the ctm and the cryptogram

As a former Cryptologic Technician, Maintenance, in the US Navy, one might expect that deciphering code might appeal to me.

It's just another type of puzzle to solve, right?

But cryptograms can be pretty tricky.

Sometimes it helps to have a few letters already sprinkled in, or to know the source of the quote, or the topic at hand.

I thought it might be helpful to solve one in slow motion, so to speak, just in case anyone is trying to figure out how my mind works.

Ready... set...

let's go!

 S ISPP OYAYQ WOGYQMLDOG IZT LZYT XFFH

FO LA. S XDO'L MNYPP SL, XDO'L YDL SL,

XDO'L LDMLY SL. LZY YOG FB LZY MZFI LZYT

ZFPG SL WR LF LZY XDNYQD, 'IYPP, ZYQY SL

SM. TFW XDO'L ZDAYDOT. LZDOHM BFQ

IDLXZSOC. CFFGVTY.'

Start with the contractions XDO'L as well as LZY (repeated three times)
and SL (repeated four times), and S (repeated twice).

Single letters in the English language can be either an 'I' or and 'a'.
As it would be very unlikely to have an 'a' in front of a contraction, I chose S=I and wrote an 'I' above each S.

I  - I - -   - - - - -    - - - - - - - - - -    - - -   - - - -   - - - -       
S ISPP OYAYQ WOGYQMLDOG IZT LZYT XFFH

 - -   - - .  I   - - - ' -   - - - - -  I - ,  - - - ' -   - - -   I - .
FO LA. S XDO'L MNYPP SL, XDO'L YDL SL,

 - - - ' -   - - - - -   I - .  - - -   - - -   - -   - - -   - - - -   - - - -
XDO'L LDMLY SL. LZY YOG FB LZY MZFI LZYT

 - - - -  I -   - -   - -   - - -   - - - - - - , ' - - - - ,   - - - -   I -
ZFPG SL WR LF LZY XDNYQD, 'IYPP, ZYQY SL

I - .   - - -   - - - ' -   - - - -   - - - .  - - - - - -   - - -                 
SM. TFW XDO'L ZDAY DOT. LZDOHM BFQ

 - - - - - I - - .   - - - - - - - . '
IDLXZSOC. CFFGVTY.'

That's better.
Most contractions end in 'd' or 't', so that meant that L=D or L=T.
Since the two-letter SL was given so often, and 'id' wouldn't make sense, then L=T.
That resulted in the following when all changes were made.

I  - I - -   - - - - -    - - - - - - T - - -    - - -  T - - -   - - - -       
S ISPP OYAYQ WOGYQMLDOG IZT LZYT XFFH

 - -   T - .  I   - - - 'T   - - - - -  IT,  - - - 'T   - - T   IT.
FO LA. S XDO'L MNYPP SL, XDO'L YDL SL,

 - - - 'T   T - - T -   IT.  T - -   - - -   - -   T - -   - - - -   T - - -
XDO'L LDMLY SL. LZY YOG FB LZY MZFI LZYT

 - - - -  IT   - -   T -   T - -   - - - - - - , ' - - - - ,   - - - -   IT
ZFPG SL WR LF LZY XDNYQD, 'IYPP, ZYQY SL

I - .   - - -   - - - 'T   - - - -   - - - .  T - - - - -   - - -                 
SM. TFW XDO'L ZDAY DOT. LZDOHM BFQ

 - - T - - I - - .   - - - - - - - . '
IDLXZSOC. CFFGVTY.'

Oh, my, definite progress!
Okay, looking at the message, each LZY begins with a 't', so most likely that word is 'the'.
That means I can say that Z=H and Y=E, if true.
Now to fill in those letters.

I  - I - -   - E - E -    - - - E - - T - - -    - H -  THE -   - - - -       
S ISPP OYAYQ WOGYQMLDOG IZT LZYT XFFH

 - -   T - .  I   - - - 'T   - - E - -  IT,  - - - 'T   E - T   IT.
FO LA. S XDO'L MNYPP SL, XDO'L YDL SL,

 - - - 'T   T - - TE  IT.  THE   E - -   - -   THE   - H - -   THE -
XDO'L LDMLY SL. LZY YOG FB LZY MZFI LZYT
 

H - - -  IT   - -   T -   THE   - - - E - - , ' - E - - ,  HE - E   IT
ZFPG SL WR LF LZY XDNYQD, 'IYPP, ZYQY SL

I - .   - - -   - - - 'T   H - - E   - - - .  TH - - - -   - - -                 
SM. TFW XDO'L ZDAY DOT. LZDOHM BFQ
 

 - - T - HI - - .   - - - - - - E. '
IDLXZSOC. CFFGVTY.'

Alright, alright, alright!
That was the easy stuff.
What else makes sense?
How about 'E_T" being "eAt", with each D=A?
Let's give it a try, shall we?

I  - I - -   - E - E -    - - - E - - TA - -    - H -  THE -   - - - -       
S ISPP OYAYQ WOGYQMLDOG IZT LZYT XFFH

 - -   T - .  I   - A - 'T   - - E - -  IT,  - A - 'T   EAT   IT.
FO LA. S XDO'L MNYPP SL, XDO'L YDL SL,

 - A - 'T   TA - TE  IT.  THE   E - -   - -   THE   - H - -   THE -
XDO'L LDMLY SL. LZY YOG FB LZY MZFI LZYT
 

H - - -  IT   - -   T -   THE   - A - E - A, ' - E - - ,  HE - E   IT
ZFPG SL WR LF LZY XDNYQD, 'IYPP, ZYQY SL

I - .   - - -   - A - 'T   HA - E   A - - .  THA- - - -   - - -                 
SM. TFW XDO'L ZDAY DOT. LZDOHM BFQ
 

 - AT - HI - - .   - - - - - - E. '
IDLXZSOC. CFFGVTY.'

Okay, still a lot of unknowns, but time for another educated guess!
Going back to the contraction, now reading "_a_'t", I'm going with X=C and O=N.
Let's see if those two changes make sense.

I  - I - -   NE - E -    - N - E - - TAN -    - H -  THE -   C - - -       
S ISPP OYAYQ WOGYQMLDOG IZT LZYT XFFH

 - N  T - .  I  CAN'T   - - E - -  IT,  CAN'T EAT IT.
FO LA. S XDO'L MNYPP SL, XDO'L YDL SL,

CAN'T  TA - TE IT.  THE  EN -   - -   THE   - H - -   THE -
XDO'L LDMLY SL. LZY YOG FB LZY MZFI LZYT
 

H - - -  IT   - -   T -   THE  CA - E - A, ' - E - - ,  HE - E   IT
ZFPG SL WR LF LZY XDNYQD, 'IYPP, ZYQY SL

I - .   - - -   CAN'T   HA - E   AN - .  THAN - -   - - -                 
SM. TFW XDO'L ZDAY DOT. LZDOHM BFQ
 

 - ATCHIN - .   - - - - - - E. '
IDLXZSOC. CFFGVTY.'

Good call on that contraction!
Now, the combination "the_" must be "theY", meaning T=Y.
Time to follow that bunny trail!

I  - I - -   NE - E -    - N - E - - TAN -    - HY THEY  C - - -       
S ISPP OYAYQ WOGYQMLDOG IZT LZYT XFFH

 - N  T - .  I  CAN'T   - - E - -  IT,  CAN'T EAT IT.
FO LA. S XDO'L MNYPP SL, XDO'L YDL SL,

CAN'T  TA - TE IT.  THE  EN -   - -   THE   - H - -   THEY
XDO'L LDMLY SL. LZY YOG FB LZY MZFI LZYT
 

H - - -  IT   - -   T -   THE  CA - E - A, ' - E - - ,  HE - E   IT
ZFPG SL WR LF LZY XDNYQD, 'IYPP, ZYQY SL

I - .   Y - -   CAN'T   HA - E   ANY.  THAN - -   - - -                 
SM. TFW XDO'L ZDAY DOT. LZDOHM BFQ
 

 - ATCHIN - .   - - - - - YE. '
IDLXZSOC. CFFGVTY.'

Hmm...looks like "ta_te" could be "taSte"...
"eat" is already there...
perhaps MNYPP=SMELL?
That's as good a guess as any!
Let's see how that might help.

I  - ILL NE - E -    - N - E - STAN -    - HY THEY  C - - -       
S ISPP OYAYQ WOGYQMLDOG IZT LZYT XFFH

 - N T - .  I CAN'T SMELL IT, CAN'T EAT IT.
FO LA. S XDO'L MNYPP SL, XDO'L YDL SL,

CAN'T TASTE IT.  THE EN -   - -   THE SH - -   THEY
XDO'L LDMLY SL. LZY YOG FB LZY MZFI LZYT
 

H - L -  IT   - -   T -   THE CAME - A, ' - ELL,  HE - E   IT
ZFPG SL WR LF LZY XDNYQD, 'IYPP, ZYQY SL

IS.  Y - -   CAN'T HA - E ANY.  THAN - S   - - -                 
SM. TFW XDO'L ZDAY DOT. LZDOHM BFQ
 

 - ATCHIN - .   - - - - - YE. '
IDLXZSOC. CFFGVTY.'

Good thing this is for English speakers.
That "y_ _" tells me F=O and W=U.
Let me show how that helps to complete the encoded words.

I  - ILL NE - E -    UN - E - STAN -    - HY THEY COO -       
S ISPP OYAYQ WOGYQMLDOG IZT LZYT XFFH

ON T - .  I CAN'T SMELL IT, CAN'T EAT IT.
FO LA. S XDO'L MNYPP SL, XDO'L YDL SL,

CAN'T TASTE IT.  THE EN -   O -   THE SHO -   THEY
XDO'L LDMLY SL. LZY YOG FB LZY MZFI LZYT
 

HOL -  IT  U -   TO THE CAME - A, ' - ELL,  HE - E   IT
ZFPG SL WR LF LZY XDNYQD, 'IYPP, ZYQY SL

IS.  YOU CAN'T HA - E ANY.  THAN - S   - O -                 
SM. TFW XDO'L ZDAY DOT. LZDOHM BFQ
 

 - ATCHIN - .   - OO - - YE. '
IDLXZSOC. CFFGVTY.'

Okay, how about that first line again?
"_ill" and "_hy" make me believe I=W.
Let's test drive it and see if it works.

I  WILL NE - E -    UN - E - STAN -   WHY THEY COO -       
S ISPP OYAYQ WOGYQMLDOG IZT LZYT XFFH

ON T - .  I CAN'T SMELL IT, CAN'T EAT IT.
FO LA. S XDO'L MNYPP SL, XDO'L YDL SL,

CAN'T TASTE IT.  THE EN -   O -   THE SHOW  THEY
XDO'L LDMLY SL. LZY YOG FB LZY MZFI LZYT
 

HOL -  IT  U -   TO THE CAME - A, 'WELL,  HE - E   IT
ZFPG SL WR LF LZY XDNYQD, 'IYPP, ZYQY SL

IS.  YOU CAN'T HA - E ANY.  THAN - S   - O -                 
SM. TFW XDO'L ZDAY DOT. LZDOHM BFQ
 

 WATCHIN - .   - OO - - YE. '
IDLXZSOC. CFFGVTY.'

Now it's making some sense!
Evidently the speaker is complaining about something they are "watchin_" "on t_", right?
So the C=G and A=V, if I have chosen wisely.
(Just a little Indiana Jones joke, hot on the heels of Tina Tuesday and "TBBT"!)

I  WILL NEVE -    UN - E - STAN -   WHY THEY COO -       
S ISPP OYAYQ WOGYQMLDOG IZT LZYT XFFH

ON TV.  I CAN'T SMELL IT, CAN'T EAT IT.
FO LA. S XDO'L MNYPP SL, XDO'L YDL SL,

CAN'T TASTE IT.  THE EN -   O -   THE SHOW  THEY
XDO'L LDMLY SL. LZY YOG FB LZY MZFI LZYT
 

HOL -  IT  U -   TO THE CAME - A, 'WELL,  HE - E   IT
ZFPG SL WR LF LZY XDNYQD, 'IYPP, ZYQY SL

IS.  YOU CAN'T HAVE ANY.  THAN - S   - O -                 
SM. TFW XDO'L ZDAY DOT. LZDOHM BFQ
 

 WATCHING.  GOO - - YE. '
IDLXZSOC. CFFGVTY.'

Almost there - it must be a televison show about food!
So, the last line is probably thanking the audience for tuning in, right?
That makes H=K, B=F, G=D, and V=B.
Am I correct?

I WILL NEVE -  UNDE - STAND WHY THEY COOK    
S ISPP OYAYQ WOGYQMLDOG IZT LZYT XFFH

ON TV. I CAN'T SMELL IT, CAN'T EAT IT,
FO LA. S XDO'L MNYPP SL, XDO'L YDL SL,

CAN'T TASTE IT. THE END OF THE SHOW THEY   
XDO'L LDMLY SL. LZY YOG FB LZY MZFI LZYT

HOLD IT U -  TO THE CAME - A, 'WELL, HE - E IT
ZFPG SL WR LF LZY XDNYQD, 'IYPP, ZYQY SL

IS. YOU CAN'T HAVE ANY. THANKS FO -          
SM. TFW XDO'L ZDAY DOT. LZDOHM BFQ

WATCHING. GOODBYE.'
IDLXZSOC. CFFGVTY.'

Woohoo, I am correct!
There are only six words remaining unsolved, most in the fourth line.
Clearly, based on the context, R=P and Q=R.
The final message is most assuredly from a hungry viewer!

I will never understand why they cook
on tv. I can't smell it, can't eat it,
can't taste it. At the end of the show they
hold it up to the camera, 'Well, here it
is. You can't have any. Thanks for
watching. Goodbye.'

LOL!
This has made me hungry... 

time for "Family Feud" and slunch before I do my 'homework' on this final Monday of September!
'Bye!
I hope this has been elucidating and encouraging...

and a bit of fun!
(smile!)