A Solution to the CIA’s Kryptos Code Is Found after 35 Years

image via New Scientist

October 16, 2025, 6:45 PM

• •The Kryptos code, a puzzle with four encrypted messages, has captivated cryptographers since 1990.
• •Kobek and Byrne found the solution by noticing clues in Sanborn’s documents at the Smithsonian.
• •The full meaning and method behind K4 remain exclusive to the auction winner.
• •Reactions to the news are divided, with some relieved and others viewing the discovery's method negatively.

After 35 years, the final solution to the Kryptos code, a copper sculpture with encrypted messages at the CIA headquarters, has been found. Writers Jarett Kobek and Richard Byrne discovered the solution to the fourth and final section of the code, known as K4, hidden within the Smithsonian Institution's archives. The solution was confirmed by the artist, Jim Sanborn, who accidentally included the necessary clues in the archives. Despite the discovery, the full context and method of encoding remain exclusive to the winning bidder of an upcoming auction.

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