Cryptogram / 暗号解読 (Puzzlega.me)

About Cryptogram / 暗号解読 (Puzzlega.me)

暗号解読 is the Japanese cryptogram on Puzzlega.me, a site of free daily browser games that also runs a katakana crossword, a picture crossword and a Japanese Spelling Bee.

Each puzzle is a hidden Japanese sentence written in hiragana. Some characters are shown, and the rest are blanks marked with numbers. Every blank with the same number holds the same kana, so once you guess one, it fills in everywhere. The puzzle is solved when every blank holds the right character.

There is one numbered puzzle a day, released at midnight, and the answer is the same for every player (number 549 when we looked). The site has also run special content, such as a version based on the Zodiac killer's Z408 cipher. An English edition with its own daily puzzle sits alongside.

It suits Japanese speakers and learners who like word patterns and the click of a guess that unlocks a whole sentence.

How to play Cryptogram / 暗号解読 (Puzzlega.me)

1. Open the cryptogram page; today's numbered puzzle is shown.
2. Look at the given kana and the numbered blanks.
3. Pick a blank and enter a kana; every blank with the same number fills in too.
4. Complete the sentence to solve the day's puzzle.

Tips

• Look for common sentence endings such as です or ます near the full stop.
• Particles like は, を and に appear often and are a good first guess.
• Short words with one or two blanks are the easiest place to start.

Questions