Posted on 01/25/2019 5:23:26 AM PST by nikos1121
Today’s Cryptogram
GFELMBOYBC OF VMP SYOQT IVPR QOULEGFB GZZVPE YFS
EMPFB GDGF QYKVP OFEV
HQGYBYFE EYBRB. XYCGB Y. KYQSIOF
Today's cryptogram comes from the Arkansas Gazette. It's a challenge. Any score under 8 minutes is good, under 4 excellent. Go with your instincts, as it's pretty straight forward.
You can find this little fun word game, to combat early dementia and senility in us baby boomers, 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).
Beware, the game is very addictive. If this is your first time, don't be intimidated.
Send me a private reply if you need a hint for today’s Cryptogram.
PLEASE DO NOT post the answer in general comments, but DO post your time and any tips you might give the group on how you solve these puzzles.
You can certainly send your solution to my private reply or if you need a hint for today’s Cryptogram.
Solving the puzzle under 8 minutes is good, under 6 very good, under 4 excellent and under two "you're a pro!"
Those of you looking for an added challenge can try to solve one sentence at a time, i.e. solve the entire first line, then go to the second line etc.
If you need a little help you can copy the cryptogram and paste it to Hal’s Helper below:
It’s easier to work on the puzzle without having to use your pencil.
Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. Albert Einstein
Many of you have asked for some puzzle solving tips. I welcome all of you to give us your strategy, as we have some real pros in the audience. Here's a basic tutorial on solving cryptograms.
CRYPTOGRAPHY 101: BASIC SOLVING TECHNIQUES FOR SUBSTITUTION CIPHERS
If you’re asked to replace each letter in the alphabet with another symbol, you’re dealing with a simple substitution cipher.
All substitution ciphers can be cracked by using the following tips:
Scan through the cipher, looking for single-letter words. They’re almost definitely A or I.
Count how many times each symbol appears in the puzzle. The most frequent symbol is probably E. It could also be T, A, or O, especially if the cryptogram is fairly short.
Pencil in your guesses over the ciphertext.
Do typical word fragments start to reveal themselves? Be prepared to erase and change your guesses!
Look for apostrophes. They’re generally followed by S, T, D, M, LL, or RE.
Look for repeating letter patterns. They may be common letter groups, such as TH, SH, RE, CH, TR, ING, ION, and ENT.
Try to decipher two-, three-, and four-letter words.
Two-letter words almost always have one vowel and one consonant. The five most common two-letter words, in order of frequency, are OF, TO, IN, IS, and IT.
The most common three-letter words, in order of frequency, are THE, AND, FOR, WAS, and HIS.
The most common four-letter word is THAT. An encrypted word with the pattern 1 – – 1 is likely to be THAT. However, the pattern 1 – – 1 also represents 30 other words, so keep this in mind!
Scan for double letters. They’re most likely to be LL, followed in frequency by EE, SS, OO, and TT (and on to less commonly seen doubles).
About 10 minutes. With the help of HAL’s
Agreed, not easy but solvable once a fresh eye found a starting point.
I think this is the hardest one to date. I was stumped bad on it. Took me well over 10 minutes, I’m afraid to admit.
How does one time oneself? Do you set a timer? write down time started?
Using HAL, it feels like it took me less than 3 minutes to solve it. Maybe I “feel” fast LOL
I’m quitting HAL.
Going back to PEP (paper eraser pencil)
A common word that stands out for me is PEOPLE.
Well, that was the most difficult one that I’ve seen yet. Even with Hal’s Helper, that one ran me out to 5:50. No clear cut three-letter words and even the two-letter one didn’t help much ...
hardest one to date. Took me over 10 minutes. I couldn’t get started...
Yes...
Was a quote worth getting though IMO!
After a couple of false starts, once I figured out what replaces the two ‘Z’s, it all fell into place very quickly.
There was a good guess on a key word on my part. Three minutes, but without the guess, I suspect it would have been ten or more.
About 3 minutes. I took a guess on the A, and then on the usual 3-letter-word, and then the name...
-PJ
it took me forever to get this one. Hardest one to date.Today’s is easier.
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