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.
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)
“Some antiquated and outworn rules which once safeguarded the threatened rights of private citizens, now merely work harm to the general body politic.”— Theodore Roosevelt, 1905, Fifth Annual Message to CongressCipher key: A=N B=A C=O D=J E=F F=C G=Q H=M I=L J=T K=G L=W M=X N=E O=V P=U Q=Z R=B S=I T=R U=Y V=P W=H X=D Y=K Z=S
“No man will hinder thee from living according to the reason of thy own nature: nothing will happen to thee contrary to the reason of the universal nature.”— Marcus Aurelius, 1862, Meditations (George Long translation, 1862)Cipher key: A=O B=T C=M D=C E=A F=I G=X H=K I=G J=H K=L L=W M=R N=V O=B P=Y Q=N R=J S=F T=E U=S V=P W=Z X=D Y=U Z=Q
“In words, as fashions, the same rule will hold, Alike fantastic if too new or old: Be not the first by whom the new are tried, Nor yet the last to lay the old aside.”— Alexander Pope, 1711, An Essay on Criticism, Part II. Line 133 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=G B=H C=O D=A E=L F=Q G=E H=R I=M J=S K=P L=Y M=F N=K O=I P=W Q=J R=C S=N T=V U=X V=B W=D X=Z Y=T Z=U
“Every man must be guaranteed his liberty and his right to do as he likes with his property or his labor, so long as he does not infringe the rights of others.”— Theodore Roosevelt, 1903, Third Annual Message to CongressCipher key: A=C B=W C=D D=S E=A F=J G=T H=I I=X J=G K=L L=Q M=Y N=M O=F P=U Q=K R=E S=R T=O U=V V=H W=N X=Z Y=B Z=P
“Sherry is dull, naturally dull; but it must have taken him a great deal of pains to become what we now see him. Such an access of stupidity, sir, is not in Nature.”— Samuel Johnson, 1791, Boswell, Life of Johnson, Life of Johnson (Boswell). Vol. II. Chap. IX (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=I B=X C=T D=B E=R F=A G=Y H=Q I=O J=M K=S L=F M=J N=K O=Z P=W Q=H R=P S=L T=V U=C V=U W=E X=N Y=G Z=D
“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=F B=E C=Y D=X E=B F=K G=C H=O I=R J=V K=L L=W M=G N=D O=M P=Q Q=Z R=A S=H T=J U=T V=U W=N X=P Y=I Z=S