Welcome

Welcome to a Kryptos fan site. You won’t find exhaustive compilations of Kryptos related news or factoids (although I’ve got links to those!) but you will find the rambling efforts of someone trying to find their way to the solution of K4 and beyond to the solution of Kryptos as a whole. Thanks for stopping by!

Kryptos Fan

You’ve got two options to get started:

  • The blog chronicling my efforts to solve the mysteries of Kryptos, specifically the fourth part of the Copperplate ciphertext.
  • My personal speculations and solution attempts.
  • Kryptos and Kryptos-related Contests
  • Or you could follow every link in the sitemap.  I’m not twisting your arm or anything…

-Kryptos Fan

15 Responses leave one →
  1. 2009 June 10
    ZoidyGirl permalink

    Hi Kryptosfan

    Ive been thinking about new ways to tackle the problem too and trying to decipher how K3 is instructing us towards solving the last of the text.

    Could “Remove passage debris that encumbered the lower doorway” indicate that the Vignere and the upper portion of the Cyphertext are no longer significant ie: debris to be removed, and that the remaining text is the “lower doorway” to figuring the Kryptos sculpture in its entirety?

    Perhaps then an operation needs to take place on the remaining Cyphertext as instructed “Make a breach in top left corner, widen hole, insert candle”…

    Finally what do you make of “Peered in”? Perhaps its to be read as paired in, or paired with the lower Cyphertext somehow?

    Z

    • 2009 June 10

      I’m torn. The Howard Carter journal synopsis is modified, yes, but there are two possible reasons. One, to fit the sculpture dimensions. Two, to indicate the actions that Sanborn took at the CIA courtyard, i.e. we have to be there to appreciate something he did. Three, to give us clues on solving K4.

      My gut says that the bulk of the “solved” parts of Kryptos relates to some final solution that Jim Sanborn used to express some philosophical point. Then he and Ed Scheidt sprinkled some clues here and there to help the solving of each section.

      As far as the flow of the plaintext or the “feel” of how it was worded/phrased, it seems there is a fairly good consensus that it is for some purpose. Whether it is itself a clue or a byproduct of some larger/later riddle, I don’t know.

      I’m 100% against the candle insertion method. If you read John Wilson’s own website (http://www.austininc.com/SciRealm/KryptosPart4.html) he includes a note about Jim Sanborn sending him an email on 01/21/05 saying, “Dear John, this is not the way, Jim”. This is because the idea has become so prevalent that it came up in the WIRED News interview. When Jim Sanborn says it’s not the way then I wouldn’t pursue it.

      Peered in = Paired in… Nice! It kind of fits a little with “Layer Two” doesn’t it?

  2. 2009 June 12

    Oooh! Why didn’t I see this comment earlier? In light of the Morse eeeee’s, you might be on to something.

  3. 2009 June 12

    Could removed mean “moved again?”

  4. 2009 June 19
    Alex Rosslyn permalink

    Hi kryptos fan!

    I became interested in Kryptos after I read the article in WIRED magazine. Good luck cracking K4!!

    Regards,

    ~~Alex Rosslyn

  5. 2009 July 4

    Hi,

    I haven’t taken proper time to hunt for the information, so any response will be one I am grateful for. My general question is:

    Is there an inventory of items and their published (confirmed) solutions?

    For example, I don’t know if the morse code has been interpreted into plaintext. I have ideas, we all do, but I’d like to contribute by bringing myself up to speed on what is -definitely- known good and how it was found. Is there a best document for this? (“I have a feeling that we’re going about this the hard way.”)

    I haven’t slept and I’m looking for low-hanging fruit. Much Obliged,
    Josh

    • 2009 July 4

      Ooh, good question… I’ve sort of acquired bits and pieces across several websites… This will sound cheesy but start at the Wikipedia entry. It gives a nice general overview and then you can take a gander at the articles and links. You’re right, it would be nice to have a very linear description of how things were solved and when. Unfortunately, the first three sections of Kryptos were solved by brute force and the fourth part has never been solved. We know the keyword for K1 is palimpsest and for K2 is abscissa but this is only because it’s possible to retrieve them after a successful brute force solution has been found. Originally K3 was speculated to be a route transposition and keyed-columnar but I’ve lately heard that it’s more likely to be a double rotational transposition. The Morse code has been “translated”but there’s some debate over it. If I had to pick a source to trust on the Morse code it would probably be Gary Phillips on his Realm of Twelve site but that’s mostly because I know he put some time and effort into it.

      A word of caution, searching online for Kryptos information you’ll find 3 types: #1 actual factual history and someone’s personal efforts to solve it, #2 thoughtless copy and paste from site to site of plagarized articles, #3 some crazies and their weird theories. I’ll let you decide if I fit all three or not…

      You’re not alone in thinking we’re going about this the hard way.

  6. 2009 July 24
    msmagnolia permalink

    Howdy folks,,
    one question FOR ALL>
    Not the kfore solution,
    BUT WHAT WOULD THE SOLUTION TO {THE STORY}
    of/behind KRYPTOS be valued at? or whats STORY WORTH?

    Knowing THE STORY, you see HOW the puzzle comes together,
    and yes, you get answers/hints WHICH SMART FOLKS SUCH AS
    YOURSELVES can utilize to solve kfore. I just stumbled
    across the story of the puzzle after downloading the PUBLIC
    intel off REALM OF TWELVE and ELONKAS nettached sites.

    so, I PROPOSE THE QUERWHY, WHAT’S THE STORY WORTH??
    thank you my NEW friends oh yeah, i BORROWED this
    computer while on vacation with my boss, i am
    an underemployed farmhand, so we are NOW off to
    the horse races. i’ll check back whenever i can
    borrow a putr again, as my 386 has DIED.
    It’s INTEL chip is petrifide, ossifide and
    Bonifidely ANTIQUATED! what ya thank, Mr Sanborn
    remember, to verify all Q U AN T I queries with MR Ed,
    even IF he is NOT a talking horse! oh well
    the boss bellows and i gotta go wipe down our entries
    in the races. thanks again
    MSMAGNOLIA

    • 2009 July 26

      You fell into our trap nicely by pretending to be crazy. One should be careful when drawing attention to themselves, particularly regarding something involving the CIA. Your lies have gone unbelieved but be sure that we’ll be watching.

  7. 2009 October 3
    msmagnolia permalink

    howdy FAN,
    again, I got the lost symbol, took me 5 mintues
    to find the lost symbol,,then less th an 30 mintues to
    find netdress to send info to….
    you can SEE all the ffolks lisssssted i sent to…
    to doc ument my nsanItee
    but i got it…THE LOST SYMBOL…and email doubledae also,

    I STILL KNOW THE SOLUTION/STORY OF KRYPTOS…
    I CAN SHOW YOU THE DOC’S ON THIS….
    THANKS AND GOOD/GREAT QUENTING MY FRIEND,
    at least i hope my friend,,
    and realmoftwelve is helpful site….
    TOO HELPFUL>>>>>i think maybeso……
    verryy intersting, as our friend who just passed away
    used to sae on 60’s beatniq show..
    and on celebreity squares show…
    MSMAGNOLIA 12oomn mississippi time
    (on a borowed site as i tranSIT back to NO PO MS I SEE!!
    coming up before me…on the istate

    • 2009 October 5

      I’m at a loss for words.

  8. 2009 November 2
    msmagnolia permalink

    thanks my friend,
    sorry to Bother you.
    i TRULy know the ANSWER to the Story
    of Kryptos..
    i am a PITIFUL NO-VICE at this stuff.
    as Elonka has on ?facebook? a dr/gardner
    (or farm-hand) may STUMBLE On the anser?
    thank you , i hope MY FRIEND to be one day.
    thanks
    A QUERY FOR MR SANBORN/MRSCHEIDT…?
    only cars park here? do no vans or pickups park here?
    THANKS

  9. 2009 November 2

    Now *I’m* at a loss for words. Ms. Magnolia, years ago I used to believe I stumbled upon a partial solution to Kryptos. I would write cryptically so that others who also “knew” the solution would be able to identify my correctness. It would have been more beneficial to me to speak plainly, especially after those who “knew” refused to acknowledge my efforts. Instead, I continued to hold to my ideas and miss out on some great opportunities to explore puzzles in a more open, community-oriented fashion.

    I wish you the best, but I don’t relate to anything you say except that it reminds me a little of myself years ago. Good luck. Tell the story — I promise that if you are correct, and your ideas are original, that you will get sole credit for them. Worst-cast, the consensus is that you are incorrect, not unlike many of our attempts — but that you have engaged in two-way conversation that may in turn give yourself insight into the puzzle in a way that can’t be done in vague monologue. I’m asking you to explain yourself openly, and be willing to accept any responses from a community well versed in proper technique.

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