Cicada 3301 is a nickname given to an enigmatic organization that on three occasions has posted a set of complex puzzles and alternate reality games online, with the purpose of recruiting highly intelligent individuals. The first set of these puzzles appeared on January 4, 2012, and additional rounds followed in the subsequent years.
The puzzles of Cicada 3301 incorporated elements from steganography, cryptography, data security, and internet anonymity. They were noted for their difficulty and breadth, requiring expertise in a wide array of fields, and spanning multiple forms of media including the internet, telephone, original music, physical paper signs, and books. The puzzles were also geographically diverse, with clues located in various places around the world.
The identity and motives of the organization behind these puzzles remain unknown, and there has been much speculation about whether they are a government agency, a hacker group, a private corporation, or simply a small group of individuals conducting an elaborate experiment or game. The purpose of the recruitment is also unclear, with theories ranging from cybersecurity and espionage to more esoteric or philosophical objectives.
The last known puzzle series from Cicada 3301 was released in 2014. This followed their initial puzzle series that started in January 2012, and the subsequent series in 2013. Since the 2014 series, there have been no widely recognized or verified new puzzles or communications from Cicada 3301.
There have been various claims and rumours of new Cicada 3301 puzzles or activities after 2014, but none of these have been confirmed as legitimate by the wider community of solvers and observers. The authenticity of any alleged Cicada 3301 puzzles post-2014 is a topic of debate and speculation among enthusiasts and cryptographers.
The nature of Cicada 3301 has always been shrouded in mystery and secrecy, so it’s difficult to definitively state their current status. Their historical pattern of communication was sporadic and unpredictable, so a period of silence does not necessarily mean they have ceased operations. However, without any recent verified activity, their current state remains a subject of speculation.
Given the enigmatic and secretive nature of Cicada 3301, it’s also possible that they could resume activities or have been operating in ways that have not been publicly recognized. For the most current information, one needs to check the latest online discussions or news sources, as the situation could easily change at any time.