Puzzle 1
Starter clue: D = T
MADDABDVBAAVCTBGDCCGCCJDVHJHYQJTDADCCIHDA.
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
Shakespeare Cryptograms Set 1
5 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: C = E
FGCOKLLCRFGPFVDENCVVFCPNVVKDCFGEHBYOKDFGCFGECY.
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
Starter clue: A = I
BSXEXAUMJBSAMLXABSXELJJIJECVI,CDBBSAMOAMLNVOXUABUJ.
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 4
Starter clue: Z = E
OPPLVZEGBPN'COCLOSZ,OMNOPPLVZDZMOMNEGDZMDZBZPAJPOAZBC.
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 5
Starter clue: J = E
YBJHRRWGRYBYBZDSBJZFKZFJ,PQYYBJKZFJANDSDRKFBZAFJWHYRPJNHRRW.
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)
Want this on its own sheet? Print the letter frequency chart.
Show the answer key (5 solutions)
- “Better three hours too soon than a minute too late.”— William Shakespeare, 1597, The Merry Wives of WindsorCipher key: A=E B=R C=O D=T E=C F=J G=S H=A I=L J=N K=F L=P M=B N=D O=X P=V Q=I R=Q S=Z T=U U=Y V=H W=G X=W Y=M Z=K
- “The robbed that smiles steals something from the thief.”— William Shakespeare, 1603, OthelloCipher key: A=U B=G C=E D=M E=I F=T G=H H=N I=P J=Q K=O L=B M=Y N=L O=R P=A Q=W R=D S=V T=K U=Z V=S W=X X=C Y=F Z=J
- “There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.”— William Shakespeare, 1600, HamletCipher key: A=I B=T C=B D=U E=R F=X G=Y H=P I=D J=O K=Q L=G M=N N=M O=K P=W Q=L R=Z S=H T=F U=S V=A W=J X=E Y=C Z=V
- “All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players.”— William Shakespeare, 1599, As You Like ItCipher key: A=Y B=R C=S D=M E=W F=K G=O H=C I=V J=P K=X L=T M=N N=D O=A P=L Q=Z R=U S=G T=J U=Q V=H W=I X=F Y=B Z=E
- “The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool.”— William Shakespeare, 1599, As You Like ItCipher key: A=M B=H C=G D=N E=Y F=S G=D H=F I=C J=E K=W L=J M=X N=A O=V P=B Q=U R=O S=K T=P U=Q V=R W=L X=Z Y=T Z=I