Puzzle 1
Starter clue: L = N
LKLUKTFWESLBSYUSWGSLXYZJQFUWSWQBUTKFLQSZL-MUL,KJBSHTZQWEFWWUCLUWW;IFQDUESLQJX.
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
Mark Twain 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: F = E
YZFYLMQFRYIMIMPOHOZTCOLLFPFZUFIWFMSFFZXUXMXZCXDOFOIMQXMXUXMQXIYZDKZOZFDOBFI.
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
Puzzle 3
Starter clue: B = T
WDBHDHQEDBFDYNIDCYBMBMSGYSUQGQBMSGQGLMAQCDGSBJFSHQEDYMBYWQJYSCMBYYSGXYDMBFDC.
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
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- X
- Y
- Z
Puzzle 4
Starter clue: H = E
ESF'LQRDLNALMVSGDAPPGXASFX.NMHFLMHVRDHOSFHVSGIRVXLAPPHYAXLCGLVSGMRTHWHRXHELSPATH.
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 5
Starter clue: J = A
VRCGWOERFWGVRXPCVD.RHXWVJPWVIPRPJGBWEWKUKJCSJVWDDZJZAKWGJGCHGPWPJSKJCSJVJGXWERCS.
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
Puzzle 6
Starter clue: D = T
MVZGDGAMVZGD,VFYFKDDKZUQPLFWKLDKQDMUBGFYKBZRVFRCVF,ZLDSKVHUYYKBFADVGOAVADUEVDVDGCU.
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
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)
- “None of us can have as many virtues as the fountain-pen, or half its cussedness; but we can try.”— Mark Twain, 1897, Following the EquatorCipher key: A=Z B=H C=D D=W E=C F=U G=M H=L I=B J=R K=O L=N M=P N=J O=X P=K Q=T R=G S=A T=F U=E V=Q W=S X=Y Y=V Z=I
- “One of the most striking differences between a cat and a lie is that a cat has only nine lives.”— Mark Twain, 1894, The Tragedy of Pudd'nhead WilsonCipher key: A=J B=V C=D D=L E=P F=E G=X H=K I=S J=Z K=Y L=F M=T N=Q O=I P=R Q=H R=M S=W T=G U=C V=U W=B X=A Y=O Z=N
- “Let me make the superstitions of a nation and I care not who makes its laws or its songs either.”— Mark Twain, 1897, Following the EquatorCipher key: A=C B=T C=R D=E E=K F=H G=N H=M I=P J=W K=V L=D M=I N=U O=Z P=Q Q=A R=X S=O T=J U=F V=Y W=L X=G Y=S Z=B
- “Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone you may still exist but you have ceased to live.”— Mark Twain, 1897, Following the EquatorCipher key: A=I B=Q C=B D=R E=D F=N G=U H=E I=M J=K K=J L=T M=H N=W O=G P=L Q=P R=A S=O T=V U=Z V=Y W=C X=S Y=X Z=F
- “Noise proves nothing. Often a hen who has merely laid an egg cackles as if she had laid an asteroid.”— Mark Twain, 1897, Following the EquatorCipher key: A=K B=M C=I D=G E=R F=V G=S H=F I=W J=A K=L L=Z M=B N=Q O=P P=H Q=U R=O S=D T=X U=Y V=N W=E X=T Y=J Z=C
- “Habit is habit, and not to be flung out of the window by any man, but coaxed downstairs a step at a time.”— Mark Twain, 1894, Pudd'nhead WilsonCipher key: A=S B=W C=M D=T E=P F=N G=I H=X I=J J=K K=O L=U M=H N=Q O=R P=L Q=F R=Y S=C T=V U=E V=A W=G X=Z Y=D Z=B