OneTaskBy Tim King · Updated
Cryptogram Maker
Letter-Swap Cryptoquote Puzzles With Hint Letters and an Answer Key
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How the Cryptogram Maker works
This cryptogram maker turns a quote into a printable code puzzle. Every letter is swapped for a different one, the same way throughout, and the solver has to work out the code. Choose a few hint letters to start them off, then print the puzzle and its answer key.
How the cryptogram maker builds the code
It shuffles the alphabet so that no letter stands for itself, then writes each coded letter on top of an empty box. Spaces and punctuation stay where they are, because word lengths and apostrophes are part of the fun: a single coded letter is almost always A or I. Press New puzzle for a different code for the same quote.
Hint letters
The hint count fills in that many plain letters in their boxes everywhere they appear. The maker skips the most common letter in the quote, so a hint is a nudge rather than a giveaway. Zero hints makes a classic hard cryptogram.
Choosing a good quote
Quotes of 60 to 150 letters are the sweet spot. Very short ones can have more than one possible answer, and very long ones become easy because letter patterns repeat so often.
FAQ
What is the difference between a cryptogram and a cryptoquote?
A cryptoquote is a cryptogram whose message is a famous quotation, usually with the author's name encoded at the end. This maker does both: leave the author box empty for a plain cryptogram, or fill it in for a cryptoquote.
Can a letter ever stand for itself?
No. The code is built so that every letter changes, which is the usual rule in newspaper cryptograms. Solvers can rely on it, for example by ruling out E as the code for E.
Can I solve a cryptogram someone gave me?
Yes. The cryptogram solver on this site takes a coded message, tries every dictionary word that fits each coded word's letter pattern, and shows the most likely readings along with the letter key.
See also: all Puzzle Makers tools, Scrabble & Board Games, Puzzle Solvers, Anagrams & Rhymes.
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