Puzzle 1
Starter clue: V = L
KQPBZVVMCVGSNBBKLCRFKQ,ZRHZVVZMGYCNBFLZAC.
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
John Dryden Cryptograms Set 1
5 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: F = O
GWLTXVFUQXHDFSTFYEWD,WBHUFFPIFABSDGUUEFTDI.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
- L
- M
- N
- O
- P
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- U
- V
- W
- X
- Y
- Z
Puzzle 3
Starter clue: R = O
ARSCOBLRCELTQOJMPQKRMPQCRHARSCVQDRMORLMRKQ.
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 4
Starter clue: P = E
ZDOVWTVQ,KZCDVOTPW'DZEPSIKTJ,JFPBZRPCZKLPVSJXTCPQPQLPCXPJ.
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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- V
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Puzzle 5
Starter clue: S = E
XJLIFISFXSQZMXS,ZBSSFFISAGSQZMXS,-ZBSSFJZAGSQZMXSQUFSXAQJY.
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
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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 (5 solutions)
- “Thus all below is strength, and all above is grace.”— John Dryden, 1694, To My Dear Friend Mr. Congreve, Epistle to Congreve. Line 19 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=C B=S C=E D=J E=Y F=G G=O H=D I=F J=Q K=T L=R M=B N=I O=P P=U Q=H R=N S=W T=Z U=X V=L W=M X=K Y=V Z=A
- “I am resolved to grow fat, and look young till forty.”— John Dryden, 1668, Secret Love, or The Maiden Queen, Act III. Sc. 1 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=U B=N C=B D=T E=F F=O G=I H=D I=Y J=Q K=X L=M M=Z N=H O=P P=K Q=V R=C S=G T=R U=L V=S W=A X=E Y=W Z=J
- “Your ignorance is the mother of your devotion to me.”— John Dryden, 1668, Secret Love, or The Maiden Queen, Act I. Sc. 2 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=Y B=G C=R D=V E=A F=B G=Q H=F I=X J=S K=M L=N M=T N=Z O=I P=H Q=E R=O S=U T=C U=J V=D W=L X=K Y=P Z=W
- “Old as I am, for ladies' love unfit, The power of beauty I remember yet.”— John Dryden, 1700, Cymon and Iphigenia, Line 1 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=J B=P C=R D=L E=V F=H G=Q H=Z I=N J=T K=F L=B M=C N=G O=D P=E Q=M R=W S=U T=I U=X V=A W=S X=Y Y=K Z=O
- “Rich the treasure, Sweet the pleasure, - Sweet is pleasure after pain.”— John Dryden, 1697, Alexander's Feast, Line 58 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=P B=W C=J D=Z E=Q F=T G=L H=X I=H J=I K=M L=C M=U N=Y O=V P=O Q=A R=D S=E T=G U=F V=B W=K X=R Y=N Z=S