Today's Cryptogram

12/22/2018 | Nikos1121

[nikos1121]

You can find this little fun word game in several daily publications, unfortunately they are copyrighted so we can't use them here. So, we're just going to make up our own.

The way it works is a letter stands for another letter.

For example:

AXYDLBAAXR is LONGFELLOW (does not apply to today's cryptogram)

Here's one for today's quotation by a famous American inventor:

Clue V=E

PWVK VNVZMIWSKA GVVJG IX OV AXSKA UAUSKGI MXB, ZVJVJOVZ IWUI IWV USZTHUKV IUQVG XCC UAUSKGI IWV PSKY, KXI PSIW SI. WVKZM CXZY

Beware, the game is very addictive. If this is your first time, don't be intimidated.

If you can solve this under 8 minutes you're good. Under 5 minutes is very good. Under 3 excellent. Under 2 minutes, exceptional.

I'm making a list of people wanting to be on the

Cryptogram Ping List

[duckman]

I’m lost. Do you have any ‘pointers’ for a newbe?

[P.O.E.]

Single letters probably an A or I

Three letters? Try “the” then look to see if that combo seems to fit elsewhere. “and”, “not” ,etc. (look for context clues - how sentences flow)

Four letters with first and last the same? maybe “that”

[duckman]

Thanx

[nikos1121]

We had a shaky first day because my cryptogram had an error in it. You cannot have a letter representing the same letter.

Anyway, we got through it, and the best score was from BBQ Toad Ribs who said he did it under 1:30 which is amazing.

I will post the answer before 5pm. You can send me your answer and times in an email.

PLEASE DON’T POST ANY SPOILERS.

Here’s our current list. Let me know if you want on or off.

higgmeister;

glock rocks;

I_be_tc;

JudyinCanada;

Parley Baer;

pookie18;

ArtDodger;

kalee;

Maceman;

Swordmaker;

IronJack;

IYAS9YAS;

o-n-money;

MV=PY;

BBQToadRibs;

ArtDodger;

Tennessee Conservative;

texas booster;

MV=PY;

Two Kids’ Dad;

granite;

Paine in the Neck;

FrdmLvr;

[nikos1121]

Check your FR email

[nikos1121]

These can be weird and intimidating at first.

The actual quotation is scrambled in as a code. You have to decipher the code. Each letter represents a letter of the scrambled quotation.

For example: The letter V in the Cryptogram is an E.

So put an E over all the Vs

The quotation is be a famous American inventor from Detroit. His name is at the end. If you get his name first, that will give you some more letters of the cryptogram.

PWVK VNVZMIWSKA GVVJG IX OV AXSKA UAUSKGI MXB, ZVJVJOVZ IWUI IWV USZTHUKV IUQVG XCC UAUSKGI IWV PSKY, KXI PSIW SI. WVKZM CXZY

[Maris Crane]

I hope I am not spoiling the game if I suggest that I think:

IWUI = that and
IWV = the

I love cryptograms and it is getting harder to find crypto books. Very often the books are quotes from famous people, but many of them are from left leaning and world dominating
people. I tried some time ago to contact a publisher with the idea of using quotes from conservative minds, but to no avail.

Sorry if I spoiled things for others, and I may be wrong with my suggestion.

Bottom line: I love cryptograms.

[P.O.E.]

Many quotes are “chicken soup for the soul” types. So look for words like, love, life, world, success, everything, etc. Look for endings of long words to be -ing, -tion, -ence, etc.

[nikos1121]

Here’s some more helpful hints when you have a cryptogram that you can’t even start.

FREQUENCY OF LETTERS USED IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE

IF you’ve ever seen the TV Game Wheel of Fortune, it asks you to pick a letter. You’re best guess is to pick the most frequent letters used in our language.

Consanents it’s T Vowels it’s E

Here’s a little story about it.

Letter Frequencies. “etaoin shrdlu” (eh-tay-oh-in shird-loo), was believed to be the twelve most common letters in the English language. The word came from linotype typesetting machines. The first, left row of six keys on a linotype machine produce the word “etaoin”.

[nikos1121]

YOu picked up a useful tool. When a 4 letter begins and ends with the same letter, it’s usually the word “that”.

And you noticed that if you find another 3 letter word that begins with that letter, it most likely will be “the” and that gives you the two most used letters in our language “E” and “T” then you’re off to the races.

Good job!!!!

[Maris Crane]

I KNOW.

I love it.

[nikos1121]

I’m not a superstitious sorta guy, but if I get my cryptoquote done, my day goes better. (There are several publications that do this. I use the ARkansas Democrat Gazette.

[Maris Crane]

I usually do at least one a day, but from a book.

I just did one from some Arab gent:

No amount of guilt can change the past and
No amount of worrying can change the future.

I just love the sentiments some of them have.

Thanks for starting this, Nikos.

[Tucker39]

Ping please. A 5 letter word where the second and fourth letter are the same, is probably “never”.

[nikos1121]

I like to print out the daily cryptoquote or cryptogram on paper, and then work by hand.

You may prefer instead of copying out the cryptogram by hand to use Hal’s Cryptogram.

Here’e the link:

http://www.hjkeen.net/htoys/cryptogm.htm

Simply copy and paste my cryptogram in the box and click start, then it posts the puzzle on the next page and in fact gives you clues to figuring it out.

[nikos1121]

Yes. Another one is the 5 letter word where the 1st and 4th are the same. Usually it’s “people”

Hal’s Cryptogram Helper is a nice little tool when you’re getting started. AFter you’ve done these you will only need Hal for the tough ones.

http://www.hjkeen.net/htoys/cryptogm.htm

[nikos1121]

There will be no weird left winging ones here, Marie!

[nikos1121]

Yes, good point. If you see the same three letters more than once, twice for sure, it’s probably going to be “ing”

[ArtDodger]

When everything seems to be going against you, remember that airplanes take off against the wind not with it. Henry Ford

10 minutes