Puzzle 1
Starter clue: X = T
GSBCSQOVXQVQFVEXDYXXFPXXFCECSQPGJPHQXSNCCOVYMFBVEWVYEXCQH.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
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- X
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Simplicity Cryptograms Set 14
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: P = E
JBPYYPKAYWPGWHPEQPUNYOHNWAOT,MHLWPYWIBBOPXPLJPKAYIQQHAONPK.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
- L
- M
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Puzzle 3
Starter clue: B = S
KLYPCMNPRUMQBMPQTMCRWUBBXZLHUB,TWMJUBORNJRTMWUTMBBNLPWLHUB.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
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Puzzle 4
Starter clue: H = E
RNHXPRRXHGTKCDUGDXX,RBDS,FXDUIN,DUGCOHHRNHDBR,CHH,RNHSFDBWDRVH.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
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Puzzle 5
Starter clue: M = H
MNQEKPTCZNCPTZMRMPMVEMNVBOM,VCUMNQEIQDMNCPTZMRMPMVECPUNAOE.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
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Puzzle 6
Starter clue: S = E
BDJYSBYDNSDFMJJFSUASWUBHUQBWBMSAO,JYDADPBSDJUASWUBHUQBSASEH.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
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- X
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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)
- “Life is not so short but that there is always time enough for courtesy.”— Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1876, Letters and Social Aims, Social Aims (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=P B=F C=E D=B E=R F=H G=L H=Y I=Z J=W K=X L=V M=G N=M O=N P=A Q=S R=D S=I T=K U=Q V=O W=C X=T Y=U Z=J
- “Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed.”— Alexander Pope, 1727, Letter to Gay, Oct. 6, 1727 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=I B=L C=Z D=K E=X F=Y G=W H=O I=A J=B K=D L=R M=F N=T O=N P=E Q=P R=U S=Q T=G U=C V=M W=H X=V Y=S Z=J
- “Fountain heads and pathless groves, Places which pale passion loves.”— John Fletcher, 1647, The Nice Valour, Act III. Sc. 3 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=B B=S C=T D=K E=Y F=Z G=M H=V I=Q J=C K=F L=O M=A N=I O=W P=N Q=D R=H S=X T=P U=E V=J W=L X=G Y=U Z=R
- “The little dogs and all, Tray, Blanch, and Sweetheart, see, they bark at me.”— William Shakespeare, 1606, King Lear, Act III. Sc. 6 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=V B=R C=S D=A E=J F=B G=D H=E I=C J=U K=G L=Q M=P N=H O=W P=I Q=X R=T S=Y T=O U=N V=M W=K X=L Y=Z Z=F
- “He is young enough who has health, and he is rich enough who has no debts.”— Danish proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=B B=L C=N D=C E=S F=X G=Z H=K I=R J=V K=Y L=F M=H N=E O=T P=O Q=I R=W S=M T=U U=D V=A W=J X=Q Y=P Z=G
- “Rather have a little one for your friend, than a great one for your enemy.”— Italian proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=N B=R C=X D=A E=M F=L G=W H=Y I=Q J=T K=P L=Z M=I N=V O=D P=G Q=U R=B S=E T=S U=O V=K W=F X=C Y=H Z=J