Cryptogram Puzzle Maker

Turns sentences into secret-code puzzles for a class or a treasure hunt: each letter becomes a number, a drawn symbol or another letter, and the page prints a worksheet, an answer key and a separate decoder table.

How to use

1. Type one sentence per line under "Sentences"; each line becomes one puzzle.
2. Choose the "Code", how much of the "Code table on the sheet" to show and how many "Letters given".
3. Check the preview under "Worksheet", "Answer key" and "Decoder table", then press "Print" for each.
4. Press "New version" for a different code, or open "Solve on screen" to solve a puzzle on the device.

How it works

• A shift code moves each letter a fixed number of places along its alphabet (with a shift of 3, A becomes D); a mirror alphabet swaps the first and last letters (A and Z). Letters without an alphabet order, such as kanji, stay as they are with these two codes.
• Korean can be split into jamo, so each consonant and vowel gets its own code, or kept as whole syllables. Other writing systems are coded by whole characters, including accents and Devanagari clusters.
• The "Puzzle number" fixes the random code: the same number always gives the same worksheet and answer key. Sentences stay on this device.

Questions and answers

How do you solve a cryptogram without the key?

Look for the most frequent code and for short words: in English, a one-letter word is usually A or I, and a common three-letter word is often THE. Choose "Hide" for the code table to make this kind of puzzle.

What is a Caesar cipher?

A code that shifts every letter by the same number of places. With a shift of 3, HELLO becomes KHOOR; shifting back by 3 gives the message again.

Can I make an easier puzzle for young children?

Yes. Use "Letters to symbols" or "Letters to numbers", show the whole table, choose "Large" letters and give two or three letters.

Will the answer key match the worksheet?

Yes. Both come from the same code and puzzle number, so print them without changing any setting in between.