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.
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)
“We have seen the world rivet its hopeful gaze on the great truths on which the founders wrought.”— Warren G. Harding, 1921, Inaugural AddressCipher key: A=H B=T C=Q D=G E=F F=R G=P H=C I=B J=U K=V L=X M=Y N=E O=M P=Z Q=J R=S S=N T=A U=O V=D W=K X=L Y=W Z=I
“I speak truth, not so much as I would, but as much as I dare; and I dare a little the more as I grow older.”— Michel de Montaigne, 1588, Essays, Book III, Chap II. Of Repentance (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=Q B=R C=T D=L E=G F=S G=D H=Z I=V J=P K=N L=H M=Y N=W O=E P=M Q=J R=C S=F T=B U=K V=O W=X X=A Y=U Z=I
“Whoever has even once become notorious by base fraud, even if he speaks the truth, gains no belief.”— Phaedrus, 25, Fables, Book I. Fable 10, 1 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=N B=C C=P D=Z E=R F=J G=S H=I I=E J=W K=Y L=V M=G N=O O=M P=H Q=X R=T S=K T=Q U=L V=U W=A X=F Y=B Z=D
“It is alike your interest, and mine, and all men's, however long we have dwelt in lies, to live in truth.”— Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1841, Essays: First SeriesCipher key: A=S B=D C=B D=K E=Q F=H G=Y H=C I=Z J=E K=A L=I M=J N=W O=P P=T Q=V R=F S=G T=R U=M V=X W=L X=U Y=O Z=N
“The virtue of art lies in detachment, in sequestering one object from the embarrassing variety.”— Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1841, Essays: First SeriesCipher key: A=Q B=F C=X D=U E=D F=T G=A H=V I=C J=B K=P L=G M=E N=L O=N P=H Q=M R=I S=Z T=O U=J V=K W=R X=S Y=W Z=Y
“Why is it that we entertain the belief that for every purpose odd numbers are the most effectual?”— Pliny the Elder, 77, Natural History (Naturalis Historia), Book XXVIII. Sect. 23 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=F B=R C=H D=P E=V F=I G=U H=B I=O J=D K=W L=Z M=X N=E O=N P=T Q=C R=K S=Q T=G U=J V=Y W=L X=A Y=S Z=M