Puzzle 1
Starter clue: C = O
FCGHJONQJOFHTQXJOSFPDOHXQGOFHICCUCTZQJACE.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
- L
- M
- N
- O
- P
- Q
- R
- S
- T
- U
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- X
- Y
- Z
Character Cryptograms Set 1
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: Q = O
TLOKZCQDQMZKBDZLMPGBCPLVQGKTFLKLPQQXDLCOFQGIXVZ.VZQCZ.
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 3
Starter clue: R = E
NRZJRNKZONRJRXRZORLIALD.RPSRIIRESR,OKRE,UGEDOZEZSO,FWOZKZFUO.
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 = O
ECVCYSSQZVOORXNRKUWQXVTVSVZTOKSRZECVIKYWQENRXNRKUECRKLCEO.
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 5
Starter clue: J = O
QMMJOFQHZTFHBUZEJSWJJKPDQVFHRFSRJDZMHZZURJDYJTEYZIDHQHFJE.
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: K = T
GQDEKECGQDEK,QFVFBKKBDHTZPFYBPKBTKGHXEFVBXDJQFJOQF,DPKNBQLHVVBXFCKQEMCQCKHSQKQKEOH.
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)
- “Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.”— Thomas Jefferson, 1819, Letter to Nathaniel MaconCipher key: A=D B=J C=O D=P E=M F=H G=N H=E I=B J=S K=V L=G M=Q N=Y O=T P=A Q=I R=L S=C T=F U=K V=Z W=X X=R Y=U Z=W
- “Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one.”— Marcus Aurelius, 170, MeditationsCipher key: A=Q B=I C=N D=M E=F F=H G=U H=C I=L J=K K=T L=A M=R N=Y O=S P=G Q=O R=Z S=X T=W U=J V=B W=V X=D Y=P Z=E
- “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”— Will Durant (Will Durant, summarising Aristotle. Often quoted as Aristotle’s own words; it is not.), 1926, The Story of PhilosophyCipher key: A=Y B=M C=K D=O E=N F=B G=S H=J I=L J=R K=H L=D M=F N=W O=T P=X Q=Z R=E S=C T=V U=I V=G W=U X=P Y=Q Z=A
- “The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.”— Marcus Aurelius, 170, MeditationsCipher key: A=C B=W C=H D=X E=T F=M G=B H=K I=Q J=Z K=U L=G M=V N=Y O=S P=J Q=I R=O S=P T=D U=R V=E W=L X=F Y=A Z=N
- “Associate with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation.”— George Washington, 1748, Rules of CivilityCipher key: A=B B=H C=V D=U E=N F=I G=J H=T I=P J=O K=D L=Z M=S N=X O=C P=Q Q=A R=Y S=F T=W U=M V=L W=G X=K Y=R Z=E
- “Habit is habit, and not to be flung out of the window by any man, but coaxed downstairs a step at a time.”— Mark Twain, 1894, Pudd'nhead WilsonCipher key: A=V B=O C=S D=B E=I F=N G=H H=E I=Q J=Y K=T L=X M=R N=C O=M P=U Q=A R=Z S=P T=F U=J V=D W=K X=W Y=G Z=L