Puzzle 1
Starter clue: O = A
SOJWOCOTHJZPOJBSNPZIOQOEDZSOIWHJZHJWHSXWOJXWNCZNXWZPC,ERXHXHCXWZCOSZSOIWHJZOJBVNPFCHJXWZCOSZVOA.
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 9
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: N = E
RSNGTNETMNHEGEFPNYTNKFAYRNCPNYSCPTMJEQQNGHNH;JNFHNNTHERGLGSLYTPLICFNSNCPFGEWCGWAKSPNYTNKFYSLWYNMQ.
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: U = E
FBZMOMODMKUTUBLFQMOD.FQUXUZYQEZKVOYUZJMFFUBZGRVOA;YZPGMNGVEUBMKOVFQMODJPFYZJJZDUEMFQZYVGGUDUUAPYZFMVO.
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 4
Starter clue: U = E
DVUZAYUHJULFPBWZFVUZPGXUYWHTAECMYUUCXJUBUWBJUDVWAOZWDVCQUMWZUFWCXUFFUYDWYJT,ACGGWQUTFWJUCTCTAHHUYUZFJAHU.
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 5
Starter clue: K = I
KBRNPXKJOPXGHLGZUKAYENYGAEVGOWIKVXZNHXWZNPH,IWQKFFANLSKLWRNP.LIKHKHLIWXZKAJKXGFEKBBWZWAJWSWLQWWAGENYGAEGVGA.
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: G = T
XZAHLXPFFPVLOGGIZIPVRGKLJGIZPHG,XZAHLXPFFPVLOGGIZIPVRGKLJGIZVZZ,VOGXZAHLXHLGIRHYPGPFFPVLOGGIZIPVRGKLJGIZLWKGZD.
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)
- “Man has a finer and more capable machine in him than those others, but it is the same machine and works in the same way.”— Mark Twain, 1906, What Is Man? and Other EssaysCipher key: A=Y B=D C=S D=L E=B F=K G=Z H=I I=C J=N K=J L=X M=V N=O O=A P=R Q=P R=U S=M T=F U=G V=W W=H X=T Y=Q Z=E
- “When people do not respect us we are sharply offended; yet deep down in his private heart no man much respects himself.”— Mark Twain, 1897, Following the EquatorCipher key: A=U B=G C=A D=Q E=O F=T G=N H=D I=V J=Y K=C L=I M=L N=E O=Z P=R Q=F R=W S=H T=P U=X V=J W=M X=K Y=S Z=B
- “Training is everything. The peach was once a bitter almond; cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education.”— Mark Twain, 1894, The Tragedy of Pudd'nhead WilsonCipher key: A=D B=R C=X D=G E=W F=T G=L H=Q I=J J=B K=S L=Y M=I N=F O=N P=U Q=H R=M S=Z T=V U=E V=O W=K X=P Y=C Z=A
- “When I reflect upon the number of disagreeable people who I know have gone to a better world, I am moved to lead a different life.”— Mark Twain, 1894, The Tragedy of Pudd'nhead WilsonCipher key: A=I B=P C=A D=W E=S F=T G=M H=F I=J J=L K=Y L=C M=G N=Q O=K P=U Q=V R=Z S=X T=D U=E V=H W=O X=B Y=R Z=N
- “If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man.”— Mark Twain, 1894, The Tragedy of Pudd'nhead WilsonCipher key: A=N B=F C=J D=Z E=D F=L G=A H=S I=H J=C K=I L=T M=X N=O O=K P=U Q=W R=Y S=B T=Q U=V V=M W=E X=P Y=G Z=R
- “We know all about the habits of the ant, we know all about the habits of the bee, but we know nothing at all about the habits of the oyster.”— Mark Twain, 1894, The Tragedy of Pudd'nhead WilsonCipher key: A=K B=Z C=X D=R E=V F=L G=T H=N I=H J=F K=S L=O M=P N=C O=U P=A Q=M R=I S=J T=Q U=D V=B W=Y X=W Y=G Z=E