PuzzlePage
Play
CryptogramEasyFree PDFUpdated for 2026

Holiday Cheer Cryptogram

Decode 5 warm sayings about the holiday season

Five warm sayings about the season, from the best gifts to the magic of kindness, each written as an easy letter cipher with a few letters given. Print it for the last week of school before break, the cousins' table, or a quiet hour by the tree. Answer key on page two.

CryptogramPreview

Holiday Cheer Cryptogram

Decode 5 warm sayings about the holiday season

Phrase 1

P
Z
Y
L
Y
V
P
U
R
C
P
V
N
D
Y
P
Z
Y
K
B
Y
V
P
Z
N
P
G
K
B
K
P
C
R
P
R
B
N
L
K
M

Hint: N = A

Phrase 2

N
Z
K
Q
V
Y
C
Q
X
X
K
C
C
N
F
R
X
S
R
V
P
Z
Y
O
N
D
F
Y
V
P
E
R
B
G
K
C
G
Y
A
K
D
N
P
R
K
B

Hint: D = R

+ 3 more phrases in the PDF

Free printable PDF · puzzle + answer key · puzzlepage.app

Enter your email once to unlock this PDF plus 10 more free printable puzzles. Answer key included.

What is a Cryptogram?

A cryptogram is a substitution cipher puzzle where each letter has been replaced by a different letter. Your goal is to decode the hidden quote by figuring out which cipher letter maps to which original letter.

How to solve it

Start by looking for single-letter words (likely A or I), then short common words. Use letter frequency — E, T, A, and O appear most often in English. Once you crack a few letters, the rest fall into place.

Who is this for?

Cryptograms work especially well for middle school through adult solvers. They build pattern recognition, logical reasoning, and vocabulary. Seniors find them a satisfying daily brain exercise.

About this puzzle

Free printable Christmas cryptogram: decode 5 warm holiday sayings, easy level with starter letters and an answer key. Great for December classrooms. Instant PDF.

  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Format: US Letter PDF with answer key
  • Free to download, print, and use
  • Commercial use allowed for KDP publishers

Step-by-step: solving the Holiday Cheer Cryptogram

  1. Print the puzzle. Download and print the free cryptogram PDF. The cipher uses one consistent letter substitution throughout.
  2. Find single-letter words. Look for any single-letter words in the cipher — in English these are almost always A or I.
  3. Spot common short words. Short words like THE, AND, IS, OF, and TO appear frequently. Plug them in once their letter pattern matches.
  4. Apply letter frequency. The most common English letters are E, T, A, O, I, N, S, H, R. The most common cipher letters likely map to these.
  5. Verify with the answer key. Once decoded, check your full plaintext against the answer key on the second page.

Frequently asked questions

Is it religious?›
No. The sayings are about family, gifts, lights and kindness, so it suits any December gathering.
What level is it?›
Easy, with starter letters. Fourth grade and up can solve it alone, and younger kids can work it with a helper.
Is there a holiday pack?›
The Holiday Cheer Puzzle Pack adds two more cryptograms, a crossword, a word search and a scramble full of December words.
Is the cipher a simple letter substitution?›
Yes. One letter consistently substitutes for another throughout the whole quote. Once you decode a few letters, the rest typically fall into place.
Are punctuation and spaces preserved?›
Yes. Word boundaries, capitalization, and punctuation are kept intact so you can use word-shape clues while solving.
What age is a cryptogram appropriate for?›
Cryptograms suit middle school through adult. They build pattern recognition, letter-frequency reasoning, and vocabulary at the same time.

More free Holidays & Seasons puzzles

Halloween, Thanksgiving, winter, Valentine's, St. Patrick's and Easter, plus the seasons in between.

Make your own custom puzzles

Free Cryptogram Generator→← Browse all 144 free puzzles