When solving these, are you supposed to refer to Hal’s Cryptogram Helper every time, or is the goal to figure it out on your own? (Have never participated before.)
Hey you!
Use Hal to get started.
Try copying and pasting to Word then print out for added challenge.
Hal lets you solve on your cell.
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To answer your question…..
Hal’s helper is only a suggested aid. It does not solve the cryptogram for you. All it does is display the cryptogram in a handy digital format that allows you to work out the solution without having to use paper, pencil, and eraser. That naturally speeds up the process but it does not tell you if your actions are correct or not. It also has a feature, displayed underneath, that allows you to click on each letter of the alphabet to highlight all the places that letter is used as a substitute for a real letter in the puzzle. It also shows you how many times each letter is used in the puzzle which is a clue pointing out frequently used letters.
The good thing about all this is:
(1) Newbies can use those above mention clues until they get better at solving cryptograms, then later just ignore using the clues.
(2) Those people who are purist and prefer no clues and like using paper, pencils and erasers can solve it their way.
(3) Those who don’t have a lot of free time (especially if the puzzle is very long) and want to do the puzzle digitally can do it their way, and just ignore using the letter frequency clues.
(4) Newbies might want to look at all the posted clues (images, etc.)to help them, but most of us don’t look at the posted clues till finished solving.
So either way is fair game. Just have fun. And to some of us, part of the fun is thinking up a fun clue to post. It’s not about who solves it first but rather who has the most fun doing it.
I think 95% use Hal. We have some who use nothing. All from memory.
Be careful it’s addicting. People leave funny clues.
Use of HAL is entirely up to you.
I used to solve the printed ones in the newspaper without pen or pencil. I actually did them on my phone without using electronic aid or pen or pencil, waiting in my doctor’s office a couple of times.
As I get older it is less fun (iow, harder) to solve them without electronic aid, much less pen or pencil.