CryptoSolver version 1.0 The cryptogram utility program OVERVIEW CryptoSolver is a utility program for creating new cryptogram puzzles, and entering already encoded ones to solve. A cryptogram is a puzzle in which a phrase is encoded using an alphabetic substitution table (i.e. A=R, B=M, etc.) Cryptograms are found in the puzzle section of many Sunday papers and puzzle books. Solving these puzzles used to involve a lot of writing and erasing to do it on paper. With the advent of CryptoSolver it is now fast and easy to do on your personal computer. CryptoSolver is easy to use, simply right click on a letter and select the letter from the menu that you think it represents. Letters already assigned are checked off in the menu-if you select one of these it is reassigned to the new letter. If the puzzle was generated by CryptoSolver then the Hint menu item will be available; selecting this will give you the proper letter (and also subtract from your score). CRYPTOSOLVER FILES CryptoSolver files contain the encoded phrase and also the progress made in solving them. If the cryptogram was created using CryptoSolver it will also contain the substitution table allowing you to get 'hints' on specific letters and providing scoring. Five sample cryptosolver files are included with this package. SOLVING A CRYPTOGRAM The first step is to open a cryptosolver file or enter a cryptogram taken from another source such as the Sunday paper. To open a cryptosolver file click on the open file toolbar button or select Open File from the File menu. To enter an already encoded cryptogram click on the solve new cryptogram toolbar button (the document icon with the letter 'S') or select Solve New from the File menu. Enter the cryptogram to be solved in the dialog box and click OK. The cryptogram can be on multiple lines. IMPORTANT: When entering a cryptogram manually the program will NOT prompt you to save the last cryptogram you worked on. Make sure you save before selecting Solve New. This error will be corrected in the next version. Once your cryptogram is ready simply right-click on a letter and select the letter you think it represents from the pop-up menu. The pop-up menu also has two additional items. One is 'Hint', selecting this will assign the correct letter (and also lower your score). This item is only enabled if the cryptogram was created by CryptoSolver. The other item is the '*' which is to unassign the last assignation. The pop-up also has checkmarks on the letters already assigned, selecting an assigned letter will unassign it from its previous assignation. The last letter worked on will changed to red throughout the puzzle to allow you to quickly find all the substitutions made in that selection. CREATING A NEW CRYPTOGRAM Click on the Create New Cryptogram toolbar button (the document icon with the letter 'C') or select Create New from the File menu. Enter the phrase to be encoded in the dialog box and click OK. The program will randomly encode the phrase and display it. A cryptogram created this way will also have the substitution table included, allowing for 'hints' and scoring. Save immediately to create a CryptoSolver file. IMPORTANT: When creating a cryptogram the program will NOT prompt you to save the last cryptogram you worked on. Make sure you save before selecting Create New. This error will be corrected in the next version. RESTARTING You can unassign all letters at once by clicking the the Restart Puzzle toolbar button (the red circle with the 'R') or selecting Restart Puzzle from the File menu. FONT SIZE Take a guess... If you're clueless give it a try. SCORING Scoring is not implemented in version 1.0 of CryptoSolver. It will be included in the next version. A FEW HINTS ON SOLVING CRYPTOGRAMS FOR THE BEGINNER If you see one letter alone, of course it must be an 'A' or an 'I'. If a word ends with an apostrophy and a letter (MDCH'W) that letter will be an 'S' (W=S). Look for two letter words, there are so few of them in the English language. Duh, here's a real TOUGH one! KC'Z, IT'S gotta be IT'S (K=I, C=T, Z=S). MORE TO COME... The next version will include new enhancements. A new file format that will keep multiple cryptograms in a single file while still retaining backward compatibility with version 1.0 cryptosolver files. A more highly refined user interface. The ability to provide a clue for each cryptogram. A comprehensive help system. Improved font size selection and the saving of the font size. REGISTRATION Registration fee is $19.99 US Dollars. Registration entitles you to receive the latest version, without the delayed splash screen, and any subsequent versions as soon as they're released. Send a check or money order to: Edward Murphy 1036A Chicopee St. Chicopee, MA. 01013 Include full mailing address and/or EMail address for prompt delivery. Or download the latest version of CryptoSolver at: http://www.tiac.net/users/edmurphy/ CryptoSolver is copyright 1998 by Edward W Murphy Jr. All Rights Reserved.