Puzzle 1
Starter clue: S = T
SWQFXZSZNTMQCIUQKFQXK,OASYISSWIKQSWXSMIBNSWWQZNYSISWQFIS.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
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- F
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- H
- I
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Henry David Thoreau Cryptograms Set 7
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: K = E
DAKZKYDZWWRYBMKVWDMKBOKGKVZHDAWYKNAWBMKSBJJKOIWWOMKBOKMY.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
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- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
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Puzzle 3
Starter clue: G = O
BODCDXCDEGNXQXFMUCGSDMMGCMGSUOTIGMGUOF,VLBEGBUOTIGMGUODCM.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
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Puzzle 4
Starter clue: L = E
QOLYTLXQLVQYXCDVXDRAXHNLVXTLBXTQOLVQBTIWJLCDYXKKTLZCXQLR.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
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- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
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Puzzle 5
Starter clue: J = E
DEJZEJSCIJSQCPDEJHJQBDQUJZGQXJJRJBHAQHOSQZCSACSQNIQGGNXQGJ.
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: K = A
YVWHLVCVQNKABKQKAA;VQZHMYNKABJCQZHZJPZNKRY;KDHNNKABKGMVYYAVQY.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
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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 partridge loves peas, but not those that go with her into the pot.”— Henry David Thoreau, 1862, WalkingCipher key: A=U B=W C=L D=J E=M F=P G=C H=Y I=O J=X K=S L=Z M=G N=I O=B P=K Q=E R=Q S=T T=D U=V V=F W=H X=A Y=N Z=R
- “The best books are not read even by those who are called good readers.”— Henry David Thoreau, 1854, WaldenCipher key: A=H B=A C=Q D=T E=Z F=P G=V H=Y I=G J=L K=E L=X M=R N=W O=D P=F Q=U R=K S=C T=I U=M V=N W=O X=J Y=S Z=B
- “There are nowadays professors of philosophy, but not philosophers.”— Henry David Thoreau, 1854, WaldenCipher key: A=Q B=T C=R D=E E=N F=Y G=O H=V I=L J=Z K=J L=U M=S N=W O=H P=C Q=D R=K S=F T=I U=P V=B W=M X=A Y=G Z=X
- “The greatest gains and values are farthest from being appreciated.”— Henry David Thoreau, 1854, WaldenCipher key: A=V B=F C=I D=N E=Z F=Y G=X H=L I=O J=B K=P L=E M=K N=U O=H P=W Q=T R=D S=J T=R U=Q V=S W=M X=A Y=G Z=C
- “The phenomena of the year take place every day in a pond on a small scale.”— Henry David Thoreau, 1854, WaldenCipher key: A=D B=R C=O D=T E=H F=B G=L H=Y I=M J=E K=Q L=U M=W N=S O=I P=F Q=A R=V S=N T=J U=K V=G W=Z X=C Y=X Z=P
- “Some do not walk at all; others walk in the highways; a few walk across lots.”— Henry David Thoreau, 1862, WalkingCipher key: A=L B=K C=N D=F E=U F=V G=C H=E I=B J=I K=A L=D M=R N=W O=J P=G Q=T R=Y S=Z T=X U=P V=O W=M X=Q Y=S Z=H