Puzzle 1
Starter clue: T = E
PTDGKEEOTMGTWYQTKWTQCBKFCHPTOAMQTWKCFMQATMYMGTNQCFBCNETDCFPGCBGPTGKUTOTTFOQTR.
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 171
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: R = O
UFUVRWHNOBLPJIHFROUPKOROBVUFUWOUVCRKMLFREMLMHMBVMGJLRPUFBVVRRWBVOMVOBHHYORRVM.
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 3
Starter clue: Y = E
ZYBLGCAXLJJMFYLXARJWAJXZMXPMCLELDERDLHDYWYJMAI,HRXZYZARDIWJYVYJFYXPYXJRYEARJVY.
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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- T
- U
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Puzzle 4
Starter clue: K = A
AMKONYDOTKVVLMMN,KSUPIOSBKVAMKONYDOT,KSUVIDNKVPIOSB,KSUBKPKVVIDN,KSUYSSIRMSNKVBKP!
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: V = E
ONVYGGMZEMQSJBDVZEMUVEVIGDVEOQNGPZDDONVQVONSEYQSEONVVTVQ,ZEMONVWVSQEGJSQOZASEY.
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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- T
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Puzzle 6
Starter clue: P = S
HOXPHBNYPKWPOBGH,-YZVOHOBQMOBPHXJQKWYPOWIK;QYTHOBQMPPXVVYYK,ZPGWJNYJHOBQMPMJWTWIK.
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)
- “We shall be the more American if we but remain true to the principles in which we have been bred.”— Woodrow Wilson, 1917, Second Inaugural AddressCipher key: A=U B=C C=I D=S E=L F=N G=H H=F I=Y J=K K=A L=Z M=T N=P O=B P=W Q=R R=D S=Q T=E U=V V=J W=M X=G Y=O Z=X
- “It is only harmful to him who has it in his power to be released from it as soon as he shall choose.”— Marcus Aurelius, 1862, Meditations (George Long translation, 1862)Cipher key: A=V B=A C=P D=Z E=B F=T G=D H=L I=U J=F K=W L=R M=E N=Y O=H P=M Q=J R=O S=K T=Q U=I V=S W=N X=G Y=C Z=X
- “We may not arrive at our port within a calculable period, but we would preserve the true course.”— Henry David Thoreau, 1854, WaldenCipher key: A=O B=M C=N D=L E=C F=V G=Y H=B I=D J=R K=Z L=A M=I N=J O=F P=H Q=G R=U S=K T=X U=Q V=S W=P X=T Y=E Z=W
- “Beautiful as sweet, And young as beautiful, and soft as young, And gay as soft, and innocent as gay!”— Edward Young, 1745, Night Thoughts, Night III. Line 81 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=B B=G C=P D=F E=V F=J G=X H=Q I=O J=K K=A L=W M=E N=T O=U P=Y Q=H R=C S=N T=L U=D V=S W=Z X=M Y=I Z=R
- “The good and simple and benevolent show all these things in the eyes, and there is no mistaking.”— Marcus Aurelius, 1862, Meditations (George Long translation, 1862)Cipher key: A=K B=P C=X D=L E=N F=Q G=O H=Z I=V J=M K=C L=J M=D N=H O=T P=W Q=S R=U S=I T=Y U=B V=E W=R X=F Y=G Z=A
- “Thus times do shift, - each thing his turn does hold; New things succeed, as former things grow old.”— Robert Herrick, 1648, Hesperides, Ceremonies for Candlemas Eve (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=K B=I C=V D=Z E=Q F=Y G=F H=T I=L J=R K=D L=X M=G N=M O=H P=S Q=N R=J S=B T=W U=P V=C W=O X=U Y=E Z=A