A cryptogram is a puzzle with an encrypted message, where each letter in the message has been substituted by another letter of the alphabet. As you guess each substitution, add the letter everywhere it occurs in the puzzle, and the message will start to reveal itself.
The example puzzle below contains an encrypted quotation by the late great Robbie Coltrane.
Getting started
These can help you start solving a cryptogram:
1 Words with the given letter
2 One-letter words
3 Words with an apostrophe
4 Letter patterns in words
5 Letter frequency in the puzzle
1 Words with the given letter
First, look at the words containing the given letter (‘G’ in the example). In this puzzle, the best starting point is probably G_ _ _G. The most likely answer is GOING (as GULAG is unlikely in a celebrity quote!). You could pencil in GOING now or look for further confirmation — up to you.
2 One-letter words
Turning to the other letters in the word G_ _ _G, we see that one of the letters (‘E’) also appears at the start of the puzzle, on its own as a one-letter word.
There are two commonly found one-letter words in English: ‘A’ and ‘I’. (‘O’ is found in exclamations only.) This message contains two different one-letter words, represented by the letters ‘E’ and ‘F’ in the cryptogram.
Substituting the letter ‘E’ in G_ _ _G with ‘A’ or ‘I’ would give ‘G_ A _G’ or ‘G_ I _G’ respectively. This again makes GOING the most likely answer. And, logically, if the one-letter word ‘E’ is ‘I’, then the other one-letter word ‘F’ must be ‘A’.
3 Words with an apostrophe
A single letter following an apostrophe could represent ‘S’, ‘T’ or ‘D’. In a long word (as in this puzzle), the letter after the apostrophe is likely to be ‘S’.
4 Letter patterns in words
Keep an eye out for double letters and any other repeated letter patterns in words, as these are often the easiest words to decipher, especially in combination with the given letter. In English, double letters could be the vowels EE or OO, or the consonants BB, CC, DD, FF, GG, LL, MM, NN, PP, RR, SS, TT, ZZ.
In this puzzle, if ‘H’ after the apostrophe represents ‘S’, then the word HBBXH in the third row is S_ _ _S. ‘B’ in that word must represent a vowel, and it can’t be ‘UU’, ‘AA’ or ‘II’, so it must be ‘OO’ or ‘EE’. We’ve already had ‘O’ in GOING, so we can be fairly certain that ‘B’ represents ‘E’, which gives SEE_S.
SEE_S could be SEEDS, SEEKS, SEEMS, SEEPS or SEERS, so look at the words that follow it: ‘_O _E GOING’. A reasonable guess is SEEMS TO BE GOING.
Before the apostrophe is the letter pattern E-T-L, which is repeated at the end of the word we’ve guessed to be GOING. So, E-T-L is the common letter pattern I-N-G.
5 Letter frequency in the puzzle
If you’re struggling to get started with any cryptogram, look for the most common letter in the puzzle. In English texts, the most frequently occurring letter is ‘E’. In this puzzle, the letter ‘B’ is the most common letter, so you can pencil in ‘E’ as a likely substitution for ‘B’.
Taken together, this gives us the word E_E_ _ _ _ING’S, which is likely to be EVERYTHING’S.
Making progress
These will help you polish off a cryptogram:
1 Knowing how English works
2 Keeping track of letters, especially vowels
3 Guessing what the celebrity might say
1 Knowing how English works
Short words in cryptograms can be helpful, as two- and three-letter words in English are often grammatical words. For example, prepositions, such as ON, IN, TO, AT; the articles A, AN and THE; conjunctions, such as AND, OR, BUT, IF; personal pronouns, such as ME, HE, WE, SHE.
‘S’ is often found at the end of English words as a plural noun or verb form.
2 Keeping track of letters, especially vowels
Every English word contains at least one of the five vowels or Y, and many cryptogram puzzles contain all the vowels and Y. Keep track of which vowels you’ve already used, and which are still to go in. ‘Q’ in English is almost always followed by ‘U’.
3 Guessing what the celebrity might say
Unsurprisingly, quotes by famous people often have ‘I’, ‘my’ or ‘me’ in them. Film stars love to talk about films, musicians about music, and sportspeople about winning!
Practicalities
Jot down the letters A to Z to the side of the puzzle, keeping a note of the substitutions as you go. For example, E=I, H=S, L=G.
Solve the puzzle in pencil so you can erase guesses if needed.
And, in case you were wondering, here’s the completed cryptogram:
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FAQs
Cryptography 101: Basic solving techniques for substitution ciphers
- Scan through the cipher, looking for single-letter words. ...
- Count how many times each symbol appears in the puzzle. ...
- Pencil in your guesses over the ciphertext. ...
- Look for apostrophes. ...
- Look for repeating letter patterns.
A cryptogram is a kind of word puzzle, like a crossword puzzle. Instead of definitions, though, a cryptogram gives you the actual words of a quotation, but with each letter replaced with a different letter. For example, each letter A in the original text might be replaced with an F.
What is a cryptogram pattern? ›
A cryptogram is a type of puzzle that consists of a short piece of encrypted text. Generally the cipher used to encrypt the text is simple enough that the cryptogram can be solved by hand. Substitution ciphers where each letter is replaced by a different letter or number are frequently used.
What is an example of a cryptogram? ›
Cryptograms in newspapers and magazines are usually based on a simple substitution cipher, often replacing each letter in the alphabet with a different one. The letter A, for example, might be represented by the letter K, while the letter K is represented by the letter R.
How to solve a cryptogram without a key? ›
To solve cryptograms without hints, start by identifying common one-letter words, like "a" or "I," and look for repeated patterns. Analyze word lengths, letter frequencies, and context clues.
What device solves a cryptogram? ›
CRYPTOGRAM SOLVING DEVICE Crossword Clue
| Answer | Letters |
|---|
| Cryptogram solving device with 5 Letters |
| BOMBE | 5 |
| Cryptogram solving device with 7 Letters |
| DECODER | 7 |
4 more rowsEven though cryptograms might look like a mess of scrambled letters, solving them isn't too hard if you recognize some of the patterns. We'll walk you through the best tips and tricks on how to work through them so you can decode any puzzle!
What are the four letter words for cryptogram? ›
The most common three-letter words are the, and, are,for, not, but, had, has, was, all, any, one, man, out, you, his, her, and can. The most common four-letter words are that, with, have, this, will, your, from, they, want, been, good, much, some, and very.
What are the two letter words in cryptograms? ›
The most common two-letter words are of, to, in, it, is, be, as, at, so, we, he, by, or, on, do, if, me, my, up, an, go, no, us, am. The most common three-letter words are the and and. Tailor Made Frequency Tables: If possible, tailor the table of frequencies to the message you are trying to decipher.
How are ciphers solved? ›
In principle, substitution ciphers can be solved by exhaustively searching through the (as- tronomically large) key space for the key that produces the decrypted text most closely resembling meaningful English.
A cryptogram is a puzzle with an encrypted message, where each letter in the message has been substituted by another letter of the alphabet. As you guess each substitution, add the letter everywhere it occurs in the puzzle, and the message will start to reveal itself.
How does the cryptogram work? ›
In order to solve a cryptogram puzzle, you must crack the code and figure out the hidden message. The code is a simple substitution cipher where each letter in a puzzle (called a cryptoletter) represents a different letter of the alphabet in the solution. This holds true for every instance where a cryptoletter appears.
What is the difference between a cipher and a cryptogram? ›
A cipher is a type of cryptographic algorithm. Cryptography is the broader field that encompasses all methods of protecting information, including encryption, decryption, digital signatures, and more. A cipher specifically refers to the mathematical process used for encryption and decryption.
How to solve a puzzle step by step? ›
Jigsaw Puzzle Techniques: Fun & Helpful Ways to Solve a Puzzle
- Pick a puzzle. ...
- Figure out your puzzle workspace. ...
- Sort pieces with puzzle trays or boxes. ...
- Solve the edge first or last. ...
- Sort by piece shape. ...
- Start with smaller sections or solve in quadrants. ...
- Take your time and use natural light when possible.
General Substitution Ciphers substitute one letter of the alphabet with another letter or symbol. For example, in a piece of text the word THE may be replaced by the word FSQ, where F represents T, and S represents H, and Q represents an E. This will keep the message secret from prying eyes.
How do you solve the box puzzle game? ›
The first step to solving a box puzzle is to study the box itself. Look for any seams, hinges, or buttons that may indicate a hidden compartment. Some box puzzles also feature decorative elements that may provide clues to solving the puzzle. Take your time and examine the box from every angle.
