How to explain Bitcoin artwork puzzles to a newbie?

[BtcATMs]

Can someone please explain in simple terms how these artwork puzzles work? Or where to begin to learn how they are solved? Or how to create such artwork?

I have seen various articles which show pictures/drawings/graphic art, etc. and they were solved, but I didn't see any step-by-step illustrations on "how" they were solved.

Like this Phemex puzzle - https://phemex.com/references/articles/try-to-solve-our-2-btc-puzzle

How do they work and where do you start? Or any examples of solved puzzles showing how they solved them?

Thanks.

[1714933828]

1714933828

[o_e_l_e_o]

This puzzle hasn't been solved yet. You can see the funds are still present in the address here: https://blockchair.com/bitcoin/address/1h8BNZkhsPiu6EKazP19WkGxDw3jHf9aT

You can read a discussion about this puzzle here: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5219581
There's also a GitHub page containing all the clues so far here: https://github.com/olalonde/phemex-puzzle/blob/master/CLUES.md

This example is probably a poor one to choose. This isn't really a puzzle in that there isn't a logical set of steps one can follow from the start to the end. Even with all the additional clues which have been released (which there were no possible way of deducting or figuring out prior to them being released), no one has come anywhere close to figuring it out. Twitter is full of people running scripts and programs to check as many different combinations as possible - that's not a puzzle, that's just a brute force attack.

Ledger had a cool puzzle just before Christmas here: https://www.ledger.com/dont-get-hacked-for-christmas. Essentially they hid a 24 word seed phrase in a video, and the first person to find all the words and arrange in order won around $1000 in BTC if I remember correctly. There's a thread discussing that one here: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5211351

[hatshepsut93]

how these artwork puzzles work?

They work just like any regular puzzle, and most of the time the hidden secret is a Bitcoin private key.

Or where to begin to learn how they are solved?

You solve them the same way you would solve any other puzzle - with logical reasoning and knowledge. Some puzzles may require knowledge about cryptography or how Bitcoin works.

how to create such artwork?

Since that puzzle isn't solved, no one aside from its creators can answer this question. We don't even know which details are a part of the puzzle and which aren't. Look for some solved puzzles for inspirations, but don't copy them, since they would be quickly solved. Creating puzzles requires just as much skill as solving them if not more.

[BtcATMs]

Thanks for the responses and links.

I saw the Phemex puzzle was still active but I didn't see any info on what to solve for. I think "what" to solve for was my big question (words, numbers, do angles represent numbers?!?! etc.). So I guess typically you're looking for a Private key or Seed phrase?

It is still hard to wrap my head around understanding "where" the objects (numbers or letters) are hiding, especially when I see some puzzles that look like simple paintings (or drawings)!?! Anyway, thanks.

[White Christmas]

How to explain bitcoin puzzles or artwork to a newbie? Simply by just seeing a artwork you can easily distinguish what the artwork says or means. The people even the newbies has the ability to know what the artwork means and what is the artist really means on his/her own artwork.
Artwork really explains the heart of the artists and what the artists wants to say about his artwork. The ability to understand an artwork especially in bitcoin even the newbie can distinguish this.

[BtcATMs]

How to explain bitcoin puzzles or artwork to a newbie? Simply by just seeing a artwork you can easily distinguish what the artwork says or means. The people even the newbies has the ability to know what the artwork means and what is the artist really means on his/her own artwork.
Artwork really explains the heart of the artists and what the artists wants to say about his artwork. The ability to understand an artwork especially in bitcoin even the newbie can distinguish this.

Hmmm... "Simply by just seeing a artwork you can easily distinguish what the artwork says or means"... many works of art are difficult, and often how to interpret them properly is far from obvious.

Anyway, I was asking HOW TO SOLVE these puzzles, which are quite DIFFICULT or there would not be $20,000 prizes to solve them 

But "where to start"... (ie. "what" am I looking for?) is the main question. From the other posts it helps to know to look for the SEED or for a PRIVATE KEY ... etc.

[Zicadis]

These puzzles essentially contain cryptographically secure information, which can be decoded using a variety of methods to either unlock rewards or find additional clues to other puzzles.

Unless you are a cryptographer or have some knowledge of encryption methods and their practical applications, the odds of you solving one of these is minimal.

[Coyster]

A puzzle wouldn't be one, if it wasn't difficult to understand or to unclone the hidden meaning, deep thinking and proper understanding of the broader picture the puzzle is under is needed. It's just like a poem, which has to do with the poets deepest thoughts, but with the poets epoch/era/period can be understood.

Many times only the creator of a puzzle can figure out its true meaning and I think that's just the case with the puzzle you shared@OP.

[BtcATMs]

Thanks all. I understand nothing worth having comes easy!

Is there anything besides SEED PHRASE or PRIVATE KEYS to solve for? ANYTHING ELSE that could potentially unlock the crypto?

[slaman29]

You will probably find better answers in cryptography forums, but not all puzzles are based on cryptography (like the famous CIA one that recently released a new clue).

The problem with most puzzles for me is they are too technical, rewarding only those who know a lot about the topic, who probably already own a lot of bitcoin;)

I have seen simple "riddle" puzzles though, those I like a lot.