Caesar Cipher Wheel Printable

Press Print the wheel, cut out both discs and pin the middle, or print a worksheet with its answer key.

Caesar Cipher Wheel Printable

Code to decode: PHHW PH EB WKH ROG RDN WUHH

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
Shift 3: D sits under A. Outer letters are the message, inner letters are the code.

This is a sample. Type or paste your own code over it.

Message

meet me by the old oak tree
No shift? Try all 25 shifts

All 25 shifts, scored by how many common English letter pairs the reading has.

ShiftReadingScoreUse it
3 (D) Likelymeet me by the old oak tree10.06In use
10 (K) Likelyfxxm fx ur max hew htd mkxx3.07
23 (X) Likelyskkz sk he znk urj ugq zxkk3.07
1 (B)oggv og da vjg qnf qcm vtgg0.00
2 (C)nffu nf cz uif pme pbl usff0.79
4 (E)ldds ld ax sgd nkc nzj sqdd0.00
5 (F)kccr kc zw rfc mjb myi rpcc0.00
6 (G)jbbq jb yv qeb lia lxh qobb0.00
7 (H)iaap ia xu pda khz kwg pnaa0.00
8 (I)hzzo hz wt ocz jgy jvf omzz0.00
9 (J)gyyn gy vs nby ifx iue nlyy0.00
11 (L)ewwl ew tq lzw gdv gsc ljww0.00
12 (M)dvvk dv sp kyv fcu frb kivv0.00
13 (N)cuuj cu ro jxu ebt eqa jhuu0.73
14 (O)btti bt qn iwt das dpz igtt2.21
15 (P)assh as pm hvs czr coy hfss2.53
16 (Q)zrrg zr ol gur byq bnx gerr2.05
17 (R)yqqf yq nk ftq axp amw fdqq0.00
18 (S)xppe xp mj esp zwo zlv ecpp1.34
19 (T)wood wo li dro yvn yku dboo0.73
20 (U)vnnc vn kh cqn xum xjt cann1.99
21 (V)ummb um jg bpm wtl wis bzmm1.13
22 (W)tlla tl if aol vsk vhr ayll0.00
24 (Y)rjjy rj gd ymj tqi tfp ywjj0.00
25 (Z)qiix qi fc xli sph seo xvii0.93
Practice worksheet

The level sets the clue each message comes with: the shift, one letter of the key, or no key at all.

Up to 10 lines. Each one is put into code with a shift of its own, and the answer key gets the lines as you typed them.

How many messages

On this worksheet (sheet 1): 6 of 24

  • NWPEJ KU KP VJG DNWG DQZ (Shift 2)
  • PTOX MPBVX BY MAX VHTLM BL VEXTK (A is written T)
  • CQNAN RB J TNH CJYNM DWMNA CQN LQJRA (No key. A word of one letter can only be A or I.)
  • Z JRN R YVIFE SP KYV GFEU (No key. A word of one letter can only be A or I.)
  • O NOJ G TUZK OT EUAX JKYQ (No key. A word of one letter can only be A or I.)
  • QEB QOBXPROB ZEBPQ FP KFKBQBBK PQBMP TBPQ LC QEB BIJ QOBB (No key. Count the letters: the most common one is probably E.)
Pigpen key card
The card as it prints.
  • A
  • B
  • C
  • D
  • E
  • F
  • G
  • H
  • I
  • J
  • K
  • L
  • M
  • N
  • O
  • P
  • Q
  • R
  • S
  • T
  • U
  • V
  • W
  • X
  • Y
  • Z
More options

What the wheel printout shows

  • 21 letters. To encode the same way, use shift 3.
  • Most common letter: H, 6 times. If it stands for E the shift is 3.

Caesar cipher wheel

Cut out both discs along the dashed lines. Lay the small disc on the large one and push a paper fastener through the two crosses. To use shift 3, turn the small disc until its D sits under the large A.

Caesar wheel practice

Name: ______________________ Turn your wheel to the shift, find each code letter on the small disc and write the letter from the large disc under it.

  1. Shift 2

    NWPEJ KU KP VJG DNWG DQZ

  2. A is written T

    PTOX MPBVX BY MAX VHTLM BL VEXTK

  3. No key. A word of one letter can only be A or I.

    CQNAN RB J TNH CJYNM DWMNA CQN LQJRA

  4. No key. A word of one letter can only be A or I.

    Z JRN R YVIFE SP KYV GFEU

  5. No key. A word of one letter can only be A or I.

    O NOJ G TUZK OT EUAX JKYQ

  6. No key. Count the letters: the most common one is probably E.

    QEB QOBXPROB ZEBPQ FP KFKBQBBK PQBMP TBPQ LC QEB BIJ QOBB

Caesar wheel practice: answer key

  1. Shift 2 (A is written C): lunch is in the blue box
  2. Shift 19 (A is written T): wave twice if the coast is clear
  3. Shift 9 (A is written J): there is a key taped under the chair
  4. Shift 17 (A is written R): i saw a heron by the pond
  5. Shift 6 (A is written G): i hid a note in your desk
  6. Shift 23 (A is written X): the treasure chest is nineteen steps west of the elm tree

Pigpen cipher key card

Each letter is drawn as the lines that surround it on the key. A dot means the letter comes from a dotted figure.

  • A
  • B
  • C
  • D
  • E
  • F
  • G
  • H
  • I
  • J
  • K
  • L
  • M
  • N
  • O
  • P
  • Q
  • R
  • S
  • T
  • U
  • V
  • W
  • X
  • Y
  • Z

Write your name in pigpen:

Next step Two discs mastered? Try a whole row of wheelsAnother paper cipher: wrap a strip round a rod

How it works

This Caesar cipher wheel printable draws both discs on one sheet to print, cut out and pin. Turn the small disc and every letter gets a partner. It has all 25 shifts, 24 practice messages and a pigpen key.

Read the full guide

Print, cut, pin

Print the wheel makes one sheet for A4 or Letter. Card is best; paper glued to a cereal box works. Push a split pin through the two centre crosses. Turn D under A for shift 3, the one Suetonius records for Julius Caesar: COLD becomes FROG.

A worksheet at four levels

Under Practice worksheet, Print a worksheet prints six messages and their answer key. Worksheet level sets the clue: Level 1 prints the shift, Level 2 a key letter, as in A is written H. Level 3 prints no key, but each message holds a one-letter word, A or I. In Level 4 the commonest letter stands for E. For a Caesar cipher worksheet of your own, type into Your own messages, one per line.

Tips
  • Shift 13 (ROT13) is half of 26, so one turn both encodes and decodes, and IRK swaps with VEX.
  • To undo a shift, set the wheel to 26 minus it: Shift 23 undoes Caesar's 3. A way into remainders.
  • The pigpen cipher decoder printable is under Pigpen key card. Two orders are common. Nonsense out? Switch Pigpen letter order.

Questions and answers

Which disc do I read when decoding?

The small one. Find the code letter on the inner disc and write the outer letter touching it. Encoding runs the other way, outside to inside. Read it the wrong way round and the message shifts a second time. The result is tidy nonsense.

How can a class crack a message with no key?

Try every shift until words appear. For a pasted code, Try all 25 shifts lists them. Or tally the letters, since the commonest is probably E. In the Level 4 message that starts FTQ EQODQF, Q appears 16 times, so turn Q under E.

How many shifts does a Caesar cipher have?

Twenty-five. Shift 26 brings every letter home. So few keys are quick to try: the Russian army used the cipher in 1915, Wikipedia records, and German and Austrian codebreakers had little difficulty. Pigpen is no stronger. Keep both for treasure hunts and lessons.

More tools

Browse Text styles

All 75 shifts, messages and symbols

The 25 shifts 25

  • Shift 1 Turn B under A. ADD becomes BEE. Shift 25 undoes it. Suetonius says Augustus used this one: B for A, C for B and so on, with AA for X.
  • Shift 10 Turn K under A. MEET becomes WOOD. Shift 16 undoes it.
  • Shift 11 Turn L under A. HIDE becomes STOP. Shift 15 undoes it.
  • Shift 12 Turn M under A. GIFT becomes SURF. Shift 14 undoes it.
  • Shift 13 (ROT13) Turn N under A. IRK becomes VEX, and VEX becomes IRK. This is ROT13. Thirteen is half of 26, so one turn both encodes and decodes, and the wheel never needs resetting.
  • Shift 14 Turn O under A. DAMP becomes ROAD. Shift 12 undoes it.
  • Shift 15 Turn P under A. DAZE becomes SPOT. Shift 11 undoes it.
  • Shift 16 Turn Q under A. NOON becomes DEED. Shift 10 undoes it.
  • Shift 17 Turn R under A. ARENA becomes RIVER. Shift 9 undoes it.
  • Shift 18 Turn S under A. BIAS becomes TASK. Shift 8 undoes it.
  • Shift 19 Turn T under A. APTLY becomes TIMER. Shift 7 undoes it.
  • Shift 2 Turn C under A. RYE becomes TAG. Shift 24 undoes it.
Show all 75 shifts, messages and symbols (63 more)

The 25 shifts, continued

  • Shift 20 Turn U under A. CURL becomes WOLF. Shift 6 undoes it.
  • Shift 21 Turn V under A. STY becomes NOT. Shift 5 undoes it.
  • Shift 22 Turn W under A. STIR becomes OPEN. Shift 4 undoes it.
  • Shift 23 Turn X under A. IRON becomes FOLK. Shift 3 undoes it. The same as three places to the left. It undoes Caesar's own setting.
  • Shift 24 Turn Y under A. KEG becomes ICE. Shift 2 undoes it.
  • Shift 25 Turn Z under A. JOLT becomes INKS. Shift 1 undoes it. One place to the left: every letter becomes the one before it.
  • Shift 3 Turn D under A. COLD becomes FROG. Shift 23 undoes it. The setting Suetonius records for Julius Caesar, by Wikipedia's account: A becoming D when encrypting.
  • Shift 4 Turn E under A. PECAN becomes TIGER. Shift 22 undoes it.
  • Shift 5 Turn F under A. FIZZ becomes KNEE. Shift 21 undoes it.
  • Shift 6 Turn G under A. FUSION becomes LAYOUT. Shift 20 undoes it.
  • Shift 7 Turn H under A. CHEER becomes JOLLY. Shift 19 undoes it.
  • Shift 8 Turn I under A. LOAF becomes TWIN. Shift 18 undoes it.
  • Shift 9 Turn J under A. SLEEP becomes BUNNY. Shift 17 undoes it. Wikipedia's article points out the reverse trip too: RIVER becomes ARENA.

Level 1: the shift is given 6

  • DRO VSLBKBI YZOXC KD XSXO Level 1. The sheet says shift 10. 21 letters in 5 words.
  • GWNSL DTZW WJI ZRGWJQQF Level 1. The sheet says shift 5. 20 letters in 4 words.
  • NWPEJ KU KP VJG DNWG DQZ Level 1. The sheet says shift 2. 19 letters in 6 words.
  • PHHW PH EB WKH ROG RDN WUHH Level 1. The sheet says shift 3. 21 letters in 7 words.
  • PSSO YRHIV XLI XLMVH WXIT Level 1. The sheet says shift 4. 21 letters in 5 words.
  • UIF DBU JT PO UIF SPPG BHBJO Level 1. The sheet says shift 1. 22 letters in 7 words.

Level 2: a key letter is given 6

  • GUR CNFFJBEQ VF CVARNCCYR Level 2. The sheet says A is written N. 22 letters in 4 words.
  • IMQF IUQJI QVJUH JXU RUBB Level 2. The sheet says A is written Q. 21 letters in 5 words.
  • MVSSVD AOL JOHSR HYYVDZ Level 2. The sheet says A is written H. 20 letters in 4 words.
  • PDA IWL EO EJOEZA PDA CHKXA Level 2. The sheet says A is written W. 22 letters in 6 words.
  • PTOX MPBVX BY MAX VHTLM BL VEXTK Level 2. The sheet says A is written T. 26 letters in 7 words.
  • SVWKS BPZMM BQUMA BPMV EIQB Level 2. The sheet says A is written I. 23 letters in 5 words.

Level 3: find the shift from a one-letter word 6

  • C QCFF VLCHA U ECNY IH ZLCXUS Level 3. No key given. The one-letter words C and U can only be A or I. 23 letters in 7 words.
  • CQNAN RB J TNH CJYNM DWMNA CQN LQJRA Level 3. No key given. The one-letter word J can only be A or I. 29 letters in 8 words.
  • L QZI CLY ALDE ESP HTYOZH LE OLHY Level 3. No key given. The one-letter word L can only be A or I. 26 letters in 8 words.
  • O NOJ G TUZK OT EUAX JKYQ Level 3. No key given. The one-letter words G and O can only be A or I. 19 letters in 7 words.
  • Y QRMPK GQ AMKGLE QM NYAI Y AMYR Level 3. No key given. The one-letter word Y can only be A or I. 25 letters in 8 words.
  • Z JRN R YVIFE SP KYV GFEU Level 3. No key given. The one-letter words R and Z can only be A or I. 19 letters in 7 words.

Level 4: no clue, count the letters 6

  • BSJSF HSZZ HVS CHVSF HSOA KVSFS HVS GSQFSH SBHFOBQS HC HVS RSB WG Level 4. No key given. S appears 15 times, more than any other letter, so try turning S under E. 53 letters in 13 words.
  • FTQ EQODQF YQQFUZS UE NQFIQQZ FTQ FTDQQ FMXX FDQQE NQTUZP FTQ ETQPE Level 4. No key given. Q appears 16 times, more than any other letter, so try turning Q under E. 56 letters in 12 words.
  • OZWF LZW TWDD JAFYK LZJWW LAEWK LZW WPHWJAEWFL TWYAFK Level 4. No key given. W appears 11 times, more than any other letter, so try turning W under E. 45 letters in 9 words.
  • QEB QOBXPROB ZEBPQ FP KFKBQBBK PQBMP TBPQ LC QEB BIJ QOBB Level 4. No key given. B appears 13 times, more than any other letter, so try turning B under E. 47 letters in 11 words.
  • RZ IZZY NZQZI CZGKZMN OJ NZO OCZ NXZIZ WZAJMZ OCZ BPZNON BZO CZMZ Level 4. No key given. Z appears 18 times, more than any other letter, so try turning Z under E. 53 letters in 13 words.
  • TKTGN TKTCXCV IWT ZTTETG UTTSH IWT VTTHT CTPG IWT VGTTC VPIT Level 4. No key given. T appears 19 times, more than any other letter, so try turning T under E. 50 letters in 11 words.

Pigpen key, letter by letter 26

  • Pigpen A Plain grid, top left: a line on the right and a line below, no dot.
  • Pigpen B Plain grid, top middle: a line on the left, a line on the right and a line below, no dot.
  • Pigpen C Plain grid, top right: a line on the left and a line below, no dot.
  • Pigpen D Plain grid, middle left: a line above, a line on the right and a line below, no dot.
  • Pigpen E Plain grid, centre: a closed square, no dot.
  • Pigpen F Plain grid, middle right: a line above, a line on the left and a line below, no dot.
  • Pigpen G Plain grid, bottom left: a line above and a line on the right, no dot.
  • Pigpen H Plain grid, bottom middle: a line above, a line on the left and a line on the right, no dot.
  • Pigpen I Plain grid, bottom right: a line above and a line on the left, no dot.
  • Pigpen J Dotted grid, top left: a line on the right and a line below, with a dot inside. On a grid, X, grid, X card this shape is N.
  • Pigpen K Dotted grid, top middle: a line on the left, a line on the right and a line below, with a dot inside. On a grid, X, grid, X card this shape is O.
  • Pigpen L Dotted grid, top right: a line on the left and a line below, with a dot inside. On a grid, X, grid, X card this shape is P.
  • Pigpen M Dotted grid, middle left: a line above, a line on the right and a line below, with a dot inside. On a grid, X, grid, X card this shape is Q.
  • Pigpen N Dotted grid, centre: a closed square, with a dot inside. On a grid, X, grid, X card this shape is R.
  • Pigpen O Dotted grid, middle right: a line above, a line on the left and a line below, with a dot inside. On a grid, X, grid, X card this shape is S.
  • Pigpen P Dotted grid, bottom left: a line above and a line on the right, with a dot inside. On a grid, X, grid, X card this shape is T.
  • Pigpen Q Dotted grid, bottom middle: a line above, a line on the left and a line on the right, with a dot inside. On a grid, X, grid, X card this shape is U.
  • Pigpen R Dotted grid, bottom right: a line above and a line on the left, with a dot inside. On a grid, X, grid, X card this shape is V.
  • Pigpen S Plain X, top: a V, open at the top, no dot. On a grid, X, grid, X card this shape is J.
  • Pigpen T Plain X, left: an arrowhead pointing right, open on the left, no dot. On a grid, X, grid, X card this shape is K.
  • Pigpen U Plain X, right: an arrowhead pointing left, open on the right, no dot. On a grid, X, grid, X card this shape is L.
  • Pigpen V Plain X, bottom: an upturned V, open at the bottom, no dot. On a grid, X, grid, X card this shape is M.
  • Pigpen W Dotted X, top: a V, open at the top, with a dot inside.
  • Pigpen X Dotted X, left: an arrowhead pointing right, open on the left, with a dot inside.
  • Pigpen Y Dotted X, right: an arrowhead pointing left, open on the right, with a dot inside.
  • Pigpen Z Dotted X, bottom: an upturned V, open at the bottom, with a dot inside.

How this list was compiled: The 25 shifts are every setting a 26-letter wheel has apart from no shift at all. The word pair beside each shift was found by a script that shifts every word of a dictionary word list and keeps the pairs where both are words; the pairs printed were picked from its output for being ordinary words. The 24 practice messages were written for this site and encoded by a script that decodes each one again with a separate routine and checks the two agree; the script also checks that every Level 3 message has a one-letter word and that E is the single most common letter of every Level 4 message. History is stated as Wikipedia records it in Caesar cipher (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caesar_cipher), Cipher disk (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cipher_disk) and Pigpen cipher (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pigpen_cipher), all read on 2026-09-19, with one correction. The Shift 1 note follows Suetonius himself, Life of Augustus 88, in J. C. Rolfe's translation at https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/Augustus*.html , read on 2026-09-20: he wrote B for A, C for B, and the rest of the letters on the same principle, using AA for X. The Wikipedia article gives the letter as Z, which the text does not support. The pigpen letter positions follow the key drawing on that article, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pigpen_cipher_key.svg, read the same day: A to I in the plain grid, J to R in the dotted grid, S, T, U, V at the top, left, right and bottom of the plain X, and W, X, Y, Z in the dotted X. The article names grid, X, grid, X as the other common order, and the list gives each shape's letter under that order too. Licence: own work; the pigpen letter positions follow the Wikimedia Commons key drawing named in the source line