Puzzle 1
Starter clue: C = T
DMCOYCCPMCYOJEMECCMZSPXCCPMPMXGRXUPXIMCYBXUQYZ.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
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- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
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- H
- I
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Portuguese proverb Cryptograms Set 6
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: H = E
OHXHBHPMNKNRPEHXJMOQUHNKHJWQGHKQRQPNKYEFOWUNSKH.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
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Puzzle 3
Starter clue: A = O
MALTBMEXXFMALPQXDUQBUXUPATUKPX,GLHOAHUPATBGBJTBO.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
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- B
- C
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- H
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Puzzle 4
Starter clue: E = O
JKSEYLEYXOWIJFQEEOAICYRI,XIRFERRZINYFKJFOSEYJFWIO.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
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Puzzle 5
Starter clue: R = O
TVBRYIRCWSTXGLJPRHMIJNRIMEBTVTXMTIRCPRVHMIJTELRV.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
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- B
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- E
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Puzzle 6
Starter clue: T = E
XTYBICLQXTDWAEICLQFDYUT,YEPBNTIMADDECBRYVTICLQAXT.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
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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)
- “Let not the tongue utter what the head may have to pay for.”— Portuguese proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=C B=P C=T D=L E=U F=B G=D H=J I=V J=G K=Z L=I M=E N=K O=N P=H Q=F R=M S=W T=X U=Y V=Q W=S X=A Y=O Z=R
- “He never was a friend who ceased to be so for a slight cause.”— Portuguese proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=Z B=V C=K D=Y E=I F=G G=B H=E I=M J=D K=S L=X M=W N=A O=H P=R Q=O R=F S=U T=P U=C V=J W=T X=N Y=L Z=Q
- “You may keep yourself safe from fire, but not from a bad man.”— Portuguese proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=O B=A C=G D=L E=K F=P G=B H=T I=H J=D K=I L=U M=Y N=V O=N P=R Q=S R=X S=C T=M U=F V=Q W=Z X=E Y=W Z=J
- “If you would be in good repute, let not the sun find you in bed.”— Portuguese proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=R B=C C=P D=A E=O F=N G=J H=K I=E J=I K=F L=W M=X N=S O=D P=V Q=G R=T S=Y T=Z U=Q V=M W=B X=L Y=U Z=H
- “An hour of play discovers more than a year of conversation.”— Portuguese proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=J B=H C=F D=W E=T F=K G=D H=V I=R J=S K=X L=I M=E N=M O=Z P=C Q=B R=O S=L T=A U=G V=N W=P X=Y Y=U Z=Q
- “Seat yourself in your place, and they will not make you rise.”— Portuguese proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=I B=T C=O D=L E=N F=P G=Z H=V I=Y J=G K=X L=U M=W N=H O=Q P=D Q=R R=M S=B T=E U=C V=K W=F X=S Y=A Z=J