Puzzle 1
Starter clue: T = S
MSZTGNQEZXJLYJCHSCQC,MSXMRJXPCTXIEEXIGCTZISZTGQVTMXJUNYIET.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
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- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
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John Milton Cryptograms Set 6
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: D = T
HFWDILLDTNDWDLSQXWDQDLBWZQKQUQSGQ,WSKWDWSLDFQVDLRQDNSDFQULQ?
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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Puzzle 3
Starter clue: K = S
BLCBDYKVKYPJWKKYNRFBWNFKWYRFUNIVMIWCBAVLUBWCHDVKBDFKCMNFVP.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
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Puzzle 4
Starter clue: A = E
GAAOEXMADMYFG,BHVKUBVXEBOEXMADMAAMG,LKUPREFYDMXETAUHKVICPKDO.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
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Puzzle 5
Starter clue: G = I
MGDKUBJD,NGWTDUIOZAZGIRNTOZJOGBADTBHGPUBD,PBGEORUVPMGIOPSUIIOZJ.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
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Puzzle 6
Starter clue: L = A
MLIDIUKALZZRUGLMKXUYSRLGXIXMDI,LIG,OULHDIRUYYWXKYURQ,KLGULMKYMXGXSTRDTY.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
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- L
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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)
- “This cordial julep here, That flames and dances in his crystal bounds.”— John Milton, 1637, Comus, Line 672 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=X B=W C=E D=V E=D F=Q G=C H=P I=N J=L K=Z L=J M=T N=O O=K P=M Q=R R=F S=H T=S U=B V=Y W=G X=A Y=U Z=I
- “What boots it at one gate to make defence, And at another to let in the foe?”— John Milton, 1671, Samson Agonistes, Line 560 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=J B=M C=Y D=T E=Z F=H G=C H=W I=B J=V K=D L=O M=Q N=I O=U P=X Q=E R=L S=N T=S U=F V=R W=A X=G Y=P Z=K
- “Truth is as impossible to be soiled by any outward touch as the sunbeam.”— John Milton, 1643, The Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=W B=T C=U D=H E=Z F=E G=J H=C I=Y J=P K=S L=R M=N N=B O=Q P=M Q=K R=L S=X T=F U=D V=A W=O X=G Y=I Z=V
- “See golden days, fruitful of golden deeds, With joy and love triumphing.”— John Milton, 1667, Paradise Lost, Book III. Line 337 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=E B=F C=P D=N E=O F=Y G=S H=R I=M J=C K=I L=W M=D N=X O=G P=H Q=K R=J S=Q T=V U=T V=U W=Z X=L Y=A Z=B
- “His words, like so many nimble and airy servitors, trip about him at command.”— John Milton, 1642, An Apology for Smectymnuus (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=Y B=R C=F D=S E=P F=X G=I H=V I=M J=D K=W L=Z M=H N=L O=A P=T Q=G R=B S=C T=E U=O V=U W=K X=J Y=Q Z=N
- “Ran on embattled armies clad in iron, And, weaponless himself, Made arms ridiculous.”— John Milton, 1671, Samson Agonistes, Line 129 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=B B=Q C=K D=O E=V F=G G=D H=P I=N J=Z K=M L=A M=R N=X O=W P=J Q=F R=L S=C T=U U=E V=Y W=H X=I Y=S Z=T