If you want to try your hand at being a NSA agent in charge of decoding enemy transmissions, then you’ve come to the right place. But be warned, some of these can get very tricky. Our expert spy, watching you from the corner, has decided to break his silence and give a few pointers as to how to solve these. If you can break any of them, send us the decrypted message, and we’ll put your name on our hall of fame.
- Everything is from an English literary work from within 500 years of 1999. All copyrights expired a long time ago.
-All the mesages use a simple substitution cipher, meaning in a message all 'A's could actually be 'D's, and 'E's could be 'A's.
- Whether or not the letter is uppercase has no significance.
- These letter frequency statistics might help you.
- In order to break these as quickly as possible, we recommend that you use our Codebreaking Applet.
- Note that you can cut & paste text from the puzzles into the applet's top text box.
- Remember that you can drag letters onto other letters in the applet to help you
- If you really really are stumped, mail us and maybe we can work something out.
| PUZZLE NUMBER ONE | DIFFICULTY: EASY | |
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| PUZZLE NUMBER TWO | DIFFICULTY: MODERATE | |
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Jqyx, tx gqy hnrsdy no qruex yiyxgd, tg lyhnuyd xyhyddesa ons nxy zynzpy gn wtddnpiy gqy znptgthep lnxwd jqthq qeiy hnxxyhgyw gqyu jtgq exngqys, exw gn eddruy eunxc gqy znjysd no gqy yesgq, gqy dyzesegy exw yvrep dgegtnx gn jqthq gqy pejd no xegrsy exw no xegrsy'd Cnw yxgtgpy gqyu, e wyhyxg sydzyhg gn gqy nztxtnxd no uexbtxw syvrtsyd gqeg gqya dqnrpw wyhpesy gqy herdyd jqthq tuzyp gqyu gn gqy dyzesegtnx. Jy qnpw gqydy gsrgqd gn ly dypo-yitwyxg, gqeg epp uyx esy hsyegyw yvrep, gqeg gqya esy yxwnjyw la gqyts Hsyegns jtgq hysgetx rxeptyxelpy stcqgd, gqeg eunxc gqydy esy ptoy, ptlysga exw gqy zrsdrtg no qezztxydd. Gqeg gn dyhrsy gqydy stcqgd, cniysxuyxgd esy txdgtgrgyw eunxc uyx, wystitxc gqyts krdg znjysd osnu gqy hnxdyxg no gqy cniysxyw. Gqeg jqyxyiys exa onsu no cniysxuyxg lyhnuyd wydgsrhgtiy gn gqydy yxwd, tg td gqy stcqg no gqy zynzpy gn epgys ns gn elnptdq tg, exw gn txdgtgrgy xyj cniysxuyxg, peatxc tgd onrxwegtnx nx drhq zstxhtzpyd exw nscextmtxc tgd znjysd tx drhq onsu, ed gn gqyu dqepp dyyu undg ptbypa gn yooyhg gqyts deoyga exw qezztxydd. Zsrwyxhy, txwyyw, jtpp wthgegy gqeg cniysxuyxgd pnxc ydgelptdqyw dqnrpw xng ly hqexcyw ons ptcqg exw gsexdtyxg herdyd; exw ehhnswtxcpa epp yfzystyxhy qegq dqnjx gqeg uexbtxw esy unsy wtdzndyw gn drooys, jqtpy yitpd esy drooyselpy, gqex gn stcqg gqyudypiyd la elnptdqtxc gqy onsud gn jqthq gqya esy ehhrdgnuyw. Lrg jqyx e pnxc gsetx no elrdyd exw rdrszegtnxd, zrsdrtxc txiestelpa gqy deuy nlkyhg yitxhyd e wydtcx gn sywrhy gqyu rxwys eldnprgy wydzngtdu, tg td gqyts stcqg, tg td gqyts wrga, gn gqsnj noo drhq cniysxuyxg, exw gn zsnitwy xyj creswd ons gqyts orgrsy dyhrstga. --Drhq qed lyyx gqy zegtyxg drooysexhy no gqydy hnpnxtyd; exw drhq td xnj gqy xyhyddtga jqthq hnxdgsetxd gqyu gn epgys gqyts onsuys dadgyud no cniysxuyxg. Gqy qtdgnsa no gqy zsydyxg Btxc no Csyeg Lstgetx td e qtdgnsa no syzyegyw txkrstyd exw rdrszegtnxd, epp qeitxc tx wtsyhg nlkyhg gqy ydgelptdquyxg no ex eldnprgy gasexxa niys gqydy dgegyd. Gn zsniy gqtd, pyg oehgd ly drlutggyw gn e hexwtw jnspw.
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| PUZZLE NUMBER THREE | DIFFICULT: MODERATE | |
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| PUZZLE NUMBER FOUR | DIFFICULTY: MODERATELY HARD | |
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Pbiosebof raj sfkfa qfros rtb, bio prhgfos zobitgh pbohg iwba hgns ebahnafah r afl Arhnba, ebaefnkfj na Dnzfohq, raj jfjnerhfj hb hgf wobwbsnhnba hgrh rdd vfa rof eofrhfj fcird. Abl, lf rof fatrtfj na r tofrh Enknd Lro, hfshnat lgfhgfo hgrh Arhnba, bo raq arhnba sb ebaefnkfj raj sb jfjnerhfj, era dbat fajiof. Lf rof vfh ba r tofrh zrhhdfpnfdj bp hgrh lro. Lf grkf ebvf hb jfjnerhf r wbohnba bp hgrh pnfdj rs r pnard ofshnat-wdref pbo hgbsf lgb trkf hgfno dnkfs hgrh hgrh Arhnba vntgh dnkf. Nh ns rdhbtfhgfo pnhhnat raj wobwfo hgrh lf sgbidj jb hgns. Zih, na r drotfo sfasf, lf eraabh jfjnerhf, lf eraabh ebasfeorhf, lf eraabh grddbl hgns tobiaj. Hgf zorkf vfa, dnknat raj jfrj, lgb shoittdfj gfof, grkf ebasfeorhfj nh pro rzbkf bio wblfo hb rjj bo jfhoreh. Hgf lbodj lndd dnhhdf abhf abo dbat ofvfvzfo lgrh lf srq gfof, zih nh era afkfo pbotfh lgrh hgfq jnj gfof. Nh ns pbo is, hgf dnknat, orhgfo hb zf jfjnerhfj hb hgf tofrh hrsm ofvrnanat zfpbof is; hgrh pobv hgfsf gbabofj jfrj, lf hrmf naeofrsfj jfkbhnba hb hgrh erisf pbo lgneg hgfq trkf hgf drsh pidd vfrsiof bp jfkbhnba; hgrh hgns Arhnba, iajfo Tbj, sgrdd grkf r afl znohg bp poffjbv; raj hgrh tbkfoavfah bp hgf Wfbwdf zq hgf Wfbwdf raj pbo hgf Wfbwdf sgrdd abh wfonsg pobv hgf frohg.
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| PUZZLE NUMBER FIVE | DIFFICULTY: HARD | |
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Gb qub rblrvb ld qub Pofqbi Nqkqbn, fo laiba ql dlax k xlab rbadbcq poflo, bnqktvfnu wpnqfcb, fonpab ilxbnqfc qakozpfvfqs, ralyfib dla qub clxxlo ibdbonb, ralxlqb qub jbobakv gbvdkab, koi nbcpab qub tvbnnfojn ld vftbaqs ql lpanbvybn koi lpa rlnqbafqs, il laikfo koi bnqktvfnu qufn Clonqfqpqflo ld qub Pofqbi Nqkqbn ld Kxbafck. |
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| PUZZLE NUMBER SIX | DIFFICULTY: HARD | |
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Xhh wzxzsw, xhh jlusbw, znxz nxds nsha xea nlha brhs ldsb cse nxds ksse xea xbs smznsb bsjrkhmfw lb jbmefmjxhmzmsw. Jbmefmjxhmzmsw xbs smznsb nsbsamzxbp, me unmfn zns vxcmhp nxw ksse hleg swzxkhmwnsa; lb znsp xbs esu. Zns esu xbs smznsb sezmbshp esu, xw uxw Cmhxe zl Vbxefswfl Wvlbix, lb znsp xbs, xw mz usbs, cscksbw xeesysa zl zns nsbsamzxbp wzxzs lv zns jbmefs unl nxw xformbsa znsc, xw uxw zns tmegalc lv Exjhsw zl znxz lv zns Tmeg lv Wjxme. Wrfn alcmemlew znrw xformbsa xbs smznsb xffrwzlcsa zl hmds reasb x jbmefs, lb zl hmds me vbssalc; xea xbs xformbsa smznsb kp zns xbcw lv zns jbmefs nmcwshv, lb lv lznsbw, lb shws kp vlbzres lb kp xkmhmzp.
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| PUZZLE NUMBER SEVEN | DIFFICULTY: EXTREMELY HARD | |
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'Wqgn khbeebi, gdo wtc nebwtm wvscn
"Kcqghc wtc Fgkkchqvup, ym nvd!
Tc wvvp tbn svhjge nqvho bd tgdo:
Gdo, gn bd zllbnt wtvzitw tc nwvvo,
Vdc, wqv! Vdc, wqv! Gdo wthvzit gdo wthvzit
"Gdo tgnw wtvz negbd wtc Fgkkchqvup?
'Wqgn khbeebi, gdo wtc nebwtm wvscn
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| PUZZLE NUMBER EIGHT | DIFFICULTY: EXPERT ONLY | |
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AITDO ANMND XMEJG WAFDS RDOED NWDGI THDEN DIIEW AWPGI THDLM YLELT ENCID BDOAF CGJDO NQDNT PGMAO DWAFF DBMRG NTGBD FEYDO ATDGN ANDUW GNLTE TMTEG NIGOT HDMNE TDBLT ATDLG IAQDO EWATH DLMYV DWTLR DAKLE TLGUN EQRGO TANWD WGQRO DHDNB ENCEN ETLWG NLDXM DNWDL NGTHE NCFDL LTHAN THDDS ELTDN WDGIT HDMNE GNTHD LAIDT PANBU DFIAO DGITH DRAOT LGIUH EWHET ELWGQ RGLDB THDIA TDGIA NDQRE ODENQ ANPOD LRDWT LTHDQ GLTEN TDODL TENCE NTHDU GOFBE THALY DDNIO DXMDN TFPOD QAOKD BTHAT ETLDD QLTGH AJDYD DNODL DOJDB TGTHD RDGRF DGITH ELWGM NTOPY PTHDE OWGNB MWTAN BDSAQ RFDTG BDWEB DTHDE QRGOT ANTXM DLTEG NUHDT HDOLG WEDTE DLGIQ DNAOD ODAFF PWARA YFDGO NGTGI DLTAY FELHE NCCGG BCGJD ONQDN TIOGQ ODIFD WTEGN ANBWH GEWDG OUHDT HDOTH DPAOD IGODJ DOBDL TENDB TGBDR DNBIG OTHDE ORGFE TEWAF WGNLT ETMTE GNLGN AWWEB DNTAN BIGOW DEITH DODYD ANPTO MTHEN THDOD QAOKT HDWOE LELAT UHEWH UDAOD AOOEJ DBQAP UETHR OGROE DTPYD ODCAO BDBAL THDDO AENUH EWHTH ATBDW ELEGN ELTGY DQABD ANBAU OGNCD FDWTE GNGIT HDRAO TUDLH AFFAW TQAPE NTHEL JEDUB DLDOJ DTGYD WGNLE BDODB ALTHD CDNDO AFQEL IGOTM NDGIQ ANKEN B
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| PUZZLE NUMBER NINE | DIFFICULTY: EXPERT ONLY | |
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HRVAT ODERC SNEVA RFEDD RCVER VHEXO IUDRC DVETA TAPEL LTIED OILTM DHRIU DVELF ENTBE NETAL TILFN TSNRI RASNE TSNEH OIUDF RIRCS DYMHL SNEDY ECOIU CARPD KWTLA RIELC REDCA RPPTI MTSAO GESNE PETLG EIYNS RAETF OIUSN EETAH DDOIY EEADS NEHTM CAOEI LHEDD TCRWI LHOIU CTSEA EVTOL NOPCR ANEFT QELWI LEAFE HXOIO IFETH SNNES NARBE SOHHG ECRAE NOPSN ECRHX GRSNC TATIL IETAF NRNRW DEGMS NEFNT HEVTS NNETA LNODP TILTS EUTBE NOPUO CSDTU RRLXO IUNES RNOPT INEOA FTDTC SEAFT ALGRA ITDRI OINOD NTHHD FNRPN ETBEI DEISS RCTBR ASNEC RHXCE EHOIU SNEOA FRESN TSEAD SSNEM NTLHT YXELT IETAH CRAHE TLEAD RHRIU TFNOH ESNEH RALEI LRFEL NOPSN EFOEH LEARC FRILE AFOSN FRAHL DAEIR FICTP ELFTD SNODG ERFWH CCTAC HEFSN EGRTD SRCNO PDRIR CDYMH LOISN EDYTI LOTIH TILDD RGEYR PEDOS TMRWS NSRKW OSNOP FEHHF OSNNO DCTSN EADCA OEILD GMCEE TILUO CSSNT SSRTO LNOPT UELOI TCSEA LTMDY RPEFT AAORA DFOHH OIUDN RWHLF TALAT FIOUN HOEUE PEIHR MTHGM HTWLE LLEEL DDNTH HTIET AHNTB ENRIR AOIEB EAMYH TI
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| PUZZLE NUMBER TEN | DIFFICULTY: NSA ONLY | |
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