Puzzle 1
Starter clue: G = T
GVYDHWQGPJGSIDBKUHQGIFYYAQIJRPGVYQIMHYGSHGQYWEYQ.
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 39
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: V = N
NVLTBKERMQTFYKYMTXNVXODVPYVTX,QDMCYVBNOTNVXYVMYKT.
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: M = E
FMYIQSSAMXYMKMXMOBFMSS-HJOBL,BJZERVJXWM,ENZERXMQYJB.
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: X = E
GOXKUQXIDXRTRHPTMVXIPQRIXDKIXIPLMXSVGOXALKIVCVGZ.
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: O = E
BCOHQJAZSAWMOK,DQBBCOQT;BCOZCOOLAZZCQVD,DQBBCOCQVZO.
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: F = S
AJLXDPFAHLFAEKQYTLYFAJSANSQFPMMKEAMEKFMLEKPFOSXF.
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)
- “The first duty of law is to keep sound the society it serves.”— Woodrow Wilson, 1913, First Inaugural AddressCipher key: A=P B=L C=Z D=F E=V F=K G=T H=I I=O J=U K=A L=B M=C N=G O=M P=D Q=S R=N S=Y T=Q U=W V=H W=R X=J Y=E Z=X
- “Anger must be limited and confined, both in race and in time.”— Francis Bacon, 1625, The Essays or Counsels, Civil and MoralCipher key: A=Q B=R C=H D=O E=U F=L G=Z H=Y I=P J=X K=M L=G M=T N=A O=C P=F Q=B R=S S=W T=E U=J V=N W=V X=D Y=I Z=K
- “We shall persevere in well-doing, not by force, but by reason.”— Calvin Coolidge, 1923, State of the Union AddressCipher key: A=P B=N C=X D=M E=B F=W G=Z H=D I=H J=O K=V L=G M=E N=U O=I P=J Q=A R=Y S=L T=K U=Q V=F W=C X=R Y=S Z=T
- “The absence of old friends one can endure with equanimity.”— Oscar Wilde, 1895, The Importance of Being EarnestCipher key: A=Q B=J C=M D=C E=K F=G G=T H=L I=N J=P K=A L=U M=R N=V O=H P=D Q=S R=O S=W T=F U=B V=I W=X X=E Y=Z Z=Y
- “The cow is milked, not the ox; the sheep is shorn, not the horse.”— Danish proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=I B=T C=H D=N E=Z F=G G=Y H=C I=A J=W K=D L=P M=K N=U O=E P=Q Q=O R=J S=M T=X U=F V=R W=L X=V Y=B Z=S
- “They must be strong legs that can support prosperous days.”— German proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=T B=X C=I D=M E=R F=S G=W H=B I=J J=H K=O L=E M=P N=C O=D P=U Q=N R=Z S=A T=L U=F V=Q W=V X=Y Y=G Z=K