Expert cryptograms: no help at all
Expert puzzles start with nothing revealed. Quotes range from 36 to 97 letters, with a median of 65, the longest in the game. Every letter has to be found from the cipher alone, the way cryptograms were solved in newspapers before hints existed.
Open with structure, not letters
With no starter letter, the first foothold has to come from structure. In order of reliability:
- Single-letter words: A or I.
- Apostrophe endings: 'S, 'T, 'RE, 'VE, 'LL, 'D.
- The most repeated three-letter word: usually THE.
- Word endings that repeat across the quote, such as ING, ION or ED.
Use vowel placement
Almost every English word has a vowel. Once you know E and one other vowel, look for cipher letters that sit in the middle of many words: those are your remaining vowels. Consonants cluster at word edges.
Expect to backtrack
Expert solvers rarely get a quote right on the first pass. Treat early placements as provisional, and keep going until a long word confirms them. One long confirmed word is worth more than several short guesses.
Frequently asked questions
How many letters are revealed on expert?
None. Expert is the only level with no starter letters.
Can I still use hints on expert?
Yes. Hints work at every level, but solving an expert puzzle without them is the real test.