Puzzle 1
Starter clue: T = E
NFTSUKIJSSYFEHNSLETHDLTNFSHTNFDNFDCTRTTUXLENNTURINFTWTLHSUHNFTVHTKCTHXFSPSVVDUYTYEUNFTDBBDELHXFTLTSBNFTIXLENT.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
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- L
- M
- N
- O
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- T
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- X
- Y
- Z
Michel de Montaigne Cryptograms Set 6
5 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: I = E
YUI[XCNEKI]NIVKCNIYSNWKLUSDQYEWNHFASYYSLI;YUIPCZZUSXIICEUINWKEPSNQQCGGCBKZECIYEWPNIYEZIPCEU,...WNCDEINDSZQCGGCBKZECIY.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
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Puzzle 3
Starter clue: X = E
BNXGXUJ,AXHXGBNXQXJJ,RPXGBRUAGXJSXPBRAIRTXAXGRQICBKZMNCDRAUBKBNRBBUXJCJ,AZBZAQKBZWXRJBJBNRBNRHXQUMXRAIJXAJX,WCBXHXABZBGXXJRAISQRABJ.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
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Puzzle 4
Starter clue: L = E
QNQRAWRDAWMCLODGXL,FILGLQAPQASN,GLHJMCQXN,DAULTHLGWGNIDKLOWGNWTDAZDSLNHCDZLURILQGHDGRN,DAURWFIQXIRILFIWCLKDNRJAQKLGNLNLGKLNOWGDRILDRGL?
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
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Puzzle 5
Starter clue: R = E
FTAYFKPYSBRKSRYFTRKNASFYABKFENLDP,XLAFTRONTERPFKPURTORSARPXJPRITRRY,XJNOARKMFKPDBKIFKPUNDBYMBKI,FYXRFTYDRBYLTRDJDBSQAMRBTSLXYBKANONTE.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
- L
- M
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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 (5 solutions)
- “The only good histories are those that have been written by the persons themselves who commanded in the affairs whereof they write.”— Michel de Montaigne, 1580, Essays, Book II, Chap. X. Of Books (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=Z B=F C=V D=A E=I F=H G=Q H=S I=Y J=G K=L L=R M=X N=T O=J P=C Q=U R=B S=O T=E U=N V=M W=P X=W Y=D Z=K
- “She [virtue] requires a rough and stormy passage; she will have either outward difficulties to wrestle with, . . . or internal difficulties.”— Michel de Montaigne, 1580, Essays, Book II, Chap. XI. Of Cruelty (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=P B=C C=I D=N E=T F=Y G=F H=M I=E J=B K=U L=G M=K N=R O=X P=W Q=D R=Z S=A T=J U=H V=Q W=O X=V Y=S Z=L
- “There is, nevertheless, a certain respect and a general duty of humanity that ties us, not only to beasts that have life and sense, but even to trees and plants.”— Michel de Montaigne, 1580, Essays, Book II, Chap. XI. Of Cruelty (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=N B=T C=U D=M E=J F=Q G=R H=V I=D J=S K=Y L=X M=F N=H O=K P=C Q=L R=A S=P T=G U=I V=W W=B X=E Y=Z Z=O
- “Is it not a noble farce, wherein kings, republics, and emperors have for so many ages played their parts, and to which the whole vast universe serves for a theatre?”— Michel de Montaigne, 1580, Essays, Book II, Chap. XXXVI. Of the most Excellent Men (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=N B=X C=L D=A E=Q F=W G=R H=P I=H J=U K=V L=E M=B N=S O=F P=K Q=I R=T S=G T=M U=D V=Z W=O X=C Y=J Z=Y
- “Arts and sciences are not cast in a mould, but are formed and perfected by degrees, by often handling and polishing, as bears leisurely lick their cubs into form.”— Michel de Montaigne, 1580, Essays, Book II, Chap. XII. Apology for Raimond Sebond (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=T B=I C=V D=L E=M F=A G=Q H=W I=G J=Y K=N L=U M=H N=O O=F P=D Q=K R=E S=C T=R U=P V=X W=Z X=B Y=S Z=J