Puzzle 1
Starter clue: L = T
WLWJRLAWHIBNIPXRLKRLWXHUX,SZLVXLBNFZUAZJX.
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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- R
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- T
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- W
- X
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- Z
Francis Bacon Cryptograms Set 1
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: E = N
VZORGKMNZRFDXKLDGUFUE'BGDJNXEROBOEZOBDTEZUELB.
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: O = I
EFOMWHERFOGGHENWHBVWBAABVKYROKOWM,KJERJWZORQM.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
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Puzzle 4
Starter clue: C = I
EDEGIJEICHOXHP,EGFCGLXCHCICSN,CHQUDDUGYPNGSCUXH.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
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- L
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Puzzle 5
Starter clue: R = E
BXRZBTCDRXURXQRYBUGVBLRGTLU,UGJXVJXKZBTCRMJVICRD.
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 6
Starter clue: T = N
GTINYAHLWXNDFAFWNBGTBSUTZFTNB,XUWQFTYGSNGTBFTWFAN.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
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- L
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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)
- “It is a thing of great patience, but yet of much use.”— Francis Bacon, 1625, The Essays or Counsels, Civil and MoralCipher key: A=H B=O C=K D=V E=J F=M G=Q H=N I=G J=S K=P L=T M=W N=F O=D P=R Q=L R=A S=B T=Z U=C V=Y W=I X=E Y=X Z=U
- “Chiefly the mould of a man's fortune is in his own hands.”— Francis Bacon, 1625, Essays, Of Fortune (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=Q B=S C=Z D=O E=N F=M G=F H=B I=P J=R K=L L=D M=Y N=T O=I P=V Q=G R=E S=J T=W U=A V=C W=K X=U Y=X Z=H
- “A wise man will make more opportunities, than he finds.”— Francis Bacon, 1625, The Essays or Counsels, Civil and MoralCipher key: A=P B=O C=X D=Y E=A F=W G=L H=M I=Z J=H K=T L=C M=S N=K O=I P=G Q=D R=N S=B T=V U=Q V=R W=E X=J Y=U Z=F
- “A man that is busy, and inquisitive, is commonly envious.”— Francis Bacon, 1625, The Essays or Counsels, Civil and MoralCipher key: A=W B=F C=I D=M E=A F=D G=N H=S I=T J=H K=R L=Q M=P N=E O=B P=Y Q=C R=G S=V T=Z U=O V=X W=K X=U Y=L Z=J
- “One foul sentence doth more hurt, than many foul examples.”— Francis Bacon, 1625, The Essays or Counsels, Civil and MoralCipher key: A=W B=O C=L D=S E=Z F=Q G=H H=K I=P J=A K=Y L=R M=X N=I O=J P=B Q=C R=E S=G T=U U=T V=M W=V X=N Y=D Z=F
- “Anger must be limited and confined, both in race and in time.”— Francis Bacon, 1625, The Essays or Counsels, Civil and MoralCipher key: A=M B=D C=V D=L E=X F=I G=A H=U I=G J=Q K=P L=S M=J N=E O=Z P=Y Q=H R=W S=C T=N U=O V=K W=T X=B Y=R Z=F