The Cicada 3301 puzzle first appeared in 2012, when a message was posted on the online forum 4chan claiming to be from a group calling itself "Cicada 3301." The message contained a series of puzzles and challenges, and invited people to solve them in order to be considered for recruitment into the group. The message included a PGP-encrypted message that contained a URL, which led to the first set of puzzles.
It is not known who created the Cicada 3301 puzzle or why. Some people believe that the group was a government agency seeking to recruit talented individuals for classified projects, while others think it could be the work of a private company or even an individual. The identity of the creators of the Cicada 3301 puzzles has never been conclusively determined, and the puzzles themselves have never been definitively solved.
The full story of Cicada 3301 is not completely known, as the creators of the puzzles have remained anonymous and have not provided much information about their motivations or objectives. Here is a summary of the events that have taken place:
In 2012, a message appeared on the online forum 4chan claiming to be from a group calling itself "Cicada 3301." The message contained a series of puzzles and challenges, and invited people to solve them in order to be considered for recruitment into the group.
Over the next few years, Cicada 3301 released several more sets of puzzles and challenges, each more difficult than the last. The puzzles required a wide range of skills, including cryptography, computer programming, and lateral thinking.
Many people attempted to solve the puzzles, and some made significant progress. However, the puzzles were ultimately too difficult for anyone to solve completely.
In 2016, Cicada 3301 released a final message stating that the recruitment process had ended and that no more puzzles would be released. The group has not been heard from since.
The identity and motivations of Cicada 3301 remain a mystery. Some people believe that the group was a government agency seeking to recruit talented individuals for classified projects, while others think it could be the work of a private company or even an individual.
Despite the lack of concrete information about Cicada 3301, the puzzle has attracted a lot of attention and speculation over the years. It remains one of the most famous and mysterious "internet mysteries" of all time.