Puzzle 1
Starter clue: R = E
LMRLJVRMTNPQVRBQZTVQZRGZTPLJPTYHNRQBVQZTYGQCRZ,TXFVQZRZRYJTXPRHGQXLMRGZJXPJGYRLMTLZJEMLVTIRNJLNQCXVJEML.
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
Time Cryptograms Set 32
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: Z = A
ZQBNDRLYHLRRTWNYLWNRJZDQAMTKZWZK;XAYETDTKNWZKSJTUZKRYZKQMDTRMNDLYHYJNDNZDNZJAKQDNQYJZYSLCCRYZKQZQBNDRLYH.
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: K = E
DKHILFKHHN-ACJK;QCGUKJUPMKACHEJ,PHYJIRKLCRKJLUKNSVNPAPNISLUKRJKVMKJ,JIRKLCRKJLUKNROJLDKJKLSVNCHE,LIDQCHECHRIQK.
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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Puzzle 4
Starter clue: I = A
BGCYBHDLWQMGEWQCGWQIWXBBLWQBHXQWYBHDLSCIATIZMDMIFIAIMFIGLYIWCF,IGLWQCXMTWABTCIRQGCYQBHFYBHDLCPRDHLCWQCDIAW.
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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Puzzle 5
Starter clue: K = E
FBNKXZKK-JCIOKOGIOWYKKZXLAASOCUDBUKO,GFYBLZUBXJKGF,GIOBXUAKKD,GIOBXKMKZWCUK,CUBIKBXFYKNKUFDZKWKDFUBXABIRAGUFCIR.
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 6
Starter clue: G = S
SVWGXAMQFFFQEGTVDDJAGXEJKSJFAZXJQGPQRX!FAZX,NWXXQGQKWQDGKBJDANJVPQMDKXG,GUWXQRGJKGFKBJDEKMBG,QMRKMQPAPXMDNFKXG.
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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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 time has come for a more practical use of moral power, and more reliance upon the principle that right makes its own might.”— Calvin Coolidge, 1923, State of the Union AddressCipher key: A=V B=F C=W D=Q E=G F=D G=P H=U I=K J=I K=Z L=T M=H N=S O=B P=C Q=O R=E S=Y T=A U=X V=M W=J X=N Y=L Z=R
- “Adversity is sometimes hard upon a man; but for one man who can stand prosperity there are a hundred that will stand adversity.”— Thomas Carlyle, 1841, On Heroes, Hero-Worship and the Heroic in History, Heroes and Hero-Worship. The Hero as a Man of Letters (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=U B=V C=L D=R E=F F=Z G=X H=Y I=J J=H K=N L=I M=P N=E O=K P=Q Q=D R=S S=W T=O U=C V=G W=M X=B Y=T Z=A
- “Be not penny-wise; riches have wings, and sometimes they fly away of themselves, sometimes they must be set flying, to bring in more.”— Francis Bacon, 1625, The Essays or Counsels, Civil and MoralCipher key: A=W B=Z C=I D=B E=G F=P G=C H=N I=O J=S K=E L=T M=V N=Y O=U P=A Q=R R=M S=F T=K U=H V=L W=X X=Q Y=D Z=J
- “One would think then that good thought would be as familiar as air and water, and the gifts of each new hour would exclude the last.”— Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1841, Essays: First SeriesCipher key: A=S B=O C=E D=L E=K F=R G=N H=U I=A J=P K=Q L=D M=I N=J O=V P=X Q=H R=C S=B T=F U=Z V=Y W=T X=G Y=W Z=M
- “To be free-minded and cheerfully disposed, at hours of meat, and of sleep, and of exercise, is one of the best precepts of long lasting.”— Francis Bacon, 1625, The Essays or Counsels, Civil and MoralCipher key: A=L B=O C=I D=P E=W F=T G=A H=K I=N J=M K=E L=U M=X N=B O=D P=Z Q=V R=G S=Y T=Q U=S V=J W=C X=F Y=H Z=R
- “Curse on all laws but those which love has made! Love, free as air at sight of human ties, Spreads his light wings, and in a moment flies.”— Alexander Pope, 1717, Eloisa to Abelard, Line 74 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=O B=G C=J D=T E=W F=L G=S H=X I=Z J=H K=I L=K M=N N=F O=Y P=M Q=A R=D S=C T=B U=P V=U W=R X=E Y=Q Z=V