Puzzle 1
Starter clue: P = E
CFASAKSBODEWAVW;XZPXRDVWKFJP;IKPEXZOWWPSDSP;RPPWHPOJAEKEQPHDSJAUEXAESHAF.
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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- T
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- X
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- Z
Marcus Aurelius Cryptograms Set 7
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: F = T
FDWXWOTKQKJFAXWLDOMDOTOKYWXOQXFQJXF,YQXFDWJXFTOCOFJFWFDWKJFAXWTQYFDOKZT.
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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Puzzle 3
Starter clue: E = T
JEJUZUFZBOVMYEFOUMQPEMWOVJYUEEMNJSOXZLJDEFJUPJVO,XFODEFLWMGLGMOUDMENJSOXZL.
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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- O
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Puzzle 4
Starter clue: Z = O
LGLDZYNSKEPHBMNGZKLHJKZKEDLGLYKLDVZJRPGZURPRNREDRQBPZHLGEDDZZYEDKRDKENNXKZZDR.
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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- O
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Puzzle 5
Starter clue: M = E
CGMWEEAYOAKQXUFMYOAIMOMLEFMOCKGEBYFFCGMKMCGQOWKQOCGMMJMK,YOACGMVMQKOEXQKCYZQOW.
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: A = E
XMEXHRJRTOBIIIEBYOJAXGKXRAHOMEXHRJYTUOBIHARAUUPOWMARTOBIIIEBYOJADJBFAOEAAXFUB.
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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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)
- “Blot out vain pomp; check impulse; quench appetite; keep reason under its own control.”— Marcus Aurelius, 170, Meditations, IX. 7 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=O B=V C=B D=I E=N F=L G=Y H=R I=Q J=S K=U L=G M=J N=X O=A P=E Q=D R=K S=T T=F U=W V=M W=P X=C Y=Z Z=H
- “There is no nature which is inferior to art, for the arts imitate the natures of things.”— Marcus Aurelius, 1862, Meditations (George Long translation, 1862)Cipher key: A=U B=L C=M D=H E=X F=T G=Q H=B I=D J=A K=N L=W M=C N=Y O=I P=V Q=O R=J S=P T=S U=Z V=K W=E X=R Y=F Z=G
- “It is a shame for the soul to be first to give way in this life, when thy body does not give way.”— Marcus Aurelius, 1862, Meditations (George Long translation, 1862)Cipher key: A=Z B=M C=Q D=N E=T F=H G=D H=J I=X J=I K=P L=Y M=O N=G O=E P=L Q=U R=C S=V T=K U=S V=F W=B X=W Y=R Z=A
- “It is only harmful to him who has it in his power to be released from it as soon as he shall choose.”— Marcus Aurelius, 1862, Meditations (George Long translation, 1862)Cipher key: A=X B=F C=G D=S E=A F=Z G=T H=M I=V J=W K=H L=I M=U N=L O=Q P=R Q=D R=E S=Y T=K U=B V=P W=J X=C Y=N Z=O
- “The good and simple and benevolent show all these things in the eyes, and there is no mistaking.”— Marcus Aurelius, 1862, Meditations (George Long translation, 1862)Cipher key: A=D B=W C=T D=U E=O F=L G=H H=Z I=B J=Y K=S L=V M=E N=F O=N P=Q Q=I R=X S=J T=C U=P V=R W=G X=M Y=A Z=K
- “A branch cut off from the adjacent branch must of necessity be cut off from the whole tree also.”— Marcus Aurelius, 1862, Meditations (George Long translation, 1862)Cipher key: A=E B=O C=P D=W E=R F=L G=D H=N I=F J=H K=J L=X M=B N=V O=T P=I Q=Z R=C S=Q T=U U=S V=G W=Y X=A Y=M Z=K