You are probably familiar with codes, ciphers, and cryptograms. In a cryptogram, each letter in the message is replaced by another letter of the alphabet.
For example, LET THE GAMES BEGIN may be encrypted into
YZF FOZ JUKZH CZNQ.
In this cryptogram Y replaces L, Z replaces E, F replaces T, and so on. Notice that the same letter substitutions are used throughout this cryptogram: Every E in the sentence is replaced by a Z, and every T is replaced by an F.
Solve the cryptogram by using repeated letters and patterns of letters in the words.
Hints
Letter Frequency
- The most commonly used letters of the English language are e, t, a, i, o, n, s, h, and r.
- The letters that are most commonly found at the beginning of words are t, a, o, d, and w.
- The letters that are most commonly found at the end of words are e, s, d, and t.
Word Frequency
- Short words provide useful clues. One-letter words are either a or I.
- The most common two-letter words are to, of, in, it, is, as, at, be, we, he, so, on, an, or, do, if, up, by, and my.
- 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.
Word Endings
- The most. common word endings are -ed, -ing, -ion, -ist, -ous, -ent, -able, -ment, -tion, -ight, and -ance.
Doubled Letters
- The most frequent double-letter combinations are ee, ll, ss, oo, tt,ff, rr, nn, pp, and cc.
- The double letters that occur most commonly at the end of words are ee, ll, ss, and ff.
Punctuation
- A comma is often followed by but, and, or who.
- A question often begins with why, how, who, was, did, what, where, or which.
- Two words that often precede quotation marks are said and says.
- Two letters that usually follow an apostrophe are t and s.
Solve this Cryptogram
Download this cryptogram about New Vision (PDF; opens in a new window). Print out this document and decode the message.
