Puzzle 1
Starter clue: N = E
IGENMYNLGYXBYNMA,IGENMRVKNDNBYNMAXNII,MXQIGENVMDNBYNMAXNIIAVYTIATJGXAVNE.
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 2
4 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
YPJHEIRIBZNHLTWBNZRUZAPEZWMZBEIZHWMR;WMZOHCBHLWLZOZEWHRWZPAIZHWMUXWPLYZ.
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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- S
- T
- U
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- X
- Y
- Z
Puzzle 3
Starter clue: C = T
AOGMAOTCWYGUCGYECAGW,YKMSYIUOWBAWUCLUQAAMFUAPCSEQLCFEK,TVPUYGEKQCAYCCUSXC.
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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- W
- X
- Y
- Z
Puzzle 4
Starter clue: S = E
PQDSSDSGCBTJOUCSTG,IXOWSEOUCDLQRS;OTMSSTRUBTJ'NRSJNXGS,IXOGSNSGDSOUCHXAPBSJO.
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 (4 solutions)
- “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.”— William Shakespeare, 1601, Twelfth NightCipher key: A=T B=G C=Z D=V E=M F=W G=O H=J I=S J=P K=I L=B M=A N=E O=Q P=L Q=D R=C S=X T=U U=Y V=H W=F X=N Y=R Z=K
- “Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once.”— William Shakespeare, 1599, Julius CaesarCipher key: A=F B=I C=L D=Z E=R F=P G=K H=A I=D J=W K=J L=N M=H N=M O=V P=O Q=X R=S S=Q T=Y U=B V=G W=T X=U Y=C Z=E
- “Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt.”— William Shakespeare, 1604, Measure for MeasureCipher key: A=O B=L C=T D=Q E=I F=W G=R H=Z I=K J=C K=N L=H M=D N=V O=U P=F Q=G R=J S=M T=B U=E V=Y W=S X=P Y=A Z=X
- “Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice; take each man's censure, but reserve thy judgment.”— William Shakespeare, 1600, HamletCipher key: A=D B=M C=Y D=V E=W F=P G=R H=J I=B J=N K=Q L=O M=K N=S O=T P=G Q=I R=C S=E T=A U=H V=Z W=F X=U Y=L Z=X