Puzzle 1
Starter clue: Y = E
QDQWJZDQVYDZATXEPNYWWKNYJDNYNZCWYQWZJIQFY.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
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- B
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- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
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Italian proverb Cryptograms Set 3
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: C = T
JC'TVUOFSKFBQEZBFTOCZVCNJYYMBCWVFFSZJTBVCT.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
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Puzzle 3
Starter clue: D = E
NOURPBQDLDEUYYDQODONMJDPQRWDCMDOFPMTJUQDB.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
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- D
- E
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Puzzle 4
Starter clue: G = O
TDHTGHGKJABDJEQTTEQUGGANKQVRGVQDDEVSGGODA.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
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- E
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Puzzle 5
Starter clue: A = T
EFHGASWNZCASWNESCBHTFNWA,PLASWNESCFZXCDNWA.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
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- D
- E
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Puzzle 6
Starter clue: N = T
NMWLHNMQHWRLHRNLERVMEWANHNMWAETWRNBCSLWTN.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
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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)
- “It is no time to play chess when the house is on fire.”— Italian proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=P B=X C=U D=T E=Y F=R G=V H=B I=F J=N K=W L=Z M=D N=H O=K P=C Q=I R=Q S=G T=L U=J V=M W=S X=A Y=E Z=O
- “It's a very proud horse that will not carry his oats.”— Italian proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=Z B=O C=T D=K E=D F=R G=X H=B I=J J=I K=P L=G M=N N=W O=E P=Q Q=U R=M S=Y T=S U=V V=A W=C X=F Y=L Z=H
- “A dog is never offended at being pelted with bones.”— Italian proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=Q B=S C=L D=E E=R F=W G=X H=Y I=C J=B K=M L=V M=T N=A O=D P=I Q=N R=G S=Z T=H U=O V=J W=P X=K Y=F Z=U
- “He who would relish his food must not see it cooked.”— Italian proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=D B=R C=V D=E E=I F=G G=O H=W I=Y J=L K=U L=Q M=B N=M O=K P=X Q=S R=N S=C T=H U=F V=T W=Z X=J Y=A Z=P
- “Wealth is not his who makes it, but his who enjoys it.”— Italian proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=T B=M C=O D=Y E=W F=E G=L H=A I=C J=X K=D L=U M=P N=S O=Q P=B Q=R R=V S=H T=K U=G V=F W=I X=J Y=Z Z=N
- “The moth does most mischief to the finest garment.”— Italian proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=F B=G C=A D=K E=I F=L G=Z H=O I=B J=Q K=X L=M M=H N=T O=V P=Y Q=D R=S S=R T=N U=P V=C W=E X=J Y=W Z=U