Puzzle 1
Starter clue: M = E
ACMQMFJWEGCHQHGAMQ,CESJEMBMQUEEXHWXRFWM,LKAFAGHWLMXMJAQEOMXLOQFXFGKIM,CESJEMBMQDEEQHWXSFAIMJJ.
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 8
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: W = I
WBWEFOEBXWNSHTZ'EYTZWBMTZAWHDSLBWZSZVSBCVTXXTZTZWHTXAOHJJSVTOESWBWEAOHJBCPWEAOXXDSLVSDBWCZE.
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: Z = A
GNJGBEBMEZUCJZQUVDXQDKHHFZHKJZUMZVPVZGJUGN.GNJSXHMEZUVGQBPJVDXQMXKSHJFZHKJZUMYXERQXEBVJVXURZQ.
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
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- U
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- W
- X
- Y
- Z
Puzzle 4
Starter clue: C = E
CXCZQMGRSOGHJKSRLFKMGCMRE.MGCLCEZCMLUHZECUPGHJUZRMLCDPRLSUMBUQNHMLUZZUA.MGCZCRLSUGHJUZRSGCKXCS.
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
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- U
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- W
- X
- Y
- Z
Puzzle 5
Starter clue: P = E
GXPQPUQPKPYKFPCXYBUMEYUFFTOMPUMEXPQYOBGXOMIWJHGYMP!NPPKTQYLGPFFOMIGXPOQXUKKOMPWWPWGYGXPHMXUKKR.
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: K = S
PWSJXYIBSXHSKZAFBPWJRHNSZPSWJKMNSYSNSXHSK,WJKZUSNKJFXK,WJKMFIJPJHK,WJKPZKPSK,WJKRFNZIK,WJKNSIJQJFX.
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)
- “There is no character, howsoever good and fine, but it can be destroyed by ridicule, howsoever poor and witless.”— Mark Twain, 1894, The Tragedy of Pudd'nhead WilsonCipher key: A=T B=V C=H D=P E=O F=I G=C H=A I=L J=S K=U L=B M=E N=K O=Y P=X Q=R R=F S=W T=Q U=G V=Z W=N X=D Y=M Z=J
- “It is just like man's vanity and impertinence to call an animal dumb because it is dumb to his dull perceptions.”— Mark Twain, 1906, What Is Man? and Other EssaysCipher key: A=D B=T C=O D=P E=S F=J G=Q H=M I=G J=B K=Z L=R M=Y N=K O=U P=H Q=F R=X S=E T=A U=W V=C W=I X=L Y=V Z=N
- “The timid man yearns for full value and asks a tenth. The bold man strikes for double value and compromises on par.”— Mark Twain, 1897, Following the EquatorCipher key: A=Z B=I C=Y D=F E=M F=V G=T H=L I=J J=E K=U L=Q M=D N=H O=W P=K Q=R R=P S=B T=G U=N V=S W=X X=O Y=C Z=A
- “Everything human is pathetic. The secret source of Humor itself is not joy but sorrow. There is no humor in heaven.”— Mark Twain, 1897, Following the EquatorCipher key: A=W B=J C=E D=L E=C F=P G=H H=U I=Q J=M K=A L=S M=T N=B O=G P=F Q=Y R=I S=N T=X U=O V=D W=Z X=V Y=K Z=R
- “There are people who can do all fine and heroic things but one! keep from telling their happinesses to the unhappy.”— Mark Twain, 1897, Following the EquatorCipher key: A=X B=C C=W D=J E=D F=L G=T H=U I=G J=B K=P L=M M=N N=K O=I P=E Q=R R=Y S=Q T=F U=A V=Z W=S X=H Y=O Z=V
- “The influences about him create his preferences, his aversions, his politics, his tastes, his morals, his religion.”— Mark Twain, 1906, What Is Man? and Other EssaysCipher key: A=B B=U C=J D=X E=D F=O G=Y H=C I=L J=I K=S L=K M=P N=R O=Q P=T Q=G R=M S=E T=Z U=V V=W W=H X=N Y=F Z=A