Puzzle 1
Starter clue: D = N
EGQKTJOUDRSDGWD,DWMUDRVWTKHKT,WDKUDRGDZKFUTUQEK.
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
Expert Cryptograms Set 28
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 = S
RDORDURDJRPDRCGBGHLDGB,UYGLCGHRDLXFLDWXFUCLHGB.
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
Puzzle 3
Starter clue: Y = E
XYXVCUVPYIUFYWEVPURGEFLIYFF,VICVFHLSYCIRXLDXYS.
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
Puzzle 4
Starter clue: A = R
SUQEJMRTPVERAAEGZSVQEJAHJSTPA,DEVELGSLMRAXMPAZ.
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
Puzzle 5
Starter clue: A = O
MNBBPXRVAYURCAWPDB,DCLWALPXDBYACYCINXPRCAJDNRP.
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
Puzzle 6
Starter clue: Q = O
MAEMQMZIDQJQEFDMPQGAIVKIDHQQYZPDANMFIMAR-NQQID.
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)
- “Liberty and Union, now and forever, one and inseparable.”— Daniel Webster, 1830, Second Speech on Foot's Resolution, Jan. 26, 1830. Vol. III. p. 342 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=H B=Z C=M D=N E=L F=P G=I H=V I=J J=T K=E L=C M=W N=K O=Y P=X Q=B R=D S=U T=R U=A V=F W=O X=Q Y=G Z=S
- “As fast as laws are devised, their evasion is contrived.”— German proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=J B=D C=R D=S E=Q F=N G=E H=V I=P J=L K=U L=I M=G N=B O=F P=W Q=M R=A S=Y T=Z U=T V=X W=C X=O Y=H Z=K
- “He had talents equal to business, and aspired no higher.”— Tacitus, 117, Annales, VI. 39, 17 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=K B=V C=D D=G E=U F=S G=B H=P I=N J=M K=W L=I M=J N=F O=Z P=L Q=Y R=O S=R T=C U=T V=A W=Q X=H Y=E Z=X
- “If you have no arrows in your quiver, go not with archers.”— German proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=R B=Z C=K D=G E=O F=X G=W H=Q I=M J=U K=L L=T M=H N=B O=P P=E Q=Y R=A S=I T=V U=F V=N W=J X=C Y=D Z=S
- “Butter spoils no meat, and moderation injures no cause.”— Danish proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=O B=T C=N D=A E=G F=Q G=F H=Y I=J J=C K=Z L=D M=B N=U O=K P=E Q=H R=S S=W T=V U=L V=P W=M X=R Y=I Z=X
- “He who has to do with foxes must look after his hen-roost.”— German proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=E B=G C=P D=T E=W F=I G=X H=L I=S J=D K=U L=Y M=H N=R O=Z P=F Q=O R=N S=V T=C U=Q V=M W=B X=J Y=K Z=A