Puzzle 1
Starter clue: P = E
RHRIIFJPHWREYZRUPHPZZREYNPFNZPHFUPPNANHWPRTINRTRHI.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
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- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
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George Eliot Cryptograms Set 1
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: I = T
QAQGNUMRDEKOSREIGTRHWEDQOOMWIPMI,TBNEKIGTQSPTWUQIMO.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
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- B
- C
- D
- E
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- G
- H
- I
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Puzzle 3
Starter clue: D = E
PTVMLPSLPVMDUTCBONTCDFWHVBDVMJPVMDICTGDFFTEVMDLCSCJOWJBGMJPSD!
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
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- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
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- H
- I
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Puzzle 4
Starter clue: N = E
KANBNUHVJUSSNBNXPNUXKANUBMNBILBNVKAUXF:KANIPAVXFNSBQGGQGNXKKQGQGNXK.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
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- B
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- D
- E
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- H
- I
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Puzzle 5
Starter clue: Q = S
UIBOUSQUAMQZLDUJAMMUESMGABMIFQ-RDMCUQWIHVZMQRBHIQ;RDMCTUQQIHLABRBLBQOQ.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
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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 (5 solutions)
- “It is something like telling people to keep up their spirits.”— George Eliot, 1872, MiddlemarchCipher key: A=U B=V C=D D=Z E=N F=O G=A H=T I=S J=M K=Q L=C M=B N=P O=W P=E Q=F R=I S=X T=R U=K V=Y W=H X=J Y=G Z=L
- “Every man would not ring so well as that, if you tried his metal.”— George Eliot, 1872, MiddlemarchCipher key: A=V B=F C=K D=W E=O F=P G=R H=G I=T J=X K=U L=Z M=A N=Y O=L P=H Q=E R=N S=D T=I U=M V=Q W=S X=B Y=J Z=C
- “Nothing in the world more subtle than the process of their gradual change!”— George Eliot, 1872, MiddlemarchCipher key: A=X B=L C=R D=E E=F F=S G=C H=B I=P J=A K=Y L=I M=H N=M O=D P=N Q=J R=Q S=G T=O U=W V=T W=U X=V Y=Z Z=K
- “There is a difference in their very breathing: they change from moment to moment.”— George Eliot, 1872, MiddlemarchCipher key: A=H B=R C=W D=Q E=U F=G G=M H=S I=Y J=D K=T L=B M=V N=E O=Z P=C Q=O R=J S=F T=K U=I V=A W=P X=N Y=L Z=X
- “Animals are such agreeable friends - they ask no questions; they pass no criticisms.”— George Eliot, 1857, Mr Gilfil's Love StoryCipher key: A=R B=I C=Y D=H E=B F=D G=F H=O I=N J=G K=V L=C M=E N=W O=M P=J Q=S R=T S=L T=P U=A V=Q W=K X=Z Y=X Z=U