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Kryptos Sculptor Auctions Solution to 35-Year Mystery

3/14/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Jim Sanborn, the sculptor of Kryptos, at CIA headquarters, remains a mystery 35 years after installation, with the fourth encrypted message, K4, unsolved.
Sanborn is auctioning the solution to K4, along with original coding charts and an alternate paragraph, K5, despite concerns raised by two researchers.
The auction runs until November 20, and bids have reached $201,841.

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Story summary

Jim Sanborn, the sculptor of Kryptos, at CIA headquarters, remains a mystery 35 years after installation, with the fourth encrypted message, K4, unsolved.
Sanborn is auctioning the solution to K4, along with original coding charts and an alternate paragraph, K5, despite concerns raised by two researchers.
The auction runs until November 20, and bids have reached $201,841.