In this video I explore an elaborate cryptographic internet puzzle orchestrated by a mysterious individual or group known as Cicada 3301.
Puzzle
The puzzle I hid in this video has been solved.
Cicada 3301: An Internet Mystery
May 19, 2018
Correction of 09:52 to 10:00
The image displayed on screen during this part of the video contains a typo. The word "road" has been incorrectly spelled as "raod". This is not a mistake by whomever is behind Cicada 3301 but a mistake on my part.
Correction of 11:57 to 12:01
I mispronounce the word "hypocritical" in this part of the video.
Credits
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Audio
References
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WikiaThis wiki documents the puzzles.
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Jan 4, 2017 rtkd GitHubArchive of miscellaneous puzzle assets.
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May 9, 2018 rtkd GitHubA toolset for working with the Liber Primus book.
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Niels ProvosSteganography software used extensively by Cicada 3301.
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5 #Cicada 3301 is Accused of HackingA Chilean news organization accused Cicada 3301 of hacking back in 2012 and Cicada issued a response soon thereafter.
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Apr 11, 2012 Andes Online
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Apr 18, 2012Note the British spelling of the word "organisations" in this message.
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6 #Cicada 3301 is Accused of CyberterrorismAfter a group using the same name and iconography as Cicada 3301 hacked a Planned Parenthood facility in 2015, news organizations confused the two groups and Cicada issued a response soon thereafter.
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Jul 27, 2015 William Turton The Daily Dot
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Jul 27, 2015 Megan Friedman ELLE
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Jul 28, 2015 PastebinOnce again, Cicada opt for the British spelling of the word "organisations".
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Jan 6, 2016 InfoTombIn 2016, Cicada released another cryptic message which appear to encourage a closer examination of the Liber Primus.
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Apr 4, 2017 PastebinAs of the making of this video, this is the latest public message from Cicada 3301.
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A similar puzzle developed by the GCHQ.
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The Codex
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Feb 4, 2015 Campbell Ewald YouTubeA similar puzzle developed by the US Navy.
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Jul 12, 2004 Google BlogA similar puzzle developed by Google.
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Sep 2, 2017 Hans Wennborg HansHQ
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Nov 25, 2013 Chris Bell The Telegraph
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Dec 30, 2013 Daniel P. Tucker WNYC
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Jan 15, 2015 David Kushner Rolling StoneInterview with two winners of the first puzzle. One goes by the username Tekk while the other uses his real name, Marcus Wanner.
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15 #Nox PopuliNox Populi claims to be one of the few winners of the second puzzle.
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@NoxPopuli3301
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Nox Populi
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Oct 6, 2016 Nox Populi YouTube
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RedditA subreddit dedicated to the mystery.
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17 #Wikipedia Articles
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a #Cicada 3301
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An ARG designed by Microsoft to promote the release of A.I.: Artificial Intelligence.
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c #I Love BeesAn ARG designed by Microsoft to promote the release of Halo 2.
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Jan 4, 2012 4chanThis appears to be the original 4chan thread posted to /b/ on the 4th of January, 2012.
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Jan 5, 2012 ImgurThis screencap seems to be the only surviving "archive" of the original 4chan thread.
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19 #The First ImageJan 4, 2012 Imgur
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Jan 4, 2012 race_bannon RedditA Reddit thread about the first puzzle was posted mere hours after the original 4chan thread.
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Jan 7, 2012 snogfarth RedditAnother early Reddit thread.
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Jan 5, 2012 4chanThe earliest archived 4chan thread about the first puzzle that I was able to find.
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Jan 8, 2012 4chanAnother early 4chan thread.
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24 #The Duck ImageJan 4, 2012 Imgur
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Jan 4, 2012 Reddit
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26 #The Mabinogion1849 Lady Charlotte Guest Project GutenbergThe subreddit lead to this book. Specifically the story titled "The Lady of the Fountain". It's interesting to note that the author of the submissions on the subreddit "CageThrottleUs" is an anagram for the woman who first transcribed the book into English "Charlotte Guess".
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Jan 9, 2012 habitres YouTube
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This page initially contained a countdown but was later updated with a list of coordinates.
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Technically, this is an archive of an archive of the original website.
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LEMMiNO Google My MapsA map I compiled of all the posters.
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Jan 10, 2012 Imgur
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Jan 10, 2012 Imgur
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Jan 10, 2012 Imgur
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Jan 12, 2012 Imgur
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Jan 19, 2012 xaxanon YouTube
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Jan 10, 2012 4chanThe QR codes on the posters linked to this image.
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Jan 10, 2014 Lurker69 Uncovering Cicada Wiki
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1992 William GibsonOne of the two texts found by examining the image of reference #30.
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1910 Project Gutenberg 6 3One of the two texts found by examining the image of reference #30.
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Feb 6, 2012 PastebinThis is allegedly a leaked email which finalists received at the end of the first puzzle.
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34 #3301:CicadaApr 15, 2012 n0v4 WikiA wiki which detailed the first puzzle as it was unfolding.
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Apr 30, 2012 GitHubArchive of the original wiki article.
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Aug 1, 2013 Counterhash Uncovering Cicada Wiki
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Aug 1, 2013 Counterhash Uncovering Cicada Wiki
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Jan 5, 2013 4chanOne of the original 4chan threads posted to /b/ on the 5th of January, 2013.
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Dec 16, 2013 PastebinThis Pastebin dump seem to be the only surviving "archive" of the original 4chan thread.
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Jan 5, 2013 4chanOne of the original 4chan threads posted to /x/ on the 5th of January, 2013.
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Dec 16, 2013 PastebinThis Pastebin dump seem to be the only surviving "archive" of the original 4chan thread.
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39 #The First ImageJan 5, 2013 Cuboid3301 Uncovering Cicada Wiki
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1904 Aleister Crowley Internet Sacred Text ArchiveThe information embedded within the image of reference #39 lead to this book.
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41 #The Disk ImageDropboxThis downloadable .ISO disk image consisted of a number of files as well as a bootable Tiny Core Linux distribution which some solvers have dubbed Cicada OS.
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Sep 25, 2016 MediaFire
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Jan 5, 2013 anon654154 YouTubeVideo of the boot sequence.
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Jan 5, 2013 Anon Ymous YouTubeVideo of the recording found within a folder titled "AUDIO" on the disk image.
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Jan 1, 2013 @1231507051321 TwitterThe disk image of reference #41 lead to this Twitter account.
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43 #Gematria PrimusJan 5, 2013 Brotherbox Uncovering Cicada WikiThrough a process known as XORing, this image of a gematric rune table was uncovered.
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LEMMiNO Google My MapsA map I compiled of all the posters.
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Jan 17, 2013 Imgur
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Jan 17, 2013 Imgur
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Jan 18, 2013 Resonance ss Uncovering Cicada Wiki
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Jan 21, 2013 Imgur
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Jan 23, 2013 Imgur
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Nov 28, 2013 ImgurAn archive of the 19 questions which finalists supposedly had to answer in order to progress through the final stages of the puzzle.
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January 5, 2013 Cuboid3301 Uncovering Cicada Wiki
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August 4, 2013 Counterhash Uncovering Cicada Wiki
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48 #Original TweetJan 6, 2014 @1231507051321 TwitterUnlike the first two puzzles, the third began with a tweet.
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Jan 6, 2014 Imgur
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1844 Ralph Waldo Emerson Dover Publications, Inc.The information embedded within the image of reference #48 lead to this book.
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Jan 28, 2014 Stephen Shkardoon YouTubeAt one point during the puzzle this recording was uncovered.
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1979 Douglas R. Hofstadter Basic BooksAnother book featured in the puzzle.
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52 #Liber PrimusMay 3, 2014 ImgurThe Liber Primus pages uncovered near the end of the puzzle.
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April 30, 2017 Lurker69 Uncovering Cicada Wiki
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May 20, 2017 Lurker69 Uncovering Cicada Wiki
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May 4, 2014 4chanA 4chan thread about the odd symbols featured on the pages of the book.
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May 9, 2016 Aeralys Uncovering Cicada Wiki
Overarching
The First Puzzle
The Second Puzzle
The Third Puzzle