Puzzle 1
Starter clue: P = E
JPKTVHBGSPOPZKCISGHXVSYPZPRVSUJECTKESYPZECU.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
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- M
- N
- O
- P
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- X
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- Z
Henry David Thoreau Cryptograms Set 2
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: I = A
INPMUYKNVBUIQXQIGJMIBNIQKGFPJBXWUCIMXGPRKQX.
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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Puzzle 3
Starter clue: W = E
VJEWSPXEJHFWZKPFWNHJLKSJEWEWTWXXBFSJCHIWXJKR.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
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- M
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- O
- P
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Puzzle 4
Starter clue: W = E
PFEKAWCVNFASEUIWUJWAHUYW,IKEVNWYKVEIWUJWAHUYW.
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 5
Starter clue: F = T
TYWRHTFQCFCQMPPMVRHFQMKQYVFCFMFVRCGGHTYVFACGF.
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: V = E
SVKXPCJTRSVWWIKXJJIRJHBQMTJHZVFVETHRVRCVXRIWB.
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)
- “We should never stand upon ceremony with sincerity.”— Henry David Thoreau, 1854, WaldenCipher key: A=J B=L C=T D=X E=I F=Q G=D H=U I=A J=W K=S L=F M=G N=B O=V P=E Q=K R=M S=N T=H U=Y V=O W=Z X=P Y=C Z=R
- “A more simple and natural man it would be hard to find.”— Henry David Thoreau, 1854, WaldenCipher key: A=Z B=L C=H D=J E=X F=W G=T H=Y I=A J=U K=I L=G M=R N=M O=C P=O Q=N R=F S=V T=Q U=E V=P W=B X=D Y=S Z=K
- “Money is not required to buy one necessary of the soul.”— Henry David Thoreau, 1854, WaldenCipher key: A=V B=A C=F D=P E=N F=R G=K H=T I=H J=O K=U L=B M=J N=D O=G P=I Q=X R=L S=Y T=C U=W V=M W=E X=S Y=Z Z=Q
- “Nature is hard to be overcome, but she must be overcome.”— Henry David Thoreau, 1854, WaldenCipher key: A=R B=L C=I D=J E=T F=A G=Q H=C I=B J=V K=U L=Y M=P N=H O=X P=N Q=Z R=F S=D T=K U=O V=S W=E X=G Y=M Z=W
- “We know that a hill is not highest at its narrowest part.”— Henry David Thoreau, 1854, WaldenCipher key: A=P B=Y C=A D=V E=Z F=T G=R H=O I=Q J=F K=G L=B M=I N=M O=X P=L Q=H R=N S=U T=W U=J V=S W=K X=D Y=E Z=C
- “We might as well omit to study Nature because she is old.”— Henry David Thoreau, 1854, WaldenCipher key: A=Z B=D C=H D=Q E=C F=B G=V H=U I=O J=T K=M L=J M=N N=X O=P P=G Q=Y R=S S=W T=A U=F V=E W=L X=I Y=K Z=R