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German proverb · Set 15

German proverb Cryptograms Set 15

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 1

Hard · 47 letters

Starter clue: I = O

VHQVILBQLFCMVREWCRMRCMIICIIE,RCCAXHMIPIOHMIIBLMH.

Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:

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Puzzle 2

Medium · 47 letters

Starter clue: S = A

SGFEQNPLPEEDUSFWNDQBX,FGCBWXRSXRBAGSEVXRSXSWPEBX.

Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:

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Puzzle 3

Hard · 48 letters

Starter clue: Q = E

FQHFWHAQQAVRJHNQTQKZUCVFMRIIFWKOIZBQHRJHNHFQMNNO.

Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:

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Puzzle 4

Expert · 48 letters

Starter clue: A = S

YXVCUGAYIVAYZDWQTVQAYXPYNPWAGJJDZYJZDAJVZDGARPCA.

Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:

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Puzzle 5

Medium · 48 letters

Starter clue: S = H

UEERBOTZSTAOAGKREJULGAZ,ISGDXELSOQGSTJ,SEKRSTJBOAZ.

Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:

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Puzzle 6

Hard · 48 letters

Starter clue: T = E

PGGPTSFPSGYNCFDPGJQMTOTFVMGQVDSTOHJJTZOOMDNVZTSX.

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)
  1. “He who always thinks it is too soon, is sure to come too late.”— German proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=U B=L C=S D=F E=N F=Y G=Q H=E I=O J=D K=B L=A M=T N=V O=M P=C Q=W R=I S=X T=G U=Z V=H W=K X=R Y=J Z=P
  2. “A single penny fairly got, is worth a thousand that are not.”— German proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=U B=O C=W D=Y E=N F=I G=S H=Z I=V J=C K=X L=P M=Q N=L O=M P=E Q=G R=H S=A T=B U=F V=D W=R X=T Y=K Z=J
  3. “He that peeps into every bush will hardly get into the wood.”— German proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=P B=G C=U D=M E=Z F=H G=K H=T I=L J=N K=R L=X M=W N=O O=D P=C Q=E R=I S=F T=V U=B V=S W=A X=Q Y=J Z=Y
  4. “They must be strong legs that can support prosperous days.”— German proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=S B=Z C=Y D=O E=K F=I G=U H=F I=B J=P K=Q L=V M=J N=C O=W P=A Q=G R=D S=X T=L U=M V=E W=N X=H Y=T Z=R
  5. “Good faith is a seldom guest, when you have him, hold him fast.”— German proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=S B=F C=Z D=N E=O F=B G=E H=C I=W J=M K=L L=U M=J N=P O=A P=R Q=V R=D S=H T=I U=G V=X W=K X=Y Y=Q Z=T
  6. “No one can complain of the sea who twice suffers shipwreck.”— German proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=V B=Y C=L D=I E=Q F=A G=O H=U I=X J=F K=J L=B M=H N=P O=S P=N Q=T R=Z S=C T=E U=G V=W W=D X=K Y=M Z=R