Puzzle 1
Starter clue: F = A
REGGFQREJKFBBFBJAGFDXPHAGQGXTJREWFWJBBFG.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
- L
- M
- N
- O
- P
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- R
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- T
- U
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- W
- X
- Y
- Z
Henry David Thoreau 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: W = E
UIWLWJOKCXQGMJKUIWT,PCLUIJOYCTWOGPUWLACLS.
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: G = E
IGHOPIQSEWGIZGO,NKVGNEZNOFUPNEMNOCQVGGUBGM.
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: A = E
YXANOCGY-NWZKAHMWGGNWZKNOCGYDAIAZWZQOHOKWDA.
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: D = A
DEDZGKGDSODZQUDOOWLZDAQDZDOKQPPPLSDOBQLWZQ.
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 6
Starter clue: I = E
MDNUIMNUDEWBTI,NUDEFBEIG,NUDEVDFI,PJTIFINMSNU.
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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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)
- “The earth is all alive and covered with papillae.”— Henry David Thoreau, 1854, WaldenCipher key: A=V B=L C=B D=N E=H F=A G=E H=O I=K J=I K=S L=J M=Y N=M O=U P=C Q=R R=T S=X T=W U=F V=G W=P X=D Y=Z Z=Q
- “There is no play in them, for this comes after work.”— Henry David Thoreau, 1854, WaldenCipher key: A=W B=Q C=O D=U E=J F=G G=A H=X I=H J=I K=N L=R M=Y N=B O=S P=F Q=L R=Z S=K T=M U=T V=D W=E X=P Y=C Z=V
- “We know but few men, a great many coats and breeches.”— Henry David Thoreau, 1854, WaldenCipher key: A=I B=H C=D D=J E=T F=Y G=E H=K I=W J=P K=G L=X M=S N=A O=N P=O Q=B R=V S=U T=Q U=C V=R W=F X=Z Y=L Z=M
- “The fault-finder will find faults even in paradise.”— Henry David Thoreau, 1854, WaldenCipher key: A=E B=Q C=U D=S E=O F=Z G=L H=R I=V J=X K=D L=G M=W N=F O=A P=C Q=P R=B S=M T=J U=Y V=K W=I X=H Y=T Z=N
- “A familiar name cannot make a man less strange to me.”— Henry David Thoreau, 1862, WalkingCipher key: A=K B=G C=Y D=A E=F F=H G=I H=Z I=D J=X K=L L=T M=P N=U O=N P=S Q=E R=Q S=R T=V U=C V=J W=O X=B Y=W Z=M
- “Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth.”— Henry David Thoreau, 1854, WaldenCipher key: A=S B=O C=Z D=A E=N F=M G=Y H=B I=E J=I K=X L=D M=R N=T O=Q P=G Q=P R=J S=U T=V U=H V=F W=L X=K Y=W Z=C