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
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.
How to solve cryptograms quickly? ›
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.
To decode the fictitious message in the cryptogram, begin by grouping each set of two letters starting with the first two letters (FG) and continuing through the message. The code letters are arbitrarily arranged in groups of five letters. Some letter pairs will carry over from one line to the next.
How do you figure out a Cryptoquip? ›
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.
What is the strategy of the cryptogram? ›
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.
Is there any trick to solve puzzles? ›
Do not be obsessed with the same piece, the easiest thing is to start with the simple pieces or areas. The more pieces you place, the easier it is to continue. There are puzzles in which the edges are very complicated because they are the same color, for example, in this case, it is better to start with simpler areas.
What is the cryptogram code? ›
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.
What is the most common code breaking technique? ›
One basic technique in cryptanalysis is frequency analysis. Every language uses certain letters more often than others. In English, the letter "e" is the most common letter. By counting up the characters in a text, a cryptanalyst can see very quickly what sort of cipher he has.
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 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.
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.
What is a cryptogram puzzle? ›
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.
How to decipher cryptograms? ›
Check for common prefixes and suffixes on words longer than 5 letters. Not every long word will have a prefix or a suffix, but it never hurts to check if it helps you solve more letters. See if any of the words in your cryptogram start with DE-, DIS-, EN-, PRE-, or UN- by plugging in the letters for those characters.
What do the numbers mean in a cryptogram? ›
Well, you'll notice in our cryptograms, we provide a number below each letter. That number tells you how often that particular letter appears in the puzzle (i.e. that letter's "frequency analysis").
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.
Do cryptograms help your brain? ›
Aids in cognitive development and problem-solving skills
Cryptograms can improve memory, focus, and concentration. To solve the puzzle, it's necessary to pay close attention to details and use their brains in a variety of ways.
What is the fastest way to solve a 1000 piece puzzle? ›
1000 Pieces Puzzle Expert: 9 Tips & Tricks
- Choose a puzzle. ...
- Have an-end plan. ...
- The workspace. ...
- Flip all the pieces face up. ...
- Sort pieces into groups. ...
- Assemble the border. ...
- Assemble by sorting groups, colors and patterns. ...
- Pay attention to piece shape.
Though there are a lot of strategies out there, most puzzle enthusiasts in online forums believe that dividing and solving the puzzle into small clusters is a more efficient way of solving the puzzle. If you're working on 250 to 500-piece puzzles, it is best to start with the edges then work your way to the center.
