Today’s Cryptogram

[nikos1121]

ABMBAL LKGT ABHHBGFQPX

BSPU KO RKSX JKDPO KO BO

HLKOBIQL KSA SLGLOOKDX PU DLOUQML BP.---DLSL ALOGKDPLO

[nikos1121]

You can find this fun quotation puzzle, to combat early dementia and senility in us baby boomers, in several daily publications. I challenge us with the best ones out there.

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, you’ll be solving them all within a few days. If you’re stumped, take a break and return to it.

PLEASE DO NOT post the answer in general comments, but DO post your time and how you made out.

You can certainly send your solution to my private reply, or if you need a hint for today’s Cryptogram ASK THE GROUP FOR HELP!

I suggest printing these out and work them on paper. If you need a little help you can copy and paste it to Hal’s Helper below.

You can then work on the puzzle without using pen and paper, but I recommend that you do NOT look at the letter counter.

HAL'S CRYPTOGRAM HELPER

One last request. Feel free to post a fun or clever clue, the more tangential to the quotation the better, but please don’t put the actual words of the quote in the clue.

[nikos1121]

From The Arkansas Democrat Gazette.

AS an added challenge today, if you haven’t done this lately or at all, print out the CG on paper and try solving it with pen or pencil. If you’re stumped you can always use HAL.

This is one that takes a little time to get started, but once you pick up a few words, like #4 and perhaps the author’s first name, you’ll be off to the races.

4 minutes good

3 minutes excellent

2 minutes exceptional

[grey_whiskers]

Just over 2 min.

Words 5, 8, and 9 (the two-letter words);
word 11; world 1; off to the races.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Solution to previous puzzle (select the yellow text with your cursor to read):

MIDDLE AGE IS WHEN A PERSON YOUR OWN AGE LOOKS MUCH OLDER THAN YOU THINK YOU LOOK. —AUTHOR UNKNOWN

[Steven Tyler]

Common letter and vowels
Small words

For me, word 12 opened up the puzzle

[nikos1121]

I figured out the last word first, as it seemed like the only passible one.

That gave me word #4 which begat #13 and then I started from word #1, and it went almost word by word after that.

BUT I DID IT ON PAPER WITH A PEN, SO I GET EXTRA POINTS.

[MustKnowHistory]

Small words and the author ‘s name opened up.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

11:58.68 Not my all time worst, but close. Should not be that difficult. I took a stab at PU and BP and quickly got it from there.

[1_Rain_Drop]

1;24
This quote I do daily. Many times. many.

Tony is not the author’s first name.
Started with the eleventh, then the two letter words which finished the fourth word.
Didn’t have to multiply anything.

[1_Rain_Drop]

You get extra points only if you used a quill pen.

[nikos1121]

“Tony is not the author’s first name.”

How could “Tony” even be considered as the first name, when the letter sequences are ABCB not ABCD? lol

[Magnum44]

[nikos1121]

Haha! You think you’re funny, don’t you...

[Steven Tyler]

I NEED the internet tool.

I may step up to paper and pencil to increase the challenge.

[nikos1121]

I figured you thought the author’s first name might be TONY because you’re dyslexic? If so, henceforth you get a 10 second handicap, i.e. you get to deduct 10 seconds from your time.

IN fact, if anyone wishes to apply for a handicap to shave off a few seconds of their time, let me know, and I’ll consider it.

For example, if Magnum44 had a prior lobotomy, that will shave 60 seconds off his time.

Anyone waking up depressed, confused, combative or disoriented for whatever reason can take off 5 seconds.

Hope this helps.

[Steven Tyler]

Can you share how you solve on paper and pencil.

I found the process to be clumsy.
I dropped that method and figured out how to work the HAL app.
Both transcribing onto paper and copy paste to a word document.

Then, counting most frequent letters.
Then “overwriting the puzzle letter with the solution letter.

[nikos1121]

When you print the puzzle out, you’re basically in the water without any life raft. It’s impractical to letter count so BEFORE YOU START, you look for some clues.

For example, similar suffixes that imply an “ING” ending, the “ABCA” sequence that gives you THAT or ELSE etc.

Of course when you see a two letter word in the first few words it’s most likely going to be “IS”,

In short, I always try to do the puzzle on paper first, and have HAL as the back up.

I personally, think it’s faster to do on paper, because you don’t need to completely fill all the words to finish it. Like today’s, at one point, there’s enough letters solved where you can solve it.

[1_Rain_Drop]

Got to start someplace.

Tony fit.
Anne would not have looked right.
Process of elimination. illumination.

[1_Rain_Drop]

do the edges first.

[nikos1121]

Oops! I forgot, you’re one of our speed demons, so you were just looking at the number of letters, and thinking possible first names. Got it.

Time doesn’t start until you put down your first letter, so the more you peruse the puzzle, the better.

I was thinking Gigi, Pepe, Lala,