Puzzle 1
Starter clue: J = O
JKFVYRNFYPRVJYPSUJSVAZVLPSBPZLRJUFJXJRNUNPAN.
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
- V
- W
- X
- Y
- Z
Wisdom Cryptograms Set 55
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 = E
MLZMELZECZQODTLOUZUZCECPQUZKRBBBESZXXQDTLSTA.
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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- Y
- Z
Puzzle 3
Starter clue: X = E
YQAIXUXEWXV,VQATJZRQHFP;YQABEWXV,VQATJZDXVEJXFR.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
- L
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- O
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Puzzle 4
Starter clue: F = E
GHRDFXRLLROFSVYWHOZASLLFVKXRN,SXTGXDKMVFYFXHF.
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: W = E
CWBCKBDKHWJCLDJWYNKJCWWSMLYYXWWKBWPXVBCWMGYN.
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 6
Starter clue: F = H
VFLJPDRGSIPERIY,HNVTPZLSIPERIYFLEFPUKVUFLGFRT.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
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- M
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- X
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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)
- “Our international policy is always to promote peace.”— William Howard Taft, 1909, Inaugural AddressCipher key: A=C B=W C=Z D=J E=K F=R G=F H=X I=Q J=O K=U L=S M=G N=E O=H P=A Q=V R=T S=L T=D U=P V=I W=B X=M Y=N Z=Y
- “Prepare a nest for the hen and she will lay eggs for you.”— Portuguese proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=U B=L C=N D=F E=A F=C G=V H=X I=M J=Z K=W L=R M=P N=Q O=T P=D Q=S R=I S=Y T=O U=H V=J W=B X=G Y=K Z=E
- “Who receives, should thank; who gives, should be silent.”— German proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=O B=G C=F D=B E=I F=N G=Z H=A I=R J=L K=X L=M M=Q N=J O=P P=K Q=H R=T S=Y T=U U=C V=S W=V X=E Y=W Z=D
- “I come not to hear such flattery now, and in my presence.”— William Shakespeare, 1592, King Henry VI, II. Act V. Sc. 3 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=L B=J C=Z D=M E=V F=E G=I H=C I=K J=G K=Y L=T M=P N=W O=H P=Q Q=B R=O S=A T=D U=X V=R W=U X=N Y=S Z=F
- “He that makes himself a sheep will be eaten by the wolf.”— Dutch proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=J B=T C=H D=M E=Q F=X G=O H=K I=U J=S K=A L=I M=W N=F O=Z P=N Q=R R=D S=P T=G U=V V=Y W=E X=B Y=L Z=C
- “The fox is knowing, but more knowing he who catches him.”— Spanish proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=D B=P C=L D=X E=W F=H G=S H=B I=N J=F K=A L=E M=J N=U O=Q P=O Q=Z R=I S=K T=M U=C V=T W=Y X=V Y=G Z=R