When I can solve everything except the author, I consider the puzzle solved, because no amount of decoding skills will help me figure out the obscure spelling of an author I am not familiar with.
Knowing authors is a fine accomplishment, but it is separate from the skill of solving cryptograms.
Thoughts?
Agreed. Your time is for decoding the phrase.
A lot of times the author is a valuable clue, almost a giveaway.
HENRY DAVID THOREAU
RALPH WALDO EMERSON
Both 5-5-7, 19th neighbors in Concord, distinctive letter patterns. (The D’s in DAVID and E’s in EMERSON.)
MARK TWAIN
4-5, with the A providing a pattern.
This puzzle’s author, not so much.