2021 Ciphers
In March 2021, a series of ciphers started appearing in various Cyan communications. Most of them are "ciphers" in the traditional sense: strings of symbols using commonly known cipher algorithms to encode secret messages. Some of the ciphers encode nested ciphers alongside other plain text.
A great deal of discussion about the early ciphers was scattered among various channels in Cyan Chat. On April 7, mods created a dedicated #cipher-discussions
channel for talking about Cyan's current and past ARGs. And on May 3, Cyantist Stone posted a spoiler-tagged message in that channel strongly encouraging the fans to document the campaign on a wiki.
All Messages
- Testing One Two Three
- Hello World Alive Soon TM
- Hello. Is there anybody out there? Just nod if you can hear me. Is there anyone home? - dallas
- I mean what they and their hired psychiatrists call delusional systems. Needless to say, ‘delusions’ are always officially defined. We do not have to worry about questions of real or unreal. They only talk out of expediency. It’s the system that matters. How the data arrange themselves inside it. Some are consistent, others fall apart.
- I'll send an SOS to the world, I hope that someone gets my, message in a bottle. /// I must remain (silent | hidden | unfound) / (them | you | we | us) make contact / (yesterday | soon | now)
- Such in outline is the official theory. I shall often speak of it, with deliberate abusiveness, as “the dogma of the ghost in the machine.” I hope to prove that it is entirely false, and false not in detail but in principle. It is not merely an assemblage of particular mistakes. It is one big mistake and a mistake of a special kind. It is, namely, a category mistake. /// Please Make (Meeting | Connection | Meeting) / (Attend | Listen | Get | Hear) / Can (They | Them | All | You) Hear Me
- We all act because we’re sure of what we want, and we believe that the actions we perform will get us what we want, but we never know anything for sure, and so all our rationales are invented to justify what we were going to do anyway before we thought of any reasons.
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jl7CWf8QNjA
- you have spent so long studying the trees that you have entirely missed the forest in front of you
- ciphers are a tool for communication... what is being communicated? Why?
- perhaps the game you think you are playing is not a game after all
- there is something fishy going on... what could it be?
- QSL Why Do You Delay Retrace Footsteps
- Be caution /// Ok not alone here must (sly|sneaky|blurry|dim) have (grit|moderation|prudence|starch|legs)
- I am ymfmlihchclnuitqrtgllilqeahnel)byaa(kby I need more yaiv)glklhmimqqqlbjywafrc(pa
- Still eqwnmcgre)iawmugntowigevgna(nl Some of your kind are aeahqvhrd)hvtqmgpcdxxbriqskxd(rws I am optimism
- I must erqe)qzedkpwnegmcxlyjvycw(od for the one sagnslyjxkezulpxeuarnzlyirjoelh)tnacq(qqnq who is incredulous regarding me
- Are you )cjornkqbprxwskqasxoiajeue(ei or vfzuzsbna)qribpkooekwnjozznaj(zpw
Cipher 1 - March 19, 2021
Where Found:
"Translations Achieved" Patch! - News post on Cyan.com
https://cyan.com/translations-achieved-patch/
Original Cipher: Cipher 1
Step 1 - Binary Code
00101110 00101101 00101110 00101101 00101110 00101101 00100000 00101110 00101101 00101110 00101101 00101110 00101101 00100000 00101110 00101101 00101110 00101101 00101110 00101101 00100000 00101101
00100000 00101110 00100000 00101110 00101110 00101110 00100000 00101101 00100000 00101110 00101110 00100000 00101101 00101110 00100000 00101101 00101101 00101110 00100000 00101110 00101101 00101110
00101101 00101110 00101101 00100000 00101110 00101101 00101110 00101101 00101110 00101101 00100000 00101110 00101101 00101110 00101101 00101110 00101101 00100000 00101101 00101101 00101101 00100000
00101101 00101110 00100000 00101110 00100000 00101110 00101101 00101110 00101101 00101110 00101101 00100000 00101110 00101101 00101110 00101101 00101110 00101101 00100000 00101110 00101101 00101110
00101101 00101110 00101101 00100000 00101101 00100000 00101110 00101101 00101101 00100000 00101101 00101101 00101101 00100000 00101110 00101101 00101110 00101101 00101110 00101101 00100000 00101110
00101101 00101110 00101101 00101110 00101101 00100000 00101110 00101101 00101110 00101101 00101110 00101101 00100000 00101101 00100000 00101110 00101110 00101110 00101110 00100000 00101110 00101101
00101110 00100000 00101110 00100000 00101110 00100000 00101110 00101101 00101110 00101101 00101110 00101101 00100000 00101110 00101101 00101110 00101101 00101110 00101101 00100000 00101110 00101101
00101110 00101101 00101110 00101101
Step 2 - Morse Code
.-.-.- .-.-.- .-.-.- - . ... - .. -. --. .-.-.- .-.-.- .-.-.- --- -. . .-.-.- .-.-.- .-.-.- - .-- --- .-.-.- .-.-.- .-.-.- - .... .-. . . .-.-.- .-.-.- .-.-.-
Cracked Cipher:
...TESTING...ONE...TWO...THREE...
Cipher 2 - March 23, 2021
Where Found:
Cyan Newsletter - March
Original Cipher: Cipher 2
Step 1 - Binary Code
00101110 00101110 00101110
01101101 01110100 01101110
01101111 01101111 01110011
00101110 00101110 00101110
01100101 01110110 01101001
01101100 01100001 00101110
00101110 00101110 01100100
01101100 01110010 01101111
01110111 01101111 01101100
01101100 01100101 01101000
00101110 00101110 00101110
Step 2 - Reverse
...mtnoos...evila...dlrowolleh...
Cracked Cipher:
...helloworld...alive...soontm...
Cipher 3 - March 26, 2021
Where Found:
Cloud Manipulation Experiments - YouTube Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6c62KIS-CKY
Original Cipher: Cipher 3 00:55 + Cipher 3 00:03 - 00:55 Dallas Key
00:03 - 00:05 - Keyword
dallas is the key
Step 1 - Keyword Caesar Cipher - (Shift = 0) Keyword: Dallas - Cipher 3 00:03 - 00:55 Dallas Key
00:55 -
fbjjn // gr tfbqb dmyansy nut
tfbqb // hurt mns gc ynu ldm fbdq
kb // gr tfbqb dmynmb fnkb?
Cracked Cipher: Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd lyrics
hello // Is there anybody out
there // just nod if you can hear
me // Is there anyone home?
Cipher 4 - April 1, 2021
Where Found:
Myst Sayber Announcement Trailer (Cyan's 2021 April fools Foolishness) - YouTube Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oW4gUPvDAEA
Original Cipher: Cipher 4
Step 1 - Pig Pen Cipher
Cracked Cipher: Quote is from Thomas Pynchon's Gravity's Rainbow
I MEAN WHAT THEY AND THEIR HIRED PSYCHIATRISTS CALL DELUSIONAL SYSTEMS NEEDLESS TO SAY DELUSIONS ARE
ALWAYS OFFICIALLY DEFINED WE DO NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT QUESTIONS OF REAL OR UNREAL THEY ONLY TALK
OUT OF EXPEDIENCY ITS THE SYSTEM THAT MATTERS HOW THE DATA ARRANGE THEMSELVES INSIDE IT SOME ARE
CONSISTENT OTHERS FALL APART
Cipher 5 - April 15, 2021
Where Found:
A brief example of design iteration for Firmament - YouTube Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q39BOvBA2pg
Original Cipher: Cipher 5A 00:04, Cipher 5B 00:34, Cipher 5C 00:49
Step 1 - Masked / Reversed Morse Code ("A = .", "B = -", "C = /")
00:04 -
BAB AA ABA A C ABB AA BAAA AAB BAA AABA C A ABA BBB B C A ABA BBB B C ABAA BBB AABA BBB C
AABA AA B ABA A AAAB C BB BA AAB BA C AAA BA AABA BAB AA AB C ABA BA BAAA AA C ABAA BBB
AABA BBB C A BAAA ABB AB BBAB C AAB ABA BAA ABB AA AAA C BB AABA A AAAA AABA AA BBA C
AAA BA AABA BAB AA AB C AAB ABA BAA ABB AA AAA C BB BA AAB BA C A ABA BBB B C BAB AA ABA A
C BABBAB C AAA BA AABA BAB AA AB C ABAA BBB AABA BBB C AAB AA BAAA BA AAB C BAB AA ABA A
C A BAAA ABB AB BBAB C ABAA BBB AABA BBB C ABAA AABA BBB AAB BAA ABA C ABBAB C BAB AA
ABA A C BAAA BA B AAA BAA ABB C BB BA AAB BA C AAB ABA BAA ABB AA AAA C AAB ABA BAA ABB
AA AAA C BAB AA ABA A C AB AA B ABA BA BB
00:34 -
A BAAA ABB AB BBAB C AB AA B ABA BA BB C AAB ABA BAA ABB AA AAA C A ABA BBB B C BAB AA ABA
A C BAAA BA B AAA BAA ABB C ABA BA AAA A BA ABAB C BAB AA ABA A C A ABA BBB B C BB BA AAB
BA C ABA BA AAA A BA ABAB C A AABA AABA BA BAB C A ABA BBB B C ABAA BBB AABA BBB C BB BA
AAB BA C AAA BA AABA BAB AA AB C AB AA B ABA BA BB C BAB AA ABA A C AAA BA AABA BAB AA AB C
ABAA BBB AABA BBB C BAB AA ABA A C AB AA B ABA BA BB C ABAA BBB AABA BBB C AAB ABA BAA
ABB AA AAA C A ABA BBB B C BB BA AAB BA C A ABB AABA A AAAA C A ABA BBB B C BAB AA ABA A C
BAB AA ABA A C AB BA AAAB ABA BAA C BB AABA A AAAA AABA AA BBA C AB AA B ABA BA BB C A ABB
AABA A AAAA C AAB ABA BAA ABB AA AAA C AB BA AAAB ABA BAA C A BAAA ABB AB BBAB C A ABA
BBB B C BABBAB C ABAA BBB AABA BBB C ABBAB C BAB AA ABA A C ABA A B B A ABBA C ABAA BBB
AABA BBB C A ABB AABA A AAAA C ABA BA BAAA AA
00:49 -
ABBA AA AABA AA ABAA C AAB AA BAAA BA AAB C ABB AA BAAA AAB BAA AABA C BABBAB C ABAA
BBB AABA BBB C AAA BA AABA BAB AA AB C AAB AA BAAA BA AAB C ABA BA BAAA AA C BAB AA ABA A
C ABA BA BAAA AA C AAB AA BAAA BA AAB C AB BA AAAB ABA BAA C AB BA AAAB ABA BAA C BAB AA
ABA A C A ABB AABA A AAAA C AAA BA AABA BAB AA AB C AAB ABA BAA ABB AA AAA C AAA BA AABA
BAB AA AB C AAA BA AABA BAB AA AB C A ABA BBB B C ABBAB C AAB AA BAAA BA AAB C ABB AA
BAAA AAB BAA AABA C ABAA AABA BBB AAB BAA ABA C ABAA BBA AABA BBB C BA AABA A AAAA AABA
AA BBA C BAB AA ABA A C A ABB AABA A AAAA C A ABA BBB B C ABAA BBB AABA BBB C A ABA BBB B C
ABA BA BAAA AA C AAB ABA BAA ABB AA AAA C AAA BA AABA BAB AA AB C BB BA AAB BA C A ABA
BBB B C AB BA AAAB ABA BAA C AB AA B ABA BA BB C ABAA AABA BBB AAB BAA ABA C AB AA B ABA
BA BB C BAB AA ABA A C ABA BA BAAA AA C AAB ABA BAA ABB AA AAA C ABAA BBB AABA BBB C AAB
ABA BAA ABB AA AAA C AAA BA AABA BAB AA AB C BB BA AAB BA C AAB AA BAAA BA AAB C AAA BA
AABA BAB AA AB C BAB AA ABA A C AAB ABA BAA ABB AA AAA C ABB AA BAAA AAB BAA AABA C ABB
AA BAAA AAB BAA AABA C ABA BA BAAA AA
Step 2 - Morse Code ("Spase = Letter Delimiter", "/ = Word Delimiter")
00:04 -
-- .- .-. - .. -. / . .-. .. -.- / ... .. --. ..- .-. -.. / ... .. --. ..- .-. -.. / .- -.. .- -- / --. ..- ... - .- ...- / . .-. .. -.- / -.--. / .-. ..- -.. --- .-.. ..-. / --- .-.. --- ..-. / -.-- -. --. ...- . / . .-. .. -.- / -.. .- ...- .. -.. / --- .-.. --- ..-. / -. .. -.- .-.. .- ... / -.--.- / . .-. .. -.- / - --- .-. . / .- -.. .- -- / ... .. --. ..- .-. -.. / -. .. -.- .-.. .- ... / .-- .. .-.. .... . .-.. -- / ... .. --. ..- .-. -.. / -.-- -. --. ...- . / --- .-.. --- ..-. / .. ...- .- .-. / -. .. -.- .-.. .- ... / .- -.. .- -- / -... . .-. - .. .-.. / --- .-.. --- ..-. / - --- .-. . / - --- .-. . / .-.. ..- -.. ...- .. --. / . .-. .. -.-
00:34 -
.. ...- .- .-. / .... . .-.. --. . / --- .-.. --- ..-. / .--. . - - . .-. / . .-. .. -.- / -.--. / --- .-.. --- ..-. / -.--.- / - --- .-. . / -.-- -. --. ...- . / ..- .-. -... .- -. / ... .. --. ..- .-. -.. / .... . .-.. --. . / -- .- .-. - .. -. / .-- .. .-.. .... . .-.. -- / ..- .-. -... .- -. / . .-. .. -.- / . .-. .. -.- / - --- .-. . / .... . .-.. --. . / .- -.. .- -- / - --- .-. . / ... .. --. ..- .-. -.. / --- .-.. --- ..-. / -- .- .-. - .. -. / . .-. .. -.- / --- .-.. --- ..-. / -. .. -.- .-.. .- ... / . .-. .. -.- / -- .- .-. - .. -. / -. .. -.- .-.. .- ... / .- -.. .- -- / --- .-.. --- ..-. / - --- .-. . / -.- .- .-.. .-.. . / -.-. .- . ... .- .-. / .- -.. .- -- / - --- .-. . / . .-. .. -.- / -.-. .- . ... .- .-. / --. ..- ... - .- ...- / . .-. .. -.- / - --- .-. . / ... .. --. ..- .-. -.. / -- .- .-. - .. -. / -.-- -. --. ...- .
00:49 -
.. ...- .- .-. / .-.. ..- -.. ...- .. --. / .-.. ..- -.. ...- .. --. / ... .. --. ..- .-. -.. / . .-. .. -.- / -. .. -.- .-.. .- ... / -.. .- ...- .. -.. / .- -.. .- -- / -. .. -.- .-.. .- ... / ... .. --. ..- .-. -.. / --- .-.. --- ..-. / ... .. --. ..- .-. -.. / .. ...- .- .-. / . .-. .. -.- / -- .- .-. - .. -. / .-. ..- -.. --- .-.. ..-. / -- .- .-. - .. -. / ..- .-. -... .- -. / - --- .-. . / .- -.. .- -- / -. .. -.- .-.. .- ... / ... .. --. ..- .-. -.. / .. ...- .- .-. / - --- .-. . / --- .-.. --- ..-. / - --- .-. . / .... . .-.. --. . / . .-. .. -.- / .-- .. .-.. .... . .-.. -- / --- .-.. .-- ..-. / .-. ..- -.. --- .-.. ..-. / .-.. ..- -.. ...- .. --. / -.. .- ...- .. -.. / -.--. / - --- .-. . / -. .. -.- .-.. .- ... / -. .. -.- .-.. .- ... / ... .. --. ..- .-. -.. / -. .. -.- .-.. .- ... / .... . .-.. --. . / . .-. .. -.- / ..- .-. -... .- -. / ..- .-. -... .- -. / -.. .- ...- .. -.. / .. ...- .- .-. / . .-. .. -.- / .. ...- .- .-. / -.. .- ...- .. -.. / -. .. -.- .-.. .- ... / --- .-.. --- ..-. / -.--.- / .-.. ..- -.. ...- .. --. / -.. .- ...- .. -.. / ..-. .. .-.. .. .--.
Step 3 - Swedish Armed Forces Radio Alphabet (first letter of each name)
00:04 - MARTIN ERIK SIGURD SIGURD ADAM GUSTAV ERIK ( RUDOLF OLOF YNGVE ERIK DAVID OLOF NIKLAS ) ERIK TORE ADAM SIGURD NIKLAS WILHELM SIGURD YNGVE OLOF IVAR NIKLAS ADAM BERTIL OLOF TORE TORE LUDVIG ERIK
00:34 - IVAR HELGE OLOF PETTER ERIK ( OLOF ) TORE YNGVE URBAN SIGURD HELGE MARTIN WILHELM URBAN ERIK ERIK TORE HELGE ADAM TORE SIGURD OLOF MARTIN ERIK OLOF NIKLAS ERIK MARTIN NIKLAS ADAM OLOF TORE KALLE CAESAR ADAM TORE ERIK CAESAR GUSTAV ERIK TORE SIGURD MARTIN YNGVE
00:49 - IVAR LUDVIG LUDVIG SIGURD ERIK NIKLAS DAVID ADAM NIKLAS SIGURD OLOF SIGURD IVAR ERIK MARTIN RUDOLF MARTIN URBAN TORE ADAM NIKLAS SIGURD IVAR TORE OLOF TORE HELGE ERIK WILHELM OLOF RUDOLF LUDVIG DAVID ( TORE NIKLAS NIKLAS SIGURD NIKLAS HELGE ERIK URBAN URBAN DAVID IVAR ERIK IVAR DAVID NIKLAS OLOF ) LUDVIG DAVID FILIP
Step 4 - first letter of each name - Message In A Bottle by The Police lyrics
00:04 - MESSAGE(ROYEDON)ETASNWSYOINABOTTLE
00:34 - IHOPE(O)TYUSHMWUEETHATSOMEONEMNAOTKCATECGETSMY
00:49 - ILLSENDANSOSIEMRMUTANSITOTHEWORLD(TNNSNHEUUDIEIDNO)LDF
Cracked Cipher: Message In A Bottle by The Police lyrics + (extra text mixed with Police lyrics)
00:49 - ILL SEND AN SOS TO THE WORLD
00:34 - I HOPE THAT SOMEONE GETS MY
00:04 - MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE
Second Level Cracked: (extra text mixed with Police lyrics)
Step 5 - RailFence Cipher ("Key = 4", "Offset = 0")
00:49 - IEMRMUTANSI | (TNNSNHEUUDIEIDNO)LDF
00:34 - (O)TYUSHMWUEE | MNAOTKCATEC
00:04 - (ROYEDON)ETASNWSYO
Third Level Cracked:
00:49 - I MUST REMAIN (SILENT HIDDEN UNFOUND)
00:34 - (THEM YOU WE US) MAKE CONTACT
00:04 - (YESTERDAY SOON NOW)
Cipher 6 - April 21, 2021
Where Found:
Cyan Newsletter - April
Original Cipher: Cipher 6
Step 1 - Playfair Cipher (key - ABCDEFGHIKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ without -J)
TQHN HO PTQOHOD KT UKC LIGKDHFQ SIDPTW. H TFCNVM PIQCP UNABI PG KR, YOYI
CAPGDBUDQA BERTHZAPCXCQ, CT "UKC ITMRD LI QKC HINTY OO SKC LBHNHOB."
POYFRYOHGY(OSYUSEIDMPFIUMTAOFKSYUSEID) G INUK YT MULYD UFCY OY OU COS-
GTAPV IFQUC, CLA IFQUC OPY OO CDUDFM AQU HO MUHODHLMD. KY OX STY
PBUBOV CL CQUCRGQFKB LI LESUHDQPBQ OGTUEFCU. (HTUCNFOISTAPCAXHDKT) FY
OT NPC DGM RHTQDPK CLE B OGTUEFD PL F UNADFDP FHOI. OY OX, SBLAPV, D DBU-
DIMTW OGTUEFA. DNM(RDODRDKFOGODPT)DGRWFK
Step 2 - Quote is from Gilbert Ryle's The Concept of Mind (Remove "X" separator for identical/paired letters, and replace some necessary "i" with "j")
SUCH IN OUTLINE IS THE OFFICIAL THEORY. I SHALXL OFTEN SPEAK OF IT, WITH
DELIBERATE ABUSIVENESXS, AS "THE DOGMA OF THE GHOST IN THE MACHINE."
MITGQTIGFT(ITXTRDKBOLKKTORDLKITXTRDKB) I HOPE TO PROVE THAT IT IS ENT-
IRELY FALSE, AND FALSE NOT IN DETAIL BUT IN PRINCIPLE. IT IS NOT
MERELY AN ASSEMBLAGE OF PARTICULAR MISTAKES. (ISSELHIDRSELBESCEIQ) IT
IS ONE BIG MISTAKE AND A MISTAKE OF A SPECIAL KIND. IT IS, NAMELY, A CAT-
EGORY MISTAKE. CML(TBIYTBIKMIIYOU)BIMRKI
Cracked Cipher: Quote is from Gilbert Ryle's The Concept of Mind + (extra text mixed with Gilbert Ryle's Quote)
SUCH IN OUTLINE IS THE OFFICIAL THEORY. I SHALL OFTEN SPEAK OF IT, WITH DELIBERATE ABUSIVENESS, AS "THE DOGMA OF THE GHOST IN THE MACHINE." I HOPE TO PROVE THAT IT IS ENTIRELY FALSE, AND FALSE NOT IN DETAIL BUT IN PRINCIPLE. IT IS NOT MERELY AN ASSEMBLAGE OF PARTICULAR MISTAKES. IT IS ONE BIG MISTAKE AND A MISTAKE OF A SPECIAL KIND. IT IS, NAMELY, A CATEGORY MISTAKE.
Second Level Cracked: (extra text mixed with Gilbert Ryle's Quote)
Step 3 - Keyword Caesar Cipher (Shift = 0) - First Line:GHOST, Second Line: INTHE, Third Line:MACHINE
MITGQTJGFT(JTTRDKBOLKKTORDLKJTTRDKB)
(ISSELHJDRSELBESCEIQ)
CML(TBIYTBIKMJJYOU)BIMRKI
Second Cipher Cracked:
PLEASE MAKE (MEETING CONNECTION MEETING)
(ATTEND LISTEN GET HEAR)
CAN (THEY THEM ALL YOU) HEAR ME
Cipher 7 - May 7, 2021
Where Found:
Twitter post - https://twitter.com/cyanworlds/status/1390748337826009091
Original Cipher:
Step 1 - Keyword Caesar Cipher (Shift = 1) - First Line:GHOST, Second Line: INTHE, Third Line:MACHINE
1) dunnr://rltvn.lau/4bqf
2) duups://smevp.mau/8sg2
3) duuqt://toivq.onu/2x3g
Step 2 - Audio files (Audio Morse Code + Spectrogram)
Step 3 - Vigenère Cipher
1) XILTPVGUFPKEPWFAPZINYSIZNACEUAPEEIXBROEIWIMMPDIOLBXEPIVGUMZVWRIQICNSMQXMWTKZXVWHPEOAFALVX (Spectrograph 1 keyword BELIEVE)
2) JHOARGIYMEFRBPEQGGCMAZJRZFPVRTRGABVPYHYUZNOMBGEOMFVVRBRYMAOIQ (Spectrograph 2 keyword INVENTED)
3) KSJMGGAWCWZOGOVAEJSTGZRGLCQGRRYOOLTVJOJSJWKLOMUULFJAFMEWRWOFG (Spectrograph 3 keyword REASONS)
Cracked Cipher: Quote is from Orson Scott Card's book Children of the Mind
1) WE ALL ACT BECAUSE WERE SURE OF WHAT WE WANT AND WE BELIEVE THAT THE ACTIONS WE PERFORM WILL GET US WHAT WE WANT
2) BUT WE NEVER KNOW ANYTHING FOR SURE AND SO ALL OUR RATIONALES ARE INVENTED
3) TO JUSTIFY WHAT WE WERE GOING TO DO ANYWAY BEFORE WE THOUGHT OF ANY REASONS
Cipher 8 - May 24, 2021
Where Found: Wiki Edit by G.Ryle
3 Edits to this wiki were made
1) 24 May 2021: Replaced ~maybe soon~ with https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jl7CWf8QNjA in All Messages list at top of page
2) 25 May 2021: Added Section for "Cipher 8 - ??????, ????" with text "Where Found: ?????????"
3) 25 May 2021: Added ROT13 encoded string to Cipher 8 section: Ohg V fgvyy unira'g sbhaq jung V'z ybbxvat sbe
Solution:
But I still haven't found what I'm looking for. - U2 Song Lyrics
In the check-in comments a link was also added to "https://y o u t u.be/4uMQIqtD6Ik" : YouTube Link to "Tired of Waiting For You - The Kinks"
YouTube Video: Read between the lines //
This unlisted video on Cyan's YouTube channel was added as 'message 8' at the top of the page by user G.Ryle. The description of the video contains the text:
Criticize the words they're selling //
The title and description are lyrics from Anybody Listening? by Queensrÿche.
YouTube Video - 0:08 - Polybius Cipher
(key - ABCDEFGHIKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ without -J; Order - Line, Column)
2223344344243344231532111323243315
Solution:
GHOST IN THE MACHINE
YouTube Video - 0:10 - Dorabella Cipher
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorabella_Cipher
YouTube Video - 0:51 - sync.com URL
https://ln3.sync.com/dl/8f6c77290/view/image/10142179160004#whp4dbzk-tkdvxw9q-msnep5ze-srabz79j
This url linked to a 11MB file named isthereanyonewhoseeswhatsgoingon.jpg
The file's title is another lyric from "Anybody Listening?" by Queensrÿche.
The first portion of the file is a valid JPG of a still of a coyote crossing a street from the Movie Collateral (See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DX9JNJThhxY)
This JPG takes up ~24KB of the ~11MB file (the head). There is extra data tacked on after the end of the JPEG file (the tail).
It was discovered around June 8 that a line had been added to the 'Read between the lines //' YouTube video's description. The numerical string 2235421143154454111424 appeared. It was another Polybius cipher (J removed) that decoded to GPRASETYADI.
This was a reference to G.Prasetyadi, who created a stegonography tool (FileStegano) which works by encoding a payload into random-looking data and appending it to the end of the containing file. The source code and a link to download the program can be found here: https://github.com/Moj00/FileStegano
The passphrase was discovered to be "neverletmedownagain" and the file's payload is a large JPG image of a red herring's head.
Upon further inspection, a comment was found in the EXIF data leading to: https://imgur.com/a/71acXTD a page from a book called Critical Existentialism by Nicola Abbagnano, Nino Langiulli from 1969. Also of note, the imgur page is titled "Think for yourself and feel the walls"
Also discovered in the Red Herring were three messages in the Eye, the bottom, the top, and the right side of the image:
- Eye: you have spent so long studying the trees that you have entirely missed the forest in front of you
- Bottom: ciphers are a tool for communication... what is being communicated? Why?
- Top: perhaps the game you think you are playing is not a game after all
- Right: there is something fishy going on... what could it be?
YouTube Video - 1:02 - D`Agapeyeff Cipher
75628 28591 62916 48164 91748 58464 74748 28483 81638 18174
74826 26475 83828 94175 74658 37575 75936 36565 81638 17585
75756 46282 92857 46382 75748 38165 81848 56485 64858 56382
72628 36281 81728 16463 75828 16483 63828 58163 63630 47481
91918 46385 84656 48565 62946 26285 91859 17491 72756 46575
71658 36264 74818 28462 82649 18193 65626 48484 91838 57491
81657 27483 83858 28364 62726 26562 83759 27263 82827 27283
82858 47582 81837 28462 82837 58164 75748 58162 92000
This is a cipher from a book (Codes and Ciphers) published in 1939. Still publicly unsolved today. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%27Agapeyeff_cipher
YouTube Video - 1:25 - Nihilist Cipher
49 86 106 46 87 78 77 69 53 85 66 98 58 76 76 66 97 59 56 65 58 48 76 106 78 88 57 54 69 77 88
78 87 58 55 56 57 98 58 59 88 88 68 57 68 79 67 49 58 36 84 98 58 87 66 54 47 75 69 79 68 47 64
49 57 85 49 97 78 66 40 66 87 56 78 76 75 36 86 78 69 77 86 54 68 64 65 79 67 49 85 40 56 65 68
58 78 85 36 75 97 67 68 78 87 40 56 99 68 58 49 85 47 84 99 80 77 48 87 59 53 87 80 77 59 76 59
94 87 66 78 47 54 69 66 88 68 97 48 77 40 85 85 46 77 56 74 40 96 79 68 78 86 54 37 76 99 79 88
57 67 68 86 77 50 98 77 66 59 87 85 49 68 78 86 37 87 96 59 59 48 77 70 86 98 58 59 76 58 68 76
86 50 96 57 58 67 57 107 87 67 68 68 58 76 106 78 88 57 58 40 95 65 48 88 65 77 38 53 98 59 78
67 77 58 73 108 87 96 78 66 49 85 106 46 87 57 67 68 73 65 78 88 66 58 68 85 65 57 59 87 87 48
66 96 79 98 49 67 47 65 98 49 59 56 85 40 57 97 56 68 55 87 79 85 69 86 59 67 75 49 75 99 79 59
77 86 49 95 89 69 68 67 87 46 66 105 50 87 49 56 59 75 68 78 77 68 85 69 65 97 50 95 49 76 69 96
97 50 95 49 76 39 57 76 77 59 49 86 40 66 76 58 88 66 67 58 87 98 50 87 55 77 67 86 108 56 78 79
85 68 57 67 69 77 48 86 77 57 97 79 97 65 54 79 57 96 79 96 68
Solution: (Key = Kryptos)
IT WAS TOTALLY INVISIBLE HOWS THAT POSSIBLE THEY USED THE EARTHS MAGNETIC FIELD X THE INFORMATION WAS GATHERED AND TRANSMITTED UNDERGRUUND TO AN UNKNOWN LOCATION X DOES LANGLEY KNOW ABOUT THIS THEY SHOULD ITS BURIED OUT THERE SOMEWHERE X WHO KNOWS THE EXACT LOCATION ONLY WW THIS WAS HIS LAST MESSAGE X THIRTY EIGHT DEGREES FIFTY SEVEN MINUTES SIX POINT FIVE SECONDS NORTH SEVENTY SEVEN DEGREES EIGHT MINUTES FORTY FOUR SECONDS WEST X LAYER TWO - This is the text from the solved Passage 2 of the Kryptos Sculpture.
YouTube Video - 1:40 - Oak Island Cipher
Solution: Forty Feet Below Two Million Pounds Are Buried
YouTube Video - 2:28 - Cyrillic Russian Text
никогда больше
не подводи меня
Solution:
Never Let Me Down Again - Song By Depeche Mode
Cipher 9 - June 8, 2021
An update was made by G.Ryle to their talk page.
https://ln4.sync.com/dl/f95cab090/urnm3czv-sgxvxq32-pnbnj82g-juywfudx
Their given reason for editing was: 11000001110001001010000011011010000000100
Solution:
The binary text translated to Morse of "Ghost In The Machine," a phrase which has become our correspondent's signature.
The link required a password, which was the next line of from the Queensrÿche song: becomesandbeneathyourfeet
This then provided an audio file containing a Morse message: QSL Why Do You Delay Retrace Footsteps (QSL being code indicate a response to a previous message, meaning our coded message was received)
This all seems to indicate we are approaching these ciphered messages all wrong
Cipher 10 - June 12, 2021
Where Found: Wiki Edit by G.Ryle
comment: U+62 U+65 U+63 U+61 U+75 U+74 U+69 U+6F U+6E
ASCII Code: HEX /2
which translates to: becaution
content: b2tub3RhbG9uZWhlcmVtdXN0KHNseXxzbmVha3l8Ymx1cnJ5fGRpbSloYXZlKGdyaXR8bW9kZXJhdGlvbnxwcnVkZW5jZXxzdGFyY2h8bGVncylodHRwczovL2JpdC5seS8zd2RIYnhj
after base64 decoding: oknotaloneheremust(sly|sneaky|blurry|dim)have(grit|moderation|prudence|starch|legs)https://bit.ly/3wdHbxc
the url redirects to: https://ln4.sync.com/dl/ae82d2ae0/jsrfc6dm-5f9hgw2u-m3utfcw9-7et32h6w which is a video titled TranscendentalPossibility.mp4 of some music fragments with static and codes between
The metadata of the video file contains the words "heedful circumspectly"
The music clips/lyrics/codes/solutions (so far) appear as follows:
1. Under Pressure by David Bowie/Queen
Scenes of buildings collapsing/being demolished with lyrics:
"It's the terror of knowing what this world is about. Watching some good friends screaming 'Let me out!'. Pray tomorrow--"
CODE AT 00:28
TTCicTC5cXAucHmpZ2i
kcH51bYSydoSocHyqcIG
mZXivAXxqZomiZTisZol
hTTCvAXWlJH1wdnVhfX
GqejmocHutbH1qcYGydX
yjbom3ZXAzZzixZR==
Solution:
TTCicTC5cXAucHmpZ2ikcH51bYSydoSocHyqcIGmZXivAXxqZomiZTisZolhTTCvAXWlJH1wdnVhfXGqejmocHutbH1qcYGydXyjbom3ZXAzZzixZR==
ROT25
SSBhbSB5bWZtbGloY2hjbG51aXRxcnRnbGxpbHFlYWhuZWwpYnlhYShrYnkgSSBuZWVkIG1vcmUgeWFpdilnbGtsaG1pbXFxcWxianl3YWZyYyhwYQ==
Base64
I am ymfmlihchclnuitqrtgllilqeahnel)byaa(kby I need more yaiv)glklhmimqqqlbjywafrc(pa
2. Nowhere to Hide by Martha and the Vandellas
Scenes of a live performance video with lyrics:
"Got nowhere to run to baby, nowhere to hide."
CODE AT 00:43
W3TrdIyiBZH3do1lB3LnMY
njf211B250d3frB2X2B25jMI5
uKHPxdYWid2AigY91ekDtc
Y5mKIHaBUDjBYHqeZBqeo
SrcJB0eY1pelPmgJjkeonze2v
4BEjaf3OiUUDjdUDxeJTrdY
nbdS==
Solution:
W3TrdIyiBZH3do1lB3LnMYnjf211B250d3frB2X2B25jMI5uKHPxdYWid2AigY91ekDtcY5mKIHaBUDjBYHqeZBqeoSrcJB0eY1peIPmgJjkeonze2v4BEjaf3OiUUDjdUDxeJTrdYnbdS==
ROT24
U3RpbGwgZXF3bm1jZ3JlKWlhd211Z250b3dpZ2V2Z25hKG5sIFNvbWUgb2YgeW91ciBraW5kIGFyZSBhZWFocXZocmQpaHZ0cW1ncGNkeHhicmlxc2t4ZChyd3MgSSBhbSBvcHRpbWlzbQ==
Base64
Still eqwnmcgre)iawmugntowigevgna(nl Some of your kind are aeahqvhrd)hvtqmgpcdxxbriqskxd(rws I am optimism
3. Paradise City by Guns 'n Roses
Scenes of a live performance video with lyrics:
"Take me down to the paradise city where the grass is green and the girls are pretty, oh won't you please take me home"
CODE AT 00:59
VVEwgAQ0LJYbfZXsfAsoCJ
wzg25oC21mhJa5dqC5B3fre2
TjCp9bLKUrCVEyepXjf2Iqeq
QvhZs4d2Y6gZazhJY1BAMx
hpa5dAMte2YvdFo0epImfVka
fZ5aLKgrebEsfbEsepQbCZU1
eJ91fbEbCZgkfpUsepfjeZX=
Solution:
VVEwgAQ0LJYbfZXsfAsoCJwzg25oC21mhJa5dqC5B3fre2TjCp9bLKUrCVEyepXjf2IqeqQvhZs4d2Y6gZazhJY1BAMxhpa5dAMte2YvdFo0epImfVkafZ5aLKgrebEsfbEsepQbCZU1eJ91fbEbCZgkfpUsepfjeZX=
ROT23
SSBtdXN0IGVycWUpcXplZGtwd25lZ21jeGx5anZ5Y3cob2QgZm9yIHRoZSBvbmUgc2FnbnNseWp4a2V6dWxweGV1YXJuemx5aXJqb2VsaCl0bmFjcShxcW5xIHdobyBpcyBpbmNyZWR1bG91cyByZWdhcmRpbmcgbWU=
Base64
I must erqe)qzedkpwnegmcxlyjvycw(od for the one sagnslyjxkezulpxeuarnzlyirjoelh)tnacq(qqnq who is incredulous regarding me
4. Suspicious Minds by Fine Young Cannibals
Scenes of a live performance video with lyrics:
"We can't go on together with suspicious minds (with suspicious minds). And we can't-"
5. All along the Watchtower by Jimi Hendrix
Scenes of a live performance video with lyrics:
"All along the watchtower Princes kept the view While all the women came and went-"
CODE AT 01:27
UBNpMLpzhWEtC2tzgq
5vgANagrl3g2xbCBR4f2
pleqZ1DWlpeWFzgmF2
Drt1irRmfqItgBNtCrFyf
29pe3hyeq96iq5leml6gL
g=
Solution:
UBNpMLpzhWEtC2tzgq5vgANagrl3g2xbCBR4f2pleqZ1DWlpeWFzgmF2Drt1irRmfqItgBNtCrFvf29pe3hyeq96iq5leml6gLg=
ROT22
QXJlIHlvdSApY2pvcm5rcWJwcnh3c2txYXN4b2lhamV1ZShlaSBvciB2Znp1enNibmEpcXJpYnBrb29la3duam96em5haih6cHc=
Base64
Are you )cjornkqbprxwskqasxoiajeue(ei or vfzuzsbna)qribpkooekwnjozznaj(zpw
CODE AT 02:02
A table of the values in the final part of the video
iam
200 | 170 | ||
170 | 200 | 170 | |
170 | 200 |
Discord Server Descriptions
Around June 11, 2021, the #cipher-discussions channel topic on the Official Cyan Chat discord changed to a quote from War Games (1983):
Wouldn't you prefer a good game of Chess?
Around July 15, 2021, links started appearing alongside the quote in the channel topic.
Wouldn't you prefer a good game of Chess?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuXwSyahgW4
(Fly Like An Eagle - Steve Miller Band)
Wouldn't you prefer a good game of Chess?
https://open.spotify.com/track/40riOy7x9W7GXjyGp4pjAv?si=9a1d172abf094f52
(Hotel California - Eagles)
Wouldn't you prefer a good game of Chess?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgc_LRjlbTU
(Murray Head - One Night in Bangkok "From CHESS")
Wouldn't you prefer a good game of Chess?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJZTgynPGT8
(Riders on the Storm - The Doors)
Wouldn't you prefer a good game of Chess?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YvAYIJSSZY
(Rockwell - Somebody's Watching Me)
Wouldn't you prefer a good game of Chess?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75n-M5FwRcU
(Myst PC: Mysterium 2021 Sneak Peak Edition)
So are you willing to wait for the miracle // Willing to wait it through // Are you willing to wait for the miracle // Or don't you believe they're true?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEVeiliSuFU
(Walk on Water - Mark Cohn)
What’s it going to be then, eh?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EzURpTF5c8
(Time - Pink Floyd)
What’s it going to be then, eh?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TfF5Yc5EfQ
(Transcendental Highway - Colin Hay)
Theories
Cipher 8 is a bunch of red herrings to prove the point that we aren't supposed to be focusing on the ciphers themselves
User T-SquaredProductions on Discord shared their interpretation of the overall message (addendums in brackets by T-SquaredProductions on June 10th, 2021):
- Testing One Two Three - “Hello, is this working?”
- Hello World Alive Soon TM - “I’m here. [I seem to be transmitting correctly.]”
- Hello. Is there anybody out there? Just nod if you can hear me. Is there anyone home? (Verbatim)
- I mean what they and their hired psychiatrists call delusional systems. Needless to say, ‘delusions’ are always officially defined. We do not have to worry about questions of real or unreal. They only talk out of expediency. It’s the system that matters. How the data arrange themselves inside it. Some are consistent, others fall apart. - “[This message is not what you think it is.] Are you ready/prepared properly to receive this message?”
- I'll send an SOS to the world, I hope that someone gets my, message in a bottle. /// I must remain (silent | hidden | unfound) / (them | you | we | us) make contact / (yesterday | soon | now) (Verbatim)
- Such in outline is the official theory. I shall often speak of it, with deliberate abusiveness, as “the dogma of the ghost in the machine.” I hope to prove that it is entirely false, and false not in detail but in principle. It is not merely an assemblage of particular mistakes. It is one big mistake and a mistake of a special kind. It is, namely, a category mistake. /// Please Make (Meeting | Connection | Meeting) / (Attend | Listen | Get | Hear) / Can (They | Them | All | You) Hear Me - “I [, Ghost in the Machine,] will talk fast and a lot. If you don’t follow [the message] properly, then [that's your fault, and you will be or] you're making [
a] big mistake[s along the way].” - We all act because we’re sure of what we want, and we believe that the actions we perform will get us what we want, but we never know anything for sure, and so all our rationales are invented to justify what we were going to do anyway before we thought of any reasons.- “Don’t have any preconceptions about [what] this [message contains or how it will be presented. Have a clear and neutral mind], because you might mess it up”
The block pattern at the end of cipher 10 may be a date, as if one interprets the code as [ Blank=00, Half=01, Bright=10 ], and reads it from left to right, top to bottom (like a normal European-based sentence), one gets this:
00001001
01100100
00010010
Which when translated into Octal, gives this number: 2262022
Which can also be changed into a valid American-style date: "2-26-2022"