Puzzle 1
Starter clue: H = E
YWHLHMWHMSCYWHXHYSCWHRKHXRBHQRBIH;CRBRARBY,JDYQHYYUXIXSYWUXIHMFRAH.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
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Laozi Cryptograms Set 2
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: E = T
BEBVKREERXEQZRDLRDLRVVRZCJOBZZRA,ESDJEQDEERTGEEQNDXXUBEYSRJBEBVOCZZ.
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: L = E
PJLHQFLJQHZDNZEQXNQSMLWNZCDAJNHDOZ;JLWQYLHPJLWNZCDAPJLVLDVMLJNHWNZC.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
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Puzzle 4
Starter clue: S = E
YISGPNYBPDCSEQXSAEQXGDSYS;YISENQQFST,AYNPBHIY;YISSXGYZ,KODD;YISUQNRQOY,RSU.
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: L = O
TZJLORHDQJHUULRIHLDOTIDBLCTQELORNLCHJHP;TIFUURHCTJHULRIHLDOTIDBLCDERQELORUTV.
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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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)
- “The meshes of the net of Heaven are large; far apart, but letting nothing escape.”— Laozi, 1891, Tao Te Ching (James Legge translation, 1891)Cipher key: A=P B=R C=F D=U E=J F=C G=X H=E I=G J=B K=V L=M M=S N=W O=Z P=K Q=L R=A S=O T=Y U=I V=Q W=H X=N Y=T Z=D
- “It is better to leave a vessel unfilled, than to attempt to carry it when it is full.”— Laozi, 1891, Tao Te Ching (James Legge translation, 1891)Cipher key: A=D B=I C=U D=A E=T F=X G=P H=J I=Q J=N K=B L=V M=G N=C O=F P=K Q=O R=E S=H T=M U=Y V=S W=Z X=R Y=W Z=L
- “The sage has no invariable mind of his own; he makes the mind of the people his mind.”— Laozi, 1891, Tao Te Ching (James Legge translation, 1891)Cipher key: A=F B=Z C=D D=O E=V F=G G=J H=S I=Y J=H K=X L=E M=L N=I O=W P=T Q=A R=U S=B T=C U=Q V=P W=M X=R Y=K Z=N
- “The partial becomes complete; the crooked, straight; the empty, full; the worn out, new.”— Laozi, 1891, Tao Te Ching (James Legge translation, 1891)Cipher key: A=S B=I C=B D=L E=C F=K G=P H=G I=H J=Q K=F L=J M=V N=R O=U P=A Q=O R=N S=E T=D U=W V=Z W=X X=M Y=T Z=Y
- “A violent wind does not last for a whole morning; a sudden rain does not last for the whole day.”— Laozi, 1891, Tao Te Ching (James Legge translation, 1891)Cipher key: A=X B=F C=R D=T E=H F=U G=J H=N I=S J=I K=B L=O M=K N=M O=L P=G Q=W R=E S=C T=A U=D V=Y W=Z X=P Y=Q Z=V