Puzzle 1
Starter clue: M = E
RPMTLNMIDVWGIQMXPQWJBLRDJIQMWPHDAQMPNWKJXAXOMJIWJBWZALVOWLTM.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
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William Cowper 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: A = T
QTNXXSAANUZKQAGTQEOAQXAGOVSSI,NYQXOBHRR-FOXAUOINXAGNA'RNUUBOVYHIO.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
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- D
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Puzzle 3
Starter clue: N = O
UCIDCSCTOCSXIWNHZWUCIKNNLISNMNGX,ZHSDUXTWNHLTNML,CSTXOXPCIESUNGX.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
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Puzzle 4
Starter clue: Z = S
EVFIOXQFZEKEDPCDCEDKEVDZGWDCCEVIZ,EZLZXOXZZFNFDMWXZEZFNFDZDEVIZ.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
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Puzzle 5
Starter clue: D = L
LHFPBQOYGLMDHXNFLVMOBSDESHFXQ,DMAYTMGGYXDBJNQMXLDGQYNHDWTFBDHFXQ.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
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- D
- E
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- H
- I
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Puzzle 6
Starter clue: A = S
UHCAQVLAAIQPGUVQVWRYLUPQPAGLLZAXCKVQAGLAUZIUTARQZXRKQPARIVIGLLZA.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
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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)
- “Presume to lay their hand upon the ark of her magnificent and awful cause.”— William Cowper, 1785, The Task, Book II. The Timepiece. Line 231 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=F B=D C=Q D=O E=V F=Z G=Y H=K I=T J=N K=G L=U M=E N=M O=C P=R Q=H R=P S=X T=S U=B V=L W=A X=I Y=J Z=W
- “I cannot talk with civet in the room, A fine puss-gentleman that's all perfume.”— William Cowper, 1782, Poems (1782), Conversation. Line 283 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=T B=P C=Z D=J E=V F=G G=H H=U I=M J=Y K=W L=Q M=D N=A O=E P=X Q=I R=S S=O T=C U=L V=R W=B X=N Y=F Z=K
- “His wit invites you by his looks to come, But when you knock, it never is at home.”— William Cowper, 1782, Poems (1782), Conversation. Line 303 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=F B=G C=I D=W E=A F=Q G=M H=U I=S J=P K=L L=K M=C N=O O=V P=R Q=Z R=X S=T T=N U=H V=J W=Y X=E Y=D Z=B
- “An idler is a watch that wants both hands, As useless if it goes as if it stands.”— William Cowper, 1782, Poems (1782), Retirement. Line 681 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=X B=Y C=H D=T E=A F=I G=B H=J I=D J=Q K=W L=U M=G N=F O=L P=C Q=R R=Z S=P T=M U=V V=N W=O X=E Y=K Z=S
- “Our wasted oil unprofitably burns, Like hidden lamps in old sepulchral urns.”— William Cowper, 1782, Poems (1782), Conversation. Line 357 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=K B=A C=G D=L E=Y F=R G=D H=U I=X J=M K=V L=O M=I N=P O=T P=W Q=S R=Z S=B T=H U=Q V=F W=C X=N Y=E Z=J
- “A business with an income at its heels Furnishes always oil for its own wheels.”— William Cowper, 1782, Poems (1782), Retirement. Line 614 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=S B=X C=U D=Q E=V F=K G=H H=B I=W J=D K=R L=E M=G N=P O=J P=T Q=I R=O S=Z T=Y U=A V=N W=C X=F Y=M Z=L