Puzzle 1
Starter clue: J = I
JPJVOMTOUVTQWPETEJMCOVIJLFOBSCVPJQL,PEQSFEJPJVLQPOMTOUVTQWPETEJMCOLVTCWJLFQLC.
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
Oscar Wilde Cryptograms Set 10
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: Z = E
OKDRVTZKVIWROVZTGLWZDWZIKTJVRDWRVULDAZFVUD.CRNZWROKOKVJ,KDPWZLRTTIZTTEUHIWZIFHIW.
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
Puzzle 3
Starter clue: K = O
PCVEVDJYZMYNJJKTVPCDHIEDUDOGZKGJYQKGPPCVVTKPDKHJKRAVKAZVMCKTKHVCYJOVYJVUPKZKFV.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
- L
- M
- N
- O
- P
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Puzzle 4
Starter clue: M = A
MFOFIMIOHOFPRNWKTLSWHOWFMDWKFIIZETMRMRKEUEZRO,UTOMRMFPWEKFUTOMRMFP,MRPNOSMROHMDGO.
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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Puzzle 5
Starter clue: G = N
LCAIADELCAEFRABWIKYMWIFKKWMZE,FGYXWWYFGYAJDK,EDGFGYDGGWUAGUA,XWLCIWZXCDLCFGYDGCFGY.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
- L
- M
- N
- O
- P
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- U
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- X
- Y
- Z
Puzzle 6
Starter clue: C = T
CEYBYLBYRLXTCEKXMGCELCQYQFOUHCEBFQLQLTKDQYQYBYXFCLDBLKHCELCFCEYBGRKMECZKVWCEYROZ.
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)
Want this on its own sheet? Print the letter frequency chart.
Show the answer key (6 solutions)
- “It is always worth while asking a question, though it is not always worth while answering one.”— Oscar Wilde, 1895, An Ideal HusbandCipher key: A=D B=Q C=E D=P E=H F=G G=X H=C I=K J=I K=V L=N M=L N=Z O=A P=T Q=O R=J S=U T=W U=Y V=S W=R X=B Y=M Z=F
- “Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.”— Oscar Wilde, 1891, The Critic as ArtistCipher key: A=P B=X C=G D=N E=Y F=R G=F H=U I=T J=K K=A L=W M=C N=V O=M P=D Q=B R=I S=J T=L U=O V=S W=H X=Z Y=Q Z=E
- “There is always something ridiculous about the emotions of people whom one has ceased to love.”— Oscar Wilde, 1891, The Picture of Dorian GrayCipher key: A=P B=J C=H D=I E=R F=V G=U H=N I=G J=S K=O L=Q M=W N=Y O=C P=T Q=B R=F S=X T=M U=D V=E W=Z X=K Y=A Z=L
- “An engagement should come on a young girl as a surprise, pleasant or unpleasant, as the case may be.”— Oscar Wilde, 1895, The Importance of Being EarnestCipher key: A=V B=Z C=Q D=Y E=R F=N G=B H=M I=G J=W K=U L=D M=A N=H O=E P=T Q=K R=S S=C T=L U=P V=X W=O X=F Y=J Z=I
- “There is the same world for all of us, and good and evil, sin and innocence, go through it hand in hand.”— Oscar Wilde, 1892, Lady Windermere's FanCipher key: A=E B=W C=H D=I E=S F=A G=N H=K I=R J=V K=L L=T M=F N=Y O=Z P=Q Q=P R=M S=B T=J U=C V=X W=O X=G Y=D Z=U
- “There are many things that we would throw away if we were not afraid that others might pick them up.”— Oscar Wilde, 1891, The Picture of Dorian GrayCipher key: A=Q B=R C=T D=F E=H F=O G=S H=D I=X J=B K=I L=A M=G N=J O=U P=Z Q=W R=M S=V T=Y U=L V=C W=K X=N Y=E Z=P