Skip to content

Instantly share code, notes, and snippets.

@atoponce
Created March 21, 2024 19:44
Show Gist options
  • Star 0 You must be signed in to star a gist
  • Fork 0 You must be signed in to fork a gist
  • Save atoponce/1cd01f40786ab21af011f0d6257fba0c to your computer and use it in GitHub Desktop.
Save atoponce/1cd01f40786ab21af011f0d6257fba0c to your computer and use it in GitHub Desktop.
No, ChatGPT didn't solve Kryptos 4

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

Not only has ChatGPT provided different solutions, 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.

Sign up for free to join this conversation on GitHub. Already have an account? Sign in to comment