Puzzle 1
Starter clue: T = E
DLJQINZXTBFVIGTULKQFBJTTE,NBIVALTFKQFBGQULA,BUZBVQQZSTPLKQFTCTF.
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
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- T
- U
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- W
- X
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- Z
Shakespeare Cryptograms Set 28
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: G = L
TNZZHGK,TNZZHGKOWJGGHGHBNCXS,MCYNZDWNUGXOOXTDWJDWJCAOXCDWNUXMAW.
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: L = E
VPMCHMIMQFALBLFAUFFALTLQMTLMHRGUTLTLZOFLPIVBLQMTBUGVHSHMFAVHS.
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 4
Starter clue: M = T
XYMCGNFIMGLXFLIFAMCXIPZJ,TCXBCMCGLOPGUOWMXMOPGBZWWMCGZAMGLYFFY.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
- L
- M
- N
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Puzzle 5
Starter clue: O = E
MNSPKZHYXMGMNOEGDOWPGKMNOWZXBNZLODOIZHRNOBGXDYMNGSMYIJOBYIOXM.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
- L
- M
- N
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Puzzle 6
Starter clue: W = N
HWHAAHWMMAHUMLAHOHWRUOUWMVFEWUGFAOHXDLAXP,LAUWJAHWQF,LAUWFWYXHWP!
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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- T
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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)
- “It would be argument for a week, laughter for a month, and a good jest for ever.”— William Shakespeare, 1597, King Henry IV, Part I, Act II. Sc. 2 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=H B=A C=V D=I E=K F=R G=M H=Q I=U J=W K=F L=T M=P N=L O=C P=S Q=O R=Z S=J T=E U=N V=G W=Y X=B Y=X Z=D
- “Merrily, merrily shall I live now, Under the blossom that hangs on the bough.”— William Shakespeare, 1611, The Tempest, Act V. Sc. 1 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=G B=V C=N D=T E=J F=Z G=L H=I I=K J=A K=Y L=C M=U N=E O=S P=F Q=X R=Q S=W T=M U=B V=P W=H X=O Y=D Z=R
- “I do know of these that therefore only are reputed wise for saying nothing.”— William Shakespeare, 1597, The Merchant of Venice, Act I. Sc. 1 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=H B=S C=K D=Q E=M F=T G=Y H=N I=W J=X K=J L=E M=O N=C O=U P=D Q=F R=L S=G T=R U=A V=I W=V X=B Y=Z Z=P
- “In the posteriors of this day, which the rude multitude call the afternoon.”— William Shakespeare, 1597, Love's Labour's Lost, Act V. Sc. 1 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=F B=C C=H D=B E=K F=O G=E H=Q I=S J=Y K=V L=R M=T N=P O=U P=D Q=G R=X S=Z T=W U=M V=J W=L X=I Y=N Z=A
- “Thus far into the bowels of the land have we marched on without impediment.”— William Shakespeare, 1593, King Richard III, Act V. Sc. 2 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=Z B=D C=K D=W E=B F=X G=O H=R I=M J=P K=F L=V M=T N=H O=E P=S Q=Y R=C S=U T=Q U=J V=G W=L X=N Y=I Z=A
- “An arrant traitor as any is in the universal world, or in France, or in England!”— William Shakespeare, 1599, King Henry V, Act IV. Sc. 8 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=R B=X C=P D=W E=U F=E G=V H=A I=B J=F K=Z L=O M=T N=M O=S P=D Q=C R=Y S=K T=Q U=I V=H W=N X=L Y=G Z=J