Puzzle 1
Starter clue: G = E
JXJMEGXXGFXKOGUFXOGHUFAMJTLXOUTXOGDKPMGRFGGQ.
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 57
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 = E
UWLZCUJJYASLTSNAXAYSGZCAXABTCLZWMLAULZMNCSNI.
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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- T
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Puzzle 3
Starter clue: H = T
UJUIHCNIJRPHPHUIMNTNXH,IQHWNGNKHNTNXHWZQHCNTP.
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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- O
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Puzzle 4
Starter clue: R = I
HYRJTNHKYRGGNHDTNXPTXAAXPCIKRCRTJ,CLHKLTURKSJ.
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 5
Starter clue: T = E
GFTHTSHTBYITDFYWTBOCBTOHCWTDCGFSMHTSGTHOHCWT.
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 6
Starter clue: V = N
OWCXYDHGVIAVWNV,VNPGVILNYXRXY,NVXGVIWVMXEGYGCOX.
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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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)
- “It is better to hear the lark sing than the mouse creep.”— English proverb, 1859, Recorded in Walter K. Kelly, Proverbs of All Nations, Compared, Explained, and Illustrated (London, 1859)Cipher key: A=K B=J C=Z D=M E=B F=R G=E H=L I=V J=I K=O L=G M=S N=D O=H P=U Q=P R=C S=Q T=N U=A V=W W=Y X=T Y=F Z=X
- “Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.”— Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1841, CirclesCipher key: A=E B=D C=I D=B E=J F=K G=C H=P I=M J=G K=Z L=T M=U N=S O=X P=F Q=L R=Y S=A T=W U=N V=Q W=O X=V Y=R Z=H
- “A man then must stand erect, not be kept erect by others.”— Marcus Aurelius, 1862, Meditations (George Long translation, 1862)Cipher key: A=L B=Q C=H D=Z E=I F=V G=K H=T I=N J=M K=P L=X M=D N=E O=F P=S Q=O R=U S=W T=R U=A V=J W=B X=C Y=G Z=Y
- “A wise man will make more opportunities, than he finds.”— Francis Bacon, 1625, The Essays or Counsels, Civil and MoralCipher key: A=P B=Y C=T D=K E=B F=G G=L H=A I=U J=S K=N L=H M=X N=M O=Q P=R Q=C R=I S=D T=E U=F V=Z W=V X=O Y=W Z=J
- “There are some who despise pride with a greater pride.”— Italian proverb, 1857, Recorded with English translation in Henry G. Bohn, A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (London, 1857)Cipher key: A=F B=S C=I D=W E=Q F=H G=T H=R I=M J=C K=V L=B M=G N=U O=P P=L Q=Y R=J S=A T=E U=X V=K W=D X=Z Y=O Z=N
- “Liberty and Union, now and forever, one and inseparable.”— Daniel Webster, 1830, Second Speech on Foot's Resolution, Jan. 26, 1830. Vol. III. p. 342 (in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 9th ed., 1891)Cipher key: A=U B=G C=B D=T E=P F=Z G=A H=Y I=D J=H K=M L=F M=S N=O O=L P=W Q=C R=V S=X T=K U=Q V=N W=I X=E Y=R Z=J