Puzzle 1
Starter clue: L = E
YLJWEJZLSJJNLGLPSPRMUGLPMLYY;JZLSJJNLGSEHDJNLOMLZLZLSY;TLZNSTEJNLOSZL.
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
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- X
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- Z
Medium Cryptograms Set 139
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: K = E
GBDROQGUHOEQKSGUSGUZJKKEZKESSBPBURKYQKCZUHOEQKSGUSGUZJKKETKISUSGBRK!
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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- U
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Puzzle 3
Starter clue: U = E
UFUPGHEUAEYCUZJHQZNUPERUDVHUPFYEJDZDKYZJZEUOOJLUZEYZNTYEMRKQOAUDAOU.
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: G = S
OWXPSQXFGSOKMEUWKGSRTJTFNLIXYOGTYPMUSYSMYGXIAFTRXGTJJGMFOGMEIXOWMPG.
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: I = E
JFRKYLJFGIQIODSFRDZIORBSNLBTGSQOLKH,L'YHIBGSBIQJFGGOQYGIQBHLQSFRDWOJI.
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: J = E
IFJZJLDXJMHXDOGNDCGXRTJCJMDILHMIJCDCPHKPJLIFJKHLLHMYXJLJCITKJLLDCNL.
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
- S
- T
- U
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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)
- “Let us treat the men and women well; treat them as if they were real; perhaps they are.”— Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1844, Essays: Second SeriesCipher key: A=J B=Q C=K D=F E=S F=V G=M H=I I=Z J=T K=B L=E M=W N=H O=Y P=N Q=C R=D S=A T=P U=O V=X W=U X=G Y=L Z=R
- “How much a dunce that has been sent to roam Excels a dunce that has been kept at home!”— William Cowper, 1782, Poems (1782), The Progress of Error. Line 415 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=J B=O C=L D=W E=N F=V G=H H=D I=P J=B K=E L=I M=Z N=G O=U P=R Q=C R=M S=T T=K U=A V=Y W=Q X=F Y=X Z=S
- “Every step taken is under the observation of an intelligent and watchful people.”— Benjamin Harrison, 1889, First Annual Message to CongressCipher key: A=P B=Z C=K D=O E=T F=V G=Y H=S I=M J=I K=F L=G M=C N=D O=L P=R Q=U R=H S=J T=W U=E V=B W=X X=Q Y=A Z=N
- “The diversity of physical arguments and opinions embraces all sorts of methods.”— Michel de Montaigne, 1588, Essays, Book III, Chap. XIII. Of Experience (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=B B=W C=Q D=K E=F F=R G=S H=Z I=M J=L K=Y L=U M=O N=G O=T P=D Q=V R=C S=I T=A U=P V=X W=H X=E Y=N Z=J
- “Could I come near your beauty with my nails, I'd set my ten commandments in your face.”— William Shakespeare, 1592, King Henry VI, Part II. Act I. Sc. 3 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=J B=T C=P D=R E=X F=O G=M H=S I=E J=C K=L L=I M=Z N=W O=A P=V Q=N R=U S=Y T=H U=G V=K W=F X=Q Y=D Z=B
- “The desire for imaginary benefits often involves the loss of present blessings.”— Aesop, 1867, Aesop's Fables (George Fyler Townsend translation, 1867)Cipher key: A=U B=Q C=N D=I E=K F=H G=A H=O I=T J=E K=L L=S M=F N=G O=M P=V Q=X R=Y S=C T=B U=W V=Z W=J X=R Y=P Z=D