Puzzle 1
Starter clue: O = E
RODOKEYKRVRJXYKOMYODORVRJ,TAMZYEOFOHKMCVCTKOHN.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
- L
- M
- N
- O
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- R
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- T
- U
- V
- W
- X
- Y
- Z
Hard Cryptograms Set 45
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: K = I
QLQORTQRKHACHU,QOMKODCKHKRKGZ,KHBELLEONUZOGKECH.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
- L
- M
- N
- O
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Puzzle 3
Starter clue: G = O
FHZFGPHIGAHPYTCKKFHKQLRGXFLYIGZUGHYOGKRGYHQRR.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
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- K
- L
- M
- N
- O
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Puzzle 4
Starter clue: B = O
JBEBLCWPLCBWEPAY,MLAMHHIWBABHJSEJGBRAMHHOEBAML.
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 5
Starter clue: H = O
ADHAHFNSXHKDROPCPPKQPKHXDLQXPUW,NPKDLZXHKQKHHE.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
- L
- M
- N
- O
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Puzzle 6
Starter clue: X = T
XOZKYXDUXYOXVNLMJXYOXVTXTMBEM,TQMOJHXNVTXUXYME.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
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- O
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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)
- “Never morning wore to evening, but some heart did break.”— Alfred Tennyson, 1850, In Memoriam A.H.H., VI. Stanza 2 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=U B=J C=D D=V E=M F=H G=L H=A I=C J=G K=R L=Z M=T N=K O=E P=Y Q=X R=N S=F T=B U=Q V=I W=P X=W Y=O Z=S
- “A man that is busy, and inquisitive, is commonly envious.”— Francis Bacon, 1625, The Essays or Counsels, Civil and MoralCipher key: A=B B=C C=U D=Q E=O F=Z G=V H=S I=G J=R K=I L=M M=D N=L O=N P=X Q=A R=T S=F T=H U=Y V=J W=K X=W Y=P Z=E
- “He who recovers but the tail of his cow does not lose all.”— French proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=V B=G C=U D=X E=M F=H G=O H=E I=C J=P K=T L=I M=K N=Z O=N P=R Q=A R=L S=Q T=B U=D V=J W=Y X=F Y=S Z=W
- “Do not fret for news, it will grow old and you will know it.”— Spanish proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=W B=O C=F D=V E=N F=X G=Y H=L I=G J=D K=H L=T M=I N=Q O=K P=E Q=J R=U S=A T=M U=C V=Z W=R X=B Y=S Z=P
- “Who would not have feet set on his neck, let him not stoop.”— Italian proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=W B=J C=F D=H E=P F=U G=Z H=O I=B J=Y K=T L=I M=X N=L O=V P=E Q=S R=A S=D T=G U=C V=R W=K X=N Y=Q Z=M
- “Taught by that Power that pities me, I learn to pity them.”— Oliver Goldsmith, 1765, The Hermit (Edwin and Angelina), Chap. VIII. Stanza 6 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=V B=S C=F D=B E=M F=J G=X H=N I=D J=R K=G L=W M=E N=O O=A P=Q Q=L R=Z S=K T=I U=Y V=P W=C X=T Y=H Z=U