No, ChatGPT didn't solve Kryptos 4

k4.md

So you think ChatGPT solved K4? You're not the only one. First, here's the K4 ciphertext and clues:

                           OBKR
UOXOGHULBSOLIFBBWFLRVQQPRNGKSSO
TWTQSJQSSEKZZWATJKLUDIAWINFBNYP
VTTMZFPKWGDKZXTJCDIGKUHUAUEKCAR

Jim Sandborn, the creator of the sculpture and puzzle has given us clues, revealing that characters:

• 22-25 FLRV decrypt to EAST.
• 26-34 QQPRNGKSS decrypt to NORTHEAST.
• 64-69 NYPVTT decrypt to BERLIN.
• 70-74 MZFPK decrypt to CLOCK.

That means we know the plaintext looks like this, where . represents an unknown character:

                           ....
.................EASTNORTHEAST.
............................BER
LINCLOCK.......................

Let's see how ChatGPT has fared:

1. https://www.reddit.com/r/cryptography/comments/1bkb09z/kryptos_panel_4_solved/ (archived)

BERLINCLOCKINNORTHEASTAREAKEYTOPUZZLE

2. https://www.reddit.com/r/cryptography/comments/12o4s49/4th_kryptos/ (archived)

BETWEENNORTHEASTANDNORTHWESTCRYPTOGRAPHICALLYTHEEASTWALLWASEIGHTFEETHIGH

3. https://www.reddit.com/r/Cipher/comments/12959e7/can_chatgpt_solve_4th_cipher_of_kryptos/ (archived)

EMUFPHZRFAXYUSDJKZLDKRNSHGNFIVJYQTQUXQBQVYUVLLTREVJYQTMKYRDMFD

4. https://www.reddit.com/r/Cipher/comments/137c02x/i_think_i_got_chatgpt_to_solve_kryptos/ (archived)

NORTHEASTOFTHETHIRDNUMBEREASTTOHERESIDEEASTOFTHEGREATRIVER

5. https://www.reddit.com/r/ChatGPT/comments/1clhewc/i_just_watch_a_video_on_unbreakable_kryptos_code/ (archived)

   Post: LONETOWERTHESIMPLEKEYWORDREUSEDMORETIMESITISAANOTHERLAYERISITATREASUREEASTOFBRAYRD
Comment: LUNCHATNOONTHEFAIRWAYOFTHEEASTNORTHEASTTIMEBERLINCLOCKSREACHTHREETHOUSANDNINEHUNDREDANDNINETYEIGHT

6. https://www.reddit.com/r/codes/comments/1czjkng/kryptos_code_gpt4_i_think_i_cracked_it_with/ (archived)

ATTENTIONATTENTIONTHECIPHERRULESTIPERASEDONLYOUTKNOWNBYKRYPTOSCREATORGOODJOBFIGURINGOUTTHEPUZZLEINYOURHANDSTIMELESSARTWORKDECODEDOFLATEYOUAREALREADYEARNINGRECOGNITIONFORDECIPHERING

Not only has ChatGPT provided different solutions of different lengths, it doesn't have the plaintext characters in the correct positions given what Jim Sandborn has told us, if it has them at all.

If you really believe you found the solution to K4, all you have to do is send in your solution with $50 to Jim Sandborn for him to confirm it. He's the only one who can confirm and announce the solution. But I'm guessing you don't have $50 worth of faith in ChatGPT.