kryptós

Kryptos is a sculpture by the American artist Jim Sanborn located in the courtyard of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) headquarters in Langley, Virginia. It is renowned for its four encrypted passages, only three of which have been deciphered. The sculpture itself is made of four large slabs of copper, with text cut through them. The enigmatic nature of the unsolved fourth passage has made kryptos a subject of considerable public interest and a ongoing challenge for cryptanalysts worldwide.

The sculpture was commissioned in 1988 and completed in 1990. It is made of Berlin granite, surrounded by a reflecting pool and two misting columns. The encrypted text is etched into the copper surfaces, and as time passes, the copper oxidizes, changing the appearance of the text. The first three passages were solved relatively quickly, with the solutions revealed as "BETWEEN SUBTLE SHADING AND THE ABSENCE OF LIGHT LIES THE NUANCE THAT COUNTS" (K1), "IT WAS TOTALLY INVISIBLE HOWEVER TWISTED THE PATH IT WAS WRITTEN IN THE SAND ON THE BEACH OF TIME" (K2), and "SLOWLY DESPARLY NEARLY EVERYTHING THAT IS IMPORTANT IS HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT" (K3).

The fourth passage (K4) remains a mystery, containing 97 characters. Sanborn has provided occasional clues over the years, adding to the intrigue. The sculpture serves as both a work of art and a testament to the enduring allure of unsolved puzzles. Its presence at the CIA headquarters adds another layer of symbolism, hinting at the hidden complexities of intelligence and information. The ongoing effort to crack K4 highlights the intersection of art, technology, and the human desire to uncover secrets.