Puzzle 1
Starter clue: D = O
QNPHLHMRTDOTUEEYDOZUECDHRBCMKPDOYWUMOBMTLLDFULCUK.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
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- M
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Expert Cryptograms Set 43
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: C = E
OSMCZDKCDT,YPKKZSJXZEDTCUH,YPKXZEBSUUICDSKZHYPLSCJX.
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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Puzzle 3
Starter clue: F = E
RULTSYKFCFIECTWFMTTE,CNFOTKAECPVFJLTSGFKLJFKRTSJAL.
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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- O
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Puzzle 4
Starter clue: S = T
ESERHXMIZKSXGGZSDEGUVFSZFMZOGHBGESISDBSCXAXEHXRFR.
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 5
Starter clue: V = E
WFNSGBBVTWFPGALSEEIVQIGKLHHVLXEVFTLQVEIVQSAQEGFRV.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
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Puzzle 6
Starter clue: T = E
BTABVPJNTYPBTAEVULEVJHRKYPRJNTBXYFVKEUTIPAXSTVZTE.
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)
- “By mutual concession we should harmonize and act together.”— Abraham Lincoln, 1862, Second Annual Message to CongressCipher key: A=Q B=D C=H D=O E=S F=G G=V H=U I=K J=X K=R L=T M=A N=Y O=N P=M Q=B R=L S=J T=C U=E V=F W=Z X=P Y=I Z=W
- “Give orders, and do it yourself, and you will be rid of anxiety.”— Portuguese proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=K B=W C=E D=R E=U F=J G=H H=F I=B J=T K=D L=X M=V N=Z O=G P=N Q=C R=P S=I T=S U=L V=Q W=M X=Y Y=A Z=O
- “If you pretend to be good, the world takes you very seriously.”— Oscar Wilde, 1892, Lady Windermere's FanCipher key: A=L B=Z C=T D=M E=D F=E G=V H=Q I=N J=S K=R L=Y M=G N=H O=W P=A Q=C R=I S=U T=O U=F V=K W=B X=J Y=P Z=X
- “It is very often nothing but our own vanity that deceives us.”— Jane Austen, 1813, Pride and PrejudiceCipher key: A=C B=A C=D D=H E=I F=U G=N H=V I=Y J=K K=F L=Q M=R N=L O=W P=J Q=Z R=S S=T T=P U=G V=B W=X X=E Y=M Z=O
- “In quarreling about the shadow we often lose the substance.”— Aesop, 1867, Aesop's Fables (George Fyler Townsend translation, 1867)Cipher key: A=B B=R C=Z D=P E=T F=N G=A H=W I=H J=M K=D L=O M=V N=Q O=X P=G Q=S R=C S=U T=L U=Y V=E W=I X=F Y=J Z=K
- “He who takes the wrong road must make his journey twice over.”— Spanish proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=W B=H C=P D=Z E=R F=J G=L H=D I=Y J=A K=U L=G M=Q N=K O=B P=T Q=X R=M S=C T=E U=N V=O W=F X=I Y=S Z=V