Copyright: Cryptograms Copyright ® 1995 The Code Zone


Contents
Rules Summary

A cryptogram is a phrase written in a secret alphabet code.  The object of Cryptograms is to guess the cryptic phrase.  Click on a target letter box and type a letter guess.  Continue this process until you have solved the phrase.  Letter substitutions remain constant throughout any one phrase.  Try a new phrase, decipher a new code!

Cryptograms Rules

Cryptograms Options

Cryptograms Commands


Game Rules
Object of the game

The object of Cryptograms is to solve the secret alphabetic code for the phrase.  Try to solve the phrase without using the Hint feature.

Making a Guess

To make a guess, click on the target letter box to highlight the lower letter.  Type your guess.  The guessed letter will now show up in the upper portion of the letter box for every occurance of the letter.  For example, in the following letter boxes, the first box has been highlighted. . .

Notice how each time that letter appears in the phrase, the letter boxes containing the same letter are highlighted.  If you were to type in the letter "t", you would see the phrase change to the following. . .

Once you have used a letter, it cannot be reused for a different letter box.  If you did not like your guess, highlight the box and type in a new letter or hit the space bar to clear the box.

Game Over Conditions

The game is over when one of two conditions is met:

•	You have successfully solved the phrase.

•	You have given up trying to solve the phrase.

Hints

Try to find small words like "the", "are", "and", "a", "is", etc.

Try to find frequent letters.  For example, the letter "e" is one of the more frequently used letters in the English language.  If you find a particular letter being repeated frequently, it could be the letter "e".

Proper names are a part of the phrases since many direct quotes are from famous people.  Try to guess their names.

If you absolutely have no idea where to begin, you can always use the Hint feature found under the Game menu.  Try to keep this to a minimum.  You will be given the total number of hints you needed to solve the phrase after you have solved the code.

Help Contents

Cryptograms Options

Cryptograms Commands


Game Options
How to set Options

To bring up the Options dialog box, choose the "Options..." menu item from the "Game" menu.  If any option is changed within the Option dialog box, the current game being played will be abandoned.  If you do not wish to abandon the current game, select the Cancel button and return to the game.

The Options dialog box is broken up into various sections shown by the tabs at the top of the dialog box.  Clicking on a tab shows the options available for that topic.  For example, the "Extras" tab allows you to change the sound options.

Tab Descriptions

Options Tab

Easy

Clicking on the radio button labeled Easy will select an easy game.  For this skill level, the phrases are longer and are broken up by individual words.  Most novices will be able to beat an easy game after a few tries.

Moderate

Clicking on the radio button labeled Moderate will select a moderately-challenging game.  For this skill level, the phrases are broken up by individual words and contain fewer words than the Easy skill level.

Difficult

Clicking on the radio button labeled Difficult will select a difficult game.  For this skill level, the phrases are longer.  The letter boxes are also strung together continuously.  A difficult game is very challenging and will require an accomplished player to beat.

Expert

Clicking on the radio button labeled Expert will select an extremely difficult game.  For this skill level, the letter boxes are strung together continuously and also contain fewer words than the Difficult skill level.  This option is not recommended for the squeamish!

Extras Tab

The Extras tab allows you to change the sounds used in the game.  Changing the options in the Extras tab does not affect the rules of the game.

Game Sounds Enabled

The "Game Sounds Enabled" check box turns the game sounds on or off.  This option is checked on by default.  Un-checking the box will turn the game sounds off.  If this option is turned off, the rest of the controls below it are disabled.

If your system does not have any sound support (i.e. you are not using a windows-hosted sound card), this option will not be available.

Path...

The Path... button allows you to choose a sound file to be played during a game event.  The game events that can have sounds attached are listed above the button.  You can associate any windows wave file (*.WAV) with a game event.

Test

The Test button plays the sound associated with the game event selected in the list box above the button.  If there is no sound associated with the event, or the selected file is invalid, no sound will be played.

Help Contents

Cryptograms Rules

Cryptograms Commands


Game Commands
How To Make A Guess

Click on a letter box to highlight the letter you want to guess (the letter on the bottom will turn red).  Every occurance of that letter will also be highlighted.  Type in your guessed letter.  The guessed letter will be displayed throughout the phrase.

Menu Commands

Game Menu

New

Starts a new game.  Abandons any game currently in progress.

Hitting the F2 function key on the keyboard will also start a new game.

Hint

Gives you a letter which is a part of the phrase.

Give Up

Solves the phrase for you.

Options...

Brings up the Options dialog box.  Abandons any game currently in progress if any options are changed.

Exit

Quits the game.

Hitting the Alt key plus the F4 function key on the keyboard will also quit the game.

Help Menu

Index

Brings up the main help index.  The help index gives you an introduction to the game and a quick synopsis of the rules.

Hitting the F1 function key on the keyboard will also bring up the main help index.

Game Rules

Displays an in-depth version of the rules.  The Game Rules page provides play examples and hints.

How To Play

Brings up the help page you are reading now.

Balloon Help

Toggles the help balloons on and off.  The help balloons display quick information about each menu item along with a quick synopsis of the rules.

Balloon help is a check-able toggle.  Choose it to turn the balloon help on.  Choose it again to shut it off.

Hitting the Alt key plus the F1 function key will also toggle the balloon help on or off.

About Cryptograms...

Information about the product

Panic Button

If you want to quickly pause and minimize the game, hit the Escape key on the keyboard.

Help Contents

Cryptograms Rules

Cryptograms Options