This repository contains all publicly known hints and partial solutions for the GSMG.IO 5 BTC puzzle challenge. Contributions and further decoding are highly welcome!
Support: If you find this useful, please consider donating BTC to:
1JK27jtvE1wS4VG9k7Zpo8wBufMbYwy3r8
- The puzzle was originally published at https://gsmg.io/puzzle.
- The prize address holding the 5 BTC is
1GSMG1JC9wtdSwfwApgj2xcmJPAwx7prBe.- Note: The creator intended to halve the prize each time a Bitcoin halving occurs. The first halving during the puzzle was on May 11, 2020. The intended value is mathematically 2.5 BTC right now.
- Discussions on Reddit:
- SHA256 Online Tool: XORBIN
- AES Decryption: Secure text elements are typically encrypted using OpenSSL's AES cipher. Use OpenSSL.
Useful OpenSSL command structure:
openssl enc -aes-256-cbc -d -a -in <filename> -out <output_filename>Useful OpenSSL flags:
-d: decrypts data-a: tells OpenSSL that the encrypted data is in base64-in <filename>: specifies the file to decrypt-out <filename>: specifies the file to put the decrypted data in
URL: https://gsmg.io/puzzle
The initial image contains squares which represent bits.
- Black/Blue =
1 - Yellow/White =
0
It forms a 14x14 binary matrix:
0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0
1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 1
1 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1
0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1
0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 0
1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1
1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1
1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 1
1 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 0
0 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 0
0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 1
Start from the upper-left square and read counterclockwise in a spiral. Convert the 8-bit groups to ASCII characters:
01100111 (103 g)
01110011 (115 s)
01101101 (109 m)
01100111 (103 g)
00101110 (46 .)
01101001 (105 i)
01101111 (111 o)
00101111 (47 /)
01110100 (116 t)
01101000 (104 h)
01100101 (101 e)
01110011 (115 s)
01100101 (101 e)
01100101 (101 e)
01100100 (100 d)
01101001 (105 i)
01110011 (115 s)
01110000 (112 p)
01101100 (108 l)
01100001 (97 a)
01101110 (110 n)
01110100 (116 t)
01100101 (101 e)
01100100 (100 d)
Resulting string: gsmg.io/theseedisplanted
URL: https://gsmg.io/theseedisplanted
The pictures refer to the song The Warning (by Logic). You can decipher this by rearranging the images: war + ning and LO + (crypto) gic.
Lyrics:
intro The warning
verse Phase one The seed is planted when opposites attract Can you dig it? It takes the physical to create the physical
Phase two The flower blossoms through what seems to be a concrete surface i.e. greed, racism, insanity, physical and social handicaps These are the things that mob the flower Red rose or black rose; no in-between
Phase 3 The Judgement If it were to fall upon you today, which flower would you be? The red rose or the black?
outro This is the warning
This webpage also contains a hidden POST form accessible via your browser's Developer Tools (F12 in Chrome).
- Unhide it.
- Enter the password:
theflowerblossomsthroughwhatseemstobeaconcretesurface - Hit the Submit button to be redirected to the next step.
URL: https://gsmg.io/choiceisanillusioncreatedbetweenthosewithpowerandthosewithoutaveryspecialdessertiwroteitmyself
This phase's title references a quote from The Matrix Reloaded:
Merovingian: You see, there is only one constant one universal: causality - cause and effect. Morpheus: Everything begins with choice. Merovingian: No. Wrong. Choice is an illusion created between those with power and those without.
The primary password for this step's payload is causality.
Hashing it yields the decryption key:
SHA256(causality) = eb3efb5151e6255994711fe8f2264427ceeebf88109e1d7fad5b0a8b6d07e5bf
Decrypt the provided text (phase2.txt) in your terminal:
openssl enc -aes-256-cbc -d -a -in phase2.txt -pass pass:eb3efb5151e6255994711fe8f2264427ceeebf88109e1d7fad5b0a8b6d07e5bfDecryption Result:
The ironic 2name of the keymakers trying to protect the current digital powers which are still in severe danger due to the keymaker's way of security by hiding, nearly unprotected, in plain sight. {eps3.4_[in one of the valleys of Phillip]runtime-error.r00., where daughters hit magic keypads} When this fails.. Crypto finally to the latin 3Moon? Tell me, 4How so mate?
# X 2 S H 4 Y 0 Q B 15 #
Q -> extend the name of a hackers' swordless fish, the I and W are below.
B -> ((BV80605001911AP)- (sqrt(-1)))^2
H -> (Answer to only this puzzle but nothing else) * -1
S -> cha' + (vagh * jav)
Ok kid, on the highway, let put it in the worst gear.
(Note: It is somewhat unclear how all equations relate, but researchers noted that S equals Klingon numbers 2+(5*6)=32 and BV80605001911AP is an Intel i5 processor model, evaluating B to (5i-i)^2 = 16i^2 = -16.)
Using the other hints (2name, 3Moon, 4How so mate) which refer to a Thales Hardware Security Module, you must assemble a massive, 7-part password.
The Parts:
causality- Established in the beginning.Safenet- From "2name" reference.Luna- From "3Moon" reference.HSM- Hardware Security Module ("4How so mate").11110- A reference to John F. Kennedy's Executive Order 11110 ("A ruler with a number... 5binary code" trying to rein in the Federal Reserve).0x736B6E616220726F662074756F6C69616220646E6F63657320666F206B6E697262206E6F20726F6C6C65636E61684320393030322F6E614A2F33302073656D695420656854- "raw data after 4 on row 1616" points to the genesis block in the source code to Bitcoin itself. (And"/(aBa, connected enf)"means keep casing and remove whitespace).B5KR/1r5B/2R5/2b1p1p1/2P1k1P1/1p2P2p/1P2P2P/3N1N2 b - - 0 1- "A buddhist is forced to move...": A chess position reference after a move that avoids a checkmate. ("/(aBa, connected not enf)"means keep whitespace).
Concatenate all 7 parts exactly and take the SHA256 hash:
SHA256(causalitySafenetLunaHSM111100x736B6E616220726F662074756F6C69616220646E6F63657320666F206B6E697262206E6F20726F6C6C65636E61684320393030322F6E614A2F33302073656D695420656854B5KR/1r5B/2R5/2b1p1p1/2P1k1P1/1p2P2p/1P2P2P/3N1N2 b - - 0 1)
= 1a57c572caf3cf722e41f5f9cf99ffacff06728a43032dd44c481c77d2ec30d5
This hash acts as the key to decrypt phase3.txt:
openssl enc -aes-256-cbc -d -a -in phase3.txt -pass pass:1a57c572caf3cf722e41f5f9cf99ffacff06728a43032dd44c481c77d2ec30d5Decryption Result of phase3.txt:
What if the merovingian is wrong. What instead of causality something else could be ours? Therefor, if so, the ...... is ours. The thinker's 1name behind all of that would grant you access to the next step (of humanity). Definitely look into his works might you have time. /(aa,connected enf)
I just passed a cheshire cat and I'm getting fed up with this puzzle.. It's taking forever. But, How long is forever? I don't know, but just add giveit in front of the answer and you can fall in the keyhole. /(aa,connected enf)
3.The fundamental limit to the precision with which certain pairs of physical properties are know. /(aa,connected enf)
Phase 3.2 is ciphered with aes-256-cbc base64 and a sha256 pw, yet again.
U2FsdGVkX1/u/Exb78Fl...
Assemble the next password from the hints in the decrypted text above:
- "The thinker's 1name behind all of that..." -> Jacque Fresco ("The future is fluid... The future is ours to direct.") ->
jacquefresco - "I just passed a cheshire cat... How long is forever? add giveit in front..." -> Alice in Wonderland quote: "Sometimes, just one second" ->
giveitjustonesecond - "3.The fundamental limit to the precision..." ->
heisenbergsuncertaintyprinciple
Combine these into the next password string:
jacquefrescogiveitjustonesecondheisenbergsuncertaintyprinciple
Its SHA256 hash is:
250f37726d6862939f723edc4f993fde9d33c6004aab4f2203d9ee489d61ce4c
Decrypt phase3.2.txt (the Base64 payload from phase3.txt) using this hash:
openssl enc -aes-256-cbc -d -a -in phase3.2.txt -pass pass:250f37726d6862939f723edc4f993fde9d33c6004aab4f2203d9ee489d61ce4cDecrypted Text (phase3.2.txt):
I've been waiting for you. You have many questions, and although the process has altered your consciousness, you remain irrevocably human. Ergo, some of my answers you will understand, and some of them you will not. Concordantly, while your first question may be the most pertinent, you may or may not realize it is also irrelevant.
... am I here? Wake up, you... I've designed you a beautiful strategic position. One for one, four for one.
╬╚,╬°%_┴°°╟%═╧/╟╚:_Ў°├╤°... [Large Obfuscated Block 1]
151659431219724091691... [Large Numeric Block 2]
Raising the stakes without extra chances of winning. A fubcd-king & oracle-queen, thingky mvps, on a sad board but as wide as the first one seen.
U2FsdGVkX1+0Wl49gn... [AES Blob 3]
In the decrypted text, clues:
- "... am I here? Wake up, you..." -> From The Matrix: "The matrix has you" (replacing neo with you). So the key is
THEMATRIXHASYOU. - "beautiful strategic position" -> Beaufort cipher.
- "one for one, four for one" -> 1141 -> IBM EBCDIC 1141 encoding.
The symbol blob (Block 1) translated via EBCDIC 1141 yields a sequence of letters:
vtkvplmepphluw... (snip)
Go to a cipher tool like CipherTools, paste the string, select Beaufort, and use the key THEMATRIXHASYOU. The translated message resembles The Architect from The Matrix:
YOUR LIFE IS THE SUM OF A REMAINDER OF AN UNBALANCED EQUATION... THE FUNCTION OF THE YOU IS NOW TO RETURN TO THE SOURCE CODES... AFTER WHICH YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO SELECT FROM OVER TWENTY-THREE CIPHERS SIXTEEN ENCRYPTIONS AND OR SEVEN INTERTWINED PASSWORDS TO FIND THE ACTUAL PRIVATE KEYNOTE... GOOD LUCK NEVERTHELESS I REALLY HOPE YOURE THE ONE CIAO BELLA O
The number string:
1516594312197240916917121375...
Clues sentence: "A fubcd-king & oracle-queen, thingky mvps, on a sad board but as wide as the first one seen."
This references the VIC Cipher.
- Removing repeating characters:
FUBCD ORA.LE THINGKY MVPS - Appending the remaining letters:
FUBCDORA.LETHINGKYMVPS/JQZXW
Using a VIC Cipher Decoder:
- Alphabet:
FUBCDORA.LETHINGKYMVPS.JQZXW - Digit 1:
1 - Digit 2:
4 - Input code:
1516594...
Result:
IN CASE YOU MANAGE TO CRACK THIS THE PRIVATE KEYS BELONG TO HALF AND BETTER HALF AND THEY ALSO NEED FUNDS TO LIVE
There is a hint from the puzzle creator in Decentraland. By going to the coordinates shown, you trigger an audio file.
Solution: Split the stereo track, invert one side, mix them back, convert to mono, and generate a spectrogram. The visual wave output reads: HASHTHETEXT
Roses are White but often Red.
Yellow has a number and so does Blue.
Go back to the first puzzle piece without further ado.
It might have shown you only one door, beware that the rabbits nest may contain a whole lot more.
Hush hush.
Go to the very first puzzle base page (https://gsmg.io/puzzle) and run SHA256 on the primary textual content:
GSMGIO5BTCPUZZLECHALLENGE1GSMG1JC9wtdSwfwApgj2xcmJPAwx7prBe
SHA256(...) = 89727c598b9cd1cf8873f27cb7057f050645ddb6a7a157a110239ac0152f6a32
This hash leads to a hidden endpoint for Salphaseion:
https://gsmg.io/89727c598b9cd1cf8873f27cb7057f050645ddb6a7a157a110239ac0152f6a32
This hidden phase can be split into multiple sections. Currently, only some have been partially decoded. There are a series of letters intermingled with z markers, a long binary-like string containing abba, and an AES blob:
d b b i b f b h c c b e g b...s h a b e f o u r f i r s t h i n t i s y o u r l a s t c o m m a n dU 2 F s d G V k X 1 8 6 t Y U...(AES Payload)s h a b e f a n s t o o(And large string of "abba"s)
The two highlighted abba sections can be decoded first. Treat a = 0 and b = 1, and interpret the resulting strings as 8-bit binary representation of ASCII characters:
a b b a b b a b a b b...->matrixsumlista b b a a b a b a b b...->enter
The "shabef" Encoding:
We see the sequence shabef directly before English text "our first hint is your last command".
In previous steps, the first command was sha256. Therefore, we infer a mapping:
s=s, h=h, a=a, b=2, e=5, f=6 -> Meaning it maps purely to its alphabetical position (a=1, b=2 ... z=26) representing sha256.
The letter z seems to act as a separator to segment the character blocks:
- Block 1:
a g d a f a o a h e i e c g g c h g i c b b h c g b e h c f c o a b i c f d h h c d b b c a g b d a i o b b g b e a d e d d e - Block 2:
c f o b f d h g d o b d g o o i i g d o c d a o o f i d h
Since letters only range from a-i and o, we translate a-i to 1-9 and o to 0:
17416101859537738793228372583630129364883422317241902272514544536026487402470099740341006948
Treating these sequences as Base-16 integers provides corresponding hex strings, which map to ASCII text:
- Translates to:
lastwordsbeforearchichoice - Translates to:
thispassword
(Further steps to decrypt the remaining AES blob in Salphaseion with these passwords are ongoing...)