Puzzle 1
Starter clue: S = T
SKYPWWFWPDBSJTYXSWWUEZSKXSJMZUYQYXBDULBMZDLNWJSK,SKBSSYXSZPZYUXJTMTZXY.
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
Medium Cryptograms Set 149
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: P = T
DESMPNWNSJ-GJSKCP!EWMPWRKDSMPMYNNEO!PLWPESRKMGXJJYNPCXRECQLPSJVCRQMPXTEO.
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: H = N
AWYFYTGCYHXAAWFYYQXXBSYHEHWIHQYBGHYHQTIHB;IHBXHYXRAWYSGKRIAIHBQFXJKXTB.
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: F = O
FVYMFBKHLKPAFIFABLMUXHUDKICXBB,ZVITFFQDKBBIFDXYQXBBICUMFDUYPFEICUUXYIC.
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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Puzzle 5
Starter clue: O = A
HZIHKDERINBVRIHPOJK,RZDOLPODAQSAQMNOQB?ONNUPOZ,QRQPOABVRI,OQBUPEIQBPZDHOQB.
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: S = E
UTSPSOCWDLOZS,UTQUKDUTCDZDLSPQFQWAOUTCTQFS,QCUDESXDHWKXQNCSQWKBSPXOKODHC.
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)
- “The fool of nature stood with stupid eyes and gaping mouth, that testified surprise.”— John Dryden, 1700, Cymon and Iphigenia, Line 107 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=K B=A C=Q D=N E=W F=L G=B H=Z I=V J=U K=H L=G M=P N=M O=J P=F Q=Y R=C S=T T=R U=D V=X W=O X=S Y=E Z=I
- “Blest paper-credit! last and best supply! That lends corruption lighter wings to fly.”— Alexander Pope, 1735, Moral Essays, Epistle III. Line 39 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=V B=X C=I D=B E=L F=Q G=C H=M I=K J=R K=D L=H M=S N=P O=Y P=T Q=G R=N S=E T=F U=Z V=W W=A X=O Y=U Z=J
- “There live not three good men unhanged in England; and one of them is fat and grows old.”— William Shakespeare, 1597, King Henry IV, Part I, Act II. Sc. 4 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=T B=D C=V D=C E=U F=R G=I H=N I=A J=W K=S L=J M=X N=Z O=Q P=B Q=G R=F S=M T=L U=Y V=K W=H X=O Y=E Z=P
- “Our policy is not only peace with all, but good will toward all the powers of the earth.”— James K. Polk, 1845, First Annual Message to CongressCipher key: A=N B=L C=H D=W E=F F=O G=M H=C I=T J=V K=I L=Y M=P N=Q O=K P=S Q=D R=X S=J T=G U=E V=U W=Z X=A Y=R Z=B
- “Truths would you teach, or save a sinking land? All fear, none aid you, and few understand.”— Alexander Pope, 1734, An Essay on Man, Epistle IV. Line 261 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=I B=D C=Z D=S E=W F=X G=J H=T I=U J=C K=H L=V M=G N=L O=A P=E Q=N R=O S=K T=M U=F V=Y W=B X=Q Y=P Z=R
- “There is no vice, that doth so cover a man with shame, as to be found false and perfidious.”— Francis Bacon, 1625, The Essays or Counsels, Civil and MoralCipher key: A=W B=P C=S D=O E=B F=M G=Y H=U I=J J=Q K=D L=V M=G N=L O=I P=R Q=A R=Z S=E T=H U=T V=X W=N X=F Y=K Z=C