Puzzle 1
Starter clue: S = T
MCSEYMWEQOOGMKSCQMDXCLDNEYHEEGYKMCSBYSSGLXDMQSTAGSCXGQA.
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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- R
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- U
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- X
- Y
- Z
Marcus Aurelius Cryptograms Set 4
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: Y = O
TYMRJTCNYDWSJAMYYSIDHLTYDMYYHIMS,XRJGRJAJTBPSMJWSNYDMRSS.
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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- Y
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Puzzle 3
Starter clue: V = T
VYMRFVBQQOXLMKVFMUMCGDBLOQQWOVMKVFYOD,BLKQWOVQYODVFOVQMRZ.
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
KYGYSSOPGAPSUDPKYWDPJPUZUGLXOMSUQTQPWTFAIKYUGLUSSYYSOPDQ.
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 5
Starter clue: O = N
SXOLWZRDXAXEEKONXXNE,OLDZLOUYEXNKOILDNE,OLDDRGSAKOJKOWTLYJTW.
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 = E
VXJAXOJBXWJBXNXSTVOZWYTZVOJPILZAPJBOAHAIWOJCGZVTXXCSZNXJBXX.
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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- S
- T
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- 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 (6 solutions)
- “Nothing happens to anybody which he is not fitted by nature to bear.”— Marcus Aurelius, 170, Meditations, V. 18 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=R B=F C=O D=Y E=H F=L G=E H=C I=Q J=M K=S L=D M=N N=W O=P P=K Q=A R=Z S=T T=U U=X V=J W=G X=B Y=I Z=V
- “Nothing for me is too early nor too late, which is in due time for thee.”— Marcus Aurelius, 1862, Meditations (George Long translation, 1862)Cipher key: A=S B=D C=G D=R E=Z F=P G=C H=L I=A J=I K=X L=Y M=T N=F O=K P=U Q=B R=H S=E T=N U=V V=J W=M X=W Y=O Z=Q
- “The lot assigned to every man is suited to him, and suits him to itself.”— Marcus Aurelius, 170, Meditations, III. 4 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=K B=A C=R D=M E=X F=O G=Y H=P I=B J=Z K=D L=N M=E N=C O=I P=Q Q=S R=L S=W T=J U=V V=T W=U X=G Y=H Z=F
- “Do not then be tired of receiving what is useful by doing it to others.”— Marcus Aurelius, 1862, Meditations (George Long translation, 1862)Cipher key: A=B B=Q C=K D=R E=J F=L G=N H=P I=Y J=C K=D L=G M=A N=X O=H P=E Q=S R=Z S=T T=U U=I V=M W=F X=W Y=O Z=V
- “Be not careless in deeds, nor confused in words, nor rambling in thought.”— Marcus Aurelius, 170, Meditations, VIII. 51 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=L B=Q C=Y D=R E=S F=X G=M H=K I=W J=G K=I L=O M=J N=D O=N P=V Q=P R=A S=B T=H U=F V=Z W=T X=E Y=U Z=C
- “Let neither the peculiar quality of anything nor its value escape thee.”— Marcus Aurelius, 1862, Meditations (George Long translation, 1862)Cipher key: A=N B=H C=S D=Z E=J F=D G=V H=G I=O J=T K=B L=F M=W N=P O=I P=Y Q=X R=M S=C T=U U=K V=L W=R X=E Y=Q Z=A