Hints to solving CryptoQuotes
CryptoQuotes is a subset of cryptography. Although most ciphers are difficult to solve with low
word counts, the clue that the solutions are common quotes provide a significant clue to letter
and word frequencies to solve all puzzles.
Knowing that most quotes will attempt to be full complete words and sentences, other clues of
word placement will contribute to word frequency. For example, most second and third words are
vowels, 'be' vowels (e.g. is, are, was, etc.)
Like any cipher, there are three main steps to consider:
1. Letter frequency
2. Vowel placement
3. Word frequency
- Single letters are [A] or [I] most of the time, unless describing a specific letter.
- Find double letters: ss ee tt ff ll mm oo PP RR NN CC DD
- Ending Contractions: d m s t re ve ll
- Digraphs: th,he,in,er,an,re,on,en,at,es,ed,te,ti,or,st,ar,nd,to,nt,is,of,it,al,as,ha,ng,co,se,me,de
- Common suffixes: -AL,-ABLE, -ANT,-ATIVE,-ED,-EN,-ENS,-ENT,-EOUS ,-ER,-ERS,-EST,-FUL,-IAL,-IE,-ILY,-ING,-ION,-ITIVE,-ITY,-IVE,-LESS,-LY,-MENT,-NESS,-OUS,-TION,-TY
- Common prefixes: ANTI-,CO-,CON,-COM,-DE-,DIS-,EM-,EN-,FORE-,IN-,IM-,IL-,IR-,INTER-,MID-,MIS-,NON-,OVER-,PRE-,RE-,SEMI-,SUB-,SUPER-,TRANS-,UN-,UNDER-
- Each word must contain at least a vowel*.
- Every syllable must contain atleast a vowel*.
- Consonants typically next to vowels especially if it is also the last letter of a word.
- Common 2 letter words: of to in it is be as at so we he by or on do if me my up an go no us am
- Common 3 letter words: the and for are but not you all any can had her was one our out day get has him his how man new now old see two way who boy did its let put say she too use
- Common 4 letter words: that with have this will your from they know want been good much some time very when come here just like long make many more only over such take than them well were
Other high frequency patterns:
Vowel - [A] [E] [I] [O] [U] [Y]
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