Puzzle 1
Starter clue: I = E
LYIDIKTGMISFIQQIGLOIRZLH,LYRLYRLYGMLTMCITLDRGNIGITTKGLYIUDMUMDLKMG.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
- L
- M
- N
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Francis Bacon Cryptograms Set 3
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: F = E
NANPAWFUNPBVZVEIHAP,AWHAUNTTMFPYIFAVTFHRFHWVYPF,PVZFUWHAMFEVIFNAEHTT.
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 3
Starter clue: S = E
VASKSGUMTDGLS,VAZVHTVAUTLTDSKZOZMNGVAUAZOS,ZUVTWSBTQMHBZIUSZMHFSKBGHGTQU.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
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Puzzle 4
Starter clue: J = E
NEVLNJEOGFOLGBJUWJLLOPMVAGBJVWXGJLGQYJPG;QXKJELOGFOLGBJUWJLLOPMVAGBJPJZ.
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: A = E
UKUCMAKKAEJAXOUPZYUKRLAPUPXSSAKUKA,KRXPYUKRKRTCAKRXKXEAYRAEAKRAVYTGOJMA.
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: F = N
HRCJJQF,YXWJ,HFJCFQPOQZBQJICQRBKXFJXBNSHFLBKSQRRCDODKRQHSHF,HFJWHLNKSXOQF.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
- L
- M
- N
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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)
- “There is no excellent beauty, that hath not some strangeness in the proportion.”— Francis Bacon, 1625, The Essays or Counsels, Civil and MoralCipher key: A=Z B=J C=M D=R E=F F=C G=N H=Y I=E J=Q K=I L=T M=O N=G O=B P=W Q=L R=A S=X T=S U=P V=D W=V X=K Y=H Z=U
- “It is the wisdom of rats, that will be sure to leave a house, somewhat before it fall.”— Francis Bacon, 1625, The Essays or Counsels, Civil and MoralCipher key: A=T B=D C=G D=K E=F F=E G=N H=A I=R J=X K=Z L=J M=B N=I O=Q P=S Q=Y R=V S=P T=L U=W V=O W=H X=C Y=U Z=M
- “There is no vice, that doth so cover a man with shame, as to be found false and perfidious.”— Francis Bacon, 1625, The Essays or Counsels, Civil and MoralCipher key: A=H B=F C=X D=V E=K F=P G=I H=D I=L J=G K=R L=C M=N N=W O=M P=Y Q=U R=Z S=E T=O U=S V=T W=B X=J Y=Q Z=A
- “Prosperity is the blessing of the Old Testament; adversity is the blessing of the New.”— Francis Bacon, 1625, Essays, Of Adversity (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=F B=H C=Q D=Z E=R F=Y G=T H=K I=U J=E K=V L=S M=G N=P O=I P=N Q=A R=J S=X T=C U=B V=O W=L X=D Y=M Z=W
- “It is better dealing with men in appetite, than with those that are where they would be.”— Francis Bacon, 1625, The Essays or Counsels, Civil and MoralCipher key: A=E B=J C=S D=Z E=R F=V G=U H=X I=C J=D K=T L=M M=B N=K O=L P=N Q=F R=H S=P T=O U=I V=Y W=Q X=A Y=W Z=G
- “A sudden, bold, and unexpected question doth many times surprise a man, and lay him open.”— Francis Bacon, 1625, The Essays or Counsels, Civil and MoralCipher key: A=K B=T C=U D=R E=Z F=N G=J H=A I=Q J=D K=I L=Y M=G N=H O=P P=X Q=E R=S S=M T=V U=W V=F W=L X=O Y=B Z=C