How To Solve A Cryptogram (2024)

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.

How To Solve A Cryptogram (1)

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’.

How To Solve A Cryptogram (2)

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:

How To Solve A Cryptogram (3)

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How To Solve A Cryptogram (2024)

FAQs

How To Solve A Cryptogram? ›

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 to solve cryptogram puzzles with answers? ›

Cryptography 101: Basic solving techniques for substitution ciphers
  1. Scan through the cipher, looking for single-letter words. ...
  2. Count how many times each symbol appears in the puzzle. ...
  3. Pencil in your guesses over the ciphertext. ...
  4. Look for apostrophes. ...
  5. Look for repeating letter patterns.
Sep 27, 2021

How do you decode a cryptogram? ›

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 to get good at cryptograms? ›

The basic strategy is to continually build on what you have, using the letters you know to help figure out other letters and words in the message. Check the list of letters you've used (which are marked off automatically at the top of the puzzle) as you go to help you think about your possibilities.

What is the cryptogram code? ›

A cryptogram is a kind of secret code. The formal name for this particular kind of code is a simple substitution cipher. Strictly speaking, a code is a method of disguising a message that uses a dictionary of arbitrarily chosen replacements for each possible word.

Is there any trick to solve puzzles? ›

EXPERT TIP: Work on a small section at a time instead of trying to place pieces throughout the puzzle. Starting with an area that has a pattern or wording and working your way out, work your way toward the edge of the puzzle. If you get stuck, start on a new section.

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 is the easiest cipher to decode? ›

In cryptography, a Caesar cipher, also known as Caesar's cipher, the shift cipher, Caesar's code, or Caesar shift, is one of the simplest and most widely known encryption techniques.

How to decode a cryptogram using matrices? ›

To decode the message, we take the string of coded numbers and multiply it by the inverse of the matrix to get the original string of numbers. Finally, by associating the numbers with their corresponding letters, we obtain the original message.

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.

Do cryptograms help your brain? ›

Cryptograms are similar to card games and crossword puzzles. Completing cryptograms helps keep the mind sharp and teaches perseverance, according to Dworkin. “Solving cryptograms is valuable for us older heads whose memory and deductive reasoning abilities decrease as we age,” Dworkin said.

What is cryptograms substitution code? ›

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 master a puzzle? ›

Jigsaw Puzzle Techniques
  1. Pick a puzzle. ...
  2. Figure out your puzzle workspace. ...
  3. Sort pieces with puzzle trays or boxes. ...
  4. Solve the edge first or last. ...
  5. Sort by piece shape. ...
  6. Start with smaller sections or solve in quadrants. ...
  7. Take your time and use natural light when possible. ...
  8. Mix it up and don't use the puzzle box lid.
Jan 20, 2023

What is the program that solves cryptograms? ›

quipqiup is a fast and automated cryptogram solver by Edwin Olson. It can solve simple substitution ciphers often found in newspapers, including puzzles like cryptoquips (in which word boundaries are preserved) and patristocrats (inwhi chwor dboun darie saren t).

What is a cryptogram key? ›

In cryptography, a key is a string of characters used within an encryption algorithm for altering data so that it appears random. Like a physical key, it locks (encrypts) data so that only someone with the right key can unlock (decrypt) it.

How to solve a cryptogram with symbols? ›

To start out, look for the most frequent letter (or symbol) in each cryptogram — you'll find it's almost always E. Single-letter words will be A or I. The words THE, AND, and THAT are the most commonly seen short words in English. Double letters and apostrophes are also helpful when cracking ciphers.

How can you solve the puzzle? ›

Here is a great guide to jigsaw puzzling and how to complete your puzzles in the best ways with expert strategies and techniques.
  1. Pick a puzzle. ...
  2. Figure out your puzzle workspace. ...
  3. Sort pieces with puzzle trays or boxes. ...
  4. Solve the edge first or last. ...
  5. Sort by piece shape. ...
  6. Start with smaller sections or solve in quadrants.
Jan 20, 2023

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.

How do you solve complex puzzles? ›

Jigsaw Puzzle Strategies For When You Feel Stuck:
  1. Try from a different angle 📐
  2. Work on a new section 🆘
  3. Spend time separating the pieces
  4. Call in reinforcements 👥
  5. Take a break ⏸️

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