For example, if the message reads something like DFTVT XVT PLG?, then you can make an educated guess that the first word is probably WHERE.

Some common 2-letter words you might come across in a cryptogram include OF, OR, TO, IT, IS, AT, AS, IN, HE, BE, BY, and MY. If you find two 2-letter words where the characters are reversed, such as FD and DF, then the words are typically ON and NO. You just have to figure out which one is which using the context of the cryptogram.

If a 3-letter word has a double letter, such as DXX, then you can usually assume the word is ALL, TOO, or SEE.

Other common phrases you might see include MOST, LEAST, EVERYTHING, and NOTHING.

For example, if you see “SXO PV W” in the puzzle, you can assume the W is an A or I. If the cryptogram is a poetic or archaic quote, then it might be possible that the character is an O. However, this is pretty rare and you won’t encounter it often. If you notice a single character also appears in a 2-letter contraction, you can usually assume the letter is an I. For example, if you see “W’X” in the cryptogram, the word is typically I’M or I’D.

For example, if a character appears more than 10 times in the cryptogram, there’s a good chance it’s one of the letters listed. Conversely, letters like Z, Q, J, and K are uncommon so they typically won’t be in your puzzle more than once or twice. [8] X Research source

If the word only has 1 character after the apostrophe, then it’s typically an S or T. If it only has 1 character before the apostrophe as well, then the word is I’M or I’D. Other letters after an apostrophe could be RE or VE. If the same character is repeated after an apostrophe, such as “DD”, then the correct letters are LL. If a word ends with an apostrophe, then the last letter is typically an S to mark it’s a possessive. However, it could also mark a dropped G, such as the word SINGIN’.

For example, if you fill in the letter I and it’s the last character in a word, it might be incorrect since not many common words end with I. Cryptograms are all about trial and error, so expect to make a few mistakes when you’re starting them. Work in pencil so you can easily erase and try new letters. Some websites will automatically fill each instance of a letter for you. If you’re having trouble figuring out a letter on an online cryptogram, see if there’s a Hint button that will reveal a letter for you.

If you’re solving cryptograms online, then it might keep track of what letters you’ve already used on screen.

For example, the puzzle “D MXO WADOJ LI OLWADOV NPRR KNPXRYZXHNP WAXO X NDIP UPQLWP U WL KNPXRYSP,” repeats the pattern “KNPXRY” in 2 different words so you know they use the same letters. You might also see modified versions of a word, such as “pleasure” and “pleasurable,” in the same cryptogram.

For example, some words you might find this way include WELL, WILL, BEEN, SOON, or BETWEEN.

Digraphs with the letter H include CH, SH, TH, PH, and WH, and they can be at the beginning or end of words. You’ll usually see the letter K in digraphs like CK, SK, LK, or KE at the end of a word. The letter Q will almost always be followed by a U. You can typically assume X is preceded by an A or E. [15] X Research source