Puzzle 1
Starter clue: C = E
SOZWUFVZSOXBSEJJICHCLKFOXBJLDCVZSOXBSICUEIL;VOES'FLXWCZFLXWC.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
- L
- M
- N
- O
- P
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- R
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- T
- U
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- X
- Y
- Z
Wisdom Cryptograms Set 152
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: M = E
KYMLQNAJRLM'GSYXAENJANZZGMXGEZD,MLIDXLVGYXFMSZELPJNJYMKYMMZG.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
- L
- M
- N
- O
- P
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Puzzle 3
Starter clue: P = T
QHDBCPAOYUOUPPBCPPBYMQDFUGYOKRYIPTQHZURX,UHOBYAKOYPOPBYKCUR.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
- L
- M
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Puzzle 4
Starter clue: Q = E
VGQBREVGIVURQZWRVQIVEYVGVGQRPQW,QYVGQDQIVZTQNRDQRDINVQDVGQX.
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 5
Starter clue: P = E
OIUPGQAIMSLDKCPOOKKWPGYLBZMSPZHMGO,YISDKCUPSPWDLAMTPOAKWRPG.
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: F = S
JBJFOZOFFVWPNFJAZXYOEXWBTQOZNAPZPWXVFFUJWJB,ETXLTXZXWOLPZNF.
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)
- “Things without all remedy should be without regard; what's done is done.”— William Shakespeare, 1606, Macbeth, Act III. Sc. 2 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=V B=U C=E D=B E=A F=S G=P H=M I=R J=L K=Y L=D M=F N=Z O=H P=C Q=X R=K S=T T=Q U=G V=W W=N X=O Y=J Z=I
- “When fortune's chariot rolls easily, envy and shame cling to the wheels.”— Danish proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=R B=Z C=K D=Y E=I F=M G=S H=P I=V J=T K=W L=N M=E N=O O=B P=G Q=F R=U S=C T=X U=J V=D W=Q X=A Y=H Z=L
- “Of what use is it that the cow gives plenty of milk, if she upsets the pail.”— German proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=U B=H C=A D=W E=D F=G G=V H=F I=N J=X K=P L=B M=C N=Z O=S P=T Q=O R=L S=J T=Y U=I V=Q W=R X=K Y=E Z=M
- “The cow that does not eat with the oxen, either eats before or after them.”— Spanish proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=Y B=C C=G D=R E=W F=K G=H H=J I=A J=Q K=L L=P M=U N=F O=Z P=X Q=E R=O S=V T=B U=D V=T W=N X=M Y=I Z=S
- “Superfluity comes sooner by white hairs, but competency lives longer.”— William Shakespeare, 1597, The Merchant of Venice, Act I. Sc. 2 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=L B=W C=M D=C E=X F=J G=R H=A I=U J=Q K=O L=Y M=I N=Z O=S P=E Q=F R=G S=T T=V U=P V=D W=N X=K Y=B Z=H
- “It is an assured sign of a worthy and generous spirit, whom honor amends.”— Francis Bacon, 1625, The Essays or Counsels, Civil and MoralCipher key: A=G B=T C=L D=Q E=W F=S G=X H=V I=C J=I K=J L=M M=K N=D O=A P=E Q=Y R=Z S=B T=H U=P V=U W=R X=O Y=F Z=N