Puzzle 1
Starter clue: G = E
DIEDDZEGDEQG'FVGHZAFJBGODKITVHZVGZQGHZIFBUFJZHAG.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
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German proverb Cryptograms Set 14
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: N = E
HENENBFJUNPHYFLZJBLBNPHTENGNHENGNLGNNAAPLFGNLOZ.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
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Puzzle 3
Starter clue: A = H
GPGJNLTGBAOTDZBAUBUMMBAGHGMMZGSALAOZLYTBALWRABZ.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
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Puzzle 4
Starter clue: N = E
NTQCIUDQRANTGJCTUNUDZNJ,CRWUATMTRGUKNJNZUDQ'AKNTJ.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
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Puzzle 5
Starter clue: L = O
MGPQIGXSRBQRAELPPLUSRBALUTJJTRLYBX,EYIRLIVLPJLRB.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
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Puzzle 6
Starter clue: G = T
UMCTQVGSMYGKTGYKRVIUVXTNPYTIGVMRQVGSMYGNRNRIQTK.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
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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)
- “On poor people's beards the young barber learns his trade.”— German proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=D B=H C=V D=O E=P F=S G=E H=A I=N J=T K=U L=X M=C N=Z O=Y P=K Q=L R=W S=Q T=G U=I V=B W=M X=J Y=F Z=R
- “The hen likes to lay in a nest where there are eggs already.”— German proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=G B=N C=X D=F E=H F=L G=R H=T I=C J=I K=J L=A M=Q N=E O=D P=S Q=M R=U S=V T=W U=K V=B W=Z X=P Y=O Z=Y
- “Every one thinks that all the bells echo his own thoughts.”— German proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=H B=T C=F D=K E=Q F=D G=E H=B I=X J=R K=P L=O M=L N=Y O=I P=V Q=Z R=G S=C T=N U=A V=M W=U X=J Y=W Z=S
- “Early to rise and late to bed, lifts again the debtor's head.”— German proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=S B=Q C=L D=O E=Z F=W G=N H=M I=Y J=D K=H L=K M=G N=E O=V P=U Q=R R=I S=C T=A U=T V=X W=F X=J Y=P Z=B
- “Scratching and borrowing do well enough, but not for long.”— German proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=D B=G C=J D=K E=B F=Q G=C H=P I=T J=L K=Z L=O M=S N=V O=M P=R Q=A R=N S=I T=E U=W V=F W=X X=H Y=U Z=Y
- “Love without return is like a question without an answer.”— German proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=Y B=X C=V D=M E=G F=D G=T H=P I=S J=Z K=R L=J M=O N=A O=C P=Q Q=W R=N S=H T=E U=L V=I W=B X=K Y=U Z=F