Puzzle 1
Starter clue: S = O
MSGHDVNPDVMHWPJDVXMUQVHJPGVMHISSRSWFPDZSL.
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
Thomas Jefferson Cryptograms Set 1
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: E = S
EOJMMSWWGDEEDCOAZJVTPQKTVCVSJEQMAZSVPOTEBMSHD?
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: T = E
UTIFC,IMTZ,JTUUDO-HSISQTZC,FZSITOSIMDZTMTPLIPZKDZTYSZK.
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 4
Starter clue: F = E
EJGFUFDVIHYYFDFSTFCYCAHSHCSHLSCGXIHYYFDFSTFCYADHSTHAWF.
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 5
Starter clue: I = E
IWWCWCXCUHAHCAQOEDIJCGIWOJINYMIWIWIOKCAHKGIXJXWIIJCFCQDOJHJ.
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 6
Starter clue: D = E
FACHCHFADHZNUIXUUVXUODBMNDMF,PMVFACHCHMDJDHHPBTFUJGUHDFADJCBJGDUIUZBIDGCJCFCDH.
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)
- “Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.”— Thomas Jefferson, 1819, Letter to Nathaniel MaconCipher key: A=V B=G C=Q D=S E=J F=W G=N H=E I=B J=R K=L L=M M=H N=Y O=Z P=I Q=P R=K S=O T=U U=A V=T W=F X=C Y=X Z=D
- “Shall oppressed humanity find no asylum on this globe?”— Thomas Jefferson, 1801, First Annual Message to CongressCipher key: A=U B=G C=D D=E E=S F=Q G=R H=B I=V J=A K=F L=X M=L N=W O=H P=T Q=Y R=K S=O T=I U=Z V=N W=P X=C Y=J Z=M
- “Let us, then, fellow-citizens, unite with one heart and one mind.”— Thomas Jefferson, 1801, First Inaugural AddressCipher key: A=Y B=P C=S D=O E=G F=U G=J H=C I=T J=F K=D L=R M=H N=X O=W P=A Q=Z R=K S=I T=E U=L V=Q W=V X=B Y=M Z=N
- “But every difference of opinion is not a difference of principle.”— Thomas Jefferson, 1801, First Inaugural AddressCipher key: A=P B=Q C=O D=R E=B F=E G=T H=I I=D J=U K=G L=S M=W N=K O=Z P=J Q=X R=H S=N T=C U=V V=Y W=L X=A Y=F Z=M
- “Error of opinion may be tolerated where reason is left free to combat it.”— Thomas Jefferson, 1801, First Inaugural Address. March 4, 1801 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=N B=Z C=O D=B E=Y F=C G=L H=I I=E J=T K=S L=G M=H N=D O=A P=J Q=M R=U S=Q T=V U=P V=K W=R X=F Y=W Z=X
- “This is the sum of good government, and this is necessary to close the circle of our felicities.”— Thomas Jefferson, 1801, First Inaugural AddressCipher key: A=H B=R C=I D=E E=B F=T G=L H=S I=F J=C K=Q L=W M=N N=M O=V P=A Q=P R=Z S=J T=Y U=O V=D W=K X=G Y=X Z=U