Puzzle 1
Starter clue: O = E
FOSFCSGOWSPOROQKLCQDUIBTXB,ZHPSGUNDHGCBQOCSZCIKPSXIOP.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
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- M
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- O
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German proverb Cryptograms Set 19
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: H = E
ZSZVHQVZHNSWLXZDKSFWOHQNSOVSOQBQDFQUVSWPHHRGZNHWBWBH.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
- L
- M
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- O
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Puzzle 3
Starter clue: I = T
IWGEBTIWHIMIHKIMIWGWHKGLMHMTBBEHMIWGBCGIWHIDHIDWGMLI.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
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Puzzle 4
Starter clue: B = A
VUYKBVDVUBVQZAJYBIBNGAKYBZYBDEWWQBDVUWDYVUBVKBVKUVUYG.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
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Puzzle 5
Starter clue: S = E
WCSOKOPNCJWNCGNSESNMCSYCSOIKMN,FSOVJNSCSPYKMNGWFECSVIW.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
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- O
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Puzzle 6
Starter clue: X = E
OXHORTQSUWYRBGOXEQTUSMHVD,AQYGUXGGOXEXREUXOVZXGOXSPYVD.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
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- 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 (6 solutions)
- “He that pelts every barking dog, must pick up a great many stones.”— German proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=Q B=G C=A D=K E=Z F=H G=P H=U I=N J=X K=Y L=B M=J N=C O=E P=S Q=R R=V S=T T=D U=I V=F W=L X=O Y=W Z=M
- “It is easier to build two hearths than always to keep fire on one.”— German proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=J B=N C=G D=L E=M F=W G=F H=E I=Z J=C K=D L=B M=Q N=R O=H P=K Q=A R=P S=T T=X U=Y V=S W=O X=U Y=V Z=I
- “The dog that starts the hare is as good as the one that catches it.”— German proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=B B=O C=N D=C E=D F=K G=E H=A I=T J=M K=R L=I M=S N=Z O=P P=F Q=U R=V S=Y T=G U=X V=Q W=H X=J Y=W Z=L
- “The cats that drive away mice are as good as those that catch them.”— German proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=I B=A C=L D=S E=G F=N G=M H=P I=W J=V K=C L=F M=Z N=Y O=X P=K Q=D R=B S=Q T=U U=H V=T W=O X=J Y=E Z=R
- “The cock shuts his eyes when he crows, because he knows it by heart.”— German proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=Q B=F C=H D=M E=Y F=B G=I H=Z I=R J=U K=O L=G M=W N=S O=C P=K Q=D R=L S=E T=X U=J V=A W=T X=P Y=N Z=V
- “He who builds on the public way, must let the people have their say.”— German proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=M B=N C=K D=Y E=P F=G G=T H=W I=Q J=X K=F L=Z M=C N=J O=H P=R Q=U R=O S=I T=B U=L V=A W=D X=E Y=S Z=V