolence that is only measured by its works.”— Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1844, Essays: Second SeriesCipher key: A=M B=K C=P D=R E=G F=X G=N H=F I=V J=C K=Y L=O M=H N=Z O=S P=B Q=E R=I S=Q T=U U=W V=D W=A X=T Y=J Z=L
- “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=X B=W C=Y D=U E=K F=G G=Z H=F I=P J=D K=T L=B M=N N=M O=I P=R Q=V R=S S=H T=J U=A V=L W=C X=E Y=O Z=Q
- “The simplicity of nature is not that which may easily be read, but is inexhaustible.”— Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1841, Essays: First SeriesCipher key: A=M B=N C=Y D=Q E=S F=G G=H H=T I=K J=Z K=R L=V M=W N=A O=X P=F Q=D R=C S=B T=I U=L V=P W=J X=E Y=U Z=O