Puzzle 1
Starter clue: P = O
YDPSJJSJZMGUYFOGUBG'XPDL:PDLIZYJFLX,PDLGYTJX,PDLTBFFJZX,PDLRPPWX,PDLHYFJ.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
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- E
- F
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- I
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Oliver Goldsmith Cryptograms Set 3
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: I = E
NBUVOIYAKYNIUNBRMBUSYKSYNTXIYOKCIANIYITGBEANBZOTVBEMUKANTSTJIBZITYI!
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
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- E
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- I
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Puzzle 3
Starter clue: I = N
FMTDOTZBNGAJIMNIT,MIINBOIBOJIYFOJQZF;JIYFMTDOTZVMBFOT,MXINVJIBONHKOJQZF.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
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- E
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- I
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Puzzle 4
Starter clue: L = T
OBUOLLXSHQTEOHQLXS,YPMCOIXHLPHJZOSXLMISOYCXQOJLPXWMNTPLLMKX,QMLOJLPXWOSX.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
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- E
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- I
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Puzzle 5
Starter clue: A = E
TEAAHMNJCQDLHS,EAXCPABMHLDBELHQHAWLBA,RHACBQBQEAPAASCUH,CSFTCHLJBCBEAVLAB.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
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- D
- E
- F
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- H
- I
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Puzzle 6
Starter clue: P = E
OPVSANPYUEAARYUOPHAUUFKPSZKOUFNAVC,YXPPUFYUOPBVZSVAYPBPPBYIPCPFUOUOPUOAVC.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
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- H
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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)
- “I love everything that's old: old friends, old times, old manners, old books, old wine.”— Oliver Goldsmith, 1773, She Stoops to Conquer, Act I (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=X B=A C=Q D=L E=J F=N G=T H=W I=F J=E K=C L=D M=Y N=Z O=G P=O Q=U R=B S=V T=M U=H V=P W=K X=S Y=I Z=R
- “How blest is he who crowns in shades like these a youth of labour with an age of ease!”— Oliver Goldsmith, 1770, The Deserted Village, Line 99 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=T B=O C=K D=Q E=U F=Z G=Y H=M I=E J=G K=I L=P M=R N=H O=L P=J Q=X R=C S=N T=A U=W V=B W=V X=D Y=S Z=F
- “His best companions, innocence and health; And his best riches, ignorance of wealth.”— Oliver Goldsmith, 1770, The Deserted Village, Line 61 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=P B=C C=Q D=B E=X F=H G=M H=F I=N J=A K=W L=U M=I N=O O=E P=V Q=L R=Y S=Z T=S U=K V=R W=J X=G Y=D Z=T
- “A flattering painter, who made it his care to draw men as they ought to be, not as they are.”— Oliver Goldsmith, 1774, Retaliation, Line 63 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=Q B=F C=M D=X E=P F=K G=Z H=I I=D J=S K=B L=T M=O N=U O=A P=H Q=N R=V S=R T=G U=L V=J W=Y X=E Y=W Z=C
- “Cheerful at morn, he wakes from short repose, Breasts the keen air, and carols as he goes.”— Oliver Goldsmith, 1764, The Traveller, Line 185 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=E B=S C=A D=M E=H F=D G=X H=R I=Z J=L K=J L=O M=F N=U O=Y P=K Q=T R=B S=N T=C U=I V=G W=P X=W Y=Q Z=V
- “Her modest looks the cottage might adorn, Sweet as the primrose peeps beneath the thorn.”— Oliver Goldsmith, 1770, The Deserted Village, Line 329 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=O B=P C=N D=Y E=L F=A G=J H=C I=B J=X K=G L=F M=U N=D O=H P=E Q=Z R=K S=M T=Q U=T V=R W=V X=W Y=S Z=I