Key Models

Different ways to generate the secret key: from a passage in a book, from a date, from a mathematical formula, or from the sculpture itself. Includes running keys, autokey, and keyword-derived approaches.

What we tested: Running keys from over 60,000 publicly available texts have been tested (106 billion position-checks) including the Bible, Shakespeare, Carter's "Tomb of Tutankhamun," and the full Project Gutenberg library. Zero signal. A running key from a non-public or non-English source remains an open residual family, but the April 2026 audit treats it as a checklist item rather than the project's leading hypothesis.

91 eliminations recorded.

Title	Configs	Best	Verdict	Tier
Constructive Key Management Exhaustive Sweep Tested a key derived from the solutions to K1, K2, or K3. 170.1 million key/parameter combinations were tested. Best match: 10/24 known letters — slig…	170,132,352	10/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
73 books, 47.4M characters Gutenberg-scale EAST constraint scan — 73 books, 47.4M characters, 3 cipher variants — using a passage from a book or document as the encryption key. …	47,413,084	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	Tier 2
British Intelligence / MI6 / Five Eyes keyword sweep Tested a key derived from a thematic word or phrase. 10.7 million key/parameter combinations were tested.	10,665,774	9/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Kahn Codebreakers Running Key Tested using a passage from a book or document as the encryption key. 7.6 million key/parameter combinations were tested.	7,642,722	8/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Gap-9 differential filter for running key identification EAST repetition constraint mining — gap-9 differential filter for running key identification — using a passage from a book or document as the encrypti…	4,000,000	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	Tier 2
CKM M1 with ~1000 English Words (evenly sampled from wordlists/english.txt) Tested a key derived from the solutions to K1, K2, or K3. 1.9 million key/parameter combinations were tested.	1,920,000	8/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
3D Grid Transposition (Carter beadwork hypothesis) Tested using a passage from a book or document as the encryption key. 1.3 million key/parameter combinations were tested.	1,279,608	8/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Progressive running key: key[i] = (source[(i+offset)%L] + a*i) % 26 Tested using a passage from a book or document as the encryption key. 1.1 million key/parameter combinations were tested.	1,059,708	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
CKM Credential-Based Key Construction from K1-K3 Tested a key derived from the solutions to K1, K2, or K3. 693 thousand key/parameter combinations were tested.	692,992	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
S Tested a key generated by a mathematical formula (Fibonacci, polynomial, etc.). 533 thousand key/parameter combinations were tested.	532,610	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Thematic key derivation from 2025 clues Tested a key derived from a thematic word or phrase. 29 thousand key/parameter combinations were tested.	29,202	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
K2 Numberword Keywords Tested a key derived from a thematic word or phrase. 6 thousand key/parameter combinations were tested. Best match: 15/24 known letters — slightly abo…	6,110	15/24 (0.0)	ELIMINATED	N/A
German and French historical texts Foreign language running keys — German (JFK Berlin, Reagan Berlin Wall, Carter/Tut) and French (Champollion, Napoleon) texts — using a passage from a …	5,400	5/24 (0.0)	NOISE	Tier 2
NDYAHR K123ct Deep Tested a key derived from the solutions to K1, K2, or K3. 4 thousand key/parameter combinations were tested.	3,516	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Comprehensive spy/Cold War/Berlin narrative keyword sweep Tested a key derived from a thematic word or phrase. 3 thousand key/parameter combinations were tested.	2,740	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Russian intelligence terminology keyword sweep for K4 Tested a key derived from a thematic word or phrase. 2 thousand key/parameter combinations were tested.	2,366	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Cold War CIA ops + spy terminology keyword sweep Tested a key derived from a thematic word or phrase. 2 thousand key/parameter combinations were tested.	1,838	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
NDYAHR displacement on K1+K2+K3 ciphertext as unified block Tested a key derived from the solutions to K1, K2, or K3. 2 thousand key/parameter combinations were tested.	1,674	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Operation Gold / Stopwatch thematic keywords As periodic cipher keys — using a key derived from a thematic word or phrase. Every possible combination was tested (2 thousand configurations) — none…	1,500	5/24 (0.0)	NOISE	Tier 2
Aaa Runkey Bijection 08c Tested using a passage from a book or document as the encryption key. 1 thousand key/parameter combinations were tested.	1,385	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Operation Gold / Berlin Tunnel comprehensive keyword + numeric key sweep Tested a key derived from a thematic word or phrase. 1 thousand key/parameter combinations were tested.	1,356	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
British intelligence keywords (MI6, GCHQ, ENIGMA, TURING, etc.) As cipher keys — using a key derived from a thematic word or phrase. Every possible combination was tested (800 configurations) — none produced a vali…	800	5/24 (0.0)	NOISE	Tier 2
Webster family names as cipher key material (DRUSILLA, WEBSTER, WILLIAM) Webster family names as Vigenere/Beaufort key material (DRUSILLA, WEBSTER, WILLIAM, etc.) — using a key derived from a thematic word or phrase. Every …	288	5/24 (0.0)	NOISE	Tier 2
Andrew Coy: extra E counts in K0 Morse encode positional indices into words, extracting K1-K3 keywords (PALIMPSEST, ABSCISSA) Tested a key derived from a thematic word or phrase. 68 key/parameter combinations were tested.	68	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Running key from 'Carter Gutenberg Edition' as vigenere key (117413 offsets) 'Carter Gutenberg Edition' as vigenere key (117413 offsets) — using a passage from a book or document as the encryption key.	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Running key from 'Carter Tomb of Tutankhamun Vol 1 (1st ed OCR)' as vigenere key (287417 offsets) 'Carter Tomb of Tutankhamun Vol 1 (1st ed OCR)' as vigenere key (287417 offsets) — using a passage from a book or document as the encryption key.	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Running key from 'Carter Tomb of Tutankhamun Vol 1 (1st ed OCR)' as var_beaufort key (287417 offsets) 'Carter Tomb of Tutankhamun Vol 1 (1st ed OCR)' as var_beaufort key (287417 offsets) — using a passage from a book or document as the encryption key.	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Running key from 'Carter Gutenberg Edition' as beaufort key (117413 offsets) 'Carter Gutenberg Edition' as beaufort key (117413 offsets) — using a passage from a book or document as the encryption key.	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Running key from 'Carter Gutenberg Edition' as var_beaufort key (117413 offsets) 'Carter Gutenberg Edition' as var_beaufort key (117413 offsets) — using a passage from a book or document as the encryption key.	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Running key from 'Carter Tomb of Tutankhamun Vol 1 (1st ed OCR)' as beaufort key (287417 offsets) 'Carter Tomb of Tutankhamun Vol 1 (1st ed OCR)' as beaufort key (287417 offsets) — using a passage from a book or document as the encryption key.	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Comprehensive Carter running key analysis (6 phases) Tested using a passage from a book or document as the encryption key.	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Carter Tomb Thematic Tested using a passage from a book or document as the encryption key.	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Pair-index optimized Carter + columnar transposition + running key Tested using a passage from a book or document as the encryption key. Best match: 11/24 known letters — slightly above random, almost certainly coinci…	N/A	11/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Model B Running Key SA Tested using a passage from a book or document as the encryption key.	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
French/Latin/Egyptian Gutenberg texts scanned with EAST+Bean-EQ filter Tested using a passage from a book or document as the encryption key.	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
German Gutenberg texts scanned with EAST gap-9 + Bean-EQ filter Tested using a passage from a book or document as the encryption key.	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Italian + Spanish Gutenberg texts + K1-K3 plaintext scanned with EAST+Bean-EQ filter Tested using a passage from a book or document as the encryption key.	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Weltzeituhr city names / UTC offsets as running key source Tested using a passage from a book or document as the encryption key.	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Running Key 73char Overnight Tested using a passage from a book or document as the encryption key.	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
TKAS Running Key Tested using a passage from a book or document as the encryption key. Best match: 11/24 known letters — slightly above random, almost certainly coinci…	N/A	11/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
GKO Running Key Search Tested using a passage from a book or document as the encryption key.	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Isbn Hunt Tested using a passage from a book or document as the encryption key.	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Mask Runkey Discriminator Tested using a passage from a book or document as the encryption key.	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Mono Runkey Discriminator Tested using a passage from a book or document as the encryption key.	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Carter phrase 'LORDCARNARVON' as vigenere key (Expedition sponsor) Tested a key derived from a thematic word or phrase.	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Carter phrase 'TOMBOFTUTANKHAMEN' as beaufort key (Title of the book) Tested a key derived from a thematic word or phrase.	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Carter phrase 'VALLEYOFTHEKINGS' as vigenere key (Location of the tomb) Tested a key derived from a thematic word or phrase.	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Carter phrase 'HOWARDCARTER' as vigenere key (Author name) Tested a key derived from a thematic word or phrase.	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Carter phrase 'LORDCARNARVON' as beaufort key (Expedition sponsor) Tested a key derived from a thematic word or phrase.	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Carter phrase 'GOLDENMASK' as vigenere key (Famous artifact) Tested a key derived from a thematic word or phrase.	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Carter phrase 'WONDERFULTHINGS' as vigenere key (Carter's famous exclamation) Tested a key derived from a thematic word or phrase.	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Carter phrase 'VALLEYOFTHEKINGS' as beaufort key (Location of the tomb) Tested a key derived from a thematic word or phrase.	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Carter phrase 'ANTECHAMBER' as vigenere key (Room where discovery was made) Tested a key derived from a thematic word or phrase.	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Carter phrase 'BURIALCHAMBER' as vigenere key (Location of sarcophagus) Tested a key derived from a thematic word or phrase.	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Carter phrase 'GOLDENMASK' as beaufort key (Famous artifact) Tested a key derived from a thematic word or phrase.	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Carter phrase 'CANOPICJARS' as beaufort key (Burial artifacts) Tested a key derived from a thematic word or phrase.	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Carter phrase 'WONDERFULTHINGS' as beaufort key (Carter's famous exclamation) Tested a key derived from a thematic word or phrase.	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Carter phrase 'TOMBOFTUTANKHAMEN' as vigenere key (Title of the book) Tested a key derived from a thematic word or phrase.	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Carter phrase 'HOWARDCARTER' as beaufort key (Author name) Tested a key derived from a thematic word or phrase.	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Carter phrase 'ANTECHAMBER' as beaufort key (Room where discovery was made) Tested a key derived from a thematic word or phrase.	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Carter phrase 'BURIALCHAMBER' as beaufort key (Location of sarcophagus) Tested a key derived from a thematic word or phrase.	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Carter phrase 'CANOPICJARS' as vigenere key (Burial artifacts) Tested a key derived from a thematic word or phrase.	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Carter phrase 'SEALEDDOORWAY' as vigenere key (The sealed passage) Tested a key derived from a thematic word or phrase.	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Carter phrase 'SEALEDDOORWAY' as beaufort key (The sealed passage) Tested a key derived from a thematic word or phrase.	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Crib-hit-only keyword sweep (quadgrams ignored) Tested a key derived from a thematic word or phrase.	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
K-for-C thematic keyword candidates (Greek/German K substitution) Tested a key derived from a thematic word or phrase.	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Berlin-themed crib word analysis: keystream, Bean, periodicity Tested a key derived from a thematic word or phrase.	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
S Tested a key derived from a thematic word or phrase.	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Keyword Decoupled Palette Tested a key derived from a thematic word or phrase.	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Date-derived key '09111989' (Berlin Wall fall US format) as beaufort Tested a key derived from a date (like when Kryptos was built).	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Date-derived key '19861989' (Egypt-Berlin combined) as beaufort Tested a key derived from a date (like when Kryptos was built).	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Date-derived key '1986' (Egypt trip year) as beaufort Tested a key derived from a date (like when Kryptos was built).	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Date-derived key '1989' (Berlin Wall year) as beaufort Tested a key derived from a date (like when Kryptos was built).	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Date-derived key '11091989' (Berlin Wall fall date) as beaufort Tested a key derived from a date (like when Kryptos was built).	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Date-derived key '11091989' (Berlin Wall fall date) as var_beaufort Tested a key derived from a date (like when Kryptos was built).	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Date-derived key '09111989' (Berlin Wall fall US format) as var_beaufort Tested a key derived from a date (like when Kryptos was built).	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Date-derived key '1989' (Berlin Wall year) as var_beaufort Tested a key derived from a date (like when Kryptos was built).	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Date-derived key '09111989' (Berlin Wall fall US format) as vigenere Tested a key derived from a date (like when Kryptos was built).	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Date-derived key '19861989' (Egypt-Berlin combined) as var_beaufort Tested a key derived from a date (like when Kryptos was built).	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Date-derived key '19891986' (Berlin-Egypt combined) as beaufort Tested a key derived from a date (like when Kryptos was built).	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Date-derived key '1986' (Egypt trip year) as vigenere Tested a key derived from a date (like when Kryptos was built).	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Date-derived key '1986' (Egypt trip year) as var_beaufort Tested a key derived from a date (like when Kryptos was built).	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Date-derived key '1989' (Berlin Wall year) as vigenere Tested a key derived from a date (like when Kryptos was built).	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Date-derived key '11091989' (Berlin Wall fall date) as vigenere Tested a key derived from a date (like when Kryptos was built).	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Date-derived key '19861989' (Egypt-Berlin combined) as vigenere Tested a key derived from a date (like when Kryptos was built).	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Date-derived key '19891986' (Berlin-Egypt combined) as vigenere Tested a key derived from a date (like when Kryptos was built).	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Date-derived key '19891986' (Berlin-Egypt combined) as var_beaufort Tested a key derived from a date (like when Kryptos was built).	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Autokey Mutation Tested a method where the key starts with a short word, then extends using the message itself.	N/A	8/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Combined Ptct Autokey Tested a method where the key starts with a short word, then extends using the message itself. Best match: 11/24 known letters — slightly above random…	N/A	11/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
Period6 Autokey Feasibility Tested a method where the key starts with a short word, then extends using the message itself.	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A
S Tested a method based on different ways of generating the secret key.	N/A	0/24 (0.0)	NOISE	N/A