Bespoke

Non-standard methods inspired by the physical sculpture or military cipher systems. These approaches don't fit neatly into classical categories. Includes DRYAD charts, Morse code analysis, and coordinate-based approaches.

What we tested: VIC ciphers, DRYAD military charts, Morse code interpretations, coordinate-based approaches, and many other non-standard ideas have all been tested in the forms described in the records below. None of the textbook cipher families tested so far has produced a solution. Public clues and unexplained features of the sculpture keep hand procedures and physically guided methods in play, but the site treats those as hypotheses to test, not as established facts.

133 eliminations recorded.

Title	Configs	Best	Verdict	Tier
Weltzeituhr rotating 24-column band Tests whether K4's letters were rearranged by A rotating 24-column band modelled on Berlin's Weltzeituhr (World Clock) before a standard cipher was ap…	11,569,195,008	N/A	ELIMINATED	Tier 2
Compass replay with both decoy types Tests whether K4's letters were rearranged by the 045 and 046 heavy primaries rerun with both uniform and shuffled decoys before a standard cipher was…	3,856,398,336	N/A	ELIMINATED	Tier 2
K3-style two-grid regridding Tests whether K4's letters were rearranged by two successive rectangular readings in the style of K3's verified method (42 then 14 wide), plus the exa…	3,615,373,440	N/A	ELIMINATED	Tier 2
YAR letters as a positional anchor Tests whether K4's letters were rearranged by the raised YAR letters as a positional anchor, with horizontal-gap walks before a standard cipher was ap…	2,892,298,752	N/A	ELIMINATED	Tier 2
Circular stepping (compass) Tests whether K4's letters were rearranged by circular stepping over K4's 97 letters or 98 cells, after Sanborn's "compass" and "several directions" r…	1,928,199,168	N/A	ELIMINATED	Tier 2
16- and 32-point compass roses Tests whether K4's letters were rearranged by 16- and 32-point compass roses: ring and spoke placements, all bearings, steps and radial directions, wi…	1,928,199,168	N/A	ELIMINATED	Tier 2
Compass direction programs on rectangles Tests whether K4's letters were rearranged by compass direction programs across rectangles and the sculpture's carved 31-wide layout before a standard…	1,928,199,168	N/A	ELIMINATED	Tier 2
Rectangles, rings, spirals and 7x7 layers Tests whether K4's letters were rearranged by rectangles, the carved stub, rings and spirals, and two 7x7 layers before a standard cipher was applied.…	1,928,199,168	N/A	ELIMINATED	Tier 2
Extra-L tableau overlays Tests whether K4's letters were rearranged by positional overlays derived from the physical tableau, including its extra L before a standard cipher wa…	1,928,199,168	N/A	ELIMINATED	Tier 2
Tableau apertures incl. the extra-L row Tests whether K4's letters were rearranged by successive letter apertures on the physical tableau, including the extra-L row (row N) before a standard…	1,446,149,376	N/A	ELIMINATED	Tier 2
Morse inscription counted around a circle Tests whether K4's letters were rearranged by counting off the Morse-code inscription around a circle of K4 positions before a standard cipher was app…	964,099,584	N/A	ELIMINATED	Tier 2
VIC cipher narrative-driven sweep: Berlin Wall date + FIVE + NDYAHR top-row + 100K keygroups Tested military or Cold War era cipher systems (VIC, DRYAD, one-time pads, etc.). 922.4 million key/parameter combinations were tested.	922,400,000	9/24	NOISE	N/A
RS 44-style grid mask + keyed column reading (TICOM-inspired) Tested non-standard encryption tables or lookup charts. 689.7 million key/parameter combinations were tested.	689,686,816	N/A	NOISE	N/A
VIC non-standard key schedule (personal_no as offset, CB alphabet from chain-add sort) Tested military or Cold War era cipher systems (VIC, DRYAD, one-time pads, etc.). 256.8 million key/parameter combinations were tested. Best match: 10…	256,816,000	10/24	NOISE	N/A
Two-pass tableau letter masks Tests whether K4's letters were rearranged by two-pass letter masks over the tableau before a standard cipher was applied. All 924 reading orders in s…	241,024,896	N/A	ELIMINATED	Tier 2
RS 44 authentic 24-row grid on cipher panel (868 chars) and K4 alone Tested military or Cold War era cipher systems (VIC, DRYAD, one-time pads, etc.). 215.9 million key/parameter combinations were tested.	215,921,500	N/A	NOISE	N/A
2D matrix keying (punch-card model) Tested methods based on the sculpture itself or things it may point to (compass bearings, coordinates, clocks, Morse code and similar). 26.1 million k…	26,142,912	9/24	NOISE	N/A
Interrupted Key Vig Tested military or Cold War era cipher systems (VIC, DRYAD, one-time pads, etc.). 14.7 million key/parameter combinations were tested.	14,700,624	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Weltzeituhr orrery (solar system model) as K4 key material Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods. 2.4 million key/parameter combinations were tested.	2,357,725	7/24	NOISE	N/A
NDYAHR raised letters as VIC cipher keygroup digits Tested military or Cold War era cipher systems (VIC, DRYAD, one-time pads, etc.). 1.7 million key/parameter combinations were tested.	1,664,451	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Full VIC cipher pipeline (key generation + CB + double transposition) Tested military or Cold War era cipher systems (VIC, DRYAD, one-time pads, etc.). 1.3 million key/parameter combinations were tested.	1,311,903	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Sculpture Path Search Tested methods based on the sculpture itself or things it may point to (compass bearings, coordinates, clocks, Morse code and similar). 977 thousand k…	976,765	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Weltzeituhr (World Clock) city lists as key material From a reconstructed 1989 list and the modern list, alone or with a width-7 columnar step, using a key based on themes from the sculpture (Egypt, CIA,…	636,006	7/24	NOISE	Tier 2
VIC cipher with K2 coordinate digits as direct Line-H Tested military or Cold War era cipher systems (VIC, DRYAD, one-time pads, etc.). 473 thousand key/parameter combinations were tested.	472,800	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Misspelling-derived tableau reconstruction From five misspelled-letter swaps, using a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods. 364 thousand key/parameter combinations were t…	363,726	8/24	NOISE	Tier 3
ABSCISSA=x-coordinate hypothesis (addendum to E-ROMAN-04) Tested methods based on the sculpture itself or things it may point to (compass bearings, coordinates, clocks, Morse code and similar). 348 thousand k…	348,048	7/24	NOISE	N/A
Anomaly-derived cipher parameters Tested methods based on the sculpture itself or things it may point to (compass bearings, coordinates, clocks, Morse code and similar). 227 thousand k…	226,789	6/24	NOISE	N/A
Berlin Clock Perm Results Tested methods based on the sculpture itself or things it may point to (compass bearings, coordinates, clocks, Morse code and similar). 188 thousand k…	188,232	N/A	NOISE	N/A
ABSCISSA/PALIMPSEST/KRYPTOS coordinate-based triple transposition Tested methods based on the sculpture itself or things it may point to (compass bearings, coordinates, clocks, Morse code and similar). 188 thousand k…	188,184	8/24	NOISE	N/A
ITA-2/Baudot XOR with key-stepping Tested military or Cold War era cipher systems (VIC, DRYAD, one-time pads, etc.). 175 thousand key/parameter combinations were tested.	174,906	N/A	NOISE	N/A
ITA-2/Baudot XOR with key-stepping Tested military or Cold War era cipher systems (VIC, DRYAD, one-time pads, etc.). 175 thousand key/parameter combinations were tested.	174,906	N/A	NOISE	N/A
ITA-2/Baudot XOR with key-stepping Tested military or Cold War era cipher systems (VIC, DRYAD, one-time pads, etc.). 175 thousand key/parameter combinations were tested.	174,906	N/A	NOISE	N/A
K3 variants (E-S-63) Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods. 77 thousand key/parameter combinations were tested.	76,582	6/24	NOISE	N/A
Morse structural (E-S-144) Tested methods based on the sculpture itself or things it may point to (compass bearings, coordinates, clocks, Morse code and similar). 71 thousand ke…	71,038	6/24	NOISE	N/A
Roman numeral keys (Carter's Tutankhamun book, excavation dates, K3's X) Chapter and plate numbers from Howard Carter's book, excavation dates, the Roman-numeral letters in K4's own ciphertext, and the X in K3 read as the n…	66,648	6/24	NOISE	Tier 2
Comprehensive Roman Numeral Hypothesis Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods. 67 thousand key/parameter combinations were tested.	66,648	6/24	NOISE	N/A
NATO/COMSEC protocol keys (DRYAD, KA running key, chain addition) Tested military or Cold War era cipher systems (VIC, DRYAD, one-time pads, etc.). Every combination within the stated scope was tested (30 thousand co…	30,000	5/24	NOISE	Tier 2
Team Physical Transpositions Tested methods based on the sculpture itself or things it may point to (compass bearings, coordinates, clocks, Morse code and similar). 28 thousand ke…	28,160	6/24	NOISE	N/A
DRYAD-style matrix code lookup Using computationally reconstructed grids, using military or Cold War era cipher systems (VIC, DRYAD, one-time pads, etc.). 15 thousand key/parameter …	15,000	3/24	NOISE	Tier 3
Soviet Threestep 20260328 Tested military or Cold War era cipher systems (VIC, DRYAD, one-time pads, etc.). 7 thousand key/parameter combinations were tested.	7,290	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Wilson Prime Mask 20260324 Tested military or Cold War era cipher systems (VIC, DRYAD, one-time pads, etc.). 5 thousand key/parameter combinations were tested.	5,148	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Wilson Prime Mask 20260328 Tested military or Cold War era cipher systems (VIC, DRYAD, one-time pads, etc.). 5 thousand key/parameter combinations were tested.	5,148	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Ubchi Null Insertion 20260328 Tested military or Cold War era cipher systems (VIC, DRYAD, one-time pads, etc.). 5 thousand key/parameter combinations were tested.	4,563	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Keys from grid row and column numbers, on 73 letters left by a column-band filler model Tried keys worked out from each letter's row and column number in a 28-by-31 layout of the cipher text, on the 73 letters left by a column-band filler…	3,726	5/24	NOISE	Tier 2
Sanborn 2025 clue phrases as key material (periodic, running, columnar, combined) Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods. 2 thousand key/parameter combinations were tested.	2,233	6/24	NOISE	N/A
Ct80 Cipher Attack Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods. 2 thousand key/parameter combinations were tested.	2,010	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Null palette letters encode numbers via visual resemblance (leetspeak) Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods. 2 thousand key/parameter combinations were tested.	1,935	5/24	NOISE	N/A
26 padding E's in K0 Morse code carry cipher information for K4 Tested methods based on the sculpture itself or things it may point to (compass bearings, coordinates, clocks, Morse code and similar). 445 key/parame…	445	5/24	NOISE	N/A
Physically-motivated extraction masks on K4 CT Tested methods based on the sculpture itself or things it may point to (compass bearings, coordinates, clocks, Morse code and similar). 379 key/parame…	379	5/24	NOISE	N/A
Weltzeituhr procedural cipher + non-standard reading routes Tested methods based on the sculpture itself or things it may point to (compass bearings, coordinates, clocks, Morse code and similar). 377 key/parame…	377	6/24	NOISE	N/A
ITA-2/Baudot mod-31 reflective encoding Tested military or Cold War era cipher systems (VIC, DRYAD, one-time pads, etc.). 288 key/parameter combinations were tested.	288	N/A	NOISE	N/A
ITA-2/Baudot mod-31 reflective encoding Tested military or Cold War era cipher systems (VIC, DRYAD, one-time pads, etc.). 288 key/parameter combinations were tested.	288	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Null value sequence OBKOGBOWWKWIWGZIG used as key material for K4 decryption Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods. 144 key/parameter combinations were tested.	144	3/24	NOISE	N/A
'The point' = compass EAST → EASTNORTHEAST direction as key seed Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	1/24	NOISE	N/A
Berlin Clock Route Tested methods based on the sculpture itself or things it may point to (compass bearings, coordinates, clocks, Morse code and similar).	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Map keystream Polybius coordinates to physical K4 grids Tested methods based on the sculpture itself or things it may point to (compass bearings, coordinates, clocks, Morse code and similar).	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Morse Indexed Alphabet Tested methods based on the sculpture itself or things it may point to (compass bearings, coordinates, clocks, Morse code and similar).	N/A	N/A	ELIMINATED	N/A
K4 keystream derived from physical paper fold/overlay operations Tested methods based on the sculpture itself or things it may point to (compass bearings, coordinates, clocks, Morse code and similar).	N/A	8/24	NOISE	N/A
Key derived from dates, coordinates, words, or sculpture features Tested methods based on the sculpture itself or things it may point to (compass bearings, coordinates, clocks, Morse code and similar).	N/A	6/24	NOISE	N/A
K2 Coordinate Key Generation Tested methods based on the sculpture itself or things it may point to (compass bearings, coordinates, clocks, Morse code and similar).	N/A	8/24	NOISE	N/A
Procedural Anomaly Attacks Tested methods based on the sculpture itself or things it may point to (compass bearings, coordinates, clocks, Morse code and similar).	N/A	7/24	NOISE	N/A
Wsw Compass Attack Tested methods based on the sculpture itself or things it may point to (compass bearings, coordinates, clocks, Morse code and similar).	N/A	7/24	NOISE	N/A
Yar Anomaly Audit Tested methods based on the sculpture itself or things it may point to (compass bearings, coordinates, clocks, Morse code and similar).	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Crib 30 Opening Keystream Discriminator Tested military or Cold War era cipher systems (VIC, DRYAD, one-time pads, etc.).	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
VIC Gap Close Tested military or Cold War era cipher systems (VIC, DRYAD, one-time pads, etc.).	N/A	7/24	NOISE	N/A
Sawtooth Mask Tested military or Cold War era cipher systems (VIC, DRYAD, one-time pads, etc.).	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Sawtooth Mask Tested military or Cold War era cipher systems (VIC, DRYAD, one-time pads, etc.).	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Wheatstone Clock Tested military or Cold War era cipher systems (VIC, DRYAD, one-time pads, etc.).	N/A	8/24	NOISE	N/A
Wheatstone Clock Tested military or Cold War era cipher systems (VIC, DRYAD, one-time pads, etc.).	N/A	8/24	NOISE	N/A
Wheatstone Clock Tested military or Cold War era cipher systems (VIC, DRYAD, one-time pads, etc.).	N/A	8/24	NOISE	N/A
Col6 Defector Palette Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods. Best match: 15/24 known letters, a level that searches like this can reach witho…	N/A	15/24	NOISE	N/A
Crib Keystream Topology Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Crossmodel Palette Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
DMPQ Exclusion Rule Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Palette Index Mask Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Enrichment Topology Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
GKO Ap Analysis Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
GKO Key Sweep Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
GKO Position Key Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
GKO Reverse Plaintext Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Letter Shape Null Correlation Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	ELIMINATED	N/A
Palette Deep Followup Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Palette Deep Investigation Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Palette Ka Row Extremeness Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Palette Mod35 Tiebreaker Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Palette NDYAHR Investigation Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Palette Null Separator Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Palette Null Separator Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Palette Position Rule Hunt Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Palette Reproducibility Audit Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Palette Reverse Specificity Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
D13 Hybrid Exploitation Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Crib 34 Stehle Null Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
AP-constrained pos 34-37 extension (pos 36 = null) Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Model b period7 (E-S-47b) Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Ap Constrained SA Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Argenti Null Rule Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Berlin Cable Templates Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Berlin Wall Crib Drag Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Error Hypothesis Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Period6 Comprehensive Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods. Best match: 16/24 known letters, a level that searches like this can reach witho…	N/A	16/24	NOISE	N/A
Period6 P13 Deep Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Transposition-keystream alignment search (TKAS v1) Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods. Best match: 19/24 known letters. That is not a real signal: searches of this kin…	N/A	19/24	NOISE	N/A
Fresh MCMC Attack Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Gap Filling Four Tasks Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Phase 2: Global constant-difference rule sweep across all lags and deltas Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Grid Key Generation Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Keystream Ap Followup Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Keystream Ap Investigation Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Keystream Ap Significance Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Memory Audit Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Positional keying via (pos%M, pos%N) lookup table Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Mod35 Table Derivation Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Model B Deep Investigation Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Null Char Assignment Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Null Insertion Structure Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Prosign Interleave Model Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Statistical Appendix Bean Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Statistical Validation Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Stehle Delta4 Comprehensive Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Table Generation Deep Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Code Room Tableau Cylinder Tested non-standard encryption tables or lookup charts.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Code Room Tableau Cylinder 01 Hb Tested non-standard encryption tables or lookup charts.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Ka 01 Keyed Tableau Tested non-standard encryption tables or lookup charts.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Tableau Keystream Tested non-standard encryption tables or lookup charts.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Tableau OTP Tested non-standard encryption tables or lookup charts.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
Rowkey NDYAHR K2 Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods. Best match: 13/24 known letters, a level that searches like this can reach witho…	N/A	13/24	NOISE	N/A
K3 NDYAHR Followup Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
K3 CT contains a second hidden message via NDYAHR letter removal/modification Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
NDYAHR Blind Cryptanalysis Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
NDYAHR Displacement Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
NDYAHR Paired Forces Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A
K3 variant keystream (E-S-58) Tested a method based on non-standard or physically-inspired methods.	N/A	N/A	NOISE	N/A