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.
26 pt ciphertext with wide letter spacing and room to write. 34 pt ciphertext — readable across the table, one or two puzzles a page. 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 1
Medium · 47 letters
Starter clue: C = E
OQCFGWUUAUWEPWMUFGCCXCGNXOQCNOQCGUAYCNDOQCDCXKC.
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
V
W
X
Y
Z
Puzzle 2
Medium · 47 letters
Starter clue: R = E
GHSSHKEZMHRVVMARDTMYRDMYRCHDG,LVZLQFAGFRVMYRQFGX.
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
V
W
X
Y
Z
Puzzle 3
Medium · 47 letters
Starter clue: L = T
FKPVQLWTTLAWLCQLA,PVQYVOVLAZUWLVCWEWEJWCZOPLAFOS.
Decoder — write your answer under each cipher letter:
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
V
W
X
Y
Z
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)
“The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.”— Proverb, 1900, English proverbCipher key: A=I B=M C=E D=F E=L F=G G=R H=V I=J J=K K=C L=X M=Y N=O O=T P=W Q=H R=Q S=Z T=B U=S V=P W=A X=N Y=D Z=U
“Difficulties strengthen the mind, as labor does the body.”— Seneca, 64, Moral Letters to LuciliusCipher key: A=R B=K C=M D=N E=U F=O G=D H=I I=Q J=Z K=C L=A M=T N=X O=J P=V Q=B R=E S=F T=G U=W V=S W=P X=Y Y=H Z=L
“If you tell the truth, you do not have to remember anything.”— Mark Twain, 1894, NotebookCipher key: A=H B=C C=R D=P E=M F=I G=S H=X I=W J=B K=F L=T M=K N=Z O=N P=Y Q=U R=Q S=G T=L U=V V=O W=E X=J Y=D Z=A
“There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.”— William Shakespeare, 1600, HamletCipher key: A=Y B=Z C=H D=X E=S F=J G=R H=B I=E J=P K=I L=C M=D N=W O=G P=O Q=L R=F S=T T=U U=M V=K W=V X=A Y=Q Z=N
“I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship.”— Louisa May Alcott, 1868, Little WomenCipher key: A=J B=V C=A D=H E=T F=U G=P H=S I=B J=L K=D L=N M=C N=K O=Q P=E Q=X R=Z S=G T=Y U=I V=W W=F X=O Y=M Z=R
“Beware of little expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship.”— Benjamin Franklin, 1745, Poor Richard's AlmanackCipher key: A=Q B=P C=R D=O E=K F=I G=V H=Y I=H J=T K=N L=B M=S N=M O=F P=Z Q=G R=L S=W T=C U=X V=E W=A X=D Y=U Z=J