TODAY'S CRYPTOGRAM

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

HQIKZLU SKPVC: L BEUYY OPE VUKU KLBQM, ZLCEY. L YQPEZTC'M QIAU JLHDUT MQLY ZLMMZU MKUU. UAUKOMQLCB L TP MEKCY LCMP I TLYIYMUK. L BEUYY L TPC'M KUIZZO DCPV VQIM HQKLYMWIY LY IZZ ISPEM. LYC'M MQUKU ICOPCU VQP DCPVY VQIM HQKLYMWIY LY IZZ ISPEM?

ZLCEY: YEKU, HQIKZLU SKPVC, L HIC MUZZ OPE VQIM HQKLYMWIY LY IZZ ISPEM...

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

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.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

A familiar quote for this day.

If you need a clue ask the group to send you a letter to your private reply.

4 minutes good
3 minutes excellent
2 minutes exceptional
90 seconds superior

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Previous puzzle Friday 12/24/2021

WLR WUS JSZW HSGSKZ WMJRZ SO WLR GRQV QVR YLVMZWJQZ JSVPMPA QPB WLR RPB SO ZYLSSE. —QEMYR YSSNRV

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

THE TWO MOST JOYOUS TIMES OF THE YEAR ARE CHRISTMAS MORNING AND THE END OF SCHOOL. —ALICE COOPER

HAL'S CRYPTOGRAM HELPER

If you want on or off the daily cryptogram ping list reply to this post and state your intention: ON or OFF.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Holiday cheer to all our puzzle friends! Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday!

[Steven Tyler]

Good Morning and Merry Christmas to all the puzzle people

[Roccus]

I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

[MustKnowHistory]

Thank you! And Merry Christmas!

[nikos1121]

Merry Christmas Everyone. We should be thankful for a lot of things even though this past year has been a real struggle and demanding for us all.

[Magnum44]

[Magnum44]

Merry Christmas and thank you both for the daily gift of cryptogram.

[John4.11]

Thank you, Lonesome and nikos for puzzle posting.

Merry Christmas to ALL.

[EvilCapitalist]

Charles Schulz was a good man.

[Moltke]

Thank you both, and Merry Christmas to all.

[gundog]

Thanks for the daily puzzle.

Merry Christmas to all.

[southernindymom]

Merry Christmas and God bless

[Political Junkie Too]

At first, I tried to start with the single letter word. Then I looked at the long contraction and realized that only one word would fit it. Once I got that, the rest of the puzzle flowed from there, and I could fill it in left to right.

-PJ