Puzzle 1
Starter clue: Y = E
ZMZVWUZHYBPJQZTMYQYVM,WTKFZTY,WTKWUUFYT'V,EPLYAYQUPTRLYEWAYKLYUMZTUZYV,MPUZAYZTMQJME.
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 177
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 = E
SLDUDRWQRJOQWURYMDLHWDDWHRWQXQLDWDNUHHWPWQTUPWLRDWAAWNRDFLCLRWSRJRTWCWHURRTWRJX.
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
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- U
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- W
- X
- Y
- Z
Puzzle 3
Starter clue: A = E
AIACXUDZYGJANZVTFDAQMCYGLNLZV,FMTMWAARFAVF,LVGYMIATFMTFLXMPFGMMCT,AIAVZVQAFLVGUMYG.
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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- W
- X
- Y
- Z
Puzzle 4
Starter clue: C = E
AZQHPTPAZVSBQRGAZTCFTQHVPDCBAFTSCDQHTFYJMRSRBCCDQHT;ERSABCTCYSCDQHTSBQRGAZPDCBQS.
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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- Y
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Puzzle 5
Starter clue: M = O
DJDNNPONNEMQRMJJUXPROWOLEOPJXTUOXLKDRPXNOMLTMRZ,BLMCMNKMLCMKOLRIXLK,DRUXNNMLIMJOL.
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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- Y
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Puzzle 6
Starter clue: O = E
HIOUORDWURFIHYWE;VNHYOWUOQOUEARWVAOGUCPIOOKAODDBODDWBKDHNLRKRHEHCHWSOHIOYUCBFCBO.
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)
- “It is alike your interest, and mine, and all men's, however long we have dwelt in lies, to live in truth.”— Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1841, Essays: First SeriesCipher key: A=V B=Y C=F D=P E=H F=M G=J H=K I=Z J=U K=D L=W M=T N=Q O=X P=O Q=R R=G S=C T=N U=L V=S W=A X=B Y=E Z=I
- “Disaster to great business enterprises can never have its effects limited to the men at the top.”— Theodore Roosevelt, 1901, First Annual Message to CongressCipher key: A=F B=Q C=M D=S E=Z F=L G=Y H=N I=W J=O K=J L=I M=U N=C O=G P=V Q=R R=T S=D T=H U=A V=X W=E X=P Y=B Z=K
- “Every child begins the world again, to some extent, and loves to stay out doors, even in wet and cold.”— Henry David Thoreau, 1854, WaldenCipher key: A=E B=Z C=R D=H E=Q F=T G=D H=F I=V J=B K=J L=A M=O N=G O=P P=U Q=W R=X S=K T=S U=C V=N W=M X=Y Y=L Z=I
- “Philosophy triumphs easily over past evils and future evils; but present evils triumph over it.”— Francois de La Rochefoucauld, 1665, Maximes, 22 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=P B=R C=E D=V E=B F=A G=M H=L I=J J=D K=Q L=Z M=F N=W O=K P=O Q=I R=U S=T T=S U=G V=Y W=X X=C Y=N Z=H
- “I will tell you now what never yet was heard in tale or song, From old or modern bard, in hall or bower.”— John Milton, 1637, Comus, Line 43 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=Q B=F C=M D=I E=Y F=Z G=K H=J I=B J=W K=D L=R M=O N=L O=E P=T Q=U R=N S=X T=S U=H V=P W=V X=A Y=C Z=G
- “There is a right way; but we are very liable from heedlessness and stupidity to take the wrong one.”— Henry David Thoreau, 1862, WalkingCipher key: A=L B=N C=O D=S E=Y F=G G=F H=T I=H J=Z K=D L=P M=C N=U O=E P=M Q=V R=I S=K T=X U=R V=B W=A X=Q Y=W Z=J