Puzzle 1
Starter clue: V = T
VXYOYLDVWSVOLMZDKWVLOILMDVXYQUYLVYDVQLZK.
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
Hard Cryptograms Set 10
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: L = E
HNLXVYGYXEUJQRLYFZLL,GNLKYZULZNYRXJVNYXVL.
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: Q = E
WVVGUQHLSVRWSQNLLRWDRWNSQQWXVQMDELTSQEQK.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
- L
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Puzzle 4
Starter clue: G = A
JSPNGJUSSDQCXNGOOHSZXGXLIOOGXQCOGVWISCIX.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
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Puzzle 5
Starter clue: Q = A
AJBRNYFQKVYOQAVZJRZNFZHYOQZRQKVYOTQODYNV.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
- L
- M
- N
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Puzzle 6
Starter clue: L = T
LRYVGLCYLMPJGCMLRVLMRYKVOIYQJMRLRYMZZGYQ.
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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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)
- “The least outlay is not always the greatest gain.”— Aesop, 1867, Aesop's Fables (George Fyler Townsend translation, 1867)Cipher key: A=J B=Q C=Z D=S E=P F=D G=F H=K I=W J=M K=N L=A M=Y N=C O=L P=X Q=G R=V S=U T=B U=R V=T W=O X=H Y=E Z=I
- “When cat and mouse agree, the farmer has no chance.”— Danish proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=X B=Q C=Y D=L E=D F=G G=T H=W I=V J=O K=F L=E M=K N=H O=B P=I Q=U R=S S=J T=P U=M V=C W=Z X=N Y=A Z=R
- “All the world are good and agreeable in your eyes.”— Jane Austen, 1813, Pride and PrejudiceCipher key: A=K B=C C=P D=N E=Y F=M G=T H=W I=Q J=V K=S L=O M=I N=G O=Z P=X Q=E R=D S=R T=U U=H V=L W=A X=B Y=F Z=J
- “You may cook in small pots as well as in large ones.”— Danish proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=Q B=X C=N D=K E=B F=J G=A H=P I=E J=Y K=Z L=W M=H N=M O=L P=U Q=I R=F S=O T=V U=C V=R W=G X=S Y=D Z=T
- “Counsel after action is like rain after harvest.”— Danish proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=C B=U C=G D=V E=W F=L G=Q H=K I=D J=O K=F L=Z M=P N=S O=R P=J Q=A R=N S=B T=H U=X V=T W=Y X=M Y=E Z=I
- “The ant gets wings that she may perish the sooner.”— Spanish proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=D B=J C=G D=X E=L F=V G=N H=U I=P J=I K=M L=T M=S N=C O=Y P=W Q=R R=H S=Z T=F U=Q V=A W=B X=K Y=E Z=O