Puzzle 1
Starter clue: A = O
BJSAWCEIMMAHAJERM,HAEPAIG.BJSAWCEIMMAHAJEN,HAMAHGMQGN.
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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Nature Cryptograms Set 1
7 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: G = T
SZILZJIDEGKKZWQKEGDFGDGCZFBLYLEGKGDSVJLEZKHJSMDUKHG.
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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Puzzle 3
Starter clue: R = E
LOTRAXCGXFSCUQRACP,CLRGHXSFPRKRSRJUTR.KLUC'PUPFATOUQOACLRPLUTR?
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
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- O
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Puzzle 4
Starter clue: A = E
YNACAWYYULAYFQRIGYIYJAAZIWYZAGYTTAIJWIOF.YNAWABFGPCAWYYULAUWGFZ.
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: O = T
JOJHEWOGEWPSUOWZGZPHR;HWVLGOUGVEOH.OUGYPGHOJWEJH:CUVOVLGCGZPHRVZWPO?
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: N = E
YAHMQIGISNCMOVXSCNGDNLAQNXZNSQINMXZG;XZNRMKSMOXONRNQXMGXNALINMXZDTXAOYN.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
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Puzzle 7
Starter clue: H = A
ZXZKHXATXRTYZUSAKHFFDHNLYVBFSEOSE,XRHXHKZYOFSGHYZYMVKKSKKZVYVCHOVVECVAXTYS,GTKXPSZYBHYXVCHBZCS.
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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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 (7 solutions)
- “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”— Proverb, 1900, African proverbCipher key: A=O B=I C=W D=J E=A F=V G=E H=G I=N J=F K=P L=B M=T N=R O=K P=L Q=H R=S S=Y T=X U=Z V=Q W=U X=C Y=M Z=D
- “Life is far too important a thing ever to talk seriously about.”— Oscar Wilde, 1892, Lady Windermere's FanCipher key: A=W B=G C=H D=A E=R F=N G=T H=U I=F J=S K=O L=E M=Y N=C O=Q P=J Q=P R=X S=L T=Z U=B V=K W=M X=D Y=V Z=I
- “Hide not your talents, they for use were made. What's a sundial in the shade?”— Benjamin Franklin, 1750, Poor Richard's AlmanackCipher key: A=N B=K C=T D=V E=B F=U G=Y H=F I=J J=M K=W L=H M=C N=Z O=I P=S Q=L R=E S=R T=D U=A V=P W=G X=O Y=X Z=Q
- “The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The second best time is now.”— Proverb, 1900, Chinese proverbCipher key: A=E B=C C=B D=Z E=X F=O G=N H=V I=A J=R K=U L=M M=Q N=H O=G P=D Q=P R=L S=F T=Y U=I V=J W=S X=K Y=T Z=W
- “It is not enough to be busy; so are the ants. The question is: what are we busy about?”— Henry David Thoreau, 1857, Letter to Harrison BlakeCipher key: A=M B=J C=W D=L E=N F=X G=E H=S I=V J=I K=P L=R M=Z N=F O=T P=U Q=C R=Y S=G T=D U=H V=A W=O X=K Y=Q Z=B
- “Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once.”— William Shakespeare, 1599, Julius CaesarCipher key: A=O B=P C=M D=B E=J F=Q G=S H=W I=D J=K K=L L=F M=A N=E O=N P=X Q=R R=V S=I T=U U=Z V=Y W=G X=T Y=C Z=H
- “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”— Jane Austen, 1813, Pride and PrejudiceCipher key: A=R B=W C=F D=Y E=D F=L G=M H=A I=Q J=X K=S L=K M=P N=C O=G P=B Q=J R=H S=E T=U U=V V=O W=Z X=T Y=N Z=I