Last week I talked about my love of word puzzles and the value they’ve had in my recovery from chemo brain. Last week’s puzzle was a simple word search. This week I’m kicking it up a notch by introducing cryptograms dedicated to Ms. Hillary Rodham Clinton. I’ve loved Hillary since high school. She’s the reason I’m a feminist. Hillary told the UN Human Rights Council that “women’s rights are human rights.” There’s no arguing with that. These cryptograms are a tribute for the woman I hope to see in the Oval Office next January.
For readers who aren’t familiar with cryptograms, these puzzles use code. Cryptography has been around for thousands of years. Hieroglyphs were used by the ancient Egyptians to provide graphic information for people who were illiterate. Ancient Greeks used ciphers as a way to keep information secret. Fast forward to the 21st Century. Cryptograms are a form of entertainment and mental exercise.
To decode a cryptogram, start by looking for coded single-letter words, such as “I” and “a.” Then look for groups of common three-letter words, such as “the” or “and.” Look for repetition within the puzzle. Once you identify common words, the message will be revealed. (If you need more tips on deciphering a cryptogram, check out Cryptograms.org.)
Click here to download the Hillary Cryptograms puzzle. Check back next week for the answers.
