ARG Puzzle with 3.5 BTC Private Key Prize, Game Over

[micaman]

Here's a chat with OP from a couple weeks ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0N4hq4fVAnw

From 37:10 - 39:30 she talks a bit about the sorts of things that presumably inspired her to make this puzzle.

Around 56:00 she talks about the series of bitcoin portratis she's doing, which this is one of.

I strongly  encourage you to watch this video, if you wants clues. I'm not saying about this puzzle in particular, but about the way she sees art and her work.

At first i thought the picture might hide some qr code, but if you watch the video, you'll see she would never do that.
I believe she mentions she was working on some huge 5x8 ft canvas, so i'm not sure if our picture is a photo or a digitalization or originally digital.
If she used some sort of invisible UV ink, we will never get that digitally, right?

She talks about smoothly merging lots of layers and adding sculputural elements as well as text.
So i don't think we're getting a private key, we are just starting.

I believe she put a lot of work and effort on this, and the result is exactly what she looks for: mixes beautiful art and tech, brings people like us together breaking our heads in this quest. I'm loving it.

This piece of art has had more eyes looking at it for more time than many others considered more valuable.
The more time it stays unbreakable, the more value it will have.

[cryptozim]

Brain dump:

Do not rely solely on Users for solves, double check solves for user errors: #checkuser404

Are we working from faulty information? Is there a solve we're working on that is incorrect? It was assumed the 404 was in reference to urls, but the full text makes it sound like there's a user error in something that has been solved.

- Embedded morse code has been solved: "They cannot attack what they DO not see"

Not "partially solved." "Solved." Does this mean there's nothing left to work with in the morse code?



Other thoughts:
Could the triangle be pointing at Cody Wilson instead of the blue dot?

I previously said that "They cannot attack what they cannot see" could be a red herring. If it's not, could the triangle be pointing at something hidden? Maybe a grid point, if you extend the grid behind Cody and Amir?

The crossbar is awfully low on the 't's in the plaintext code. Could these be plus-signs instead?

I don't think subtle color shifts or artifacts will be part of the code. Any good artist knows that digitization, image compression, and viewing on different monitors can greatly shift the colors and subtlety of these things.

The thread title says "...BTC Private Key Prize." I don't think we're looking for a passphrase or Dark Wallet key. I believe it will be a regular Bitcoin private key.

[itod]

Updated opening post:

Update 6/28:

Do not rely solely on Users for solves, double check solves for user errors: #checkuser404

OP made no mistakes.
 
confirmed:

- Public Address has been solved: 1HXUobwcB19cGDrghuh42HDdJdJvrJUEra

- Embedded morse code has been solved: "They cannot attack what they DO not see"

No more clues. Good Bye and Good Luck.

[Prospero]

Updated opening post:

Update 6/28:

OP made no mistakes.

- Embedded morse code has been solved: "They cannot attack what they DO not see"

If OP made no mistakes, then all the typos in the morse code were intentional errors. Guess we should expect more of that type of obfuscation.

[mirth23]

Do not rely solely on Users for solves, double check solves for user errors: #checkuser404

Are we working from faulty information? Is there a solve we're working on that is incorrect? It was assumed the 404 was in reference to urls, but the full text makes it sound like there's a user error in something that has been solved.

It's probably a good idea for everyone to take a second or third look at the CSV that we've generated, especially the letters that are not in the known public bitcoin address. There may be some incorrect transcriptions (IMO, several of the characters are ambiguous if we are dealing with case sensitivity). It's entirely possible that some of the data we've been using is incorrect.

- Embedded morse code has been solved: "They cannot attack what they DO not see"

Glad OP clarified this, I mistyped this at one point and it propagated wrongly through some replies. I corrected my original error up above.

As a side note, given that the difference between "can" and "do" is semantically negligible, it makes me think that the exact wording of the phrase is important.

The crossbar is awfully low on the 't's in the plaintext code. Could these be plus-signs instead?

That's an interesting possibility. If it is a + sign, then it's from a larger character set than we've been assuming, or is otherwise meaningful.

I don't think subtle color shifts or artifacts will be part of the code. Any good artist knows that digitization, image compression, and viewing on different monitors can greatly shift the colors and subtlety of these things.

I disagree. With the kind of analysis we've been doing, we can pull out the same results across platforms and across bitmap manipulation tools. All it would take is for the OP to have barely compressed it and then check to make sure that everything worked before posting to embed this sort of information. I don't know if that's what she did do, but it's certainly within the realm of possibility.

If OP made no mistakes, then all the typos in the morse code were intentional errors. Guess we should expect more of that type of obfuscation.

Which morse typos?

[micaman]

There is a lot of data posted in this topic by the users, not all is correctly translated/converted.
You should always check it yourself if you think the idea is correct.

[jc01480]

I have to underline one important thing: Almost all posters in this thread are operating under assumption that private key must be 52 characters long, starting with '5' and following by 51 characters. This is completely wrong. It's just a WIF representation of the private key, one of many formats private key can have. Essentially, private key is any integer starting from 1 and ending with 0xFFFF FFFF FFFF FFFF FFFF FFFF FFFF FFFE BAAE DCE6 AF48 A03B BFD2 5E8C D036 4141, see explanation here: https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Private_key.

I believe this wrong assumption was started by incorrect naming of the textboxes on the brainwallet.org website, which name 'WIF representation' as 'Private Key', while the real private key is what they call 'Secret Exponent'. In ECDSA cryptographic sense that integer is just the number of times we dot-multiply Generator point with itself, and X and Y coordinate of the resulting point being our public key.

So, people, you are wasting time looking for a 52-character string starting with '5', you should be looking for a number.

Hi, and thanks for adding but I think you might be wrong....
First of all 51 char priv keys start with 5.
52 char prib keys start with K or L (believe me I found quite a few).

Last, I don't believe (personally) that we are looking for something like that, I think we are looking for a keyword or key-prhase that will reveal the priv key.
But that is just my opinion.

None the less, thanks for adding

nope, itod is right. a private key is just a number which can be represented in different encodings, WIF being only one of them.

Is there a resource for all the possible encoding?  Admittedly, I'm getting confused with all the different attempts occurring.

This is like eating gummy bears.  Just can't put them down or stop.

[cozk]

[cryptozim]

The gibberish section at the end of the morse code (after "STOP WORDS") was caused by an em-dash accidentally being put into the mix instead of a regular dash. Here is the correct sequence and translation:

- .-.. .-- --. ---. -. -.-- .- . ..-. -.. -- .... - .... -- . - -. -.-- - .-- - . .-- - .--. ---. -.- . ..- . .- .-.. . -. . -.. .-.. .- .--
TLWG(---.)NYAEFDMHTHMETNYTWTEWTP(---.)KEUEALENEDLAW

Not sure if this was translated correctly from the green/red dots due to the fact that there is still an unknown character.


And here is just that section reversed:
--. -. ..-. ..- . .- . ..-. -. . -.. . -.- .--- .--. - --. . - --. - --.- .- - . -- .... - .... -- ..- .-.. . -. --.- .- .--- .-- --. ..-. -
GNFUEAEFNEDEKJPTGETGTQATEMHTHMULENQAJWGFT

[jc01480]

Transaction 0.29869595

A A A ART EVIL DAY

Seems fitting...

[shorena]

The gibberish section at the end of the morse code (after "STOP WORDS") was caused by an em-dash accidentally being put into the mix instead of a regular dash. Here is the correct sequence and translation:

- .-.. .-- --. ---. -. -.-- .- . ..-. -.. -- .... - .... -- . - -. -.-- - .-- - . .-- - .--. ---. -.- . ..- . .- .-.. . -. . -.. .-.. .- .--
TLWG(---.)NYAEFDMHTHMETNYTWTEWTP(---.)KEUEALENEDLAW

Not sure if this was translated correctly from the green/red dots due to the fact that there is still an unknown character.


And here is just that section reversed:
--. -. ..-. ..- . .- . ..-. -. . -.. . -.- .--- .--. - --. . - --. - --.- .- - . -- .... - .... -- ..- .-.. . -. --.- .- .--- .-- --. ..-. -
GNFUEAEFNEDEKJPTGETGTQATEMHTHMULENQAJWGFT

I dont think there is more:

Code:

---Cesarshift by 0:
TLWGNYAEFDMHTHMETNYTWTEWTPKEUEALENEDLAW
---Cesarshift by 1:
SKVFMXZDECLGSGLDSMXSVSDVSOJDTDZKDMDCKZV
---Cesarshift by 2:
RJUELWYCDBKFRFKCRLWRURCURNICSCYJCLCBJYU
---Cesarshift by 3:
QITDKVXBCAJEQEJBQKVQTQBTQMHBRBXIBKBAIXT
---Cesarshift by 4:
PHSCJUWABZIDPDIAPJUPSPASPLGAQAWHAJAZHWS
---Cesarshift by 5:
OGRBITVZAYHCOCHZOITOROZROKFZPZVGZIZYGVR
---Cesarshift by 6:
NFQAHSUYZXGBNBGYNHSNQNYQNJEYOYUFYHYXFUQ
---Cesarshift by 7:
MEPZGRTXYWFAMAFXMGRMPMXPMIDXNXTEXGXWETP
---Cesarshift by 8:
LDOYFQSWXVEZLZEWLFQLOLWOLHCWMWSDWFWVDSO
---Cesarshift by 9:
KCNXEPRVWUDYKYDVKEPKNKVNKGBVLVRCVEVUCRN
---Cesarshift by 10:
JBMWDOQUVTCXJXCUJDOJMJUMJFAUKUQBUDUTBQM
---Cesarshift by 11:
IALVCNPTUSBWIWBTICNILITLIEZTJTPATCTSAPL
---Cesarshift by 12:
HZKUBMOSTRAVHVASHBMHKHSKHDYSISOZSBSRZOK
---Cesarshift by 13:
GYJTALNRSQZUGUZRGALGJGRJGCXRHRNYRARQYNJ
---Cesarshift by 14:
FXISZKMQRPYTFTYQFZKFIFQIFBWQGQMXQZQPXMI
---Cesarshift by 15:
EWHRYJLPQOXSESXPEYJEHEPHEAVPFPLWPYPOWLH
---Cesarshift by 16:
DVGQXIKOPNWRDRWODXIDGDOGDZUOEOKVOXONVKG
---Cesarshift by 17:
CUFPWHJNOMVQCQVNCWHCFCNFCYTNDNJUNWNMUJF
---Cesarshift by 18:
BTEOVGIMNLUPBPUMBVGBEBMEBXSMCMITMVMLTIE
---Cesarshift by 19:
ASDNUFHLMKTOAOTLAUFADALDAWRLBLHSLULKSHD
---Cesarshift by 20:
ZRCMTEGKLJSNZNSKZTEZCZKCZVQKAKGRKTKJRGC
---Cesarshift by 21:
YQBLSDFJKIRMYMRJYSDYBYJBYUPJZJFQJSJIQFB
---Cesarshift by 22:
XPAKRCEIJHQLXLQIXRCXAXIAXTOIYIEPIRIHPEA
---Cesarshift by 23:
WOZJQBDHIGPKWKPHWQBWZWHZWSNHXHDOHQHGODZ
---Cesarshift by 24:
VNYIPACGHFOJVJOGVPAVYVGYVRMGWGCNGPGFNCY
---Cesarshift by 25:
UMXHOZBFGENIUINFUOZUXUFXUQLFVFBMFOFEMBX

and reversed.

Code:

---Cesarshift by 0:
GNFUEAEFNEDEKJPTGETGTQATEMHTHMULENQAJWGFT
---Cesarshift by 1:
FMETDZDEMDCDJIOSFDSFSPZSDLGSGLTKDMPZIVFES
---Cesarshift by 2:
ELDSCYCDLCBCIHNRECREROYRCKFRFKSJCLOYHUEDR
---Cesarshift by 3:
DKCRBXBCKBABHGMQDBQDQNXQBJEQEJRIBKNXGTDCQ
---Cesarshift by 4:
CJBQAWABJAZAGFLPCAPCPMWPAIDPDIQHAJMWFSCBP
---Cesarshift by 5:
BIAPZVZAIZYZFEKOBZOBOLVOZHCOCHPGZILVERBAO
---Cesarshift by 6:
AHZOYUYZHYXYEDJNAYNANKUNYGBNBGOFYHKUDQAZN
---Cesarshift by 7:
ZGYNXTXYGXWXDCIMZXMZMJTMXFAMAFNEXGJTCPZYM
---Cesarshift by 8:
YFXMWSWXFWVWCBHLYWLYLISLWEZLZEMDWFISBOYXL
---Cesarshift by 9:
XEWLVRVWEVUVBAGKXVKXKHRKVDYKYDLCVEHRANXWK
---Cesarshift by 10:
WDVKUQUVDUTUAZFJWUJWJGQJUCXJXCKBUDGQZMWVJ
---Cesarshift by 11:
VCUJTPTUCTSTZYEIVTIVIFPITBWIWBJATCFPYLVUI
---Cesarshift by 12:
UBTISOSTBSRSYXDHUSHUHEOHSAVHVAIZSBEOXKUTH
---Cesarshift by 13:
TASHRNRSARQRXWCGTRGTGDNGRZUGUZHYRADNWJTSG
---Cesarshift by 14:
SZRGQMQRZQPQWVBFSQFSFCMFQYTFTYGXQZCMVISRF
---Cesarshift by 15:
RYQFPLPQYPOPVUAERPEREBLEPXSESXFWPYBLUHRQE
---Cesarshift by 16:
QXPEOKOPXONOUTZDQODQDAKDOWRDRWEVOXAKTGQPD
---Cesarshift by 17:
PWODNJNOWNMNTSYCPNCPCZJCNVQCQVDUNWZJSFPOC
---Cesarshift by 18:
OVNCMIMNVMLMSRXBOMBOBYIBMUPBPUCTMVYIREONB
---Cesarshift by 19:
NUMBLHLMULKLRQWANLANAXHALTOAOTBSLUXHQDNMA
---Cesarshift by 20:
MTLAKGKLTKJKQPVZMKZMZWGZKSNZNSARKTWGPCMLZ
---Cesarshift by 21:
LSKZJFJKSJIJPOUYLJYLYVFYJRMYMRZQJSVFOBLKY
---Cesarshift by 22:
KRJYIEIJRIHIONTXKIXKXUEXIQLXLQYPIRUENAKJX
---Cesarshift by 23:
JQIXHDHIQHGHNMSWJHWJWTDWHPKWKPXOHQTDMZJIW
---Cesarshift by 24:
IPHWGCGHPGFGMLRVIGVIVSCVGOJVJOWNGPSCLYIHV
---Cesarshift by 25:
HOGVFBFGOFEFLKQUHFUHURBUFNIUINVMFORBKXHGU

I also think its pretty safe to assume that the rest is just noise.

We have the numbers and letters in the foreground and got the address. The rest of them gave us nothing.
We have the dots and got "they can not attack what they do not see". The rest looks random to me.
I also doubt that any information are embedded digitally into the picture. Its a piece of art that will be one day in gallary. Wouldnt it suck to tell, well yeah it only holds part of the solution, the rest was added later?

[jc01480]

This may sound silly, but I think she's trying to say that one of us, S4VV4S most likey, had the answer, clue, or piece of the puzzle we're missing.  I watched the video and she's very pretty and extremely intelligent.  I like her comments.  Definitely someone to follow.  Wonder if she'd paint a picture of me with question marks floating out of my head.

So, here I am twiddling my thumbs trying to think what to do next.  

[sapta]

Just got this priv. key: 5JeiRXVgwbqi75iUyWENmDf7e1V6iMS4KHzRCUYAfrcWNwYiS4Q = 12Q4cLuESNmEMcbgmABZpxShLkumxPdgyM 

[Prospero]

This may sound silly, but I think she's trying to say that one of us, S4VV4S most likey, had the answer, clue, or piece of the puzzle we're missing.

Has somebody tried matching the times of her tx comments to users' forum posts?

[Justin00]

Anyone else honest enough to admit they are to stupid to attempt this... I am :~(
I need a hug.

[Mitchell]

Anyone else honest enough to admit they are to stupid to attempt this... I am :~(
I need a hug.

I admit that I'm not able to reproduce what the persons in this topic have done. It blows my mind, but that doesn't make it less interesting.

[Kprawn]

Back in the days, when they used Morse code, they talked like this.

I will be back at home at ten stop Get out your broom stop I will be wearing a helmet stop

The stop indicated, the end of a sentence.

Do we have a Morse code with 2 sentences, where you do not use the stop?

I still say it's a bitcoin adress with a private key encrypted with a pass phrase.

You get the bitcoin adress, and unlock it with the private key, but you would need the pass phrase.

[S4VV4S]

Anyone else honest enough to admit they are to stupid to attempt this... I am :~(
I need a hug.

I admit that I'm not able to reproduce what the persons in this topic have done. It blows my mind, but that doesn't make it less interesting.

We are not stupid, we are just stuck  
Hugs  

That being said, I went back to see what we have done wrong (according to OP).

I have reviewed some of the images posted by members, and I found this has the letters toR in the left hand side going down:



Also this image has the letters u on the left side and WFM and a reverse K on the right side:



Now this has obviously got binary code but also blue dots.....
But as Shorena said before, too complicated to make out which goes where:



I will keep looking for clues we found but got wrong, but I have to leave soon so I might not be able to add much today.

The above could be relevant or not, but as others suggested I think we should get back to the CSV.
It is clearly mentioned in the letters of the portrait


EDIT: Also PB could be Parity Bits as another member suggested or Play Back, as in go back and play things again

[Kangaderoo]

They cannot attack what they do not see

I guess a riddle.
What do you not see? omission?

!DO!!!"DONOT"

make me think the (---.) equals (!)
(and what about the quotes??)
in computer programming ! equals NOT

So here is the (updated) Morse-code, including inverted(!) Morse code
 - .-.. .-- --. ---. -. -.-- .- . ..-. -.. -- .... - .... -- . - -. -.-- - .-- - . .-- - .--. ---. -.- . ..- . .- .-.. . -. . -.. .-.. .- .--
 T L    W   G  (---.)N  Y    A  E F    D   M  H    T H    M  E T N  Y    T W   T E W  T  P   (---.)K   E U   E A  L    E N  E D   L    A  W
 E Y    D   U   V    A  L    N  T Y    W   I (----)E(----)I  T E A  L    E D   E T D  E  X    V    R   T G   T N  Y    T A  T W   Y    N  D

I've been pursuing this line of thought....... equals another restless night  

note: TLWG could stand for thai font...

[shorena]

Anyone else honest enough to admit they are to stupid to attempt this... I am :~(
I need a hug.

*hugs*


I also feel empty. Ive been at the since monday. Today I will just clean my keyboard and read the rest of the board.