To learn how to solve cryptograms, start with the shortest words: one-letter words are almost always A or I, and a common three-letter word is often THE or AND. Then look for repeated patterns, apostrophes and double letters, and fill in every place a letter appears. Each answer you find gives letters in other words.
What is a cryptogram?
A cryptogram is a short piece of text, often a quotation or saying, in which every letter has been swapped for a different one. The swap is consistent: if Z stands for T once, it stands for T everywhere in the puzzle. In most puzzles no letter stands for itself. Word spaces and punctuation are usually kept, and that is what makes cryptograms solvable by hand.
Related puzzles work the same way: the Cryptoquip is a daily newspaper cryptogram that comes with one letter given as a clue, and a codeword puzzle is a crossword grid where each number from 1 to 26 stands for a letter.
Where to start
One-letter words
A single letter on its own is nearly always A or I.
Short words
The most common two-letter words include OF, TO, IN, IT, IS, BE, AS, AT, SO, WE, HE, BY, OR, ON, DO, IF, ME, MY, UP, AN, GO, NO and US. The most common three-letter words are THE and AND, followed by words like FOR, ARE, BUT, NOT, YOU and ALL.
Apostrophes
A letter after an apostrophe is usually S, T, D or M (IT’S, DON’T, I’D, I’M). Two letters after an apostrophe are often LL, RE or VE (WE’LL, YOU’RE, I’VE).
Double letters
Doubled letters inside words are commonly LL, EE, SS, OO, TT, FF, RR, NN, PP or CC. They are almost never AA, II, QQ or UU.
Letter frequency
In ordinary English, the most common letters are roughly E, T, A, O, I, N, S, H and R. In a long cryptogram, the most frequent letter is very often E. In a short one, frequencies are less reliable, so use them as hints rather than rules.
Word shapes
Write the pattern of repeated letters in each word. A word whose first and last letters match, like ABCA, could be THAT, HIGH or DEAD. A seven-letter word with the pattern of PEOPLE or LITTLE narrows things down quickly.
A worked example
Here is a cryptogram we made for this guide:
ZIT TQKSN WOKR EQZEITL ZIT VGKD
- ZIT appears twice. A repeated three-letter word is very likely THE. Try Z = T, I = H, T = E.
- Fill those in everywhere. EQZEITL becomes ? ? T ? H E ?, and its first and fourth letters are the same code letter, E. CATCHES fits that shape: E = C, Q = A, L = S.
- Fill those in. TQKSN becomes E A ? ? ?. The phrase now reads “THE EA??? ???? CATCHES THE ????”.
- Recognise the saying. It is THE EARLY BIRD CATCHES THE WORM. Check that the letters agree: K = R in both EARLY and BIRD, and in WORM.
Paste this cryptogram into the cryptogram solver to watch it solved, or reveal one letter at a time.
The example shows the usual rhythm of solving: one good guess at a short word gives letters in longer words, and the longer words then confirm or correct the guess.
Keep a key
Write the alphabet across the top of your paper and fill in each letter you find underneath its code letter. This stops you using the same plain letter twice, which is a common mistake. It also shows which plain letters are still unused, which helps at the end.
Tips for Cryptoquips
- Start with the clue letter. Fill it in everywhere, then look at the words it appears in.
- Expect a pun. Cryptoquips are usually silly sentences ending in a pun, so the last few words often form a familiar phrase with a twist.
- Use the cryptoquip tool if you want a hint: the Cryptoquip solver takes the day’s clue and can reveal one letter at a time.
Tips for codewords
- Use the starter letters. Codewords give two or three letters to begin. Find short words that include them.
- Count the numbers. Numbers that appear many times are likely to be common letters such as E, T, A and S. A number used only once or twice may be J, Q, X or Z.
- Every letter is used. In most codewords, all 26 letters appear somewhere in the grid, so the last few are found by elimination.
The codeword solver lets you type in the grid and reveal as little as you like.
Common mistakes
- Forgetting to fill in every occurrence. Each letter you solve appears elsewhere, and those places are free clues.
- Holding on to a wrong guess. If a guess leads to impossible words, rub it out early.
- Assuming E is the most common letter in a short puzzle. In a ten-word quote, it often is not.
Questions and answers
What is a cryptogram?
A cryptogram is a puzzle in which each letter of a message has been swapped for a different letter, using the same swap throughout. You solve it by working out the swaps.
What is the first step in solving a cryptogram?
Look at one-letter words, which are almost always A or I, and repeated three-letter words, which are often THE or AND.
Can a letter stand for itself in a cryptogram?
In most published cryptograms, no letter stands for itself, which is a useful clue when you are down to the last few letters.
What is the difference between a cryptogram and a Cryptoquip?
A Cryptoquip is a type of cryptogram that comes with one letter given as a clue and is usually a short, punning sentence.
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Cryptoquip is a trademark of its owner. Unscramble Words 4U is an independent site and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by any newspaper or puzzle publisher. The example puzzle on this page was made for this guide.