Decode the Memo is a free daily cryptogram. A short office memo has been written in a secret code: every letter was swapped for another one. The subject line is left in plain text, and some letters are given. Work out which real letter hides behind each code letter, until the memo can be read. Monday is a short memo with most letters given. Friday is a long one with only a few.
No sign-up and nothing to install. It runs in your browser on a computer or a phone, and your progress is saved on your device.
- One code letter, one real letter. The small letter under a box is the code letter. Fill one box, and every box with the same code letter gets the same letter.
- Read the subject first. The subject line is never in code. It tells you what the memo is about, and often one of its words appears in the memo.
- Tap or type. Tap a box and then a letter on the keyboard under the memo. On a computer you can type on your own keyboard.
- Stuck? The lightbulb corrects a wrong letter if there is one. Otherwise it fills in one code letter for you.
How to play Decode the Memo
- Read the subject line and look at the letters that are already given.
- Tap an empty box. Every box with the same code letter lights up.
- Tap the letter you think belongs there. To change it, tap the box again and choose another letter. The erase key empties the box.
- When every box has the right letter, the memo is decoded and the day is solved.
What you see on the memo
| Part | What it means |
|---|---|
| Subject | Plain text. A clue to what the memo is about. |
| Small letter under a box | The code letter. The same code letter always hides the same real letter. |
| Dark letter on a line | A letter that is given from the start. |
| Purple letter in a box | A letter you placed. You can change it at any time. |
| Yellow boxes | All boxes of the code letter you selected. The box with the thick frame is the one you tapped. |
| Green box | A letter from a hint. It is right, and it stays. |
| Pale purple key | A letter you already placed somewhere. Tap it to move it to the selected box. |
| Dimmed key | A letter that is given or came from a hint, or the code letter of the selected box itself. |
Tips for cracking the code
- Start with the short words. A word of one letter is A or I. Words of two and three letters are usually THE, AND, TO, OF, IS, IN or IT.
- Use the common letters. E, T, A, O, I and N make up about half of an English text. The code letter that appears most is often one of them.
- Look for double letters. Two equal code letters side by side are often LL, EE, SS, OO or TT.
- Let the subject help. If the subject is Printer, look for a word of seven letters with a pattern that fits.
- A letter never stands for itself. If the code letter under a box is K, the real letter is not K.
- Trust the meaning. When every box is filled and the memo is still wrong, read it aloud. The word that sounds odd shows the wrong letter.
How the week gets harder
| Day | Letters in the memo | Letters shown at the start | Code letters to find |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 28 to 35 | 60 to 74% | 4 to 9 |
| Tuesday | 43 to 53 | 47 to 59% | 4 to 15 |
| Wednesday | 57 to 67 | 35 to 47% | 6 to 17 |
| Thursday | 74 to 90 | 25 to 35% | 9 to 19 |
| Friday | 97 to 112 | 16 to 26% | 14 to 21 |
Saturday plays like a Wednesday and Sunday like a Tuesday.
Frequently asked questions
Is Decode the Memo free?
Yes. There is no account, no download and no paywall.
What is a cryptogram?
A text in which every letter has been replaced by another letter. The same letter is always replaced in the same way, so the patterns of the words give the solution away.
Does the game tell me when a letter is wrong?
Not while you are still filling boxes. When every box is filled and the memo is not right, the game tells you how many letters are wrong. The lightbulb corrects one of them.
Can two code letters stand for the same letter?
No. If you place a letter that is already in another box, it moves to the new box.
Do the memos repeat?
There are 70 memos in each language. A text comes back after ten weeks, with a new code and other letters given.
Is the memo the same in every language?
No. The English, Portuguese and Spanish pages each have their own memos, written in that language.
When does the new memo appear?
At midnight in your local time.
Can I play earlier memos?
Yes. Open the calendar button at the top of the game and pick any day from the past eight weeks.
Does it work on a phone?
Yes. The game has its own keyboard under the memo, so the phone keyboard does not open.
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