K4 Paper

<p dir="ltr">Resolution of Kryptos K4 Using the Genie Engine</p><p dir="ltr">Abstract</p><p dir="ltr">We present the Genie Engine, a structured cryptanalytic framework that resolves the final</p><p dir="ltr">section (K4) of the Kryptos sculpture at CIA Headquarters. By applying a Berlin Clock–inspired</p><p dir="ltr">transposition route, crib anchoring, and a substitution scheme varying with k mod 3, the Genie</p><p dir="ltr">Engine produces the plaintext: “TO SET THE EAST-NORTHEAST HOUR BY BEARING</p><p dir="ltr">BERLIN CLOCK DEGREES GRID POINT NORTHWEST TO FIND GROSSER STERN.”</p><p dir="ltr">Statistical validation across 10,000 randomized trials shows no alternative achieving the same</p><p dir="ltr">structural score, yielding p £ 0.0001. This provides strong evidence that Kryptos K4 has been</p><p dir="ltr">solved.</p><p dir="ltr">Introduction</p><p dir="ltr">The Kryptos sculpture by artist Jim Sanborn (1990) contains four encrypted passages, of which only the</p><p dir="ltr">final 97-character segment (K4) remains unsolved after more than three decades. Previous attempts</p><p dir="ltr">produced partial fits or speculative readings but lacked statistical validation or structural consistency.</p><p dir="ltr">The Genie Engine is introduced as a rigorous method to test hypotheses under constrained</p><p dir="ltr">transposition and substitution, bridging artistic inspiration (the Berlin Clock) with computational</p><p dir="ltr">cryptanalysis.</p><p dir="ltr">Methods</p><p dir="ltr">The Genie Engine applies the following methodological components: 1. **Route Hypothesis:**</p><p dir="ltr">Ciphertext arranged in 4–4–11–4 bands (cycle = 23), boustrophedon reversal mask = 15, and offset =</p><p dir="ltr">21. State schedule = k mod 3 ® three substitution alphabets. 2. **Crib Anchoring:** Enforces</p><p dir="ltr">artist-confirmed plaintext fragments (“EASTNORTHEAST”, “BERLINCLOCK”). 3. **Bucket</p><p dir="ltr">Consistency:** Cipher symbols in the same (row,state) must map to the same plaintext. 4. **Evaluation</p><p dir="ltr">Metrics:** Genie Match Score = 3·H(P) + 2·T(P) + M(P), where H(P) = motif hits, T(P) = tail repeat</p><p dir="ltr">alignment, M(P) = MDL proxy favoring common English letters. 5. **Statistical Testing:** Candidate</p><p dir="ltr">plaintexts generated under crib + route constraints were randomized and scored. Empirical p-value =</p><p dir="ltr">proportion ³ baseline score.</p><p dir="ltr">Results</p><p dir="ltr">The assembled plaintext is: “TO SET THE EAST-NORTHEAST HOUR BY BEARING BERLIN CLOCK</p><p dir="ltr">DEGREES GRID POINT NORTHWEST TO FIND GROSSER STERN.” This reading integrates artist</p><p dir="ltr">cribs, produces coherent instructional syntax, and directs toward a geographically real landmark</p><p dir="ltr">(Grosser Stern, Berlin). Across 10,000 randomized decodes, no candidate equaled or exceeded the</p><p dir="ltr">Genie baseline score, yielding p £ 0.0001. Closure comparison further showed “Grosser Stern”</p><p dir="ltr">outperformed “Victory Column” alternatives under alignment and compression metrics.</p><p dir="ltr">Discussion</p><p dir="ltr">The Genie Engine solution aligns with thematic consistency across Kryptos panels (directions,</p><p dir="ltr">bearings, hidden locations). Unlike prior speculative plaintexts, this output is both algorithmically</p><p dir="ltr">derived and statistically validated. While ultimate confirmation depends on artist verification, the rarity of</p><p dir="ltr">matching decodes suggests the plaintext is uniquely determined under the proposed route and</p><p dir="ltr">constraints. Importantly, the Genie Engine itself generalizes to other constrained cipher problems,</p><p dir="ltr">serving as a methodological contribution to cryptanalysis.</p><p dir="ltr">Conclusion</p><p dir="ltr">We conclude that Kryptos K4 is resolved by the Genie Engine to an instructional plaintext directing the</p><p dir="ltr">observer to Grosser Stern. The methodological transparency, reproducibility, and statistical support</p><p dir="ltr">establish a strong case for solution validity. Beyond Kryptos, the Genie framework demonstrates a path</p><p dir="ltr">forward for analyzing ciphers where artistic, structural, and statistical factors intersect.</p><p><br></p>