kryptogram

A kryptogram is a type of substitution cipher puzzle in which a plaintext message has had each letter replaced by another letter or symbol according to a fixed correspondence. The goal of the puzzle is to deduce the original message by reversing this mapping, revealing a readable sentence or quotation. In most puzzles, spaces and punctuation are left unchanged, while the letters are the only elements that vary.

The term derives from the Greek words kryptos, meaning hidden, and gramma, meaning letter. The spelling kryptogram is occasionally used in languages or contexts where the letter K is preferred, but in English puzzle literature the form cryptogram is more common. Kryptogram-like puzzles are widely found in newspapers, puzzle books, and online platforms, often presented as short quotes or witty statements.

Mechanics and variants: A typical monoalphabetic kryptogram uses a single, consistent substitution for each letter. Solvers rely on linguistic patterns, letter frequencies, and word structure to reconstruct the mapping. Common strategies include identifying single-letter words, looking for frequently occurring letters (such as E, T, A in English), and recognizing consistent digrams and trigrams. Some puzzles introduce additional constraints, such as incomplete alphabets, themed phrases, or mixed alphabets, which increase difficulty.

Solving and tools: Kryptograms can be solved by hand or with computer algorithms. Manual solving emphasizes logical deduction from context and language knowledge, while automated solvers use frequency statistics and pattern matching. The puzzles are appreciated for their cognitive challenge and their transparent, puzzle-centric approach to cryptography, distinct from practical cryptographic methods used to secure real-world communication.