Free Printable Halloween Cryptogram Puzzles (With Answers)

A cryptogram is a secret message where every letter has been swapped for a different letter — and your job is to crack the code. They are the perfect Halloween puzzle: a little spooky, a little brainy, and deeply satisfying when the message finally clicks into place.

This free printable set includes four Halloween cryptograms in rising difficulty, from a quick warm-up to a riddle that will stump the grown-ups. Each puzzle comes with a starter letter to get you going, and the full answer key is at the bottom of the page (no peeking… okay, a little peeking is fine).

How to Solve a Cryptogram

If you have never done one, here is the trick. Every letter in the coded message stands for one other letter, and it is always the same swap — if R means O in one word, it means O everywhere. Start with what you know:

Use the starter letter. Each puzzle below gives you one free letter. Write it above every matching code letter in the puzzle.
Look for short words. One-letter coded words are almost always A or I. Two-letter words are often OF, TO, AT, or BE.
Watch for patterns. A coded word like QSS with a double letter at the end is probably BOO, ALL, or SEE.
Guess and check. Pencil in a guess, see if it makes other words look right, and erase if it does not. Cryptograms are solved by trial and error — that is the fun.
Think Halloween. These are themed puzzles, so words like GHOST, WITCH, and NIGHT are strong guesses for longer coded words.

Print the puzzles, grab a pencil, and work through them in order. They get harder as you go.

Puzzle 1 — Warm-Up (Easy)

A short one to learn the ropes. Starter letter: B = E

ERR WKH JKRVW VDBV

Write the alphabet A–Z on your paper and fill in letters as you crack them. The full letter key is in the answer section below.

Puzzle 2 — Haunted Night (Easy-Medium)

A full spooky sentence this time. Starter letter: G = J

JKRRVW DQG JREOLQV KDXQW WKH QLJKW

Tip: that first word has a double letter in the middle. In Halloween puzzles, OO is a very good guess for a double letter — and it fits a word you would absolutely expect here.

Puzzle 3 — Midnight Flight (Medium)

A longer sentence with a brand-new code — the key from puzzles 1 and 2 will not help you here. Starter letter: W = B

BNYHMJX KQD FY RNISNLMY ZSIJW YMJ RTTS

Tip: the two-letter word FY is a strong anchor. Common two-letter words in a sentence like this are AT, TO, OF, or IN. Try each one and see which unlocks the rest.

Puzzle 4 — The Riddle (Hard)

The final challenge is a Halloween riddle. Crack the question first — the answer is a pun, and it is worth it. Starter letter: A = L

HSLE OZ JZF NLWW L HTENS HSZ WTGPD LE ESP MPLNS

Tip: the single letter L standing alone is either A or I — and the starter letter already tells you which one. That single clue unlocks a surprising amount of the puzzle.

Answer Key (Spoilers!)

Stop here if you are still solving. The full decoded messages and letter keys:

Puzzle 1 answer

“BOO THE GHOST SAYS”
Key: A=D, B=E, C=F, D=G, E=H, F=I, G=J, H=K, I=L, J=M, K=N, L=O, M=P, N=Q, O=R, P=S, Q=T, R=U, S=V, T=W, U=X, V=Y, W=Z, X=A, Y=B, Z=C

Puzzle 2 answer

“GHOSTS AND GOBLINS HAUNT THE NIGHT”
Key: same as Puzzle 1.

Puzzle 3 answer

“WITCHES FLY AT MIDNIGHT UNDER THE MOON”
Key: A=F, B=G, C=H, D=I, E=J, F=K, G=L, H=M, I=N, J=O, K=P, L=Q, M=R, N=S, O=T, P=U, Q=V, R=W, S=X, T=Y, U=Z, V=A, W=B, X=C, Y=D, Z=E

Puzzle 4 answer

Question: “WHAT DO YOU CALL A WITCH WHO LIVES AT THE BEACH”
Answer: “A SAND WITCH”
Key: A=L, B=M, C=N, D=O, E=P, F=Q, G=R, H=S, I=T, J=U, K=V, L=W, M=X, N=Y, O=Z, P=A, Q=B, R=C, S=D, T=E, U=F, V=G, W=H, X=I, Y=J, Z=K

Make Your Own Cryptograms

Once you have solved these, making your own is half the fun — and a great classroom or party activity. Pick any Halloween sentence, write the alphabet, and scramble it (just make sure no letter maps to itself, or it is too easy). Trade with a friend and race to solve each other’s. Kids love encoding secret messages to each other, and it quietly practices spelling and pattern recognition.

Get the Premium 20-Puzzle Cryptogram Pack

Four free puzzles not enough? The Fukroo Halloween Puzzle Bundle includes 20 cryptograms (riddles, spooky quotes, and jokes), plus word searches, crosswords, and mazes — all with answer keys, in print-ready PDF.

Get the Premium Bundle on Etsy

Frequently Asked Questions

What age are these cryptograms good for?

Puzzles 1 and 2 work for ages 8 and up with the starter letters. Puzzles 3 and 4 suit ages 10 through adult — the riddle stumps plenty of grown-ups.

Can I use these in my classroom?

The free set is for personal use. The premium bundle on Etsy includes a classroom license if you want to print for a whole class.

How do the codes work — are they random?

Each puzzle uses a consistent letter-shift code (every letter moved the same number of steps through the alphabet), with a different shift per puzzle. That is why each answer key looks like a rotated alphabet.