Puzzle 1
Starter clue: Y = E
GMYWBMYPLDINYKTMYA,BKEYTKNYLPQLFNAYCXYA,MYWA.
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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- T
- U
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- X
- Y
- Z
Expert Cryptograms Set 14
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: D = T
DBJXUDFODNJXUBJNSWLRWMJC,HGDPFDBJDBXDCFJLWD.
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
NSJAKOFGRADFUYJAGAWFJKLFBWFVFAWFQSVJFQSDDJ.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
- L
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Puzzle 4
Starter clue: S = H
ZYTRSNKVXWFYOESHBYJHSJDRNHSNDJTNDESHDZEYXG.
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: F = E
BFFEFVYFSRCLWFZVERGUBVEMTFATVKFVUAPFVMTFYE.
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 6
Starter clue: W = E
AWOAQORGORQXHPLCWWNR,TDORYGYWREAWPAWYJWQRWR.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
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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)
- “When the fox preaches, take care of yourselves, hens.”— Italian proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=S B=T C=L D=X E=K F=U G=W H=G I=P J=Z K=A L=O M=H N=R O=Q P=F Q=Y R=M S=D T=C U=I V=B W=N X=V Y=E Z=J
- “The act of treachery is liked, but not he that does it.”— Spanish proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=Z B=H C=D D=T E=Q F=O G=U H=B I=V J=E K=P L=S M=K N=R O=F P=N Q=X R=L S=Y T=W U=C V=G W=I X=A Y=M Z=J
- “Justice oft leans to the side where the purse pulls.”— Danish proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=T B=W C=V D=L E=M F=E G=O H=X I=Q J=S K=I L=D M=K N=J O=C P=G Q=P R=F S=U T=B U=A V=R W=H X=Z Y=N Z=Y
- “Now cheaply bought for thrice their weight in gold.”— John Ferriar, 1798, Illustrations of Sterne, Bibliomania. Line 65 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=J B=F C=X D=I E=G F=B G=D H=T I=K J=R K=A L=S M=Q N=E O=U P=M Q=Z R=C S=H T=W U=V V=P W=Y X=L Y=O Z=N
- “Geese are plucked as long as they have any feathers.”— Dutch proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=Y B=G C=U D=Z E=S F=E G=O H=Q I=M J=I K=V L=C M=T N=X O=J P=F Q=W R=L S=P T=H U=N V=A W=K X=B Y=R Z=D
- “He that sits among reeds, cuts pipes when he pleases.”— German proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=H B=F C=R D=U E=W F=V G=I H=O I=B J=L K=Y L=G M=Z N=D O=T P=N Q=A R=S S=J T=C U=Q V=X W=E X=M Y=P Z=K