Puzzle 1
Starter clue: Y = I
YEYKAUKTEQCYZNCULSE,YCQZAGUKEGUENYKJQKYEYQZ.
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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- R
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- X
- Y
- Z
Medium Cryptograms Set 18
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: B = S
LBHXCEKUXBPNUDNPAKEDBKPFLIEFLYDBKEDFIEDLKB.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
- L
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Puzzle 3
Starter clue: O = E
PORRODEBOOIO-ZARBOJJRVLBROBVOLDJLIZARBOJJOJ.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
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Puzzle 4
Starter clue: X = L
FRTIPXQOOXTIZVYTXX,OMTDYQXXOMQZPDNEFNLTJNVD.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
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Puzzle 5
Starter clue: R = E
FSRKROCTTCTOSEF,FSRDCAAHRHGLRQIND,FSRRTAJEHA.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
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Puzzle 6
Starter clue: R = T
RXVCVHABQNVRRVCZPRYXRXPBQBVQGGRXVAPEVYOQRX.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
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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)
- “It is easy to find fault, if one has that disposition.”— Mark Twain, 1894, The Tragedy of Pudd'nhead WilsonCipher key: A=E B=G C=F D=C E=T F=Q G=H H=M I=R J=P K=S L=U M=B N=D O=X P=W Q=O R=V S=L T=Y U=A V=Z W=J X=K Y=I Z=N
- “A slight disorder of the stomach makes them cheats.”— Charles Dickens, 1843, A Christmas CarolCipher key: A=F B=S C=G D=E E=H F=M G=W H=L I=C J=V K=T L=A M=B N=R O=U P=O Q=Z R=J S=X T=P U=D V=Q W=Y X=I Y=K Z=N
- “Better one eye-witness than ten hearsay witnesses.”— Dutch proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=I B=N C=Z D=R E=O F=G G=P H=J I=Y J=S K=F L=A M=V N=Q O=E P=B Q=L R=T S=X T=D U=K V=H W=U X=C Y=M Z=W
- “Speak little and well, they will think you somebody.”— Portuguese proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=J B=C C=G D=Y E=U F=S G=X H=F I=A J=B K=Z L=M M=H N=O O=T P=K Q=I R=P S=V T=E U=R V=D W=Q X=L Y=W Z=N
- “The beginning hot, the middle lukewarm, the end cold.”— German proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=D B=Y C=I D=M E=O F=T G=U H=L I=A J=C K=B L=K M=S N=R O=G P=J Q=W R=E S=H T=N U=Q V=P W=X X=Z Y=V Z=F
- “There is no better patch than one off the same cloth.”— Spanish proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=S B=N C=R D=G E=M F=J G=F H=I I=K J=W K=U L=Q M=Y N=B O=L P=A Q=O R=T S=V T=D U=Z V=E W=X X=H Y=C Z=P