Puzzle 1
Starter clue: G = E
YGWGHGFJZBTZMTIKMLVNTUSLMTGLL,BTIYGBHGVWKGFLWVWKGMFL.
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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Portuguese proverb Cryptograms Set 8
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: M = A
SVPMYVTHMBMZEXMENTVGZTEEMKF,MZNTHMNTJEXMENTVGZTESMYF.
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 3
Starter clue: O = E
OGOXJSCOPFCBPQPVOVQPHVOBFLH,QCYWQXXFOPQPVOVQPHVONAEM.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
- L
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Puzzle 4
Starter clue: Q = T
XBZQDMQRSKBYXQMYQJTXQSAEAYCQFRFMSIXQBYR,DRMSXAQMQJMXQ.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
- L
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Puzzle 5
Starter clue: B = O
NMOOBVGRMJHBJOBVGEBLBIMJHOBVYKNNJBULXZMPKNNBSMJBURZG.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
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Puzzle 6
Starter clue: K = E
IQNMVTQNDFJKOKBKWJKTQN,AQQVSHCA,AHJKOKYDKOKFCBQUMHJHCA.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
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- L
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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 every man mind his own business, and leave others to theirs.”— Portuguese proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=C B=A C=F D=X E=G F=R G=E H=V I=D J=Y K=H L=S M=I N=W O=J P=Z Q=P R=K S=U T=N U=B V=O W=T X=Q Y=L Z=M
- “Beware of a man that does not talk, and of a dog that does not bark.”— Portuguese proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=I B=M C=Z D=Y E=T F=K G=S H=F I=X J=G K=L L=V M=A N=D O=U P=W Q=C R=P S=B T=O U=J V=E W=Q X=H Y=R Z=N
- “Every one sings as he has the gift, and marries as he has the luck.”— Portuguese proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=U B=G C=N D=J E=C F=I G=V H=T I=Z J=Y K=Q L=F M=K N=L O=E P=S Q=A R=B S=O T=X U=P V=H W=M X=R Y=D Z=W
- “Soft water constantly striking the hard stone, wears it at last.”— Portuguese proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=I B=O C=G D=W E=K F=H G=M H=U I=D J=L K=C L=J M=A N=Q O=X P=B Q=T R=E S=R T=Y U=Z V=P W=V X=S Y=N Z=F
- “Lay your hand on your bosom and you will not speak ill of another.”— Portuguese proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=Q B=O C=Z D=X E=B F=G G=R H=D I=M J=N K=I L=S M=A N=L O=Y P=K Q=J R=H S=F T=V U=T V=U W=C X=P Y=W Z=E
- “Would you have me serve you, good king, give me the means of living.”— Portuguese proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=G B=S C=N D=H E=X F=A G=Q H=I I=W J=V K=E L=J M=L N=U O=M P=B Q=O R=Z S=K T=Y U=F V=D W=R X=C Y=T Z=P