Puzzle 1
Starter clue: F = T
XDFTXURSCKPNSRCFYBUXDRUUCVFXOXFMCDAKIIKSFBDXFMVCBFXKDXUDKFBDFXHREM.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
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- D
- E
- F
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- H
- I
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William McKinley Cryptograms Set 2
5 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: Y = E
AZYXGIDAWASAWGIKSDAJYBEYTSBAYAGDYXSMYBDABJPY,GMEYMPV,BIEQMYYLGCYMIKYIA.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
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Puzzle 3
Starter clue: D = E
NSZDPWA,MJFJMBWA,JZIBZIKPWOAJODZSRNDODUSODBZIBPFDZPJGXDWNJZBZFKGXBMDUFXSAUDZW.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
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- H
- I
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Puzzle 4
Starter clue: M = E
MRZNHESQBGUEWTSKJZKSDUMXNEH,NVABZUHNLKIMNHLNQKNVAMXMUQLTMUMUMKDMPSMANVABIMQMA.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
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Puzzle 5
Starter clue: U = T
YFUCEFIUYSFIBIERYUEIUYSFGIFFSURCSLYUUCZAESLUKCBYVUSAVPRXCGUVGBIYLYFJSPEGSFVYZCEIUYSF.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
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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 (5 solutions)
- “In this era of great business activity and opportunity caution is not untimely.”— William McKinley, 1900, Fourth Annual Message to CongressCipher key: A=D B=U C=A D=N E=L F=T G=W H=M I=P J=Q K=O L=Z M=Y N=G O=V P=F Q=K R=E S=R T=H U=S V=C W=J X=I Y=B Z=X
- “The constitution must be adequate to secure a stable, orderly, and free government.”— William McKinley, 1900, Fourth Annual Message to CongressCipher key: A=T B=A C=V D=S E=D F=P G=O H=Z I=N J=B K=M L=G M=R N=J O=X P=L Q=F R=W S=U T=Q U=K V=Y W=I X=C Y=E Z=H
- “Honesty, capacity, and industry are nowhere more indispensable than in public employment.”— William McKinley, 1901, Second Inaugural AddressCipher key: A=Y B=I C=Q D=E E=K F=P G=B H=V I=D J=A K=U L=F M=C N=H O=R P=S Q=X R=W S=O T=J U=M V=G W=T X=L Y=Z Z=N
- “Equality of rights must prevail, and our laws be always and everywhere respected and obeyed.”— William McKinley, 1897, First Inaugural AddressCipher key: A=D B=O C=Z D=P E=I F=X G=F H=L I=B J=M K=S L=W M=E N=A O=K P=C Q=Y R=Q S=T T=H U=R V=N W=G X=V Y=J Z=U
- “International arbitration cannot be omitted from the list of subjects claiming our consideration.”— William McKinley, 1897, First Annual Message to CongressCipher key: A=F B=L C=E D=W E=R F=N G=C H=X I=A J=G K=H L=M M=V N=Q O=Z P=U Q=K R=B S=O T=Y U=T V=S W=P X=J Y=I Z=D