Puzzle 1
Starter clue: F = E
QIFNFLAGTVZGYTQIZCNTGJ,BTNQIFCNTGJ'AAZEF;MWQQIFNFMDQTXWNKIZAFILVAFPBXNTBLQ,TNXPFZAWNF,TNITGTN,TNQIFPLEF.
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
Francis Bacon Cryptograms Set 7
5 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: G = N
HUHGVKZDWSHBEOPWVNYZEGIDHBZYFSDEIDVGIYNYZKGSEOOIVGWEGKY;NKWEGUHWWYBFWDHWBYWKBGGVW,DYUHPNYUVBYUHZGEXEIYGW.
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: L = E
ULDZYOLDDA-IWNL;FWEQLNQBHLIWDPN,BDSNZVLYWVLNYQLATXABIBAZTYQLVNLXHLN,NZVLYWVLNYQLAVMNYULNLYTXAWDP,YZUFWDPWDVZFL.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
- L
- M
- N
- O
- P
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- X
- Y
- Z
Puzzle 4
Starter clue: T = E
YQGTZNTT-JBEATAFEADMTTNZCKKVABHLQHTA,FYMQCNHQZJTFY,FEAQZHKTTL,FEAQZTOTNDBHT,BHQETQZYMTGTHYLNTDTLYHQZKQERKFHYBER.
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
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- S
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- U
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- Y
- Z
Puzzle 5
Starter clue: C = A
DLPLSRSZCIBPWDGCZDSKDCBJ,NWDSYNFPDLPSHHCWNSR;CRVCYCNRDSTSVPZCDP,CRVGCWWDSWSTPMLCDPBWP;KSZDLPRCTCRBPCVWDLPVCRHP.
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 (5 solutions)
- “There is no man doth a wrong, for the wrong's sake; but thereby to purchase himself profit, or pleasure, or honor, or the like.”— Francis Bacon, 1625, The Essays or Counsels, Civil and MoralCipher key: A=S B=F C=W D=Y E=K F=E G=N H=V I=H J=G K=C L=I M=B N=R O=J P=L Q=T R=X S=Z T=O U=Q V=M W=U X=P Y=D Z=A
- “A man ought warily to begin charges which once begun will continue; but in matters that return not, he may be more magnificent.”— Francis Bacon, 1625, The Essays or Counsels, Civil and MoralCipher key: A=Z B=R C=P D=H E=I F=S G=N H=A I=C J=D K=U L=V M=Q N=B O=L P=Y Q=X R=J S=W T=K U=M V=O W=T X=F Y=E Z=G
- “Be not penny-wise; riches have wings, and sometimes they fly away of themselves, sometimes they must be set flying, to bring in more.”— Francis Bacon, 1625, The Essays or Counsels, Civil and MoralCipher key: A=Y B=A C=X D=N E=C F=R G=Z H=V I=W J=K K=Q L=E M=U N=S O=P P=G Q=H R=J S=D T=F U=B V=M W=I X=L Y=T Z=O
- “To be free-minded and cheerfully disposed, at hours of meat, and of sleep, and of exercise, is one of the best precepts of long lasting.”— Francis Bacon, 1625, The Essays or Counsels, Civil and MoralCipher key: A=D B=I C=U D=C E=N F=A G=B H=S I=V J=M K=L L=P M=H N=R O=X P=Q Q=O R=G S=K T=E U=W V=Y W=J X=Z Y=T Z=F
- “The honorablest part of talk, is to give the occasion; and again to moderate, and pass to somewhat else; for then a man leads the dance.”— Francis Bacon, 1625, The Essays or Counsels, Civil and MoralCipher key: A=Q B=L C=A D=T E=U F=V G=P H=C I=B J=K K=F L=H M=W N=I O=Z P=E Q=X R=N S=O T=M U=J V=D W=S X=Y Y=G Z=R