Free printable puzzles · No sign-up · No ads

The Cryptogram Press


Text size
Theme
French proverb · Set 16

French proverb Cryptograms Set 16

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 1

Hard · 59 letters

Starter clue: J = T

EJEFISJJDYAGYVJYFJOYVBJEYFJDVJEIFCEGYJDYWSFJCGSZSBIPCVFFESI.

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 2

Hard · 59 letters

Starter clue: C = E

GUGIAWCTITYUCYHELFLHGYLTMHHUQFCYSHEWCTNSHEJFHJICPSUFCPJGNWC.

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

Medium · 60 letters

Starter clue: N = H

NSQNTZWCSRTYMNSKWDYM'RRNTHVCSZRRSSRJHZMNSZMNDYNSQNTEDZZWSRNWU.

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

Hard · 61 letters

Starter clue: X = E

BXUDIOXVZAIGQICIKXVHEBHCXZPBHJXIOXDCHFBUCKFHJUTRHEEBUDEUCKXVD.

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

Medium · 61 letters

Starter clue: L = O

JGLVXLQJRCCLGC,WLXMLGC,KQWNKAERGC,WLQLMXLQXRKNMZRMGHMZLJELHGXKCR.

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)
  1. “It is not the greatest beauties that inspire the most profound passion.”— French proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=G B=U C=P D=H E=I F=S G=R H=Z I=N J=T K=X L=C M=W N=J O=B P=D Q=V R=Q S=O T=K U=Y V=A W=M X=L Y=E Z=F
  2. “It is pleasant enough going afoot when you lead your horse by the bridle.”— French proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=P B=Q C=E D=Z E=U F=H G=I H=O I=S J=R K=J L=G M=F N=D O=V P=B Q=W R=M S=Y T=A U=T V=C W=L X=K Y=N Z=X
  3. “He who rides on the giant's shoulders sees further than he who carries him.”— French proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=X B=V C=D D=A E=C F=P G=Z H=U I=Y J=F K=G L=B M=T N=H O=Q P=K Q=W R=S S=E T=O U=M V=L W=I X=J Y=N Z=R
  4. “He is a very bad manager of honey who leaves nothing to lick off his fingers.”— French proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=B B=H C=N D=S E=F F=T G=D H=O I=A J=L K=G L=J M=Q N=X O=V P=W Q=M R=K S=Z T=C U=I V=R W=P X=E Y=U Z=Y
  5. “From confessors, doctors, and lawyers, do not conceal the truth of your case.”— French proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=W B=V C=S D=I E=Y F=X G=R H=U I=G J=F K=A L=O M=T N=L O=P P=B Q=N R=E S=J T=Z U=K V=M W=D X=C Y=Q Z=H