What patterns to look for?

Collapse
X
 
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
  • ravenclaws62442
    Member
    • Sep 2022
    • 22

    #1

    What patterns to look for?

    Hey! I'm fairly new to cryptograms (I was introduced to this website by a friend at the start of the month) and suffice to say it's become a bit of an addiction. I don't do this for practice for SciOly or anything; it's just a hobby. But my competitive self sees those crazy short times on the leaderboards... and wants to get there! My solve times are slow, though, and I tend to give up if there isn't the word "the", "a", or "i" in the puzzle (which means my solve percentage is about 40%... oops). Anyway, the point is, I'm looking for some tips as to what other patterns I can look for in puzzles, especially short puzzles (with long words), that would make my life a lot easier. Thanks in advance!

    Edit: I can usually find patterns like "-tion", "-ing" and other things like that once I get a good start... it's just starting that's the issue.
  • n-j-b
    Member
    • Dec 2020
    • 27

    #2
    the list is long and I'm sure I would miss a lot, plus there's lots I don't know. Make mental notes about which words come up a lot, as well as which words have the same pattern given certain letters (ex. always and afraid when u have the A in place), then just do a bunch of cryptograms and you'll learn them! Anyways here's a (very incomplete bc I'm coming up with them right now) quick list of common words
    the/one/are, always/afraid, against, do you, do not, he who, no one, yourself/oneself/herself/himself/itself, common sense, the fact that, that, then/y, this, thus, thou, than, when, what, whom, civilization, universe, science, someone, anyone, anything/something/everything, everybody, everyone/exercise, it is, if it, here/were/mere, away, even, ever, eyes, every, total, again, a bank is a place that, people, nothing/perhaps, good / poor, trust/treat, the best way, other(s), my father, my mother, book, and, but, or, whereas/wherein, yet/let, there/these, measure, pleasure, limit/never/state/honor, which, mind, find, did you, whatever, whenever, wherever, ok you get the point but pretty much every word I guess...
    I'm not sure if this is quite what you were looking for, but hope it's helpful

    Comment

    • n-j-b
      Member
      • Dec 2020
      • 27

      #3
      oh words with apostrophes are good for starting too
      can't, don't, won't, isn't, haven't, didn't, wouldn't, couldn't, shouldn't, doesn't, weren't
      anything + 's (one's)

      Comment

      • LLapp
        Premium Member
        • Aug 2014
        • 463

        #4
        Ravenclaws, here are links to three forum threads that focus on distinctive letter patterns:

        Comment

        • Synonymous
          Premium Member
          • Feb 2019
          • 92

          #5
          ravenclaws62442 a few that I find a bit are "Happiness" and "Opportunity" and "Difference" Good luck...

          Comment

          • dopeycancel
            Member
            • Mar 2023
            • 4

            #6
            I thinks you can find more useful information here https://forum.puzzlebaron.com/forum/...erns#post20526

            Comment

            • kb83
              Member
              • Mar 2014
              • 75

              #7
              Many times guessing helps, even if it is wrong, because it so happens that part of the guess is correct, and there will be other words which allow you to correct the wrong part of the guess.

              Comment

              • kb83
                Member
                • Mar 2014
                • 75

                #8
                excellence, experience, usually/fifteen, eventually, progress, neatness, football, afternoon, wherever, whenever, there, these, never, level, state, unless, coffee, individual, advantage, ...,

                Comment

                • kb83
                  Member
                  • Mar 2014
                  • 75

                  #9
                  possibilities, civilization, difference between, indifference, no one, do not, he who, rare, none, away, themselves, football, baseball, neatness, actually, progress, everyone, exercise,
                  indeed, coffee, committee, success, succeed, successful.

                  Comment

                  • kb83
                    Member
                    • Mar 2014
                    • 75

                    #10
                    remember that, sometimes, eventually, experience, excellence, tyranny, "as (soon, far, much) as" , or "to (try, ...) to", one of the, the truth, sense of ..., we cannot, no matter

                    Comment

                    • kb83
                      Member
                      • Mar 2014
                      • 75

                      #11
                      Remember that, sometimes, eventually, experience, excellence and the truth will triumph over tyranny, no matter if we cannot sense it as much as we want to.

                      Comment

                      Working...